Food Factory Licence
Food prepared for customers to eat away from the place of production falls within the food factory licence, excluding frozen confection factories.
This licence covers processing, cooking, making food and takeaway sales, without dine-in, hence the name "takeaway licence". Food-processing plants, Hong Kong street snack shops, bubble tea shops, takeaway cafés and takeaway two-dish rice shops are common examples. Businesses offering takeaway or collection without on-site dining can apply.
Trust or Company Service Provider licence TC007926
Government fees — food factory
| Floor area | New full licence / year | Renewal / year |
|---|---|---|
| Up to 100 m² | 2,330 | 3,740 |
| Over 100, up to 150 m² | 3,280 | 4,690 |
| Over 150, up to 200 m² | 5,170 | 6,580 |
| Over 200, up to 2,000 m² | 6,740–54,620 | 8,450–56,330 |
| Over 2,000 m² | 91,230–185,160 | 93,710–187,640 |
All amounts in HK dollars. A price range covers several official area bands. Your exact fee depends on the premises' floor area. From 1 November 2025, the new full-licence fee excludes the prescribed Fire Services Department fees. Renewal fees are unchanged. Our consultancy fee is charged separately from the government amounts shown here.
Businesses that can apply
- Canning, bottling or packing food or drinks in bags or other packaging materials
- Making soy sauce, pickles or sauces (including flavouring powder and MSG)
- Curing food, including dried and cured meats, smoked ham, sausages, lo mei and preserved fruit
- Catering and banquet services
- Roasting meat or poultry
- Making desserts
- Making tofu, soy milk, dried tofu, fermented bean curd and red fermented bean curd
- Making noodles, rice noodles, fine wheat noodles, macaroni, spaghetti and glass noodles
- Making snacks (such as peanuts, prawn crackers and potato crisps) and pastries
- Making gluten and gluten products, such as vegetarian lo mei
- Food processing, such as making fish balls, shrimp balls, meat balls and pork rind
- Making bottled drinking water
Shop specifications
- For takeaway cooked food or fast-food sales, the food factory’s food room must total at least 6 sq m.
- Where cooked food is heated or reheated for sale, provide a food room totalling at least 3.5 sq m.
Special requirements and restrictions
Fire safety considerations rule out the following buildings for a food factory licence:
- Premises on basement level four or any lower level.
- Premises immediately beneath a registered school or child care centre, or presenting a fire risk to either.
Other food licences
Food factory licence questions
What licence does a temporary event stall need?
How does it compare with the small licence?
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