11.12.2025 
Hong Kong
Obtaining a temporary food stall license in Hong Kong is not the “rent a table and sell snacks” story people tell themselves at the planning stage. A booth that works for one day at a festival is still treated as a food business. That means the same baseline food-safety demands you’d face with a fixed restaurant address. Short term doesn’t mean low standards.
There are a lot of restrictions that come into play when planning to get a temporary food license in Hong Kong. These include the types of food that can be sold, the length of time a point of sale can be open, and the degree to which your paperwork and blueprints adhere to hygiene regulations and official guidelines. “Roughly correct” doesn’t survive inspection.
Legal Ground Rules for Temporary Food Business Licensing in Hong Kong
For temporary food points, Hong Kong doesn’t invent a separate, softer system. The legal backbone stays the same: the Public Health and Municipal Services Ordinance (Cap.132) and the Food Business Regulation (Cap.132X). These rules define how food is stored, handled, processed, and served. The temporary label doesn't change the duties. If the stall is there for three days, it still has to act like a regulated food business during that time.
FEHD administrative guidelines then narrow the picture further. They don’t just explain the process — they shape what you’re allowed to do on site. Certain products are permitted, others are restricted. Certain cooking approaches are acceptable, others are refused. Open flames and any method that throws out heavy grease or smoke are commonly not allowed. The point is simple: reduce hygiene risk, reduce equipment risk, reduce the odds of an incident in a crowded public place.
When an application is reviewed, the inspector isn’t judging intentions. They look at conditions. Water access. A sink. Cooling or refrigeration. Barriers against contamination. A blueprint that corresponds to the specifications set out by FEHD for their temporary food stand in Hong Kong. They also look at supply chain discipline: food must come from legitimate, traceable sources. That requirement is part of how licensing in Hong Kong keeps control over the full path from supplier to customer.
If you compress the applicant’s obligations into a clean list, it comes down to:
- compliance with Cap.132 and Cap.132X rules for food trading in Hong Kong,
- meeting FEHD requirements for temporary food establishments in Hong Kong,
- proof that all food products come from legal sources,
- a site plan that fits hygiene and technical standards,
- readiness for checks by fire and building authorities.
This is the reality of Hong Kong’s multi-layer control over food trading: it covers permanent venues, and it also covers temporary stalls operating inside festivals, fairs, and other public events. The calendar doesn’t change the standard.
Obtaining a Temporary Food Stall License in Hong Kong: Spot the Exact Formats FEHD Licenses
FEHD is blunt about what counts. If you operate inside a public event and you hand out food that people can eat right away—hot, warm, or simply served “open”—you’re in the temporary-licence zone. A festival booth. A kiosk at a sports match. A counter at a fair. If visitors walk up and leave with ready food, paperwork isn’t optional.
If you move the same activity outside of the event, FEHD will no longer call it "temporary." That turns into a regular food business with a set format and a different licensing path. Same city, different rule set.
Ready-made products don’t get a free pass either. If they need cooling or heating, FEHD still expects control. The temporary format is intentionally narrow: low-smoke food, low-grease methods, equipment that stays predictable. Also: time. An event-based point can run no longer than seven days. Storage must stay safe for the whole run. During checks, FEHD looks at the stuff that decides everything fast: where the food comes from, whether cold storage exists, and whether food is protected from dust, hands, and open-air exposure.
Signs your “temporary food point” is a licensed activity:
|
Feature of activity |
What it means for licensing |
|
Selling prepared or warmed food |
FEHD permission is required |
|
Operating within a public event |
Mandatory condition for a temporary licence |
|
Operating up to 7 days |
Falls under the Temporary Food Factory category |
|
Serving food in an open form |
Sanitary conditions must be controlled |
|
Using heating equipment |
Technical safety assessment is required |
Obtaining a Temporary Food Factory Licence in Hong Kong: What FEHD Wants to See On Site
To get a temporary food factory licence approved, FEHD wants proof that your stall is controlled in three ways: hygiene, technical safety, and basic organisation. Their guides don’t leave much room for “we’ll figure it out.” They tell you how the space should be arranged, what equipment is acceptable, and which cooking styles are allowed.
The operating window is strict: up to seven days, and only for one specific public event. The food list is also tight. You can sell:
- dishes prepared in a licensed food factory, and
- simple items you can reheat or finish quickly using electric equipment.
What you can’t do is the stuff that creates smoke, grease vapour, or fire risk. Open flame is out. Deep frying is out. Stir frying is out. Grilling is out. If the method makes heavy smoke or oily fumes, FEHD treats it as a “no.” Power source, by default: electricity. Anything else needs approval from the FEHD director.
Then the physical requirements. Not decorative. Working, checkable, present:
- a refrigerator with a thermometer, keeping storage temperature at 10°C or below;
- a handwashing sink made from an approved material, connected to water supply and drainage;
- protection for exposed food (against dust and customer contact)
- closed waste containers;
- enough disposable tableware and packaging so service doesn’t turn into improvisation;
- cleanliness maintained inside the stall and around it, across the full allocated area.
One more rule that trips people up: dishwashing on site isn’t allowed. Temporary points don’t get an approved washing zone. So no “we’ll wash it quickly behind the counter.”
FEHD also checks the operational side, not just the gear. Food origin must be documented (a food supplier’s certificate). Storage of raw ingredients and finished items must stay safe. Staff handling must meet sanitation standards. When those conditions are actually in place, the temporary point fits Hong Kong’s requirements for legal food trading at events—including the part everyone hopes inspectors ignore. They don’t.
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Obtaining a Temporary Food Stall License in Hong Kong: The Application Details FEHD Won’t Let You “Approximate”
FEHD doesn’t accept a “we’ll explain later” application. It wants your stall described like a real object, in a real place, on real dates. In the request for obtaining a temporary food stall license in Hong Kong, you must include:
- the stall address as FEHD can locate it, including the plot / booth number inside the event site;
- your personal details: name, address, phone; if the applicant is a company — registration particulars plus the name of the authorised representative;
- the opening and closing dates of the stall (and yes: the period cannot exceed seven days);
- what public event this is, and who the organiser is;
- what you plan to sell — food and drinks listed, not hinted at;
- proof the supplies are legal — a food supplier’s certificate;
- your signature confirming the information is accurate.
You also attach a layout plan of the temporary point. FEHD expects to see the internal logic of the setup: where equipment stands, where the fridge is placed, where the sink is, where waste containers sit, and where service happens. FEHD checks those elements against its requirements, so this plan has to match the stall you’ll actually build, not a “nice-looking version.”
There’s also a deadline that matters in practice. If your stall only needs electricity and the area is less than 100 m2, you can start trading as long as someone submits 12 working days beforehand. If your case doesn’t fit those conditions, processing can take longer.
What Documents You Need to Obtain a Temporary Food Stall License in Hong Kong
For FEHD, the document pack is not decoration. It’s evidence that the stall meets sanitation rules and that the technical side won’t create problems. The base form is FEHB 201A/201B:
- FEHB 201A — for an individual applicant
- FEHB 201B — for a company
The form has the address of the site, the list of menu items, and the hours of operation (up to 7 days). The equipment layout plan is a core attachment because that's where FEHD checks to see if your stall is set up correctly with a sink, fridge, work surfaces, and a way to handle waste.
Standard document pack for a temporary licence application:
|
Document |
Purpose |
|
FEHB 201A/201B |
Main application from an individual or a company |
|
Equipment layout plan |
Used to check sanitary + technical compliance |
|
Proof of product origin |
Confirms supplies are legal |
|
WR1/WR2 certificate |
Confirms electrical safety |
|
Proof of participation in the event |
Links your stall to the public venue |
Obtaining a Temporary Food Stall License in Hong Kong: How the Approval Actually Moves, Step by Step
Licensing a temporary food stall in Hong Kong follows a fixed sequence. Skip a step or mistime one, and the permit simply doesn’t land before opening day — especially during large events, when FEHD is overloaded with applications.
The process starts with filing FEHB 201A or 201B, together with the layout plan, proof of food supply, and details of the public event. FEHD checks whether the form is filled in correctly, whether the stall size fits the allowed limits, whether prohibited cooking methods are excluded, and whether the location can technically host a temporary food point at all.At this stage, FEHD may come back with questions or ask for clarifications before moving forward.
Once FEHD finishes the initial check, the file moves sideways — to other departments.The Fire Services Department looks at fire risks, with special attention to electrical equipment placement.
The Buildings Department checks temporary structures and whether the site fits planning constraints.
If needed, FEHD may inspect the location even before issuing formal requirements. If the site is unsuitable from the start, the applicant receives a reasoned refusal for the temporary food stall licence in Hong Kong.
After all departments submit their input, FEHD sends the applicant a letter listing exact licensing requirements. This document spells out what must be installed, adjusted, or changed: handwashing setup, approved materials, packaging storage, food protection methods, and equipment connections.
Until this letter arrives, starting preparations is risky — requirements can shift after interdepartmental review.
Once the conditions are clear, the applicant prepares the site for inspection. This includes installing electrical appliances, refrigeration, sinks, food shields, waste containers, and collecting invoices for food supplies.
After that, a Report of Compliance and supporting documents are submitted. FEHD then checks whether the stall has actually been brought in line with the stated requirements.
FEHD inspectors visit the stall directly at the event site. They review hygiene conditions, equipment layout, water and drainage connections, compliance with cooking restrictions, and the presence of all required elements.
If everything checks out, the applicant is invited to collect the licence, and the temporary food stall is cleared to operate.
Approval for obtaining a temporary food stall license in Hong Kong depends heavily on timing. Applications must be filed at least twelve working days before opening if only electricity is used. Miss that window, and the application may stall mid-process.
If inspectors find issues, FEHD issues a list of outstanding requirements that must be fixed before opening. If the licence is refused, the applicant can appeal to the Licensing Appeals Board within fourteen days.
Obtaining a Temporary Food Stall License in Hong Kong: Costs, Timing, and the “Hidden” Budget Nobody Mentions
FEHD sets a fixed fee for obtaining a temporary food stall license in Hong Kong: 220 HKD for one licence period. Same price for everyone, no “small booth discount,” no surcharge for a bigger setup. You pay when you submit the papers, and FEHD doesn’t start the clock until the payment lands. If you pull your application before approval, a refund of the fee may be possible.
The shortest realistic timeline is 12 working days. That’s the minimum. In real life, it often stretches—especially if your case needs input from the Fire Services Department or the Buildings Department. Season matters too. When Hong Kong goes into peak fair-and-festival mode, FEHD gets swamped, and waiting can grow even if your documents are clean and your plan is neat.
And the licence fee is rarely the “main expense.” The real budget sits around it. Typical extra costs include:
- fees for arranging a WR1 certificate (and sometimes a WR2 check);
- refrigeration (because compliance without a proper fridge is fantasy);
- protective screens for food;
- disposable supplies and basic operating inventory.
These aren’t “nice-to-haves.” They’re the things that decide whether your stall passes inspection on the first visit or gets stuck in corrections.
That’s why smart planning isn’t about the 220 HKD. It’s about building a stall that already fits the rules, so you don’t bleed time and money on rework and repeat inspections while your event dates quietly approach.
Obtaining a Temporary Food Stall License in Hong Kong: How the System Is Designed to Work
If you’re aiming at obtaining a temporary food stall license in Hong Kong, treat it as a serious licence, not a simplified restaurant shortcut. FEHD uses the same hygiene logic it applies to permanent food businesses—just adjusted to an event setting. The system is strict on purpose: crowds move fast, food moves faster, and one weak link can turn a fun public event into a problem. Temporary doesn’t mean “relaxed.” It means “short,” and very controlled.
