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What Food Hygiene Certificate Do I Need to Become a Delivery Driver?
Food delivery is one of the fastest-growing ways people earn money in the UK, and one of the most common questions from new drivers is whether they need a food hygiene certificate before they can start. Here’s the honest answer.
The short version
- Most delivery platforms (Deliveroo, Uber Eats, Just Eat and similar) either require or strongly recommend a Level 2 Food Hygiene certificate before you can sign up — but requirements vary by platform and do change, so always check the current terms for the one you’re joining.
- Legally, a driver who only collects and delivers sealed, already-prepared food is doing lower-risk work than someone cooking it — but the moment you portion, plate or handle open food, the law expects proper training for that activity.
- If you prepare food as well as deliver it (a small home kitchen doing its own deliveries, for example), you need the same Level 2 training as any other food handler.
What the law actually says
UK food law doesn’t single out “delivery driver” as its own legal category. What it requires, under retained EU Regulation 852/2004, is that anyone handling food is trained and supervised appropriately for what they actually do. A driver collecting sealed containers from a restaurant and dropping them at a customer’s door is handling food at a genuinely lower risk level than the person who cooked it — but they’re still expected to understand the basics: keeping hot food hot, cold food cold, not letting bags cross-contaminate, and what to do if a delivery is damaged or looks wrong.
Why most platforms ask for Level 2 anyway
Even though the legal minimum for pure transport work is arguably lower, food delivery platforms tend to set their own bar higher — partly for consistency across a huge number of drivers, and partly because it’s the credential Environmental Health Officers and the public recognise. A Level 2 Food Hygiene and Safety certificate is cheap, quick to complete online, and removes any ambiguity about whether you’re covered. It’s also worth having if you ever move from pure delivery into food prep, packing or a kitchen role.
If you prepare the food as well as deliver it
This is where the answer changes completely. If you’re running your own small food business — cooking meals at home and delivering them yourself, for example — you’re a food handler in the full sense, not just a courier, and you need the same Level 2 training (and food business registration) as any other home food business. See our full guide on selling food from home in the UK for the complete picture.
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Frequently asked questions
Do I need a certificate before I can sign up to Deliveroo, Uber Eats or Just Eat?
It depends on the platform and can change over time, so check their current onboarding requirements directly. Many either require Level 2 Food Hygiene or make it available as part of onboarding — having it ready in advance never hurts your application.
How long does a food hygiene certificate take to get?
A Level 2 Food Hygiene and Safety course is typically completed online in under an hour, at your own pace, with your certificate issued instantly once you pass.
Is there a specific “delivery driver” certificate?
No — there’s no separate qualification aimed only at delivery. Level 2 Food Hygiene and Safety is the standard credential drivers use, and it’s the same certificate used across the whole food industry.