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A fish stall answers to your city or municipal health office, not the FDA. FDA licensing does not cover fresh or raw fish, which falls under the Department of Agriculture. You need a sanitary permit, valid to December 31 and renewed yearly, and your fish must come from sources under sanitary or veterinary supervision. Bacolod City, for example, asks fish shops for updated employee health certificates.[1,2,3,4]
Fish stall prep list
- Name your regular fish suppliers and keep their receipts
- Ask the market office for stall rules before signing a lease
- Get health certificates for everyone who handles fish
- Apply for the sanitary permit at the health office
- Set up ice, drainage and a covered waste bin
- Put your sanitary permit renewal on your calendar for December
Where your fish comes from matters
PD 856 Sec. 16 says all food must come from sources approved by the local health authority, and fish from sources under sanitary or veterinary supervision.[4]
Buy from a fish port, landing site or trader you can name, and keep the receipts or delivery slips. If an inspector asks where today's bangus came from, you can show them.
Selling from a market stall
Under PD 856 Sec. 35, the local health authority inspects markets and supervises the use of market stalls. Living quarters and added partitions, sheds or booths are not allowed inside the market.[4]
Ask the market administrator for the stall lease terms, cleaning schedule and drainage rules before you pay. Plan for ice, a clean cutting board and a covered waste bin from day one.
Health office papers
The sanitary permit comes from the city or municipal health office, and its fee is set by local ordinance. There is no national amount.[2]
Bacolod City lists fish shops among the food establishments that must show updated employee health certificates, often called green cards.[1]
Our sanitary permit and health certificate guides cover each step.
Questions people ask
- Does a fish stall need an FDA License to Operate?
- No. FDA licensing does not cover fresh or raw fish, which falls under the Department of Agriculture.
- How much is the sanitary permit for a fish stall?
- Your city or municipality sets it by ordinance. There is no national amount, so ask your health office.
- Do I need a BFAR permit to sell fish?
- The BFAR rules cited on this page do not name fish retail stalls. Ask the BFAR regional office if you plan to buy directly from fishers or ship fish to other provinces.
- What if I start drying or smoking fish?
- Then you are making a processed product. Ask the FDA about licensing before you sell it.
Sources
Checked 13 November 2026. We link the agency's own page for every requirement. Rules change; confirm with the office before you pay.
- Sanitary and Non-Sanitary (requirements list) · Bacolod City Government
- Implementing Rules and Regulations of Chapter III, Food Establishments, of P.D. No. 856 · Department of Health (text via Supreme Court E-Library) · 29 December 1995
- Administrative Order No. 2014-0029: Rules and Regulations on the Licensing of Food Establishments and Registration of Processed Food, and Other Food Products · Department of Health / FDA (text via FAO FAOLEX) · 8 September 2014
- Presidential Decree No. 856 (Code on Sanitation of the Philippines) · Lawphil Project (Arellano Law Foundation) · 23 December 1975
The extra permits, in one table
| Permit or registration | Agency | When it applies | Fee |
|---|---|---|---|
| Updated health certificates (green card) for employees[1] | LGU health office (example: Bacolod City) | always (Bacolod lists fish shops / fish marketing areas) | Not published |
| Sanitary permit[2] | City/municipal health office (LGU) | always | set by city/municipal ordinance (IRR Sec. 3(a)3); no national amount |
| Market stall rules: health authority supervises stall use; no living quarters, partitions, sheds or booths inside the market[4] | City/municipal health office (PD 856 Ch. IV) | if selling from a public or private market stall | Not published |
| Food must come from sources approved by the local…[4] | City/municipal health office (PD 856 Sec. 16) | always | not applicable |
Rules and exemptions
What a fish stall does not need
- FDA licensing (AO 2014-0029) does not cover fresh or raw plant, animal and fish food (under the Department of Agriculture)[3]