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A business licence in Singapore is a permit from a government agency for an activity that is regulated. It is not the same as registering a company with ACRA. Apply for it on GoBusiness Licensing. Checked . Our check of GoBusiness was limited because the portal blocks automated reading, so use the portal itself for current rules.
Is a licence the same as ACRA registration?
No, and the order matters.
| ACRA registration | Business licence | |
|---|---|---|
| Who issues it | ACRA | The agency that regulates the activity |
| What it does | Creates the company or business and gives a UEN | Permits a regulated activity |
| Who needs it | Every company and registered business | Only some activities |
| Where | Bizfile | GoBusiness Licensing |
| ACRA fee | S$15 name, S$300 registration | Set by each agency |
Most small service companies, such as a consultancy, need only ACRA registration. A food shop, a clinic, an employment agency or a payment service does need a licence. Your SSIC activity code on the ACRA filing does not replace the licence. See SSIC code.
How do you find the licence you need?
GoBusiness Licensing offers a licence directory you can search by keyword, by agency or by business intent. It also has e-Advisers that guide you through licences for a sector. GovTech describes GoBusiness as a platform with more than 200 licences from different agencies. That count comes from a GovTech article, not from the portal, so treat it as approximate.
If the portal gives no clear match, ask the agency for your sector. A wrong guess can mean trading without a licence.
How do you apply?
- Register the company or business with ACRA so you have a UEN.
- Set up Corppass for the company. See Corppass.
- Log in to the GoBusiness Dashboard.
- Choose Licence, then Apply Licence, and pick the licence.
- Fill in the form and declare that the information is accurate.
- Track the application in My Submission.
Some licences ask for documents such as a premises plan or staff qualifications. Collect them before you log in.
What do some licences cost?
Fees differ for every licence. These are examples from pages we read on the agency sites, not a full list.
| Licence | Fee we found | Agency page used |
|---|---|---|
| Employment agency licence | S$400 application and S$100 issuance, valid 3 years | MOM |
| Outpatient medical or dental service licence | S$360 per mode of service | HCSA |
| Estate agent licence | S$120 application, then an annual fee by number of salespersons | CEA |
Read the sector pages for the rules that sit around each one: food and beverage, recruitment agencies, clinics, real estate agencies and payment services.
What happens if you trade without a licence you need?
The penalties are set by each agency and differ by licence, and we did not verify them for this page. The sensible order is to confirm the licence position before you sign a lease, hire staff or take orders. If a licence is refused, you may have paid for fit-out and a registered company you cannot use for that activity.
How does the licence fit with the other set-up steps?
A short order that works for most regulated businesses:
- Choose the structure and name. See company registration.
- Register with ACRA and get the UEN.
- Set up Corppass and a bank account. See business bank account.
- Apply for the licence on GoBusiness Licensing.
- Start trading only after the licence is granted.
Some licences also depend on the premises or on a qualified person who works for the company, so line these up before the application, not after. Check the agency's own page for what it asks.
Can a provider help?
A corporate service provider can register the company and tell you which licence to look at, but the licence is applied for in the company's name and the company answers for it. Providers do not issue licences. If you want help with registration, the next page covers it.
Sources
- GoBusiness Licensing from GovTech and the Ministry of Trade and Industry, used for the application route. We could only read search summaries of this portal.
- How to register a business: GoBusiness portal from GovTech, used for the scale of GoBusiness.
- Apply for an employment agency licence from MOM, used for the S$400 and S$100 fees.
- Overview of licensing fees from HCSA, used for the S$360 fee.
- Estate agent licence from CEA, used for the S$120 application fee.
- Service and transaction fees for companies from ACRA, used for S$15 and S$300.
