Hong Kong Drug Licence Applications and Acquisitions · RGYS|Global Licensing and Compliance Service Provider
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HONG KONG DRUG LICENSING

My Wholesale Dealer Licence for western medicines is about to expire. What is the renewal process?

A complete explanation of the regulatory basis, Drew Tang’s recommendations and risk alerts. The original material dates from 2025; read it alongside the latest official requirements.

Original guide, 2025 edition: These FAQs are provided for topic-based reference and have not all been individually checked against current rules. Please confirm fees, personnel, renewal, changes and product requirements against the professional in-depth guide for the relevant licence type and the official requirements in force at the time.

Drug Office, Department of Health Chinese Medicines Board

Q401 · Category I: Renewals, changes and penalties for non-compliance (Q401–Q450)
An application to renew a Wholesale Dealer Licence should be submitted within the 3 months before the licence expires, but no later than the expiry date. You must submit the designated renewal application form to the Drug Office, Department of Health, together with relevant documents, such as a copy of the company’s Business Registration Certificate, the company’s annual return and payment of the renewal fee. The Drug Office will review your application and may arrange an on-site inspection to ensure that your business operations, premises and facilities, and Quality Management System still meet licensing requirements. The renewal process usually takes several weeks. We recommend preparing early to avoid disruption to your business if the licence expires.

📘 Regulatory basis

Under section 18 of the Pharmacy and Poisons Regulations (Cap. 138A), licence holders must apply for renewal in the prescribed manner before the licence expires.

📗 Drew Tang's recommendations

RGYS may assist with document preparation and project coordination within the written scope of services; the respective responsible parties must verify personnel qualifications and statutory roles and take responsibility for professional judgements, while approval is determined independently by the competent authority. Experience tells us that all documents must be prepared in advance, particularly records of updates to the quality management system (QMS). The Drug Office has extremely stringent requirements for document completeness and compliance, and any omission may delay approval.

📕 Risk notice

If your licence is not successfully renewed before its expiry date, it will lapse. Continuing to operate a wholesale business in Western medicines will constitute unlicensed operation, which is a criminal offence and may result in a substantial fine or even imprisonment.

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