Registration for business in Denmark

You may start your business:

• If your activities only require registration, you may start your business after confirmation from the DVFA, that your business is registered.

• If your activities require approval, the DVFA will inform you of this in the confirmation message, and the DVFA will perform an on-site visit before an approval may be granted. You may only start your business after an approval is granted.

The confirmation message on registration of your business or whether your activities require approval will be sent within four weeks.

In case of rejection

If the DVFA decides to reject registration or approval you will receive a reasoned notification. If you disagree with the decision to refuse your application, you have the right to appeal. The deadline for submitting an appeal is four weeks from date on which the decision was announced.

The appeal should be submitted in writing by e-mail, letter or fax to the DVFA who will forward your complaint to the Danish Environment and Food Board of Appeal.

Legal basis for registration or approval

The requirement of registration applies to food businesses covered by:

• Regulation (EC) No 852/2004 on the hygiene of foodstuffs.

The requirement of approval applies to food businesses covered by:

• Regulation (EC) No 853/2004 laying down specific hygiene rules for food of animal origin, and

• Regulation (EU) No 210/2013 on the approval of establishments producing sprouts pursuant to Regulation (EC) No 852/2004 of the European Parliament and of the Council.

The requirement of registration applies to food contact materials (FCM) establishments producing FCM or performing business to business distribution, intra-community trading or importing from third countries of FCM:

• Danish Order No 2247 of 1 December 2021 on approval and registration of food businesses etc.

• However, you are exempted from registration, if your FCM activities on a yearly basis do not exceed 1 000 units and a turnover of 50 000 DKK.

• You want to set up a permanent food or FCM business in Denmark

• You want to set up a temporary food or FCM business in Denmark

• You want to take over an existing, active business in Denmark (shift in ownership)

• You have significant changes in your activities in your existing business in Denmark

• You want to close down your business or some of the activities in your business in Denmark

• You wish to trade food from other Member States into Denmark or import from third countries

• The Smiley website. This page primarily publishes inspection reports, although there is also information about the business itself.

• The list of approved establishments. This page lists the establishments approved for handling food of animal origin and sprouts.

• Danish Bakers and Confectioners (BKD)

• Denmark’s restaurants and cafés (DRC)

• Danish Chamber of Commerce

• Danish Agriculture

• Confederation of Danish Industry

• Horesta

Act on Food, cf. Order No 999 of 2 July 2018

Order No 1404 of 29 November 2018 on approval and registration of food businesses etc