Requirements for Licence / Permit for Food Retail

There are several types of food retail licences, each with its own requirements. Ensure you can meet these requirements before applying for a licence.

Food Shop

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Requirements for Food Shop Licences

Food Shops include bakeries, restaurants, food vending machines, canteens, coffee shops, eating houses, food courts, standalone kiosks, takeaway food carts, and private canteens/markets.

Who can apply for a Food Shop Licence?

Singapore citizens, permanent residents, societies registered with MHA, or entities registered with ACRA can apply for this licence.

If you intend to employ foreign workers for your food establishment, please refer to the MOM website or call the MOM Contact Centre at 64385122 for more information on your eligibility to do so.

What are the requirements or conditions for Food Shop Licences?

The requirements and conditions for Food Shop Licences can be found in the Food Shop Self-Checklist.

Hand sanitisers and disposable gloves

Since 2022, operators of Food Shops offering self-service buffets have been required to provide an adequate number of hand sanitisers or disposable gloves in the food display area of buffet settings, so that food handlers and patrons have ready access to them.

Operators who do not comply with this licensing condition shall be liable to have their food licences revoked or suspended.

Environmental Sanitation Regime (ESR)

The National Environment Agency (NEA) has required selected food shops, such as coffee shops, eating house canteens, food courts, and private markets to implement the ESR. Licensees of such Food Shops are required to submit their Environmental Sanitation Programme (ESP) to NEA. For details, please refer to NEA’s website.

Specific types of Food Shops, such as Pet Cafes and Mobile Food Wagons, have specific requirements as detailed below.

Sale of Herbal Tea

Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) premises with areas for the preparation and sale of food/drinks (e.g. herbal drinks and tea-leaf eggs), are considered food shops and must have a Food Shop Licence to operate.

The licence will cover only the areas used for preparing and selling food/beverages. Hence, only such food preparation areas are required to be designed according to the requirements of the licence.

Pet cafes are Food Shops where pets are allowed. These pets may belong either to the customers or the pet cafe.

There are two types of pet cafes:

1. Pet cafes where patrons are allowed to bring their pets along (only cats and dogs are allowed) while dining.
2. Pet cafes where the operator provides pets for patrons to interact with while dining.

The following additional pre-licensing requirements apply to pet cafes:

Additional Pre-licensing Requirements

For premises where pet food is not provided, pets are only allowed in the outdoor refreshment area of the premises.

A separate preparation area must be provided in the kitchen for pet food and human food, segregated by a partition.

Separate sets of utensils and crockery shall be used for preparing, cooking, and serving pet food and human food, respectively.

Separate cabinets and/or refrigerators must be provided for the storage of pet food and human food, respectively.

A minimum of one wash hand basin in the refreshment area, equipped with hand soap and a paper towel dispenser/hand dryer, must be provided. Additionally, at least 1 litter bin is required at the wash hand basin. The tap must be either a delayed-action type or an auto-sensor operated type, suitably adjusted to minimise splashing.

An adequate number of the following signs must be installed at the entrance, dining area, hand washing facilities, and other strategic locations:

• “This café serves pet owners and their pets. Owners are to ensure their pets are healthy.”
• “All stray animals are not allowed.”
• “Only pet dogs and cats owned by their pet owners are allowed into the premises.”
• “All pets are to be properly restrained at all times. Dogs are to be leashed at all times.”
• “Please wash your hands before eating and after handling pets.”

Notices put up must adhere to the exact wording as stated above. Applicants are not allowed to alter the wording unless approval has been obtained from SFA. You may download and use these samples of notices.

Private Markets refer to wet markets managed by private operators that have stalls selling raw meat or raw seafood, or preparing food on-site for sale (e.g. mixing of ingredients to make yong tau foo and yellow noodles).

Private markets must have a Food Shop Licence to operate. Each stall within these private markets selling raw meat or raw seafood, or preparing food on-site for sale must also have a Food Stall Licence to operate.

The conditions and requirements can be found in the Private Market Self-Checklist.

Mobile Food Wagons

Mobile Food Wagons are vehicles, with full-fledged food preparation kitchens, preparing and selling food.

Mobile Food Wagons are required to have a backup kitchen in a SFA-licensed establishment for disposal of wastewater and topping up of potable water every day.

The following additional pre-licensing requirements apply to Mobile Food Wagons:

Additional Pre-licensing Requirements

LTA registration / inspection pass documentation for the motor vehicle to be used as a Mobile Food Wagon.

An approval letter from the respective landowners for the wagon to operate in various designated locations.

A schedule of operations is required, which shall include the day, time, location of operations, and the approving agencies.

An approval letter from SCDF for the use and transport of LPG cylinders in vehicles, where applicable.

Landlord's approval for on-site cooking, where necessary.

An approval letter from the owner of backup kitchen.

Capacity of wastewater tank must be at least 1.5 times greater than the capacity of freshwater tank. Additionally, the wastewater tank must be detachable to facilitate disposal of wastewater into the sewer in the backup kitchen.

SFA adopts a risk-based approach to regulating food vending machines. A licence is only required for vending machines that pose a higher food safety risk.

Licence required

Licence not required

Food vending machines that:

• perform in-machine food preparation (e.g. addition of toppings, cutting, boiling, grinding, juicing, mixing, heating, reheating, and cooking)
• serve raw meat or seafood

Food vending machines that serve:

• packaged or loose snacks without the need for temperature control, e.g. potato chips, biscuits, and confectionery
• canned, packed or bottled beverages (e.g. carbonated drinks, tetra-packed drinks, and UHT milk)
• packaged bread
• drinks with only dry powdered ingredients
• pre-packed cooked meals from SFA-licensed sources, including cook-chill and cook-freeze meals
• pre-packed ice-cream/yoghurt from SFA-licensed sources without in-machine food preparation
• pre-packed food from SFA-licensed sources that must be stored chilled (e.g. cut fruits, salads, milk, yoghurt drink and fruit juice)

Vending machine operators licensed by SFA must ensure:

1. All food for sale in vending machines is obtained from licensed/approved sources, i.e. SFA-licensed central kitchens, food from licensed importers and SFA-licensed food catering operators. The sale of food from unlicensed sources/premises is strictly prohibited. SFA will take enforcement action for any infringements.
2. The list of food items for sale is communicated to SFA through the business proposal before operations commence.
3. The variety of vending machines, along with their planned and existing locations, must be detailed in the business proposal submitted to SFA.

You should refer to the Licensing requirements for vending machine operation for a full list of requirements.

Guidelines on Food Safety and Good Hygiene Practices for the Vending Industry

The vending machine industry is encouraged to adopt the Singapore Standard (SS) 690:2022: Guidelines on Food Safety and Good Hygiene Practices for the Vending Industry.

The standard covers the best practices in food handling and temperature control for the vending industry in dispensing pre-packed and on-site prepared ready-to-eat meals and drinks, to ensure safety and wholesomeness of these products. The standard also provides guidance to vending machine operators and suppliers on sanitation and maintenance of the vending machines when fabricating or refurbishing.

The standard, launched on 30 November 2022, can be purchased from the Singapore Standards eShop.

For more information
You can contact us via the SFA Online Feedback Form.