The Maldives Food and Drug Authority (MFDA) has mandated that all food service establishments and individuals must register by February 23 of next year.
To facilitate the process, the MFDA has issued a regulation outlining the transitional procedures for registering and licensing food service establishments and entities, in accordance with the new Food Safety Act. The act requires all relevant establishments and individuals to register with the authority and obtain a license.
The regulation states that registration and licensing applications must be submitted to the MFDA by February 23 of next year via the government's OneGov online portal. Notably, temporary markets, vehicles, and stands set up to provide residential or food services are exempt from registration. However, they must still adhere to the food safety standards set by the MFDA.
The MFDA has also published the Standard of Conduct for Food Service Establishments and Individuals in the Government Gazette. To be registered and licensed, establishments must undergo inspection by the MFDA and meet these standards. Licenses are generally valid for one year, except for factories exporting to the European Union (EU), for which licenses will be issued for six months. The details of annual licensing fees for food service establishments and individuals are outlined in the Regulation on the Issuance of Licenses and Collection of Fees for Food Service Establishments and Individuals.