The Complete Guide To MBPJ Restaurant Licenses

To legally run a food business within the jurisdiction of the Petaling Jaya City Council (MBPJ) requires an MBPJ Food Establishment License.

This can be hard for English speakers as MBPJ’s guides are only available in Bahasa Melayu.

For your convenience, we’ve translated and simplified these two MBPJ guides into English:

• MBPJ’s guide to composite (premise and signboard) license applications)
• MBPJ’s list of requirements for food establishments

Together, they explain the essentials of applying for MBPJ restaurant licenses, and you’re of course welcome to read the documents instead, just be warned they’re very long!

Otherwise, let’s begin.

Where to submit your license application?

Your restaurant premise and signboard licenses can both be applied for online via MBPJ’s eLesen portal.

If it’s your first time logging onto the platform, you’ll need to register a new account first.

The good news is that everything can be done through eLesen, including payment and printing out your physical license.

Here’s the flow of a typical license application:

1. Submit required documents to MBPJ via eLesen
2. Within 24 hours, MBPJ either rejects or approves application
3. If rejected, usually due to incomplete documentation
4. If approved, pay for temporary license to operate for six months
5. State Health Department inspects premises for compliance with health standards
6. If any issues found, business given 14 days to rectify problem
7. If no issues found, permanent Food Establishment License can be issued

And everyone lived happily ever after!

Now let’s look at the document and premise requirements MBPJ have set. 

Required documents

Brace yourself, it’s a fairly long list.

• copy of MyKad / Passport.
• certificate of business / company registration from SSM
• business owner / director information from SSM
• copy of key pages from stamped lease or S&P agreement
• a sketch of the floor plan with dimensions
• colour photographs showing activities inside premises
• colour photographs showing exterior of premises and premises on either side
• colour photographs of the exhaust fan (unless not needed)
• colour photographs of grease trap (unless not needed)
• copy of Food Handling Certificate from KKM-approved trainer for all staff
• copy of valid typhoid vaccination for all staff
• pest control documentation for cockroaches, flies, and rats (adorably known as ‘lilati’).
• approval from Dewan Bahasa dan Pustaka for advertisement illustration
• documents required for MBPJ premise signboard licenses

This means that before you can even apply, you need to:

1. Register a Sole Proprietorship or incorporate a Sdn Bhd
2. Find suitable premises and lease or buy it
3. Send your staff and yourself for a Food Handling Certification course
4. Get typhoid vaccinations for you and your staff
5. Hire pest control services to nuke any rats in your premises
6. Get your signboards approved by Dewan Bahasa dan Pustaka, and
7. Read up on MBPJ signboard license requirements

That’s a LOT of work, and is usually where business owners say time to engage MISHU’s services to help handle the application.

While we can help with a lot of the to-dos, we can’t help you find a premise, so let’s see what rules MBPJ have set for food establishments in Petaling Jaya.

Food establishment premise requirements

This is gonna be a fairly long list too, so we’ll categorise them into bite-sized chunks (pun intended) to be more digestible (PUN INTENDED).

Location

• cannot be located next to vehicle service centers, veterinary clinics, or pet shops
• cannot operate in residential zones
• operating in industrial areas requires permission from MBPJ Development Planning
• no food processing, manufacturing, or packaging in commercial zones
• central kitchens not allowed in commercial zones.

Drainage

• public drains around premises must be uncovered to allow cleaning and maintenance
• drains must be kept clean and free from debris or food waste

Flooring

• dining and kitchen floors must use non-slip tiles or approved materials of higher quality
• for Air-Conditioned Dining Areas: Non-slip tiles, laminated flooring, vinyl flooring, SPC flooring, silikal flooring, PU material, or epoxy flooring (not epoxy paint)
• for Non-Air-Conditioned Dining Areas: Non-slip tiles, silikal flooring, or PU material
• for Kitchens: Non-slip tiles, silikal flooring, PU material, or epoxy flooring (not paint)

Walls

• dining and serving areas must have tiles installed at least 1.5 meters high from the floor.
• in air-conditioned dining areas, wood panels or smooth-surfaced materials may be used.
• kitchen walls must be tiled at least 1.5 meters high or use other approved materials.
• for Air-Conditioned Dining Areas: Non-slip tiles, paint, coated cement, BCF board, acrylic board, PVC board, or wood panels.
• for Non-Air-Conditioned Dining Areas: Non-slip tiles.
• for Kitchens: Non-slip tiles or stainless steel sheets (if tiling is not possible).

Exhaust system

• proper exhaust system with upward chimney installed in kitchens
• chimney should extend above roofline and not direct exhaust downward or into drains
• not required for buildings taller than five stories

Storage room

• dedicated storage room for dry raw materials equipped with stainless steel racks at least 20 cm (8 inches) above floor
• must be kept clean at all times

Pest control

• must hire pest control company
• schedule and copy of the annual service contract must be submitted to MBPJ

Toilets

• provide sufficient toilet facilities equipped with handwashing stations, soap, tissues or hand dryers, covered bins, and air fresheners
• walls must be tiled at least 1.5 meters high
• Ensure adequate lighting and ventilation

Sinks

• handwashing sinks with soap and tissues or hand dryers in dining areas
• dishwashing sinks must be tiled at least 0.5 meters high from the floor
• washing dishes outside premises, on floor, or on street is prohibited

Garbage bins

• provide covered bins for waste disposal
• waste must be bagged and placed in bins
• no disposing of waste on floor or into drains

Grease trap

• install easily cleaned stainless steel grease traps
• must be maintained to avoid blockages or overflows
• Wastewater must pass through grease traps before reaching public drains

Food handlers

• all food handlers and employees must:
  • obtain valid typhoid vaccination certificate issued by certified medical officer
  • attend approved Food Handling Course
  • undergo physical examination and possess a health certificate
  • wear clean attire, including aprons, hats, and proper footwear

Stalls

This is for kopitiam or food court style food establishments with multiple smaller food stalls.

• number and placement of stalls must be approved by MBPJ
• stalls, food racks, and equipment must be stainless steel and kept clean
• stalls and equipment cannot be stored in back alleys, sidewalks, or side lanes

Cleanliness

• must prepare a cleaning schedule to maintain cleanliness and hygiene

Water Supply

• water sourced directly from public supply pipes and not from taps in toilets or bathrooms

Animals

• no bringing, keeping, or raising animals inside food premises

Obstructions

• no cooking, washing, erecting permanent structures, or storing goods and equipment on sidewalks or premise walkways

Remember how KKM officials will inspect your premises? 

They’ll make sure you comply with all the requirements listed above.

If it seems like a lot, it kind of is!

But these requirements are basic common sense if you’re operating a food business. If you compromise on hygiene, you risk giving customers food poisoning, which can be fatal.

It’s also not a one-time thing – KKM officials can inspect your premises at any time, and will regularly inspect premises before approving license renewal.

License fees

You can find annual food establishment license rates in the Second Schedule [Subparagraph 4(4)(b)] of the 2007 MBPJ Food Establishment By-Laws.

Or you can just check out the table below cause it’s our job to make your job easier 😀

Category	Size / Type	Annual Rate (RM)
Catering	Below 90 square meters	250.00
	91–120 square meters	500.00
	121 square meters and above	750.00
Bar and Pub	Below 90 square meters	300.00
	91–120 square meters	550.00
	121 square meters and above	800.00
Coffee House and Lounge	Below 90 square meters	300.00
	91–120 square meters	550.00
	121 square meters and above	800.00
Stall	Inside	200.00
	Outside	400.00
Canteen/Cafeteria	School and other fully governmental institutions	200.00
	Club, private institutions, government/semi-govt. buildings, factories	400.00
Restaurant, Food Premise, Coffee Shop, Milk Bar, Snack Bar	Below 90 square meters	250.00
	91–120 square meters	500.00
	121 square meters and above	750.00
Grocery Shop	Below 90 square meters	250.00
	91–120 square meters	500.00
	121 square meters and above	750.00
Variety Shop	Below 90 square meters	250.00
	91–120 square meters	500.00
	121 square meters and above	750.00
Mini Market	Below 90 square meters	250.00
	91–120 square meters	500.00
	121 square meters and above	750.00
Bazaar	–	1,500.00
Roasting Bacon, Duck, and Meat	–	1,000.00
Food Court	Below 90 square meters	300.00
	91–120 square meters	550.00
	121 square meters and above	800.00
Fruit Shop	–	300.00
Other Food Establishments	Below 90 square meters	300.00
	91–120 square meters	550.00
	121 square meters and above	800.00

In addition to annual license fees, first time applications will also incur a processing fee of RM50 and a certificate printing fee of RM50. 

Of course, depending on what you need, you may require other licenses, so check out our guide to licenses and permits needed for resturants in Malaysia for a more in depth look.

We know you’re overwhelmed, which brings us to our last part.

Let MISHU help with your MBPJ license application

Our team is well-versed with helping business owners navigate MBPJ licensing requirements, so get in touch if you’d like assistance!