The Food and Environmental Hygiene Department (FEHD) announced on May 7 that restaurants may begin applying from May 18 to allow dogs to enter their premises. The first batch of approved dog-friendly restaurants is expected to welcome canine customers within July.
The Food Business (Amendment) Regulation 2026 will take effect on May 8 (Friday). However, restaurants must first submit an application and receive approval before they can permit dogs inside.
The FEHD will hold multiple briefing sessions next week to explain the regulatory requirements and application procedures to the catering industry. Applications will open on May 18 via the department’s dedicated webpage.
Application Details
Restaurants can submit electronic applications between May 18 and June 8. The first phase is limited to a maximum of 1,000 slots. If applications exceed this quota, allocation will be determined by ballot.
Eligible premises must hold a full restaurant licence and have a floor area larger than 20 square metres. For safety reasons, hotpot restaurants and barbecue establishments — including teppanyaki and Korean barbecue — are not permitted to apply. Apart from these restrictions, all fully licensed restaurants may submit applications.
The FEHD expects to notify successful applicants in mid-June and will dispatch officers to the approved premises to brief operators on legal requirements, licence conditions, and compliance arrangements. Successful applicants must pay HK$140 within the specified period to amend their licence.
A designated date in July will mark the official start for dogs to enter approved restaurants. This date will be announced later. Until then, no dogs (except guide dogs and working dogs) may enter any food premises. The FEHD will upload the list of approved restaurants to its dedicated webpage before the launch date for public reference.
Support and Information
To help the industry and the public understand the new arrangements, the FEHD will organise four briefing sessions on May 11–13 and May 28 in collaboration with relevant professional bodies. Restaurant licence holders have already been invited by letter. Those unable to attend in person can watch live broadcasts on the FEHD’s Facebook page from 2:30 pm to 5:00 pm on those dates. Recordings will also be uploaded to the dedicated webpage.
Additional resources, including licence conditions, frequently asked questions, and “Good Practice and Behavioural Guidelines,” will be available on the webpage later this month.