A business licence in Singapore is an approval from the agency that regulates your activity, and ACRA registration does not replace it. The agency sets the fee, the validity and where you apply. A Food Shop Licence from the Singapore Food Agency costs S$195 for one year (SFA, as of 5 November 2026). Liquor licences from the Singapore Police Force cost S$110 to S$880 a year. Most applications run on GoBusiness, but estate agents and travel agents apply through their regulators' own systems.
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.
The regulator of your activity issues the licence, so the activity decides the agency
Your activity decides the agency, because each regulator issues its own licence once the business exists on ACRA's register. The Ministry of Manpower asks for the ACRA Business Profile with an employment agency application. The Singapore Tourism Board lists ACRA registration as a requirement for a travel agent licence. The Council for Estate Agencies lists registering the entity with ACRA as its first step. Registration comes first and does not stand in for the licence. Entity registration itself is covered in the registration guide, and this guide covers the six licences in the table below.
| Activity | Licence | Agency | Where you apply |
|---|---|---|---|
| Café, restaurant, caterer, food court operator | Food Shop Licence | Singapore Food Agency (SFA) | GoBusiness |
| Supermarket that sells raw meat or seafood or prepares food on site | Supermarket Licence | SFA | GoBusiness |
| Selling or serving alcohol | Liquor Licence, Class 1A to 5 | Singapore Police Force (SPF) | GoBusiness |
| Recruitment agency | Employment Agency Licence | Ministry of Manpower (MOM) | GoBusiness |
| Travel agency | Travel Agent Licence, Niche or General | Singapore Tourism Board (STB) | TRUST at trust.stb.gov.sg |
| Property agency | Estate Agent Licence | Council for Estate Agencies (CEA) | ACEAS, submitted by the Key Executive Officer |
Which regulator issues which licence and where the application is filed, as stated on each agency's page on 5 November 2026.
Source: Singapore Food Agency, November 2026
Source: Singapore Police Force, November 2026
Source: Ministry of Manpower, November 2026
Source: Singapore Tourism Board, November 2026
Source: Council for Estate Agencies, November 2026
Do I need a licence once ACRA has registered my business?
Yes, if your activity is regulated, because registration creates the entity and the licence permits the activity. SFA states that a food retail business operating without the required licence commits an offence, and that you apply before you start operating. Check the regulator's page for your activity before you sign a lease or order stock.
Does every licence get applied for on GoBusiness?
No, most of the licences above run on GoBusiness, but CEA and STB use their own systems. CEA states that estate agent applications are not made through GoBusiness and go through its ACEAS system instead. STB takes travel agent applications through TRUST. Ask Gov SG adds that a licence not yet on GoBusiness sends you to the agency's own website. The GoBusiness guide shows how the portal is organised.
Source: Ask Gov SG, November 2026
Which activities need no licence?
As of 5 November 2026, SFA requires no licence for home-based food businesses or for online food businesses that only act as intermediaries. Both still have to keep their food safe. A business outside these two cases checks its own activity with the regulator.
Each agency prices its licence differently, so the licence you need sets your first-year cost
Annual food and liquor licences cost S$13 to S$880, while the employment agency, travel agent and estate agent licences cost S$500 to S$1,110 in the fees listed below. The table puts each agency's published fee, validity and extra requirement side by side.
| Licence | Fee (S$) | Validity | Other requirement the agency states |
|---|---|---|---|
| SFA Food Shop Licence | 195 | 1 year | Layout plan with metric scale; Singpass or CorpPass |
| SFA Supermarket Licence | 250 a year under 200 sq m, 500 a year over 200 sq m | Annual | Needed only if raw meat or seafood is sold or food is prepared on site |
| SFA Food Stall Licence | 32 a year or 64 for 2 years; 13 a year for hawker and school canteen stalls | 1 or 2 years | Stall inside a multi-unit food shop such as a food court |
| SPF Liquor Licence, Class 1A to 4 | 110 to 880 by class | 1 year | Fit and proper person; suitable premises |
| MOM Employment Agency Licence | 400 application plus 100 issuance | 3 years | eGuarantee security bond; self-assessment tool |
| STB Travel Agent Licence | 200 application plus 400 licence | Not stated on STB's page | Paid-up capital and net value of S$50,000 (Niche) or S$100,000 (General) |
| CEA Estate Agent Licence | 120 application every 3 years plus 330 a year for 1 to 10 salespersons | 3 years from 1 January 2027 | Key Executive Officer; professional indemnity insurance |
Published fees, validity and requirements for six licences, as stated by each agency on 5 November 2026. Fees are non-refundable where the agency says so.
Source: Singapore Food Agency, November 2026
Source: Singapore Police Force, November 2026
Source: Council for Estate Agencies, November 2026
How much do licences cost a café that serves alcohol in its first year?
A café's first-year licence fees run from S$195 without alcohol to S$1,075 with an all-liquor licence to 2359 hours. The totals below add the SFA Food Shop Licence fee of S$195 to the SPF liquor class that matches the drinks and hours.
| Setup | SFA Food Shop (S$) | SPF Liquor (S$) | Total (S$) |
|---|---|---|---|
| No alcohol | 195 | none | 195 |
| Beer only, hours set on the licence (Class 2B) | 195 | 285 | 195 + 285 = 480 |
| Beer only to 2359 hours (Class 2A) | 195 | 460 | 195 + 460 = 655 |
| All liquor to 2200 hours (Class 1B) | 195 | 660 | 195 + 660 = 855 |
| All liquor to 2359 hours (Class 1A) | 195 | 880 | 195 + 880 = 1,075 |
Licence fees only, calculated from SFA and SPF published fees on 5 November 2026. Renovation, rent, insurance and staff costs are excluded.
GoBusiness adds two constraints for this setup. Halal Certification depends on Food Shop Licence approval and is not applied for together with a Liquor Licence. GoBusiness flags a possible incompatibility between Liquor or Public Entertainment Licences and food shop types such as canteens.
Source: GoBusiness, November 2026
What do employment agency, travel agent and estate agent licences cost in total?
In listed fees the employment agency licence costs S$500, the travel agent licence S$600 and the estate agent licence S$1,110 over a three-year cycle. The estate agent figure covers the 2027 to 2029 cycle at the base tier of 1 to 10 salespersons.
| Licence | Fee arithmetic (S$) | Total (S$) | Held by the business besides fees |
|---|---|---|---|
| MOM Employment Agency Licence | 400 + 100 | 500, about 167 a year over 3 years | eGuarantee security bond; MOM's bond calculator sets the amount |
| STB Travel Agent Licence | 200 + 400 | 600 | Paid-up capital and net value of S$50,000 (Niche) or S$100,000 (General) |
| CEA Estate Agent Licence | 120 + 3 x 330 | 1,110, or 370 a year | Key Executive Officer; professional indemnity insurance |
Fee totals for three agency licences, calculated from agency pages on 5 November 2026. STB states no validity period or renewal fee, so the travel agent total covers the two listed fees only.
CEA's move from a two-year to a three-year cycle lowers the base-tier cost per year. The previous cycle cost (120 + 2 x 330) / 2 = S$390 a year, and the new cycle costs (120 + 3 x 330) / 3 = S$370 a year, because the S$120 application fee is paid once every three years instead of once every two.
Source: Ministry of Manpower, November 2026
Source: Singapore Tourism Board, November 2026
Source: Council for Estate Agencies, July 2026
SFA moves a Food Shop application through eight timed stages before you open
A Food Shop application passes through eight stages, and SFA publishes a time limit for each. The stages below follow the order on SFA's page, and the SFA review and the layout concurrence each carry a 7 working day limit.
| Stage | Who acts | Time limit | If missed |
|---|---|---|---|
| SFA reviews the complete application | SFA | Within 7 working days | Not stated |
| Respond to requests for action | You | 7 working days after the final reminder | Application is rejected |
| Layout plan concurrence notice | SFA | Within 7 working days | Not stated |
| Optional GIRO approval | SFA | Up to 8 weeks | Not stated |
| Outstanding documents: URA Change of Use or HDB approval, tenancy agreement with stamp duty certificate, cleaning programme, pest control contract | You | Within 2 months of application | Application closes |
| Pre-licensing inspection, virtual or by photos | You | Virtual booking at least 5 working days ahead | Not stated |
| Payment notification after inspection | SFA | Within 7 working days | Not stated |
| Licence fee payment | You | Within 28 days | Application lapses |
Stages and time limits for an SFA Food Shop Licence, as published on SFA's page on 5 November 2026. SFA's page last updated 3 November 2026.
Source: Singapore Food Agency, November 2026
Do I start trading once I have submitted the application?
No, a food shop starts trading only after SFA's approval steps and the payment are complete. SFA lets GIRO applicants start once it approves the GIRO arrangement and lets other applicants start once they pay through AXS or GoBusiness. Licences are not transferable and do not convert between types, so a change of licensee name, UEN or licence type is a new application.
You log in to GoBusiness with Singpass or CorpPass and file as the applicant or a filer
Log in as an Individual or Business User, choose the licence, fill the agency's form and upload the documents its licence page lists. Ask Gov SG describes the route as Licence, then Apply Licence, from the top menu of the GoBusiness dashboard. After submission you track the application under the Processing section of the dashboard. SFA's guide shows that a business user enters the company's UEN and a CorpPass ID, and the UEN guide explains where that number comes from.
Source: Singapore Food Agency, November 2026
Who is allowed to apply for the licence?
The agency names the eligible applicant, for example the owner, director, partner or general partner for MOM's employment agency licence. MOM lists the owner of a sole proprietorship or partnership, the managing director or a director of a company, a partner of an LLP and a general partner of a limited partnership. SFA lets the operator apply for themselves or lets a filer submit on the licensee's behalf. For Long-Term Visit Pass holders MOM lists a pre-approved Letter of Consent with an ICA e-notification, or a Letter of Consent, and for Dependant's Pass holders a Letter of Consent. Check your own agency's licence page for residency rules.
What does a self-employed applicant need before submitting?
A self-employed applicant needs MediSave contributions paid in full or under an active GIRO arrangement with the CPF Board. Ask Gov SG states that the licensing agency processes the application only if this condition is met.
In what order do I apply when I need several licences?
The Application Journey on GoBusiness shows the order, and a greyed licence needs another licence first. Halal Certification, for example, depends on Food Shop Licence approval. Each food business location holds one Food Shop type, and a business spread across levels needs separate licences for each level unless a staircase inside the premises connects them.
Source: Ask Gov SG, November 2026
Source: GoBusiness, November 2026
Trading without a required licence is an offence, and an expired licence restarts the application
Trading without a required licence is an offence, and for several agencies an expired licence means a new application. SFA states that once a food retail licence expires it is not renewable, operations stop immediately and a new application restarts the process. MOM requires a business to stop all employment agency activity until the licence is renewed. Each agency sets its own renewal clock, and the licence renewal guide sets those clocks side by side.
Source: Singapore Food Agency, November 2026
Source: Ministry of Manpower, November 2026
General guidance as of 5 November 2026, not legal advice.