Punjab Food Authority licence for restaurants: steps, documents and supplier checks

"Punjab food authority license" and "punjab food authority licence" together get about 1,700 searches a month in Pakistan, and "punjab food authority" alone gets about 8,100. If you run a restaurant, a cafe, a bakery or a catering kitchen in Punjab, this is one of the first official things you deal with. This guide explains the steps in plain language, based on the Punjab Food Authority (PFA) pages we checked in October 2026, and shows how the rules connect to the suppliers you buy from.

This is general guidance, not legal advice. Rules and fees change, so always confirm on the official PFA site before you apply.

What the PFA licence is

The PFA issues business licences to food businesses in Punjab under the Punjab Food Authority Act 2011. The PFA's Resource and Licensing wing handles e-licensing, recovers licence fees and fines, and works with district officers. A licence shows that your business is registered with the authority and is open to inspection.

When to apply

The PFA states that a food business operator can apply "only when he starts business". You can apply through the PFA official application, through the PFA website, or at a one-window facility.

How to apply, step by step

1. Create an account. On the PFA app or the licensing portal (cell.pfa.gop.pk) you register with your CNIC and mobile number.
2. Find your category. The portal has a "Calculate your license category" tool. Your category sets your fee.
3. Submit your application with the required documents.
4. Wait for verification. A Food Safety Team from the Operations wing, or an Enforcement Team from Resource and Licensing, verifies the application.
5. Pay the fee. After verification you get an SMS, and you can deposit the fee at any Allied Bank branch or through Easypaisa.
6. Receive your licence. The PFA sends it by courier to the business address, or you can collect the certificate from a one-window facility or through your profile on the portal. The PFA says collection from a one-window facility takes "within one week".

Documents you need

The PFA FAQ lists these items for a licence application.

• An image of the applicant.
• Front and back images of the applicant's CNIC.
• An image of the business.

Keep clear, well-lit photos ready before you start. A blurred CNIC photo is a common reason for delay in any online application.

Cost and validity

The PFA does not publish a fixed fee on the pages we checked. It says the fee depends on the scale or nature of the business and is revised as needed. The business licence is valid for one year. The pages we checked do not describe renewal, so confirm the renewal process on the portal before your licence expires.

Other registrations

News reports say the Punjab Revenue Authority may ask food businesses to register with it before the PFA issues a licence. We could not confirm this on the PFA's own pages, so check the current requirement with the PFA or a local adviser before you apply.

Product registration: why your suppliers matter

The PFA has a separate system for products. Its product registration page says that all food products "manufactured, processed, stored, kept, packaged or sold" in Punjab have to be registered. This includes products made outside Punjab but sold there. A registered product receives a Certificate of Product Registration (CPR), which is valid for one year, and the fee shown on the page is Rs 5,800 for registration and for renewal.

The documents the PFA lists for a product include the product description, certificates of analysis and halal certificates for raw materials, a label approval letter and specimen label, the finished product specification, and shelf-life study reports. The process is online. You submit the application, pay the fee challan, upload the documents, and the PFA reviews them before it issues the CPR. The page lists stages for submission, evaluation, sampling and analysis, approval and issuance.

As a restaurant, you buy products, you do not register them. But you can ask your suppliers whether their products are registered, and ask for the registration details.

Questions to ask your sauce supplier

Use this list when you compare suppliers for mayonnaise, ketchup and other sauces.

1. Is this product registered with the Punjab Food Authority? Can I see the registration?
2. What is the shelf life on the pack, and how are batches marked?
3. Do you give a written invoice with every delivery?
4. Can you give me the same product every month, with a regular delivery schedule?
5. How should I store it, and for how long after I open it?
6. Can I get samples to test before I order a carton?

Our guide to choosing a sauce supplier turns this list into a full checklist. If you want to ask about Orino, the sales team can answer questions about registration and documents when you send an enquiry.

Keep your kitchen ready for inspection

A licence is the start. Day to day, an inspector looks at how you run the kitchen. These habits help.

• Keep food storage clean, covered and off the floor.
• Label containers with the product name and date.
• Use the oldest stock first.
• Keep supplier invoices, so you can show where food came from.
• Keep hand-washing stations stocked and working.
• Keep cleaning schedules written down and signed.

Where to get help

The PFA lists 1223 as a 24/7 helpline for consumer complaints. For licensing questions, use the PFA portal at cell.pfa.gop.pk or visit a one-window facility. If you operate in a different province, check the food authority for that province, because rules differ.

Next step

Once your licence is in order, look at your costs. Our guide to menu costing and sauce cost control shows how to work out what each dish costs, and the restaurant supply page explains how to order Orino sauces by the carton.