WhatsApp / Phone / WeChat — Contact Us Anytime
Tel/WhatsApp:+853 66171832
WeChat:00853 66171832
Initial consultation and quote are free.
The greatest pitfall in a licence application is not the paperwork — it is choosing the wrong premises. Time and again clients sign a lease and complete half the fit-out before discovering that the premises do not meet the requirements, leaving them with costly alterations or no licence at all. We recommend being brought in at the stage when you are still looking at shops: a compliance assessment of the premises first, then the plans and the application, followed step by step through to the issue of the licence.
The specific stages vary a great deal from one industry to another, but the six steps below are almost always the common framework. The first is the most critical — choose the wrong premises and everything that follows is wasted.
| Stage | Main work | Key risk |
|---|---|---|
| Site assessment | Confirming the permitted use, structure, access and facilities of the premises | Discovering non-compliance only after the lease is signed |
| Route planning | Determining the licence category, the competent departments and the order of steps | Taking the steps in the wrong order and losing the work done |
| Plans and technical documents | Preparing drawings and the supporting technical information | Drawings that do not match the fit-out as built |
| Submission | Assembling and lodging the documents and responding to requests for further information | Incomplete documents causing repeated rounds of supplementation |
| Site inspection | Preparing the premises as required and receiving the inspection | Booking the inspection before the fit-out is ready |
| Issue and renewal | Obtaining the licence and setting up renewal reminders | Forgetting to renew and disrupting the business |
The specific stages, competent departments and requirements differ considerably between industries. The table above is a general framework; we confirm the actual process item by item according to your industry.
Restaurants, cafés, bars and takeaway outlets are governed by the Catering and Related Establishments Business Law, which sets relatively demanding conditions for the premises.
Travel agencies, accommodation establishments and related businesses, which require approval from specialised competent departments.
Beauty, fitness, education centres and retail businesses, which depending on the nature of the activity may require a specific licence or registration.
The import and export of certain goods may require prior authorisation or registration.
Before you sign a lease, we assess whether the intended premises — their permitted use, structure, access, ventilation and fire-safety conditions — are capable of meeting the requirements.
We establish which licence category your business falls into, which department the application goes to, and whether prior works or hygiene approvals are needed.
We coordinate the preparation of drawings and technical documents, liaising with the relevant professionals to ensure the plans meet the application requirements.
A licence usually involves the opinions and inspections of several departments. We coordinate and follow these up so that you are not chasing them yourself.
We prepare the full set of application documents and lodge them on your behalf, handling and responding to any requests for further information.
We coordinate the timing of the site inspection and tell you in advance what conditions need to be in place.
If matters need to be rectified after an inspection, we set out the requirements and their order of priority clearly and help you work through them before the re-inspection is arranged.
We remind you before the licence expires and handle the renewal; where the premises, the responsible person or the scope of business changes, we also handle the related formalities.
We establish what you will actually be doing, determine which category of licence applies, and consider whether the objects clause in the articles of association needs to be adjusted first.
About 1 – 2 working daysWe assess the condition of the intended premises, on site or from the plans, and give a feasibility opinion. This is best completed before the lease is signed.
Depends on the caseWe issue a written proposal setting out the application route, the expected stages, the documents required and the fee structure.
2 – 3 working daysWe coordinate the drawings and technical documents and prepare the full set of application papers.
Depends on the caseWe lodge the application on your behalf, deal with requests for further information, and coordinate the opinions of the various departments and the inspection arrangements.
Subject to departmental processingOnce the licence is issued we hand over the documents, set up renewal reminders and explain the conditions that must be maintained day to day.
After issueThe list of documents varies considerably between industries. We prepare a list tailored to your industry, stating which party is responsible for each document.
This is the mistake we see most often and the one that costs the most. The rent has started running while the licence is still nowhere in sight. A little time spent on assessment beforehand can save several months of rent.
Where the fit-out as built differs from the drawings submitted, the site inspection is very likely to fail and the work will have to be undone and redone. Confirm the version of the plans before fitting out.
Catering, for example, is now governed by Law no. 5/2026, the Catering and Related Establishments Business Law, whose requirements differ from those previously in force. We work to the legislation currently in force.
Obtaining a licence is not the end of the matter. The condition of the premises, the details of the responsible person and the renewals must all be kept up to date, failing which the validity of the licence may be affected.
Different industries require different licences. Before you sign a lease or settle the objects clause, be clear about which licence your intended business requires — do not guess.
| Licence category | Common examples | Main approval / authority | Note before signing the lease |
|---|---|---|---|
| Food and beverage | Restaurants, beverage establishments, street food outlets | Municipal Affairs Bureau (food establishment licence), etc. | Strict hygiene, fire-safety and ventilation requirements |
| Tourism | Travel agencies, hotels, apartment hotels | Macao Government Tourism Office | Each has its own licence and personnel qualification requirements |
| Retail / specific goods | Import & export, pharmacies, tutorial centres | Depending on the business, under the Economic, Health, Education departments, etc. | Certain goods / industries require separate permission or registration |
| Premises type | Shops, industrial buildings, residential units | Depending on use, involves Public Works, Fire Services, Municipal Affairs Bureau | Different premises can apply for different licences |
Restaurants, beverage establishments and street food outlets fall under different licences, each with its own requirements.
Travel agencies, hotels and apartment hotels each have their own licences and regulatory regimes.
Import and export, pharmacies, tutorial centres and similar businesses require separate applications depending on the nature of the activity.
The licences available differ between shop units, industrial buildings and residential premises. We first map your intended business against the licences required.
You are very welcome to, and indeed we recommend it. If we are brought in while you are still viewing several units, we can help you compare which premises stand the better chance of obtaining a licence.
This varies considerably depending on the industry, the condition of the premises, the complexity of the drawings and departmental processing times. We provide a stage-by-stage timetable after the assessment.
The articles of association can be amended and re-registered. We handle the amendment of the articles together with the licence application.
The items requiring rectification will be specified. We help you understand each requirement, set the order of priority, follow the rectification through and then arrange the re-inspection.
No. The power to grant a licence rests with the competent department and depends on whether the premises and the application meet the statutory requirements. What we can do is to prepare the application as thoroughly as possible and follow every step professionally.
Tel/WhatsApp:+853 66171832
WeChat:00853 66171832
Initial consultation and quote are free.
Tel:+853 66171832
WhatsApp:+853 66171832
WeChat: 00853 66171832
Free initial consultation
💬 WhatsApp