Home baking needs no SFA licence, as checked on 5 November 2026. Office cleaning, pet shops, pet boarding and events with music or performances each need a licence from NEA, AVS or the Singapore Police Force. A sole proprietorship costs S$115 at ACRA, made up of a S$15 name application and S$100 registration. This guide matches nine small business ideas in Singapore to the regulator, fee and trigger for each.
Accurate as of 5 November 2026. Every figure, date and rule on this page was checked against its source on that date, and the page is rechecked monthly.
Nine business set-ups show which regulator licenses the idea
Six of the nine set-ups need a licence or registration, and three need none from the regulator named, as of 5 November 2026. The table lists only ideas where a regulator page was checked on that date. This guide gives no earnings estimates.
| Set-up | Regulator | Requirement | Fee on the regulator page | Trigger or limit |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Home baking or packaged food | SFA | No SFA licence | None stated | No catering, no sales to licensed food retailers, no ready-to-eat raw seafood |
| Catering or food kiosk | SFA | Food Shop Licence | S$195 a year | SFA lists caterers and takeaway kiosks as food shops |
| Cleaning private homes | NEA | No Cleaning Business Licence | None | Condominium common property is outside the exemption |
| Cleaning offices | NEA | Cleaning Business Licence, Class 3 for new businesses | S$180 for 2 years | Applications from 1 April 2026; Class 3 is non-renewable |
| Tutoring outside a centre | MOE | Outside the centre registration rules | None | Centres with 10 or more students register |
| Tuition or enrichment centre | MOE | Registration of school, courses and teachers | Not stated on the pages read | 10 or more persons taught |
| Pet shop | AVS (NParks) | Licence for Pet Shop | S$94.50 application plus S$126.00 licence | Pets kept or displayed for sale |
| Pet boarding facility | AVS (NParks) | Pet boarding licence | S$100 annual licence fee | Training passed before applying; no boarding before approval |
| Events with music or performances | SPF | Public Entertainment Licence for the entertainment component | S$22 a day or S$44 for 7 days for most ad hoc categories | Processing takes around 3 weeks |
The table maps each set-up to the regulator page that governs it, with fees as published on 5 November 2026.
Does a home baking business need an SFA licence?
Home baking needs no SFA licence, but SFA bars catering from home. SFA states that home-based food businesses do not require an SFA licence, whether the kitchen is in an HDB flat or a private apartment.
SFA sets five limits on a home kitchen:
- Buffets and packed meals count as catering, and home-based businesses are not allowed to offer catering.
- Licensed food retailers are not allowed to obtain food from home-based businesses.
- Food prepared at home is not allowed at temporary fairs.
- Ready-to-eat raw seafood such as sashimi and oysters is prohibited.
- Ingredients come from legal importers or licensed suppliers, not from other home-based businesses.
SFA does not restrict sales through delivery platforms or online promotion. HDB and URA guidelines bar advertisements, signages and posters at the residential premises.
Which licence does a cleaning business need?
Cleaning private homes needs no NEA licence, and cleaning offices needs a Cleaning Business Licence. NEA exempts domestic cleaning at premises occupied as a private residence, and the exemption excludes condominium common property.
A new office-cleaning business starts at Class 3, which lasts 2 years and is non-renewable. NEA requires holders to move to Class 2 or Class 1 before or on expiry. Class 2 needs paid-up capital of at least S$25,000 and a valid bizSAFE Level 3 certificate. Class 1 needs at least S$250,000 and a cleaning contract ongoing or completed in the 12 months before applying.
Class 3 requires an employee with 2 years of supervision experience or specified WSQ or TSC training, cleaner training of at least 2 modules, and a progressive wage plan. NEA processes a complete application in 14 working days through GoBusiness Licensing.
Do I need to register with MOE to run tuition?
A tuition or enrichment centre registers with MOE when it teaches 10 or more persons, while freelance tutors teaching outside centres sit outside those rules. MOE's reply of 6 July 2021 states that centres meet infrastructure and fire safety requirements, keep a school management committee and display their registration certificate.
Tutors working at registered centres also register with MOE and declare any conviction for an offence punishable with imprisonment. MOE's registration page states that the school, its courses and its permitted teachers are all registered. Diploma and degree courses register with SkillsFuture Singapore, and preschools fall under ECDA.
Which licences does a pet business need?
A pet shop needs a Licence for Pet Shop, and a pet boarding facility needs a pet boarding licence, both from AVS. The pet shop fees add up to S$94.50 plus S$126.00, which is S$220.50. Boarding carries an annual licence fee of S$100.
Both routes require mandatory training in pet welfare and animal management from a recognised provider, URA written permission for change in use of premises, an ACRA certificate or company bio-data printout, and an AVS premises inspection. AVS issues approval within three working days after it holds all documents, the premises pass and the fee is paid. AVS warns that self-employed applicants behind on MediSave contributions risk a delayed application or renewal.
The AVS pet boarding page describes a boarding facility. It does not say whether pet sitting at a client's home counts as boarding.
Does an event business need a police licence?
An event business needs an SPF Public Entertainment Licence when an event adds music or performances for the public. SPF states that sporting events by themselves need no licence, but recorded music through speakers in public areas, opening ceremonies with variety acts and halftime shows do.
SPF quotes S$22 per day or S$44 for 7 days for most ad hoc categories, and processing around 3 weeks. Some events are exempt, for example lectures, talks, debates and discussions, and some exempt events require the organiser to notify the Police at least 7 days ahead.
What about freelance services and online stores?
This guide read no sector licence page for freelance digital services or online stores, so the next step is the GoBusiness Licence e-Advisers. ACRA directs new owners to check licences there, and states that a business needing no further licence starts operating right after registration.
SFA states that online food businesses acting only as intermediaries do not need an SFA licence. The Business Licensing in Singapore guide covers how to read the licence route on GoBusiness.
A sole proprietorship costs S$115 at ACRA while a company costs S$315
ACRA charges S$115 to start a sole proprietorship and S$315 to incorporate a company, before any sector licence. The sole proprietorship total is the S$15 name application plus S$100 registration. The company total is the S$15 name application plus S$300 incorporation.
| Structure | Name application | Registration fee | Ongoing ACRA fee | Liability and tax |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sole proprietorship, 1-year registration | S$15 | S$100 | S$30 renewal each year | Unlimited personal liability; profits taxed at personal income tax rates |
| Sole proprietorship, 3-year registration | S$15 | S$160, only if CPF Board conditions are met | S$90 for a 3-year renewal | Same as above |
| Company | S$15 | S$300 | S$60 for each annual return | Limited liability; separate legal entity; corporate tax rates |
The table lists ACRA fees as published on 5 November 2026.
Is the 3-year sole proprietorship registration cheaper?
The 3-year registration costs the same S$175 as three one-year periods, so it saves paperwork and not money. The 3-year route costs S$15 plus S$160, which is S$175. The one-year route costs S$15 plus S$100 plus two S$30 renewals, which is also S$175.
ACRA states the S$160 fee applies only if CPF Board conditions are met. For renewals, the 3-year period needs all owners to have no outstanding MediSave payable, or to be on a CPF instalment plan with monthly contributions for at least 24 consecutive months.
What does the first period cost for each idea?
Adding the published regulator fee to the S$115 ACRA fee gives a first-period fee total between S$115 and S$335.50 for the set-ups above.
| Set-up | ACRA sole proprietorship | Regulator fee | Total fees stated | Fee period |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Home baking | S$115 | S$0 | S$115 | ACRA first year |
| Cleaning private homes | S$115 | S$0 | S$115 | ACRA first year |
| Cleaning offices, Class 3 | S$115 | S$180 | S$295 | Licence valid 2 years |
| Pet boarding | S$115 | S$100 | S$215 | Annual licence fee |
| Pet shop | S$115 | S$94.50 + S$126.00 = S$220.50 | S$335.50 | Application plus licence fee |
| Catering or food kiosk | S$115 | S$195 | S$310 | Food Shop Licence, per year |
| One-day event with recorded music | S$115 | S$22 | S$137 | Ad hoc, per day |
| Seven-day event with recorded music | S$115 | S$44 | S$159 | Ad hoc, 7 days |
| Tuition centre | S$115 | Not stated | S$115 plus the MOE fee | Fee not published on the pages read |
The table adds only fees published by ACRA, NEA, AVS, SFA and SPF on 5 November 2026 and excludes premises, training courses, insurance, stock and wages.
The first 60 days follow a fixed order from name reservation to Business Profile
ACRA sets the order of the first steps, and two of them carry hard limits of 60 days. A new owner reserves the name, registers, checks licences and downloads the Business Profile within 60 days of registration.
| When | Step | Fee or limit | ACRA wording |
|---|---|---|---|
| Before registering | Reserve the business name | S$15 | The name is reserved before registration |
| Registration day | Register the business | S$100 for 1 year | Most registrations are approved soon after payment; complex ones take up to 15 working days; referral authority approvals take 14 to 60 days |
| Before the first sale | Check licences with the GoBusiness Licence e-Advisers | None | A business needing no further licence starts right after registration |
| Within 60 days of registration | Download the Business Profile | Free copy | The free copy expires after 60 days |
| Before the first hire | Apply for a CPF Submission Number | None stated | Needed for monthly CPF payments |
| Any time | Appoint a Data Protection Officer | None stated | ACRA states all organisations are required to appoint one under the Personal Data Protection Act 2012 |
| From 60 days before expiry | Renew the registration | S$30 for 1 year, S$90 for 3 years | Running a business after expiry is an offence; registration is open to cancellation 60 days after expiry |
The table orders ACRA's published steps by when each falls due, as of 5 November 2026.
How long does each approval take?
Published waits run from three working days for AVS approval to around three weeks for an SPF licence. The waits start at different points, so the order below shows which application to file first.
| Approval | Published wait | Wait starts when | Regulator |
|---|---|---|---|
| Public Entertainment Licence | Around 3 weeks | Application submitted | SPF |
| ACRA registration, complex cases | Up to 15 working days | Registration submitted | ACRA |
| Cleaning Business Licence | 14 working days | NEA holds the full set of documents | NEA |
| GST registration | 10 working days | Application submitted | IRAS |
| Pet shop or boarding licence | 3 working days | Documents received, inspection passed, fee paid | AVS |
The table sorts published processing times from longest to shortest as of 5 November 2026; AVS inspection time is not published.
When does a small business register for GST?
GST registration is compulsory when taxable turnover exceeds S$1 million per calendar year, or when turnover is expected to exceed S$1 million in the next 12 months. ACRA states both tests, and for a sole proprietorship taxable turnover covers all sole proprietorship businesses plus income from trade, work and other jobs.
IRAS's application form states that liability under the past-turnover test arises at the end of the calendar year on 31 December, and that registration then falls on the first day of the third month after the period in which turnover exceeded S$1 million. The form states that a prospective registration starts on the 31st day from the forecast date.
ACRA lists the InvoiceNow start dates for registrants. New voluntary registrants start on 1 April 2026 and new compulsory registrants start on 1 April 2028. The GST Singapore Explained guide covers input tax and output tax.
General guidance as of 5 November 2026, not legal advice.