What does 'awaiting inspection' mean on a food hygiene rating?
"Awaiting inspection" means the business has registered with its council but has not yet had its first food hygiene inspection, so no rating has been given. It is normal for new businesses and is not a bad sign in itself.
It means new, not bad
Every food business must register with its local council before it opens. The inspection, and the rating, come afterwards. So a business marked awaiting inspection is one the council knows about but has not yet visited. It has no rating because there is nothing to base one on yet, not because it failed anything.
This is the ordinary state of a genuinely new business. A cafe that opened last month may simply be in the queue.
How long the wait can be
Councils aim to inspect new higher-risk businesses reasonably promptly, but there is no single national deadline, and the wait depends on the council's workload and the risk category of the business. A lower-risk premises may wait longer, because the council's limited inspection time goes to higher-risk food businesses first.
Source: Food Standards Agency, “How food hygiene ratings work”
Should you avoid an unrated place?
That is your call, and it is a genuinely different situation from a low rating. A low rating is a signal the inspector found problems. "Awaiting inspection" is the absence of a signal, no inspector has been yet. Some people happily try a new place; others prefer to wait for the first rating. Neither is wrong, but the two should not be read as the same thing.
When it should update
Once the first inspection happens, the business is given a rating and the "awaiting inspection" note is replaced. If a business has shown as awaiting inspection for a very long time, it can be worth checking the council's own record, as occasionally a rating exists that has not propagated, though usually a long wait just reflects a low-risk premises far down the list.
Common questions
What does 'awaiting inspection' mean?
The business has registered with its council but has not yet had its first food hygiene inspection, so it has no rating yet. It is normal for new businesses.
Is 'awaiting inspection' a bad sign?
No. It means no inspection has happened yet, not that anything was found wrong. It is different from a low rating, which is an actual signal from an inspector.
How long does 'awaiting inspection' last?
Until the first inspection, which depends on the council's workload and the business's risk category. Higher-risk businesses are generally seen sooner; there is no single national deadline.
Should I eat at a place awaiting inspection?
That is a personal choice. It is not the same as a low rating; it simply means no inspector has visited yet. Some people try new places, others wait for the first rating.
Check a specific place
Every food business in the UK has a published rating. Look up a restaurant, takeaway, pub or shop by name, or browse every council area.
More guides
- What does a 0 food hygiene rating mean?
- Does a low hygiene rating mean the food is unsafe?
- Does a business have to display its hygiene rating?
- How often are food businesses inspected?
- What is a good food hygiene rating?
- How to check a restaurant's food hygiene rating
- The three scores behind a food hygiene rating, explained
- Scotland's food hygiene scheme: what a Pass means
- A place has a low hygiene rating: what can you do?
Ratings and the rules described here come from the Food Standards Agency and Food Standards Scotland, published under the Open Government Licence. This is general information, not legal advice, the official record for any business is held by the FSA and its local council.