Food Health Export Certificates

Please note: With very few exceptions a new Food Export Health Certificate is required for each individual food export consignment.

If you have a food business in BASILDON and wish to sell your produce abroad, you may be required to have a Food Health Export Certificate by the country of destination.

How to apply for a Food Export Health Certificate

Step 1 - Contact the embassy or consulate of the country to which you wish to export

The specific format of a Food Export Health Certificate and exact export details it should contain can vary from country to country. For this reason you must contact the embassy or consulate of the country to which you wish to export, and ask for the details and format required for a Food Export Health Certificate that will meet their specific requirements.

The London Diplomatic List contains the addresses and contact details of all embassies and High Commissions and can be viewed free-of-charge on the GOV.UK website. See...

• GOV.UK - Foreign embassies in the UK (opens new window)

If you want to export food to Europe advice can be found on the government website: Export or move food, drink and agricultural products - GOV.UK

Step 2 - Submit a Food Export Health Certificate application to Basildon Council

Because of the differing requirements of various countries as explained above, there are no specific application forms for a Food Export Health Certificate.

Once you know the specific Food Export Health Certificate requirements of the country to which you wish to export, please contact Basildon Council's Environmental Health Services with the following information:

• your contact details
• details of the consignment(s) of food you wish to export
• details and format required for a Food Export Health Certificate for the export destination country.

You can make your application by phone or email. See our phone and email contact details bottom of page

Please also advise us of any other specific requests in relation to the certificate at the point of application, ( for example some countries require an official coloured stamp mark to be included on the certificate ).

Please allow a minimum of 3 working days to enable us to process your request.

After payment has been received you will receive your certificate by e-mail, unless you have specifically requested to receive it through the post or collect it from the council's town centre offices. 

Step 3 - Fees and payment

On contacting our Environmental Health Services to submit your application you will be given all the information needed to make payment.

There is a charge for each routine certificate issued and payment must be received before the certificate application is processed.

• Health Export Certificates - Admin charge for 1 certificate/request - £60.00

Before a certificate is issued we may make additional checks depending on the required wording of the certificate - where a visit is required to the business, this will be recharged at the current officer hourly rate of £60 per hour.

Payment options are:

• Pay online for a Food Export Health Certificate ( IMPORTANT: when completing the online payment form,  In 1st dropdown box select 'EH Services', then in 2nd dropdown box select 'Food Export Certificates' )
• Pay by phone for a Food Export Health Certificate on 01268 206682

Other important advice for applicants

We cannot include wording on a Food Export Health Certificate that implies we vouch for the safety of the individual batch/consignment of food.  Our wording normally reflects the fact that:

• your foodstuffs are produced and/or stored in premises subject to our jurisdiction as a food authority
• and that the premises have been subject to a satisfactory inspection.

We will not supply a certificate unless you have registered your food business, and your business has previously been inspected. See...

• Registration - Food Businesses
• Food Safety Inspections.

We reserve the right to decline to issue a certificate if we are dissatisfied with hygiene standards and practices conducted on your premises.