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An ice plant needs a sanitary permit from the city or municipal health office, and the sanitation rules name ice plants on their own. The bigger issue is water. Only potable water may be used to make ice, and the 2017 Philippine National Standards for Drinking Water name ice manufacturers. The rule is about the water you put in, so test the source, not just the finished ice.[1,2,3]
Water comes first
The sanitation code says only potable water may be used in the manufacture of ice. The 2017 drinking water standards, DOH AO 2017-0010, apply to ice manufacturers alongside refilling stations and vending machines.[2,3]
Test your source before you buy machines. If the water fails, you may need treatment equipment, and that changes your puhunan and layout.
Who needs a health certificate
Every employee of a food establishment needs a health certificate from the local health authority. Bacolod City, for example, lists ice plants among food places that must show updated employee health certificates.[2,4]
That covers the people who bag, crush and deliver ice. Drivers who hand ice to buyers handle it too.
Ask before you sell bagged ice
Ask the city health office how often your ice must be tested under the 2017 standards. Before you sell bagged ice to stores, ask FDA whether packaged ice needs FDA licensing or product registration.
Ice plant prep list
- Get a lab test of your source water before ordering machines
- Plan water treatment if the test shows problems
- List all staff, including drivers, for health certificates
- Use food-grade bags and keep them sealed and off the floor
- Ask the health office how often it wants water test results
- Ask the FDA about rules for packaged ice
Questions people ask
- Does an ice plant need a sanitary permit even if it sells only to stores?
- Yes. The rules say no one may operate an ice plant without a sanitary permit.
- Can I use deep well water?
- Only if it is potable. Have it tested before use.
- Is this the same as a water refilling station?
- Both fall under the 2017 drinking water standards, but the permits differ. See the water refilling station kit.
Sources
Checked 13 November 2026. We link the agency's own page for every requirement. Rules change; confirm with the office before you pay.
- 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
- Presidential Decree No. 856 (Code on Sanitation of the Philippines) · Lawphil (text of PD 856) · 23 December 1975
- DOH launches Philippine national standards for drinking water of 2017 · PTV News · 14 December 2017
- Sanitary and Non-Sanitary (requirements list) · Bacolod City Government
The extra permits, in one table
| Permit or registration | Agency | When it applies | Fee |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sanitary permit for an ice plant (IRR Sec. 5(d))[1] | City/municipal health office (LGU) | always | set by city/municipal ordinance (IRR Sec. 3(a)3); no national amount |
| Only potable water may be used to make ice (PD 856 Sec. 32(d))[2] | City/municipal health office (LGU) | always | Not published |
| Comply with Philippine National Standards for Drinking Water 2017 (DOH AO 2017-0010)[3] | DOH / LGU | ice manufacturers (expressly covered) | Not published |
| Updated health certificates (green card) for all employees[4] | LGU health office (example: Bacolod City) | always (Bacolod lists ice plants) | Not published |
| Health certificate for every food handler/employee[2] | City/municipal health office (LGU) | always | set by the city or town |