### Food Safety Ordinance 《食物安全條例》

6. Exemptions by Director
(1) The Director may in writing exempt a person from the requirement to be registered under this Part in respect of a business.
(2) An exemption under subsection (1) may be granted subject to any conditions the Director considers appropriate.
(3) The Director may withdraw an exemption granted under subsection (1) on the ground that the conditions of the exemption have not been complied with.
(4) The Director may, by notice published in the Gazette, exempt a class of persons from the requirement to be registered under this Part in respect of a class of businesses.

7. Application for registration
(1) A person may apply to the Director to be registered under this Part in respect of a business—
(a) as a food importer; or
(b) as a food distributor.
(2) For a partnership, a partner authorized by the partnership may apply for registration on behalf of the partnership and, if registration is granted, it is to be expressed to be granted to that person on behalf of the partnership.
(3) An application for registration—
(a) must be in the form specified by the Director;
(b) must identify the main food categories and food classifications, as set out in Schedule 2, of all food to be imported by the business (for a food importer) or supplied by wholesale by the business (for a food distributor);
(c) must include or be accompanied by any documents or information reasonably required by the Director for the purpose of considering the application; and
(d) must be made in the manner specified by the Director.
(4) The Director may refuse to consider an application that does not comply with subsection (3).

8. Determination of application for registration
(1) The Director must decide whether to grant or refuse an application for registration under this Part.
(2) The Director may refuse an application if—
(a) the Director is satisfied that the applicant has repeatedly contravened this Ordinance in the period of 12 months immediately preceding the day on which the application was made;
(b) the applicant was previously registered under this Part in respect of the business and that registration was revoked in the period of 12 months immediately preceding the day on which the application was made; or
(c) in the case of an application on behalf of a partnership, the registration under this Part of any partner on behalf of the partnership in respect of the business was revoked in the period of 12 months immediately preceding the day on which the application was made.
(3) The Director must give written notice to the applicant of the Director’s decision on the application.
(4) If the Director refuses an application, the notice must include the reasons for refusal.

### Food Safety Ordinance 《食物安全條例》

9. Registration
(1) If the Director grants an application for registration under this Part, the Director must register the applicant on payment of the registration fee specified in Schedule 3.
(2) On registration, the Director must assign a registration number and inform the applicant of that number.
(3) Unless revoked earlier, registration has effect for a period of 3 years, and may be renewed in accordance with this Part.
(4) Registration under this Part is non-transferable.

10. Conditions of registration
(1) The Director may impose any conditions on a person’s registration under this Part that the Director considers appropriate.
(2) Conditions may be imposed under subsection (1) only at the time of registration or renewal of registration.
(3) A person who, without reasonable excuse, contravenes a condition of registration commits an offence and is liable to a fine at level 3 and to imprisonment for 3 months.

11. Application for renewal of registration
(1) A registered food importer or registered food distributor may apply for renewal of registration under this Part.
(2) An application for renewal of registration—
(a) must be in the form specified by the Director;
(b) must include or be accompanied by any documents or information reasonably required by the Director for the purpose of considering the application; and
(c) must be made—
(i) no earlier than 4 months before the day on which the registration is due to expire; and
(ii) in the manner specified by the Director.
(3) The Director may refuse to consider an application that does not comply with subsection (2).
(4) If an application is made in accordance with this section but the Director has not made a decision on the application before the day on which the registration is due to expire, the registration continues in effect until it is renewed under section 13 or the Director gives notice to the applicant of the Director’s decision to refuse the application.

12. Determination of application for renewal
(1) The Director must decide whether to grant or refuse an application for renewal of registration under this Part.
(2) The Director may refuse an application if the Director is satisfied that the applicant has repeatedly contravened this Ordinance in the period of 12 months immediately preceding the day on which the application was made.
(3) The Director must give written notice to the applicant of the Director’s decision on the application.
(4) If the Director refuses an application, the notice must include the reasons for refusal.

### Food Safety Ordinance 《食物安全條例》

13. Renewal of registration
(1) If the Director grants an application for renewal of registration under this Part, the Director must renew the registration on payment of the renewal fee specified in Schedule 3.
(2) Renewal of registration—
(a) takes effect on the expiry of the current registration or at the time of renewal, whichever is later; and
(b) unless revoked earlier, has effect for a period of 3 years.
(3) Registration under this Part may be renewed more than once.

14. Revocation of registration
(1) The Director may revoke a person’s registration under this Part in respect of a business at the person’s request.
(2) The Director may also revoke a person’s registration under this Part in respect of a business if the Director is satisfied that—
(a) the person has repeatedly contravened this Ordinance in respect of that business in the previous 12 month period;
(b) in the case of a natural person, the person has died; or
(c) in the case of a business carried on by a corporation or partnership, the corporation has been wound up or the partnership has been dissolved.
(3) The Director must not revoke a person’s registration under subsection (2)(a) unless the Director—
(a) gives written notice to the person of—
(i) the Director’s intention to revoke the registration; and
(ii) the grounds for revocation;
(b) permits the person to make written representations to the Director within the period specified in the notice; and
(c) considers any representations made within that period by the person.
(4) If the Director revokes a person’s registration under subsection (2)(a), the Director must give written notice to the person as soon as practicable, specifying—
(a) the reasons for the revocation; and
(b) the day on which the revocation takes effect.
(5) Revocation of registration takes effect—
(a) for revocation under subsection (1), on the day determined by the Director;
(b) for revocation under subsection (2), on the expiry of 30 days after the day on which the decision to revoke the registration is made.