Lodging a Statement of Trade (SOT)

A statement of trade (SOT) is a statement that lets all relevant councils know when you will be operating your temporary and mobile food premises and food vending machines or water transport vehicle in their district, and where.

First your temporary or mobile food premises or food vending machines or water transport vehicle must be registered or notified under the statewide single registration system. Then you must lodge a SOT with the councils in whose areas you are planning to trade. You can do this in Streatrader. 

When can I lodge a SOT ?

• When I register / notify

You can lodge an SOT at the same time as you register or notify your temporary or mobile food premises or food vending machines in Streatrader if you know the dates you plan to trade.

You should allow 21 days for the registration/notification to be processed.

You cannot trade until your premises has been registered/notified.

• Lodge at least 5 days before trading
  

Once registered you can use Streatrader to lodge a SOT with each council in whose district you plan to operate at least 5 working days before the commencement of trading.

Streatrader automatically sends a copy of each SOT to your principal council, to make sure it knows when and where you are trading.

You can go back into Streatrader at any time to lodge new SOTs as new trading activities are planned.

• Private drinking water carters

You can operate in any council district if you have advised it in the previous 12 months that you may do so.

As water carters may be called at short notice by customers wanting water urgently, you can complete an SOT for all districts where you anticipate delivering water in the coming 12 months. All districts can be included in the one SOT in Streatrader.

Streatrader automatically sends a copy of the SOT to your principal council, to make sure it knows when and where you are trading.

Your first SOT for a council district should be lodged at least 5 working before you commence trading in that district.

When a SOT not required

You do not need to lodge a SOT if you are operating:

• a temporary or mobile premises and are catering at a function or location that is not open to members of the public (such as catering for a wedding reception, work function or members dinner)
• class 4 food vending machines.

Other laws

Lodging an SOT ensures that you have complied with the Food Act.

However, other laws may also apply to your trading. For example, you may need:

• permission from a council to operate on council land, or if trading on a street, etc.
• permission from the land owner if you intend to operate on private land
• permission from the event organiser, if operating at events or markets
  
• other required licences – such as a liquor licence (if applicable).