Hong Kong restaurants with an area larger than 20 square metres can start applying for licences to allow dogs in their premises from May 18, the government has announced.
The Food and Environmental Hygiene Department said in a statement on Thursday that it would accept applications from May 18 to June 8.
The department is set to approve the first batch of applications in mid-June, with dogs to be allowed in restaurants in July.
The statement said that “the FEHD will specify a date in July from which dogs will be allowed to enter permitted food premises.”
While the Food Business (Amendment) Regulation 2026 came into effect on Friday, the FEHD reminded the public that “restaurants must first submit an application and obtain approval before allowing dogs to enter.”
Hotpot and barbecue restaurants are not eligible to apply for the permits, the government said, citing safety concerns.
The FEHD will hold briefing sessions for restaurant operators from Monday to Wednesday next week, as well as on May 28.
The department said it would publish a list of dog-friendly restaurants once the first batch of permits is approved.
The government said in February that it would issue 500-1,000 dog-friendly permits to local eateries in mid-June.
Hong Kong leader John Lee announced the plan to relax an outdated policy banning dogs in restaurants in his 2025 Policy Address in September.
The announcement to update the decades-old Food Business Regulation came after a pet-friendly restaurant in Tai Po had to suspend operations for seven days in January last year for allowing dogs inside.
