There is essentially no difference between a food business license and a food circulation license.

in order to fully implement the food safety law of the people's Republic of China, the measures for the administration of food business license and other laws, regulations and rules, china food and drug administration decided to officially launch the food business license on October 1, 2115, and the food circulation license and catering license were merged into the food business license.

In the past, food circulation licenses were required for food wholesale and retail. The food business license includes small workshops, restaurants, pastry shops and shops that operate wholesale and retail without a food production license. The difference is that the previous circulation license does not include processing, while the business license is a combination of hygiene license and circulation license, which is a matter of scope.

Extended information:

Article 56 in Chapter 8 of the Measures for the Administration of Food Business License focuses on cracking the key and difficult problems in food business license work, comprehensively standardizing food business license work and improving the effectiveness and operability of food business license work. The main contents are as follows:

1. Implementing the principle of one place and one license.

the "measures" clearly stipulate that those who engage in food sales and catering services shall obtain food business licenses according to law. The principle of one place and one license is required for food business license, that is, the same operator engaged in business activities in two or more different business locations should obtain food business licenses separately. It is clear that the provincial food and drug supervision and administration department can determine the food business license management authority of the municipal and county food and drug supervision and administration departments according to the food category and food safety risk status.

second, three business formats and 11 business projects are adopted to implement classified licensing.

the "measures" stipulate that food business licenses must be "licensed first", which clearly divides food business licenses into three business entities and 11 business items, and implements classified licenses. The three formats are food sales operators, catering service operators and unit canteens, and the 11 business items are prepackaged foods sales, bulk food sales, special food sales and other food sales; Hot food, cold food, raw food, cakes, homemade drinks and other foods.

iii. The licensing procedures are specified.

It is stipulated that the auditing department shall verify the substantive contents of the application materials and conduct on-site verification, with at least two on-site inspectors, which shall be completed within 11 working days from the date of accepting the on-site verification task. It is stipulated that the food and drug supervision and administration department at or above the county level shall make a decision on whether to approve the administrative license within 21 working days from the date of accepting the application. If the time limit needs to be extended due to special reasons, it may be extended by 11 working days with the approval of the person in charge of the administrative organ. At the same time, it is clear about the submission materials and time limit of the food business license in four situations: change, extension, replacement and cancellation.

iv. specify the contents of the license.

licenses are divided into originals and duplicates, and the provincial food and drug supervision and administration department is responsible for the printing and issuance of food business licenses in its administrative area. It is clear that the contents stated in the food business license are: business name, social credit code, legal representative, domicile, business premises, main business format, business items, license number, validity period, daily supervision and management institutions, daily supervision and management personnel, complaint telephone number, issuing authority, issuer, issuing date and QR code. It is clear that the food business license is valid for 5 years.

v. regulatory responsibilities are specified.

Articles 39-44 of Chapter VI of the Measures stipulate the responsibilities and tasks of food and drug supervision and management departments at all levels. Chapter VII, Articles 45-51, clarifies that the licensing applicant, licensee, food business operator and food and drug supervision and administration department violate the relevant administrative penalty clauses stipulated in these Measures.

Reference: Measures for the Administration of Food Business License-Baidu Encyclopedia