Food licence lookup / Zululand

Certificate of Acceptability in the Zululand District

Food businesses in the 5 local municipalities of the Zululand District apply for their Certificate of Acceptability at the district’s environmental health office, not at their local municipality.

Zululand District Municipality

District · KwaZulu-Natal

Apply to this district’s environmental health office for your Certificate of Acceptability.

035 874 5500 / 035 874 5530

Switchboard. Ask for Environmental Health, under Community Services.

Zululand District Municipality Head Office, B400 Gagane Street, Ulundi, 3838 (postal: Private Bag X76, Ulundi, 3838)

Cost: Charged per year: R665 for formal food premises, R220 for informal traders and caterers, per the 2025/26 tariffs.

Covers: AbaQulusi Local Municipality, eDumbe Local Municipality, Nongoma Local Municipality, Ulundi Local Municipality, uPhongolo Local Municipality

Last verified July 2026. Details changed? Let us know.

Towns this office serves

Wherever you are in these municipalities, Zululand is your Certificate of Acceptability office:

  • AbaQulusi: Vryheid, Louwsburg, Hlobane
  • eDumbe: Paulpietersburg, eDumbe, Bilanyoni
  • Nongoma: Nongoma
  • Ulundi: Ulundi, Mahlabathini, Babanango
  • uPhongolo: Pongola, Ncotshane

How to apply in the Zululand District

  1. Contact the office using the details above and ask for the Certificate of Acceptability application form.
  2. Submit it with a certified copy of the ID of the person in charge and a simple layout plan of the premises. Confirm the exact document list when you get the form.
  3. An Environmental Health Practitioner inspects the premises. If something falls short, you get a list to fix and a re-visit.
  4. Display the certificate on the premises once it is issued.

The certificate is not a licence to trade: if you prepare meals or sell perishable food you usually also need a business licence and zoning approval from your local municipality. The food licence lookup explains all three.

Selling food without a registered company?

Most municipalities ask for your business details on the application, and suppliers and landlords will too. Govchain registers your company online for R950, usually within a few days.

Other KwaZulu-Natal offices