The permissions or permits needed for a vending machine in Belgium depend on the installation and products sold. Check permission for the site, municipal and regional rules and, for food, your FASFC activity. Buying a machine is not itself permission to sell.
Who gives permission for the location?
Agree installation on private property with its owner or authorised manager. Record where the machine will stand and who has access for restocking and maintenance. This agreement is different from an official permit.
For public land, arrange permission with the relevant authority. VLAIO explains this requirement for Flanders. Ninove, for example, explicitly includes vending machines in its permit procedure. Do not treat that local example as a rule for every Belgian municipality.
Could a planning or environmental permit also be needed?
Ask the municipality to assess the actual installation, including on private property. Outdoor installation, a structure or a change in building use may raise a permit question. Flanders has the omgevingsvergunning system; Brussels and Wallonia have their own rules.
Provide the address, photographs, dimensions and installation description. Ask which permit, notification or exemption applies. Do not assume that private property means no permit.
When is FASFC registration or authorisation needed?
If you sell food or drinks, the applicable food-chain activity must be arranged with FASFC before starting. The product range and operation determine the appropriate activity.
ACT 045 concerns registration for operators selling only drinks and/or prepacked food that keeps for at least three months at ambient temperature without additional preservation measures. For shorter shelf lives or products needing additional preservation measures, the sheet refers to a different activity; ACT 380 specifies authorisation 1.1.
Does every machine need separate FASFC authorisation?
Not automatically. The sheets state that a machine restocked by a retailer in or immediately beside its own shop can fall under that shop’s registration or authorisation. Have it confirmed that your situation meets those conditions.
Discuss stock storage and transport too. For a Smart Fridge selling fresh products, assessment concerns those products and their storage, not just the equipment’s name.
Frequently asked questions
Is the owner’s permission enough?
It covers the site agreement. Official requirements and food-safety obligations need to be checked separately.
Are Smart Fridges outside the FASFC rules?
No. When selling food or drinks, the activity determines the FASFC obligations. The sales technology does not remove that check.
Have a location in mind? Mirkoz Vending can help you select suitable equipment. Also submit your installation plan to the municipality and your product range to FASFC to confirm the requirements.
