Under the Food Business Regulation (Cap. 132X), any person who intends to carry on a food business is required to obtain a full food business licence issued by the Food and Environmental Hygiene Department (FEHD).  When applying for a full licence, an applicant may choose to apply for a provisional licence at the same time.  The provisional licence enables the applicant to have sufficient time to complete the remaining works during the six-month licence period for compliance with all licensing requirements for a full licence.

Under the original licensing regime, after receiving the written report on full compliance with the licensing requirements by the applicant, the final layout plans and other required documents, the FEHD staff will conduct a final verification inspection on site. Upon confirmation of the applicant's compliance with all licensing requirements, the FEHD will issue a full licence to the applicant.

With a view to streamlining procedures, shortening processing time, as well as facilitating compliance with the licensing requirements, applicants for restaurant and food factory licences can choose to apply for a full licence through the“Professional Certification System”(PCS) and adopts an approach of “licence first, inspection later”for the issue of full licences.  The prerequisite is that the applicant must comply with all licensing requirements imposed by other relevant government departments.  Under the new PCS, the FEHD accepts a Certificate of Compliance (Health Requirements) for Full Food Business Licence, final layout plans and final ventilation plans (if applicable) provided by an authorized person registered under section 3(1) of the Buildings Ordinance, Cap. 123 or a registered structural engineer section 3(3) of Cap. 123 (AP/RSE) as the certification for compliance with all health requirements for the issue of a full licence.  After issuing the full licence, the FEHD staff will conduct on-site audit checks to confirm premises' compliance with all health requirements.

Subject to smooth implementation of the PCS and support from the trade, the FEHD will consider extending the new measure to other food business licences.

If any information in the relevant documents certified correct by an AP/RSE is found to be incorrect, false or misleading, or if the declaration made is found to be false after on-site audit checks, the FEHD will carry out follow-up action, such as consideration of instigating prosecution, cancellation of the licence issued or referring the case to other departments concerned for follow-up.