Figure out which category you fall into: producing or preparing food requires a permit, selling only pre-packaged goods needs a filing, while selling fresh meat and vegetables needs no permit at all

Cost: There is no fee for the permit itself. However, your premises and facilities must meet certain standards, and both on-site inspections and processing take several weeks. Those selling meat must also keep quarantine certificates and meat quality inspection reports for each batch.

In plain terms: If you’re making and selling food — whether it’s snacks, marinated meats, baked goods, or homemade pickles — you’ll need a permit. Selling only pre-packaged foods made by others doesn’t require a permit; you simply have to file a notice with the local market supervision administration at the county level or higher. Fresh meat and vegetables fall under this same category and need no permit at all. Operating without a permit can result in fines ranging from 50,000 to 100,000 yuan — amounts that often exceed the startup costs for many small businesses.

Benefit: According to the Food Safety Law, anyone running a food business must first obtain a permit. This applies to producers, sellers, and food service providers. However, selling unprocessed agricultural products or pre-packaged foods does not require a permit; in such cases, a filing with the local food safety authority suffices. Pre-packaged foods are those already packaged and sold by others. Specific rules for small food workshops and street vendors are set by each province. Those found operating without a permit may have all their earnings, food products, equipment, and raw materials confiscated. If the total value of such goods is under 10,000 yuan, a fine of 50,000–100,000 yuan applies; if it exceeds 10,000 yuan, the fine is 10–20 times that amount. The Pig Slaughtering Administration Regulations state that pigs may only be slaughtered at state-designated facilities, which must conduct official quarantine and quality checks. Exceptions apply only to rural households slaughtering pigs for personal consumption. All pork sold or used in food production must originate from such facilities and pass both inspections. Violators face shutdowns, confiscation of livestock, equipment, and profits, plus identical fines as those operating without a permit. The Animal Epidemic Prevention Law requires that all transported or sold animal products be accompanied by valid quarantine certificates and marks; failure to do so results in corrective orders and fines up to one times the value of compliant goods. Judicial interpretations further clarify that if small workshops or street vendors sell food that fails safety standards, consumers are entitled to tenfold compensation — a punitive measure that courts are required to uphold nationwide.

Evidence grade: A

Sources:全国人大常委会 (2025 年第三次修正). 食品安全法（第三十五、三十六、一百二十二条）. https://flk.npc.gov.cn/detail?id=7b5a76d0461745a08d3f964916b87ef3；国务院 (2021). 生猪屠宰管理条例（国务院令第 742 号，第二、二十三、三十一条）. https://www.gov.cn/zhengce/zhengceku/2021-07/22/content_5626534.htm；全国人大常委会 (2021 修订). 动物防疫法（第五十一、一百条）. https://flk.npc.gov.cn/detail?id=ff8080817703add2017737395a973e31；最高人民法院 (2024). 关于审理食品药品惩罚性赔偿纠纷案件适用法律若干问题的解释（法释〔2024〕9 号，第四条）. http://gongbao.court.gov.cn/Details/bf531a70471f10d377788f28d3d8f8.html

Notes: Each province sets its own thresholds and specific rules for small food workshops, restaurants, and street vendors; this section does not list exact figures. Check your provincial market supervision administration website for local regulations using keywords like “regulations on small food workshops, restaurants, and street vendors.” Operating an online store for homemade food does not exempt you from needing permits where required. Beyond permits, general rules outlined elsewhere apply: see Section 6 regarding business registration and licensing, Section 7 for other permit requirements, and Section 5, Article 31 for information on consumer compensation claims.