The general restaurant licence, known in Hong Kong as the "big licence", is the broadest restaurant licence: cooking methods are not restricted, and the licensee may cook and sell most kinds of food, rice dishes included.
The shop must be at least 30 sq m and in a type of building where a restaurant may be licensed. Because cooking is unrestricted, the kitchen's height, fire doors and ventilation system face stricter requirements, which must be certified by a professional before submission to the government departments.
WS ICON LIMITED · Trust or Company Service Provider licence TC008771 · Updated October 2026
Government fees: general restaurant
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| Floor area | New full licence / year | Renewal / year |
|---|---|---|
| Up to 250 m² | 1,110–3,940 | 2,520–5,650 |
| Over 250, up to 1,000 m² | 5,150–22,190 | 6,860–23,900 |
| Over 1,000 m² | 36,040–123,360 | 37,750–125,840 |
All amounts in Hong Kong dollars. These are the government licence fees set by FEHD; each range spans several floor-area bands, and the actual fee follows the band of the premises' floor area. Since 1 November 2025 the fee for a new full licence no longer includes the Fire Services Department's prescribed fees; renewal fees are unchanged. Government fees are charged separately from our service fee.
Restaurants that usually hold this licence
- Hotels and Chinese restaurants
- Hot pot and Western restaurants
- Southeast Asian and Thai restaurants
- Japanese, Shanghainese and similar restaurants
Buildings where it can be applied for
- Shopping centres and malls
- Shops for restaurant use in public or private housing estates
- Commercial buildings for industrial use, commercial-residential buildings, residential buildings or ground-floor shops
- Others, for example property whose land use has been changed
Related licences
- For simpler cooking with seating, consider the light refreshment restaurant licence.
- A takeaway-only shop with no seating needs a food factory licence.
- For the steps before a licence expires, see licence renewal.
General restaurant licence FAQ
What food can be sold under a general restaurant licence?
What is the minimum shop size?
What should the fit-out take into account?
Other services
Company Registration
We obtain the Certificate of Incorporation (CI) and the Business Registration Certificate (BR).
Company Secretary
Company secretary services for annual returns, company changes and statutory records.
Accounting & Tax
Bookkeeping, financial statements and organised records to support your tax reporting.
Virtual Office
Business and registered addresses, mail handling and optional telephone answering services.
