The Authority issues technical regulations and standard specifications for food, its facilities, and the employees working therein. In the event that there are no available technical regulations or Saudi or Gulf standard specifications, the Authority may apply any relevant international legislation, regulations, or specifications related to food until it issues the technical regulations or standard specifications, according to the following sequence:
1. International legislation or specifications or documents issued by the Codex Alimentarius Commission, the Food and Agriculture Organization, the World Health Organization, the International Organization for Animal Health, the International Plant Protection Convention, or the joint committees among them.
2. The International Organization for Standardization (ISO).
3. Legislation or specifications issued by regional authorities with jurisdiction.
4. Technical regulations or standard specifications or requirements approved in any other country.
The Authority has the right to issue an amendment annex to the approved technical regulations or standard specifications when necessary.
To register with the SFDA, food business operators need to do the following:
1- Apply to SFDA and fill out the registration forms.
2- The establishment has a food license from the SFDA.
3- Appoint the persons in charge of the business and those acting on their behalf upon their absence.
4- Provide all the documents and meet all the registration requirements for food businesses and their employees as laid down in the Registration Guide.
5- Comply with any other requirements set forth and published on-line (via the official website) by the SFDA.
Food business operators shall update the information registered with SFDA in case of any change, including suspension of food business practice.
The registration shall remain valid for five years and can be extended for further periods
The SFDA has the right to suspend the registration of a food establishment if the license is not renewed.