Depending on the type of business activities your company conducts, you may need a business license before you can start business operations in Singapore in strict compliance with Singapore laws. Business licenses in Singapore are issued only to registered companies. This means that your company must be registered with accounting and corporate regulatory authority before it can apply for Singapore business license. Read more information click this link: http://precursor.com.sg/industry-specific-business-licenses-singapore/

1. Industry-Specific
Business Licenses
in Singapore

2. Depending on the type of business activities your company
conducts, you may need a business license before you can
start business operations in Singapore in strict compliance
with Singapore laws.
Before you obtain a licenseBefore obtaining a business license in
Singapore, you should note the following points:
• Business licenses in Singapore are issued only to
registered companies. This means that your
company must be registered with accounting and
corporate regulatory authority before it can apply for
Singapore business license.

3. • Operating a business without a license is a
punishable offense under Singapore laws. All
businesses are therefore advised to carefully check
the licensing requirements and get appropriate
licenses to avoid any adverse legal consequences.
• Not all business types in Singapore require licensing
in order to do business in Singapore. Even if your
business falls under one of the below-mentioned
industries, whether or not you need license may
depend on your service offerings, areas of service
and business revenues.

4. Consult Precursor, your expert business advisory,
and find us at Precursor now.
To help you determine whether your business needs
licensing as well as the accompanying requirements,
please look through the description of the most
popular industries as follows.
For more information on going about applying for
business licenses in Singapore,
visit https://licence1.business.gov.sg.

5. Import and Export Permit in
Singapore
Singapore permits the import and export of non-controlled
goods without any licensing requirements. However, for the
trading of controlled goods, you will require a relevant
import/export permit license relating to the goods you are
dealing in, issued by the specific governing agency.
Examples of controlled goods include cigarettes and tobacco
products, drugs, petrochemicals, animals and food products.
The list of controlled goods as detailed down by Singapore
Customs is comprehensive. For more information, please
refer to this link. Here you can find a whole list of goods that
are controlled or prohibited. Do read through the list first
before you decide to start a trading business in Singapore.

6. Business license in Singapore
for Retail Business
Business Licensing requirements for retail shops vary
depending on the nature of goods and services being sold.
Following are the licenses required under Retail:
• Tobacco Retail License, issued by the Health Sciences
Authority, for the retail of tobacco products.
• Liquor License issued by the Liquor Licensing Board for retail
of liquor.

7. • Telecommunication Dealer License issued by
Info-comm Development Authority (IDA) of
Singapore for the manufacture, import, hire, sale,
offer or possession for sale of any approved
telecommunication equipment or equipment set out in
the First Schedule of the Telecommunication
(Dealers) Regulations.
• Pet Shop License issued by the AVA, if you intend to
use a premise for the display, sale or export of pets.
You do not need a pet shop license if you are only
selling pet accessories or only engaging in pet
grooming activities.

8. • Wholesale Dealer’s License for Chinese Proprietary
Medicine (CPM) issued by the Health Sciences
Authority of Singapore (HSA) under the Medicines
Act to allow the companies to import Chinese
Proprietary Medicines (CPM). The CPM must be
listed and approved for sale in Singapore prior to
importation.
• Retail pharmacy license issued by HSA for
pharmacies or drugstores.
• Cosmetic Products Notification under the guidance of
HSA for retail of cosmetic products.

9. Singapore business licensing
requirements for construction
business
There are several permits, approvals, and licenses that are
required for setting up a construction company in Singapore.
In addition to this, if such a company employs workers from
other countries, one needs to apply to the Ministry of
Manpower for work permits in order to hire foreign laborers.

10. Singapore business license for
Hotels
Several licenses and permits are required for setting up and
running hotels or boarding houses in Singapore.
Apart from getting the licensing and approval from the Hotels
Licensing Board, Separate permits or licenses would have to
be obtained for activities such as: organizing ad-hoc
entertainment, playing copyrighted music or videos, running
a spa, selling tobacco products, operating a swimming pool,
etc.

11. Singapore Business license
requirements for Spa
A Massage Establishment
License is required in order to
offer massage services, foot
reflexology services, manicure
treatments, spa baths or other
similar treatments.

12. Singapore Business licensing
requirements for Employment
Agency
For any business that involves recruitment and job
placement services for other employers, an Employment
Agency License is required from the Ministry of Manpower
(MOM) of Singapore before such a business can
commence.
Employment agencies include head-hunting firms,
executive search companies, foreign domestic worker
agencies, local and foreign staffing companies,
construction worker agencies, online jobs portals, nanny-
placing agencies and so on.

13. Singapore business licensing
requirements for travel
agency
Businesses that involve arranging and selling of travel or
tour packages will need to apply for a Travel Agent’s
License with the Singapore Tourism Board (STB).
The license is required if your business falls within Section
4 of the Travel Agents Act (Cap. 334) as below:
• selling tickets entitling an individual to travel, or otherwise
arranging for a person a right of passage on any
conveyance. A Travel Agency License is not required if the
conveyance is owned by the company.

14. • facilitating a person’s ability to travel by selling or
arranging transport tickets, hotel accommodation and
foreign visas to destinations outside and within
Singapore. A Travel Agency License is not required if
the mode of transport and the place of
accommodation is owned by the company.
• purchasing for resale the right of passage on any
conveyance
• arranging or conducting tours within or outside
Singapore
• hold yourself out as or advertising that you are willing
to carry on any activity referred to in the previous
points.

15. Business license in Singapore
for Medical Clinic
There are three essential types of licenses needed in
order to operate a medical clinic in Singapore.
The Medical Clinic Licenses are compulsory for any
Health Care institutes, and licenses for dealing with
hazardous chemicals, the usage of irradiating
equipment or purchase of certain medicinal products
are also needed. Lastly, licenses and approvals to carry
out medical procedures will also be required.

16. Business license in Singapore
for Food and Beverage
Business
All food related businesses in Singapore are required to
have a Food Shop License from the National
Environment Agency (NEA), which will conduct an
inspection prior to issuing a license. Other related
licenses that you may need or want to apply additionally
are:
• Halal Certification issued by the Islamic Religious
Council of Singapore (MUIS)

17. • Liquor Licence issued by the Liquor Licensing Board
for the retail sale of liquor, including beer. Different
types of licenses are issued depending on whether
consumption is on or off premises.
• Tobacco Retail License, issued by the Health
Sciences Authority, for the retail of tobacco products.
• For operating a central kitchen you may require
Factory Registration and a License to Operate a
Meat or Fish Processing Establishment or Cold
Store, issued by the AVA.
• License for Importing Food Ingredients? If you intend
to import processed food products and food
appliances, you need to apply for several
licenses with the Food Control Division (FCD) of Agri-
Food & Veterinary Authority of Singapore (AVA).

18. Singapore business licenses
for Real Estate Agency
Given the rising importance of Singapore’s real estate
industry, a new statutory board was set up in 2010 to
better regulate the industry and raise professional
standards in the interest of consumers. The new
framework has enhanced the licensing of real estate
agencies, introduced a compulsory registration of real
estate agents since 2011 and established new industry
regulations.

19. Singapore business license for
Event Management Business
Event management companies that are in the
business of organizing various types of events will
have to obtain one or more licenses depending on the
event or activity being organized. Examples of such
licenses include Arts Entertainment License,
Copyright Permit, Public Entertainment License,
Trade Fair Permit, Animal Exhibition License, etc.

20. Singapore Business licensing
requirements for Educational
Institutes
Setting up an educational
institution or to providing
educational services usually
requires one or more license to
operate. Each of the licenses is
issued by a different
government authority; it can be
the Ministry of Culture,
Community and Youth
(MCCY) and/or Ministry of
Education.

21. Singapore business licenses for
Publishing Business
A publishing business publishes written materials
such as books, magazines, newspapers and any sort
of periodical. The Newspaper Permit and Printing
Press License are the two primary licenses that are
required for anyone wanting to start a publishing
business in Singapore.

22. In summary, as there are quite a number of industries
that require licenses/permits to be obtained, it’s
advisable to seek help from a professional business
advisory consultancy firm to avoid any delays in the
commencement of business and to prevent adverse
consequences in the future.
At Precursor, we have industry experts who have
served top companies and multinationals for their
business compliance requirements in Singapore, to
find out more please visit us on our website now.

23. Read more information
click this link:
http://precursor.com.sg/industry
specific-business-licenses-
singapore/