Legal Requirement

It is required by the law that every application for a food business licence shall be accompanied by three copies of a plan, as nearly as may be to scale, of the whole of the food premises to which such licence will relate, and, so far as may be applicable having regard to the nature of business, including the particulars prescribed in -

1. section 32 of the Food Business Regulation (Cap. 132X) for a restaurant, food factory (including bakery), factory canteen, siu mei and lo mei shop, fresh provision shop, cold store and composite food shop licence;
2. section 18 of the Frozen Confections Regulation (Cap. 132AC) for a frozen confection factory licence; and
3. section 15 of the Milk Regulation (Cap. 132AQ) for a milk factory licence.

Particulars to be Included in the Proposed Layout Plan

2. Proposed layout plan should be drawn to the nearest metric scales of not less than 1:100. Every plan should be drawn in one whole piece, not blurred and with no single line drawing. In drawing a proposed layout plan for application for a food business licence, applicant should make reference to the above regulation or following guidebook as appropriate for including the particulars on the plan -

1. Restaurant Licence - "A Guide to Application for Restaurant Licence"
2. Food Factory Licence - "A Guide to Application for Food Factory Licence"
3. Bakery Licence - "A Guide to Application for Bakery Licence"
4. Factory Canteen Licence - "A Guide to Application for Factory Canteen Licence"
5. Siu Mei and Lo Mei Shop Licence - "A Guide to Application for Siu Mei and Lo Mei Shop Licence"
6. Fresh Provision Shop Licence - "A Guide to Application for Fresh Provision Shop Licence"
7. Frozen Confection Factory Licence - "A Guide to Application for Frozen Confection Factory Licence"
8. Milk Factory Licence - "A Guide to Application for Milk Factory Licence"
9. Composite Food Shop Licence - "A Guide to Application for Composite Food Shop Licence"

Items Not Required to Be Shown on Proposed Layout Plans

3. The following items are not required to be shown on the proposed layout plans in connection with new applications for food business licences -

1. Movable appliances not of a substantial and permanent nature, e.g. coffee grinder, blender, juice extractor, microwave oven, portable feather plucking machine, portable electric rice cooker, portable electric warmer, toaster, electric water heater, bread slicer, electric coffee warmer, electric mixer, electric mincer, egg cooker in kitchen and food preparation room; and
2. Movable facilities/furniture not of a substantial and permanent nature, e.g. chopping block, storage rack / shelf, food preparation table and computer terminal in kitchen and food preparation room; and non-fixed tables and chairs, storage rack / shelf, magazine rack, condiment rack, sauce container, display shelf, trackless folding screens for flexible partitioning of seating accommodation for customers, wall-mount light weight television set, computer terminal, non-food display cabinet, trolley and decoration in seating area."

(Note: Cashier counter must be shown on plan as it is a spot chosen by Fire Services Department for installation of fire alarm switch.)

Licensing Requirement of Submission of Proposed Layout Plans

4. Before a food business licence is issued, the applicant is required to submit another three copies of layout plans showing the final layout of the premises for approval of the Director of Food and Environmental Hygiene. In this connection, the following standard licensing requirement for submission of proposed layout plans is stipulated for compliance by the applicant -

1. Before the issue of a licence / grant of approval for change of layout, the applicant is required to provide three copies of each plan, drawn to scale and in metric units, showing the final layout of the premises for approval of the Director of Food and Environmental Hygiene.
2. The layout of the premises shall be in strict conformity with the plans submitted to the Director of Food and Environmental Hygiene for approval, except for such amendments as required by the Director of Food and Environmental Hygiene.
3. The applicant is required to sign on each copy of the plans certifying that it is correct.

(Note: For the purpose of meeting this requirement, professional plans are not necessary. However, if structural or drainage alterations are carried out, the plans forwarded to the Building Authority must be presented by an authorized person. If any change is to be made to the original plans submitted with the application, the applicant is required to submit afresh three copies of amended plans for reconsideration of the Director of Food and Environmental Hygiene.)

Common Shortcomings Found in Proposed Layout Plans

5. The shortcomings below are commonly found by the Food and Environmental Hygiene Department (FEHD) in carrying out preliminary screening of the proposed layout plans, and applicants should take efforts to avoid them -

1. Plan blurred
2. Plan not in one whole piece
3. Single line drawing.
4. Plan not drawn to scale.
5. Plan without scale.
6. Plan not in common scale.
7. Plan not in metric scale.
8. Exact boundaries of premises under application for licence not properly delineated.
9. Food room not delineated.
10. Food room not shown.
11. Sanitary fitments not shown (if applicable).
12. Toilet communicates with food room
13. Type of fuel not shown (if fuel is used on the premises)

Enquiries

6. Enquiries about the application procedures and issues on the preparation of proposed layout plan may be made to any of the FEHD Licensing Offices and Restaurant Licensing Resource Centre by telephone, in writing or in person. Contact details could be found at the Annex.