Essential conditions for applying for a food business license

  • Legal registration in China: To apply for a food business license, your company must be legally registered in China. If you have a Chinese business partner, it can be established as a wholly foreign-owned enterprise (link to the wholly foreign-owned enterprise registration service page) or a joint venture (link to the joint venture registration service page). Food related activities must be included in its business scope.
  • Fixed place of business: Your company needs to have a fixed place of business. However, not all hotels and locations are eligible to apply for a food business license, as your premises must comply with local food safety and hygiene standards. If you are unsure how to choose a suitable registration and business address, you can use our affiliate registration address service (link to the affiliate registration address service page), which provides address consultation.
  • Comprehensive food management system and facilities: Your business premises must be equipped with food processing and storage facilities that meet the requirements. A sound management framework covering all departments such as food storage, processing, and sales should be established, which is crucial for passing on-site inspections.
  • Employees who have undergone training and health checks: In order to ensure food quality and safety, prevent contamination, it is usually necessary to provide health certificates to employees and ensure that they have received food safety training. This helps ensure the health of employees at work.

Application Process for Food Business License

Step 1: Qualification review and document preparation
Simon will review the information and conduct a qualification review of your company to ensure that it meets the basic requirements for applying for a food business license. If your company cannot fully meet certain requirements, Simon is also willing to provide company information modification services to meet legal requirements. At the same time, all necessary documents and certificates will be prepared for the following application process.

Step 2: On site inspection
After receiving the complete food business license materials, the local market supervision and administration bureau will arrange an on-site inspection of your business premises. They will check if your residence meets food safety and hygiene standards. During this process, the qualifications of your employees working in the food industry will also be checked.

Step 3: Regulatory Compliance after Approval
After obtaining the food business license, your company still needs to comply with a series of regulatory requirements throughout the entire business process. For example, this may include undergoing regular inspections by health and market regulatory authorities, maintaining high-quality food safety management records, and organizing regular personnel training. In addition, you need to apply for renewal before the expiration of your food business license, as compliance records will directly affect the results.

Time required for applying for a food business license

The time required to apply for a food business license varies by city and region, but typically, you should allocate the following recommended time before starting your food business:

  • Preliminary consultation and material preparation:About 1-2 weeks;
  • Submit application and review materials:About 1-2 weeks;
  • On site inspection:About 1-2 weeks (depending on the arrangement of the market supervision department);
  • Approval and issuance of licenses:Approximately 30-60 working days.

Please note that these times are typical processing times under normal circumstances. To ensure that you have sufficient time to obtain approval, we strongly recommend that you start the application process 60-90 working days in advance.

Why choose Simon

Rich industry experience:
For 16 years, Simon has been committed to providing customers with high-quality and high success rate food business license applications, accumulating rich industry experience and numerous successful cases. We will provide you with professional application advice to help you smoothly obtain a food business license.

Good government and public relations:
Over the years, Simon has established good public relations with the government, allowing us to process your food business license application more quickly. While maintaining smooth communication with relevant departments, Simon can promptly resolve any issues you may encounter.

Detailed understanding of laws and regulations:
When applying for a Food Business License for a Chinese restaurant, it is not only necessary to coordinate with the local management department for on-site inspections, but also to complete the overall design of the restaurant in advance, paying special attention to food hygiene, kitchen layout, and dining area requirements, as each has different regulations. If the initial setup does not meet government standards, this can help avoid expensive renovations.

Comprehensive support:
We provide full process support from initial consultation to compliance after approval, ensuring seamless operation of your business by providing all necessary support throughout the entire process of obtaining a food business license. In addition, Simon’s services cover everything from restaurant design to product supply chain organization, to customs clearance for imported products to relieve your stress.

Frequently asked questions

Do you have any further questions? don’t worry! We are happy to answer!

How can I determine if my business premises meet the requirements of a food business license?

When applying for a food business license, you first need to ensure that your business premises meet basic food safety and hygiene requirements. This means that your premises must have clearly defined areas to prevent cross contamination, such as separate areas for food storage, processing, and sales. In addition, the venue should be equipped with sanitation facilities, including hand washing stations, disinfection equipment, and waste disposal systems. If your business premises do not meet these requirements, it is recommended to make necessary modifications before applying to ensure compliance with local food safety standards.

What should I do if my property does not meet the requirements during the application process?

If it is found during the application process that your business premises do not meet food safety requirements, you will need to make adjustments. Common rectification tasks include redesigning the factory layout to ensure the independence of different areas, such as separating raw material storage areas from finished product storage areas to avoid cross contamination. You may also need to add necessary facilities, such as appropriate washbasins, disinfection equipment, and improved ventilation systems. After the modification is completed, you must provide relevant proof and resubmit the application to ensure that the rectified site meets food safety standards.

What are the key points of on-site inspection in the process of applying for a food business license?

On site inspection is a crucial part of the food business license application process. Inspectors will visit your premises to verify if they meet food safety requirements. Inspection usually includes several aspects: firstly, the overall cleanliness of the house, including floors, walls, and equipment; Secondly, whether the facilities comply with food safety standards, such as whether the refrigeration equipment is operating normally and whether the storage facilities are clean and meet the standards; Thirdly, whether your food safety management practices are in place, such as appointing a food safety manager, ensuring that employees receive food safety training, and maintaining records and monitoring systems. Finally, the inspector will also check the product labels to ensure that information such as production date, expiration date, and other important details are displayed correctly.

What should I do if I am asked to provide additional documents or my application is rejected?

If you are asked to provide additional documents or your application is rejected, it is usually due to incomplete documents or failure to meet the specific requirements of your location. In this case, you should carefully review the reasons for rejection and address the issues raised. The typically required documents may include employee training records, a more detailed explanation of your food safety management system, or improvements to your facilities. If there are problems with your property, you may need to make adjustments and provide a rectification report. Timely submission of required documents and ensuring that all your paperwork meets regulatory requirements typically resolves issues.

How to apply for renewal of food business license after it expires?

The food business license usually has an expiration date, and you need to apply for renewal before it expires. When applying for renewal, you must submit relevant documents, such as company operations and food safety compliance reports. The renewal process is similar to the initial application, but it requires you to provide compliance reports for the period since the last application, including health check records and employee training logs. In some cases, on-site inspections may also be necessary to verify whether your premises still meet food safety standards.