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Mobile shops, trading in public places and licence to occupy

About Trading in Public Places (mobile trading)

Trading in Public Places

Trading in Public Places refers to an activity undertaken by any person or organisation involving the sale of goods or services in a public place for payment, reward or other. It also includes mobile or temporary trading and/or using vehicles to sell goods and/or services in a public place.

Public Place

A 'public place' refers to any place under Council control, maintenance and management, and open to or used by the public as of right, including, but is not limited to, roads and footpaths.

Mobile trading

Mobile trading is the temporary trading activity from a location which is vacated once trading has ended for the day. Some examples include roadside stalls, coffee carts, ice cream trucks and food trailers.

Approval for Trading in Public Places

If you would like to trade in a public place in the Taupō District you are required to obtain approval from council, unless you will be trading as part of an organised market or event. Council monitor activities in public places regularly to ensure compliance with our Public Places Bylaw, Reserves Bylaw and other relevant license conditions.

Find out more about our bylaws

Approval for Trading in a Public Place is intended for operations that are genuinely mobile and who intend to regularly move their location during the day. For food vendors this approval can be highly restrictive, so it is important they consider whether it an appropriate option for the business.

Approval is available to any business, but potential vendors should be aware of the following restrictions:

  • Trading is not permitted in excess of 30 minutes at a time and vendors may not return to the same location more than once per day
  • No trading is permitted in any reserve
  • No trading is permitted on or next to any road with a speed limit above 50km/h
  • No trading is permitted on Lake Terrace or in the Taupō Town Centre
  • Signage is limited to one sandwich board that is only permitted to be next to the mobile shop
  • No trading is permitted where the safety of road users might be compromised.

Approval is not required in the following situations:

  • Where vendors have been granted permission to attend an approved event or market
  • Where the vendors already has a Licence to Occupy (see below)
  • Where the trading occurs on land that is not publicly owned (see below).
  • Where the activity is for fundraising (some restrictions still apply)

Additional considerations

Food vendors will need to be able to provide proof of a valid food registration on request by a council officer. Businesses should contact their local Registration Authority (usually Council) to request more information if they are uncertain of requirements.

For an indication of restricted trading locations see the maps in the drop-down section below.

Make an application for Trading in a Public Place

Please submit your application at least 10 working days before you intend to operate. Approval for Trading in a Public Place is $60 per year.

Apply now

Trading in Public Places (Licence to Occupy)

Permanent leasable sites (Licence to Occupy)

Council has two permanent leasable sites which are designated as mobile trading sites - these are located on Lake Terrace in Taupō near the beach front area.

These sites are permanently occupied by businesses who have successfully obtained a Licence to Occupy, that is Council permission to trade in a reserve or other council owned area. Typically, these only renew every few years and Council has made no provision to extend the availability beyond the two existing sites in this area. There is also no option to sub-lease these areas to other parties.

At the time of renewal of the lease, tenders may be submitted to Council for these sites. People wishing to enquire about the site renewals and tenders process are advised to email info@taupo.govt.nz with the details of the location and what information they require.

Seasonal trading locations (Licence to Occupy)

Each year Council considers a number of applications for seasonal trading locations. Who oversees this process will depend on what type of land is sought for lease (for example reserves, roadside etc).

Typically, applicants submit an application to the relevant team by submitting a business case that outlines the who, what, where, how of the business and how they will manage other considerations like traffic, rubbish, safety etc.

For summer sites these business cases usually need to be submitted by around August to September each year as Council holds a limited number of meetings to determine these applications. Applicants should note that each year a number of applications are received, but only a small number will be granted if any and making an application is no guarantee of success.

Those businesses that are successful will be issued a Licence to Occupy that will likely come with various fees and conditions. If a licence to occupy is granted the business will not need any additional permissions to trade in their designated location. If they leave that location then other approvals may be required.

Apply for a Licence to Occupy

Businesses looking to lease reserve land should submit an application using this form.

Download Word form

Trading at markets or events

Businesses wishing to trade in any Council approved market or event only need to seek the permission of the market or event organiser even if the market or event is on a reserve or other council land. Examples of pre-approved events and markets include IRONMAN, Summer Concert and Taupō Market Central.

Food vendors will still require an appropriate food registration with their local authority or MPI. There is no time limit for this type of trading other than the market or event hours.

Find out more about selling at markets and events

Venture Centre

The Venture Centre is a dedicated mobile shop area located on Spa Road about five minutes from the Taupō town centre, and close to the Taupō Events Centre and AC Baths.

Any vendor may trade at the Venture Centre provided they have a Trading in Public Places Approval and have paid the relevant fee to trade in this area. A vendor can operate for one day or all year if they choose, however spaces are allocated on a first come, first served basis, and people are advised to consider other users in the area.

Please note all food vendors wishing to trade at the Venture Centre will need to provide evidence of a current food registration. Mobile shop approvals from other districts may not be considered proof of registration.

The Venture Centre also has a small number or leasable units at the rear of the property. People wishing to enquire about the use of these spaces can email info@taupo.govt.nz with a brief explanation of what information they are seeking about these units.

For operators wishing to trade at the Venture Centre please contact our customer services team to arrange payment of site fees. Fees are usually paid in advance but can be invoiced retrospectively where appropriate.

View fees for the Venture Centre

Trading in a Private Place

Most land in the Taupō District is privately owned and is not subject to the Public Places Bylaw restrictions, however there are other rules in the District Plan that may apply depending on the zoning of the location of trading.

The process of obtaining permission to trade on private property is as follows:

  • Identify a potential trading location.
  • Approach the land owner and ask their initial permission to use their land.
  • Contact Councils Duty Planner on 07 376 0899 or email info@taupo.govt.nz with the proposed trading location address and some general details on the operation. They can advise you on the rules for the address you have identified.
  • If the Duty Planner confirms the activity is permitted and does not require a Resource Consent then you should approach the property owner and negotiate an agreement for use of the location.
  • If the Duty Planner confirms a Resource Consent is required then you will need to obtain this before any trading occurs in this location.
  • If you are a food vendor you should apply for a registration under the Food Act 2014 with your local council or MPI about a week before commencing trade.

It is strongly recommended that potential vendors do their due diligence when selecting a private property location as the penalties for non-compliance with the District Plan can be significant.

Additional Considerations

If your proposed trading location is adjacent to a State Highway then you should also contact Waka Kotahi (NZTA) to discuss your plans. These locations often require additional permissions or have restrictions, so it is recommended this is discussed in advance of any agreements.

Restricted trading locations maps

Maps in the drop-down section below show those areas where mobile trading is not permitted.

  • Green zones - reserves (mobile trading not permitted)
  • Red zones: town centres and roads with a speed limit above 50km/h (mobile trading not permitted)

Please be aware the zones highlighted in the maps are not exact and are intended as a guide only, nor are all restricted areas shown. Privately owned areas are not highlighted nor are areas such as State Highways or Iwi land.

For further advice about suitable locations for mobile trading please contact our environmental health team on 07 376 0899.

Kinloch map.

Kuratau map.

Mangakino map.

Taupo Central map.

Eastern Taupo.
Eastern Taupo.

Northern Taupo.

Nukuhau and Acacia Bay.

Southern Taupo.

Tūrangi map.

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