South Africa
Foodstuffs Act and Regulation R638 (Food Premises) compliance, made simple
6 yes/no questions on Regulation R638 of 2018 under the Foodstuffs, Cosmetics and Disinfectants Act. You get a score for each area and a list of gaps with what to do about each one.
ComplianceDesk gives you 5 pre-built Foodstuffs Act and Regulation R638 (Food Premises) controls, an evidence vault, audit-ready reports, and reminders before anything falls overdue — so proving Foodstuffs Act and Regulation R638 (Food Premises) compliance stops being a spreadsheet exercise.
Take the free self-assessment: a score for each area and a list of gaps to close.
What is Foodstuffs Act and Regulation R638 (Food Premises)?
6 yes/no questions on Regulation R638 of 2018 under the Foodstuffs, Cosmetics and Disinfectants Act. You get a score for each area and a list of gaps with what to do about each one.
- Official name
- Food Premises Hygiene (R638)
- Status
- In force. Shown as in force as we understand it. Check the current text with the regulator or an attorney, since provisions can be amended or commence at different times.
Who it applies to
- Whether it applies to you depends on your size, activities and licences. Use the free "Which laws apply to me?" checker, or read the first section of the self-assessment.
What you have to do
Certificate of Acceptability
A business should be able to show that it can answer yes to these: Does each food premises hold a Certificate of Acceptability from the municipality, and is it displayed? Does the premises meet the hygiene requirements for structure, cleaning, pest control, water, waste and facilities?
Operations and records
A business should be able to show that it can answer yes to these: Are food handlers trained in hygiene and their fitness to work monitored, with records per person? Do you have documented controls for temperature, storage and traceability, with logs? Do vehicles used to transport food meet the hygiene requirements? If an inspector finds a problem, do you record it, fix it and keep the evidence?
How to comply, step by step
- Certificate of Acceptability. Apply to the municipality before trading. The certificate is not transferable from premises to premises, so apply again after a move or change of owner as required. Do a monthly self-inspection against the regulation's requirements and fix defects.
- Operations and records. Keep training and health records. Keep temperature logs and supplier records. Keep cleaning and temperature records for each vehicle. Answer Not applicable if you do not transport food. Keep a corrective action log.
Sources and review status
Compiled from the public sources below. It is not legal advice and has not been reviewed by a lawyer. Last researched 2026-11-01. This is general information, not legal advice. Laws change, so check the current text and the regulator's notices before relying on it.
Every Foodstuffs Act and Regulation R638 (Food Premises) control, organised for you
The real control library ComplianceDesk seeds the moment you activate Foodstuffs Act and Regulation R638 (Food Premises) — 5 controls across 2 categories.
Certificate of Acceptability
- FDS-1.1 Certificate of Acceptability held and displayed
- FDS-1.2 Premises meet the hygiene requirements
Operations & Records
- FDS-2.1 Food handler training and health records
- FDS-2.2 Food safety management system documented
- FDS-2.3 Transport of food controlled
Frequently asked questions
How can I check where my business stands on Food Premises Hygiene (R638)?
Take the free self-assessment. It scores each area, lists your gaps with what to do about each one, and does not say you are compliant. You can save the result to ComplianceDesk to turn each gap into a task with an owner and a due date.
Is this guide written by a lawyer?
No. It was assembled from the public sources listed below and has not been reviewed by a lawyer. Treat it as a starting point and check the current law before relying on it.
How many controls does ComplianceDesk track for Foodstuffs Act and Regulation R638 (Food Premises)?
5, organised into 2 categories, ready to assign to an owner as soon as you activate the framework.
Can I track Foodstuffs Act and Regulation R638 (Food Premises) alongside other frameworks?
Yes — most teams activate several frameworks at once. Controls that overlap across frameworks can share the same evidence, so you don't collect the same document twice.
How long does it take to set up Foodstuffs Act and Regulation R638 (Food Premises) in ComplianceDesk?
Activating Foodstuffs Act and Regulation R638 (Food Premises) instantly seeds its full control library. Most teams assign owners and get their first controls moving within a day.
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