Starting a vending machine business in the UK
The VendBuddy app works in English, but its location and contact data cover the United States only. In the UK, use these guides and join the waitlist below to hear when we cover it.
UK vending runs on its own rules: HMRC for tax and VAT, council food registration for every machine, and no tobacco in machines in England. These guides cover the set-up and the pitch, with links to GOV.UK and the Food Standards Agency.
Sources (official)
- GOV.UK: Become a sole trader (register for Self Assessment above £1,000 trading income)
- GOV.UK: Set up a private limited company (Companies House)
- GOV.UK: Register for VAT (the £90,000 threshold)
- Food Standards Agency: Food business registration (28 days before trading)
- Food Standards Agency: Register a food business (vending machine is a listed business type)
- legislation.gov.uk: Protection from Tobacco (Sales from Vending Machines) (England) Regulations 2010, reg. 2
Last checked: 2026-10-02
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