Key areas include the Kuala Lumpur City Center, Damansara (including Bangsar and Mont Kiara), Old Klang Road (including Seputeh and Bukit Jalil), Kepong, Setiawangsa, and Cheras.

Note that DBKL often manages parts of a zone rather than the entire area, and the best way to know if DBKL is your Local Authority is if your business premise address ends with ‘Kuala Lumpur’. 

It is an umbrella term for all permits issued by DBKL for a business to operate in its jurisdiction.

Most simple businesses only need a ‘composite license’ which consists of a premise and signboard license under a single application.

Depending on your business type, you may need additional permits from DBKL such as liquor licenses for alcohol sales or an entertainment license for karaoke centers and similar businesses.

While requirements vary by business, general documents include:

• company or business registration documents
• the applicant’s MyKad or passport
• a premise floor plan with measurements and a location plan (street map)
• interior and exterior photos of premise
• a colored visual sample of the signboard with dimensions for each word

At the very least, you should have registered your business entity, signed a lease agreement, and obtained approval for your signboard from Dewan Bahasa dan Pustaka (DBP).

Certainly, applications are submitted online through the DBKL eLesen portal, and first-time users must register for an account.

Unfortunately no, approval depends on several factors, including commercial versus residential status, distance from schools or places of worship, the specific floor level of a building, and operating hours.

Basically, as you need suitable premises to apply for your license, you should do some research about the premise requirements beforehand.

Bahasa Malaysia must be prioritised in size, color, and position. It should be placed at the top left or center, away from other languages, and the text must be validated by DBP.

Yes.

License fees generally range from RM200 to RM400 annually and must be paid within 30 days of approval.

The license must be displayed on the premises at all times and any visual changes to the sign during the license period requires a new approval.

Clinics must submit the property owner’s approval letter and a medical practice certificate and any advertisement for medicine must be approved by the Ministry of Health.

Yes, F&B outlets are subject to the following premise requirements:

• restaurants must be located in commercial shop lots, offices, or complexes

• restaurants cannot be located next to print shops, motor workshops, or service centers

• no tables, chairs, or stalls may be placed on sidewalks, parking spaces, or road shoulders

• all food operators must receive a typhoid injection

• premises must have effective pest control

• sufficient garbage bins must be provided

• dishwashing must not be done on floors or in drains

• a hot water supply must be provided

• dining area: floors must be mosaic or slip-resistant tiles (vinyl or carpet allowed in air-conditioned areas)

• dining area: walls must be tiled up to 152.5 cm (five feet) high

• kitchen: walls must have glazed tiles up to five feet high

• kitchen: food preparation surfaces must be stainless steel, glazed cement, or aluminum

• 24-hour restaurants must be located in commercial areas with development order (DO) approval

• 24-hour restaurants cannot provide entertainment

• restaurants in residential areas must close by midnight

• alcohol may only be served until midnight unless a specific excise license is held

• non-halal premises must not display symbols that could confuse muslims

It’s important to comply with all requirements as DBKL officers will conduct a premise inspection before the license can be approved.

Fees are based on floor area:• Up to 90 m²: RM200.
• Up to 120 m²: RM300.
• Above 120 m²: RM400.
• Food courts: RM200.
• Stalls within licensed premises: RM100