Food Shop Licence

Get this licence to operate a food shop (e.g. eating house, coffee shop, food court, canteen or market).

Fast facts

Licensing Agency	National Environment Agency (NEA)
Cost Of Licence	S$66 - S$130 (1-year licence)
Minimum Licence Processing Time	5 working days

When do I need this licence?

You need to apply for a Food Shop licence to operate a food shop which retails food and/or drink. A food shop can consist of individual food stalls which retail food and/or drink.
Examples of food shops:
- eating houses, coffee shops, food courts snack and drink counters
- cake shops and bakeries without seating areas
- food courts
- restaurants (e.g. casual dining and fast food restaurants)
- market produce shops
- food caterers
- markets
- cafes
You should apply for the Food Stall Licence if you are operating a food stall in a privately-owned food shop.
You should apply for the Hawker Stall Licence if you are operating a food stall in a Government-owned food shop (e.g. hawker centre or market operated by HDB, JTC or NEA).

Individuals who are Singapore Citizens or Permanent Residents, and at least 21 years old.
Companies registered with the Accounting and Corporate Regulatory Authority (ACRA).
Societies registered with the Registrar of Societies.

Anyone, company or society who has had their licence previously revoked by the NEA.
Sole-proprietorships and partnerships cannot apply under their business. Instead, the business owners must apply as individuals.

S$130 (1-year licence) – Standalone food shops
S$66 (1-year licence) – Food shops in entertainment outlets such as bars and clubs.

Before applying, you must secure a location for your food stall and obtain approvals, if needed, from other authorities (e.g. change of use from the Urban Redevelopment Authority).
You must ensure that the design and layout of your food shop complies with the Code of Practice on Environmental Health.
You must ensure that your food shop has a grease trap to discharge sullage water before you start operations or else you may face a fine of up to S$5,000. If your food shop does not have a grease trap, you will need to apply for a permit to install one. For details, please contact the Public Utilities Board (PUB).
All food handlers must be registered with NEA. When you apply for the licence, you will need to provide details of at least one registered food handler.
If you are self-employed (e.g. sole-proprietors), you must also ensure that you have no outstanding CPF Medisave liabilities before applying or renewing your licence.

Your licence may be revoked or suspended by NEA if you accumulate more than 12 points in 12 months under the Points Demerit System (PDS).
If you are taking over an existing food shop, please make sure that the previous operator has terminated his/her Food Shop Licence.

Application Procedures and FAQs on the Food Shop Licence
EnterpriseOne Online Business Licensing Service (OBLS)

National Environment Agency (NEA)
Local Toll-Free:1800-CALL NEA (1800-225 5632)
International: (65) 6225 5632
Email: contact_NEA@nea.gov.sg