F&B licences beyond the basics: halal, liquor, late-night and 24-hour

Beyond the basic premise licence, an F&B shop may need three more permissions, each from a different authority. Halal certification is applied for online through JAKIM's MYeHALAL system. A liquor licence is approved by the excise licensing board under the Excise Act 1976, with DBKL acting as its secretariat in Kuala Lumpur. Late-night and 24-hour trading depend on the conditions of your council licence. Check all three for the exact unit before you sign.

This is general information, not legal advice. Rules change; confirm with JAKIM, the council (DBKL, MBPJ, MBSJ) and your lawyer.

The process is set out in JAKIM's Malaysian Halal Certification Procedure Manual (Domestic) 2020, which took effect on 1 January 2021 and has since been amended, so read the current version on halal.gov.my. Based on the manual:

1. Register an account on MYeHALAL at halal.gov.my, then submit the application online once the account is verified.
2. Operate first. New food premises must have been fully operating for at least 3 months before applying.
3. Serve only halal food. Premises with any non-halal item on the menu are not eligible.
4. Staff the outlet correctly. The manual requires at least one permanent Malaysian Muslim employee on every shift and an appointed halal supervisor.
5. Prepare the documents. Food premises registration, food handler training and typhoid vaccination records are among the items listed.
6. Pay, then get audited. The site audit follows payment of the fee.

So can a shop apply for halal certification? Yes, if the business, the kitchen and the menu meet these rules. Our earlier piece on how halal status shapes where a brand can open covers the location side.

It adds a step, but it does not rule the shop out. The manual requires sertu, a ritual cleansing, wherever premises or equipment have been contaminated with najis mughallazah, which includes pork. Clause 58 says contaminated places, equipment and fittings must be washed seven times, one of them with water mixed with soil, following JAKIM's sertu guideline, and the authority can require the cleansing to be supervised. In practice a former pork kitchen is treated as needing sertu.

What this means for your tenancy:

• Ask the landlord what the previous tenants sold, and get it in writing.
• Do not reuse the old kitchen equipment without sertu.
• Allow time for sertu, plus the 3 months of operation, before you can hold the certificate.
• Keep the sertu records; auditors can ask for them.

Often yes, but it is a separate licence, and location matters. Retail sale of alcohol needs a licence under the Excise Act 1976, approved by the licensing board for the area. In KL, DBKL is the secretariat to the excise licensing board and processes applications (Bernama).

KL has extra rules for shops. DBKL guidelines that took effect in late 2021 stopped hard liquor sales at grocery shops, convenience stores and Chinese medicine halls, with beer allowed only from 7am to 9pm. In December 2023 DBKL said the freeze on new liquor licences for these premises remained (The Star, 5 Dec 2023). Rules for restaurants and bars differ, so ask DBKL for the current guideline for your category. In Selangor, ask the council which licensing board covers your district.

It depends on your licence conditions and, in some councils, your hygiene grade:

Whatever the council, get approved hours in writing before you sign. A supper concept that can only trade until midnight is a different business. For each council's basic licence steps, see what permits you need in KL and MBSJ and MBPJ licensing.

24-hour stores are common: KK Super Mart had about 1,088 stores in August 2026 and most open 24 hours (MBSB Research via The Malaysian Reserve). Before you sign, confirm:

• The council will license your trade at this unit and approve 24-hour hours, in writing.
• The signboard permit for the shopfront.
• If you plan to sell alcohol in KL, the current DBKL rules for convenience stores; do not assume a licence is available.
• The tenancy allows 24-hour trade, night deliveries and access when the building is closed.
• Lighting, security and neighbours, especially residents near the row.

More on this format is on our convenience store trade page.

Build the licences into the offer letter: a condition that the tenancy depends on the licence you need, a fit-out period long enough for approvals, and a permitted-use clause that covers your trade and hours. Our list of 8 tenancy clauses to check shows the wording to look for. In KL, keep a clean record from day one so you can later use the 3-year DBKL licence renewal.

MCE can shortlist ground-floor units where your trade, hours and certification plan are realistic. Start with our guide for tenants.

Written by Tok Ginstee (REN 37505), CID Realtors Sdn Bhd (E (1) 1855). Updated November 2026.