1. Hong Kong Restaurant License Application (Catering license)License type
General restaurant license (big name)
Authorized to prepare and sell any type of food for dine-in use，No restrictions on cooking methods。Suitable for Chinese restaurants、Japanese and Korean Western Restaurant、Fully functional restaurants such as tea restaurants。The net floor area of the premises is recommended to be not less than 30 square meters。
Snack Restaurant License (thin brand)
Only simple cooking methods (steaming) are allowed、stew、Fried etc.，Deep frying and stir-frying are strictly prohibited) Preparing snacks，Large amounts of oil fumes must be avoided。Suitable for fish eggs、Siomai、Sweets and other light food stores。Net floor area is not less than 20 square meters。
Food factory license (Takeaway sign)
Specialized in manufacturing food for takeaway，Dine-in seating is strictly prohibited。Suitable for central kitchen、Pure takeaway shop、Shuangcheng Hotel, etc.。Easy to apply，But we need to strictly abide by the "no dine-in" red line。
2. Hong Kong restaurant license application process
1. Site selection and legal pre-review
委托港汇通项目团队核查地契、Building Deed of Mutual Covenant、Statutory plans and unauthorized structures，Ensure that the premises have the basis for licensing，Avoid investment losses。
2. Submit application and design drawings
Complete form FEHB 94，together with triplicate、The ratio is not less than 1:100Decimal plan of，Submit to FEHD Licensing Office。
3. Application Review Panel Meeting (AVP)
The FEHD will arrange an inter-departmental meeting within 20 working days after accepting the application，Issuance of "Notice of Licensing Conditions" or rectification requirements on the spot。
4. Complete firefighting、Ventilation and Sanitation Engineering
According to the licensing conditions，Hire registered fire protection contractors and authorized persons to carry out construction work，Obtain Fire Protection Certificate (FS 251) and Ventilation System Compliance Certificate。
5. Apply for a provisional license (optional)
If the basic safety requirements are met，A provisional license valid for 6 months can be issued first，Quick opening，Simultaneously improve the formal licensing conditions。
6. Submit professional certification documents
Under the Professional Certification Scheme (PCS)，"Certificate of Compliance" signed by an authorized person，The FEHD will issue the official license within 2 working days after receipt.。
7. Formal licensing and ongoing compliance
After obtaining the official license，Strictly comply with license conditions，Annual inspection and renewal on time，Ensure operations are legal and compliant。
3. Documents required for Hong Kong restaurant license application
Completed Application for Restaurant License (FEHB Form 94)
Copy of valid business registration certificate and company registration documents
Drawn to scale in triplicate (1:100) shop suggested design drawings，Mark the kitchen、seating area、Toilets and ventilation systems, etc.
Statutory Declaration of Compliance with the Terms of the Government Lease (Form FEHB 192)
"Certificate of No Unauthorized Building Works" issued by Authorized Person/Registered Structural Engineer (UBW-1/2)
Fire Safety Certificate (FS 251) issued by a registered fire protection installation contractor
Copy of valid certificate of hygiene manager/hygiene supervisor
4. Comparison of restaurant license types - which one is right for you?
| Compare items | General restaurant license (big name) | Snack Restaurant License (thin brand) | Food factory license (Takeaway sign) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Dine-in service | allow | allow | strictly prohibited |
| cooking restrictions | Unlimited | No frying、Stir-fried over high heat | No specific restrictions(Takeaway only) |
| Food room area requirements | higher | lower | Depends on size |
| Recommended minimum floor area | 30square meters | 20square meters | not applicable |
| Frequently Asked Questions about Additional Licensing | liquor license、outdoor seating、Restricted food stamp | Restricted food stamp(If applicable) | No dine-in liquor license, etc. |
| Approval complexity | high | middle | lower |
5. Compliance red lines and risks for Hong Kong catering licenses
[Serious risk] Unlicensed operation：Operating business without a valid license，The FEHD can apply to the court for a closure order，The premises will be sealed and future license applications absolutely refused。
[Zero Tolerance] Unauthorized Buildings：Any unauthorized building works on the premises will result in the termination of the licensing process，Must be certified by an authorized person as being free from unauthorized construction。
[Absolutely prohibited] Transfer without authorization：The license is exclusive to individuals/legal entities，Private support is invalid，Must obtain written approval from FEHD。
[Points Sanction] Violation Points System：12Deduct 15 points within a month，The license may be temporarily suspended for 7 to 14 days，In serious cases, permanent cancellation。
[Consistency with plans] The operational layout must be completely consistent with the registered plans.，Unauthorized changes may result in license revocation。
6. Hong Kong restaurant license application FAQ
Clear boundaries of legal authority。Ordinary restaurants are allowed to prepare and sell any kind of food 。The cooking methods of snack restaurants are strictly restricted.，Only allowed to be boiled、stew、Steam、stew、Simple frying and other cooking methods that do not produce a lot of fumes，Deep frying and stir frying are absolutely prohibited 。also，Ordinary restaurants are legally required to provide proportionally larger food rooms (kitchens and washing areas) 。
Can't。Provisional License is a transitional mechanism established by the government to facilitate the industry to open early.，Its legal validity period is only 6 months 。The licensee must complete all final compliance projects and obtain a formal license within this 6-month period。If you simply apply for a provisional license without applying for a formal license，The government will not accept 。
To avoid investment losses，Applicants must verify three major statutory documents before signing a lease：
- (1) government lease (Government Lease)，Ensure no objectionable industry or use restrictions are violated；
- (2) Occupancy permit/occupancy certificate (Occupation Permit)，Ensure that the premises is approved by the Buildings Department for commercial/restaurant use；
- (3) Statutory plans (Statutory Plan)，Make sure the outline zoning plan allows "restaurant" use 。
Absolutely not。The FEHD’s mandatory requirement is that the premises to be licensed must have “no unauthorized construction works”。The applicant must hire an "Approved Person (AP)" or "Registered Structural Engineer (RSE)" at his or her own expense to conduct a comprehensive inspection of the premises，And sign and submit the statutory "Certificate of No Unauthorized Construction Works"，Otherwise the licensing process will come to a complete standstill。
The service commitment of the FEHD is，An “Application Review Panel (AVP) meeting” will be held within 20 working days after the application is formally accepted. 。By then the Buildings Department、Representatives from the Fire Services Department and Food and Environmental Hygiene Department will interview you，If in principle the premises are considered suitable，The government will issue you a "Letter of Requirements" before the meeting or on the day of the meeting. 。
Under the traditional mechanism，After completion, the applicant needs to wait for government personnel to come to the site for final verification (it takes about 8 working days)，After passing the test, wait another 7 working days before the license is issued. 。And under the PCS mechanism，Take the "first deal"、"post-inspection" principle。As long as your Authorized Person (AP/RSE) issues a Certificate of Compliance，FEHD waives prior on-site inspection，The formal license will be issued within 2 working days after confirmation of receipt of the documents.，Significantly shorten the waiting period for vacant leases 。
No need to apply independently for a new license，But must apply“Restricted Food Endorsement”。According to the law，Such restricted food must not be sold without written permission 。Applicants only need to check the relevant items on the application form (FEHB 94)，The FEHD will put forward special hygiene and equipment requirements (such as independent sashimi rooms)，Once the standard is met, the approval stamp will be added to the restaurant license for free. 。
Absolutely prohibited。Operating out of a store without a license is a criminal offense 。You must additionally submit the Application for Outdoor Seating (FEHB 197) form 。Applications will face housing、Firefighting、planning、Joint review by transportation and other departments，and regional public consultations from the Home Affairs Office 。If government land is occupied，You must also apply for a land license or short-term lease from the Lands Department and pay rent 。
no。Hong Kong implements independent jurisdiction over alcohol sales。Restaurant license does not include the right to sell alcohol。Allow customers to drink alcohol in restaurants，You must submit toLiquor Licensing BoardSubmit liquor license application independently 。
Legislation has a time limit。Applicants must apply within 3 months after the provisional license expires，Or within 12 months after the issuance of the notice of licensing conditions for the formal license (if a provisional license has not been applied for)，Fulfill all licensing conditions 。If there is no force majeure reason for overdue，Application will be deemed automatically withdrawn 。
Facing severe prosecution and shop closures。Once discovered operating without a license，In addition to criminal prosecution，The Food and Environmental Hygiene Department will apply to the court for a closure order in accordance with Section 128B of the Public Health and Municipal Services Ordinance. (Closure Order) 。Once the premises are closed by a court order，While the closure order is in effect，The FEHD will absolutely refuse to accept and process any license application for the premises 。
The application must be submitted together with the proposed design drawings in triplicate 。The plan is legally required to be in decimal units，and must be no less than 1:100 Accurate drawing of common proportions 。If you need to modify it later，Must be marked on the original image with a colored pen，It is strictly prohibited to arbitrarily replace new plans to avoid delays in approval 。
