There are several types of food retail licences, each with its own requirements. Ensure you can meet these requirements before applying for a licence.
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Food Shops include bakeries, restaurants, food vending machines, canteens, coffee shops, eating houses, food courts, standalone kiosks, takeaway food carts, and private canteens/markets.
© 2026 Singapore Food Agency
Last Updated 28 Jul 2026
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.
Hand sanitisers and disposable gloves
Environmental Sanitation Regime (ESR)
Support to help food businesses start right
Sale of Herbal Tea
Pet Cafes
Private Markets
Mobile Food Wagons
Vending Machines
Mini Restaurants
For more information
You can contact us via the SFA Online Feedback Form.
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Food Stalls are individual units operating inside Food Shops. If you run a stall inside a canteen, coffee shop, food court, eating house, or market, you operate a Food Stall. If you operate a stall in a similar multi-unit Food Shop, you also operate a Food Stall.
Conversely, an independent or standalone takeaway kiosk or snack counter qualifies as a Food Shop.
From 1 January 2025, operators of market stalls selling food items of lower regulatory concern, such as pre-packed food, will not require a SFA licence. For details, see What are the exemptions?
Singapore citizens, permanent residents, societies registered with MHA, or entities registered with ACRA can apply for this licence.
Hawker Stalls are stalls operating inside centres/markets managed by the National Environment Agency (NEA). Hawker Stall operators are not required to submit licence applications to SFA, as NEA will assist stall operators in obtaining their SFA licences as part of the tenancy processes.
However, if you operate within hawker centres / markets that have their tenancies managed by third-party managing agents appointed by NEA, you will need to submit a Food Stall Licence application to SFA. Please check with the managing agent of your centre if you are uncertain.
If you operate a stall unit within a Food Shop but are responsible for your own refreshment area, the applicable licence type is Food Shop. Refer to Mini Restaurants.
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Supermarkets are establishments where the selection of food and goods sold is organised on a self-serve basis.
Supermarkets that: (i) sell raw meat or seafood; or (ii) conduct on-site preparation of food for sale (e.g. at a rotisserie counter) require a SFA licence to operate.
Retailers that solely sell pre-packed food*, vegetables or whole fruits supplied by SFA-licensed food processing establishments or importers do not require SFA food retail licences.
*Except minimally processed meat or seafood (for example: packed whole chicken that has been defeathered and degutted, packed unmarinated chicken wings, packed whole fish, packed raw fillet etc.)
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, please refer to the MOM website or call the MOM Contact Centre at 64385122 for more information on your eligibility to do so.
There are documentary, design and other requirements. For a complete list of the requirements, and conditions, download the Supermarket Self-Checklist.
To promote the recycling of empty containers, NEA will introduce the Beverage Container Return Scheme (BCRS) from 1 April 2026. Under the BCRS, local beverage manufacturers and importers are responsible for the collection and recycling of empty containers. Visit the NEA website to learn more about the BCRS requirements.
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Temporary Fairs are events where stalls sell merchandise, food or drinks. To operate such fairs, you must have a permit from SFA.
Operating Temporary Fairs illegally without a valid permit is an offence. SFA will take enforcement action against Temporary Fair operators who do not adhere to regulations. Offenders are liable upon conviction to a fine. In the case of a subsequent conviction, offenders are liable to a more significant fine or to imprisonment, or to both.
Singapore citizens, permanent residents, societies registered with MHA, or entities registered with ACRA can apply for this licence.
As the permit holder, you must:
To apply for the permit:
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Food Stalls preparing food and beverages at Temporary Fairs require a licence from SFA. The fair’s main operator is responsible for submitting the list of stalls, stall holder details, and stall application documents to the SFA licensing officer for stall licences.
Applicants bear full responsibility for any delays in the issuance of Temporary Fair Food Stall Licences due to submissions past the deadlines. Applicants are reminded that operating a Temporary Fair Food Stall without a valid licence is an offence under the law.
Singapore citizens, permanent residents, societies registered with MHA, or entities registered with ACRA can apply for this licence.
Applications must be coordinated by the Temporary Fair Permit holder.
Food stalls located within Temporary Fairs are allowed to prepare and handle food and beverages, provided all of the following conditions are met:
To apply for this licence:
From 1 January 2025, operators of market stalls selling food items of lower regulatory concern, such as pre-packed food, will not require a SFA licence.
This is part of SFA’s regular review of our food safety regulatory regime to ensure that it remains relevant to addressing food safety risks.
The sale of these food items at market stalls are assessed to be of lower regulatory concern, as there are regulatory controls in place upstream, such as our source accreditation, and regulatory regimes for local farms, food processing establishments and importers.
Phase 1 (since 1 April 2024) for stalls selling non-food items
Phase 2 (from 1 January 2025) for stalls selling food items of lower regulatory concern
For more information
You can contact us via the SFA Online Feedback Form.
For more information
You can contact us via the SFA Online Feedback Form.
| Document | Short Description |
|---|---|
| Letter of appointment | You must have a document showing the appointment of the permit applicant as the fair operator. For example, if a permit applicant is appointed by the Citizen Consultative Committee (CCC) of a housing precinct to hold a Pasar Malam, the letter should come from the CCC. |
| Site use approval | You must have a document showing that the permit applicant has approval to use the space for the fair during the intended fair period. |
| Support documentation (e.g. consensus from shopkeepers’ / merchants’ association) | For fairs in public venues, you must have documents showing support for the fair from the advisory bodies and associations in the vicinity of the fair. |
| Layout plan | You must have a plan detailing the stalls with food handling and their necessary infrastructure (wash basins, piped water, chillers, etc.), and the other stalls without food handling. |
| Declaration form | You must have a declaration from the fair organiser stating that they have obtained all the necessary approvals from the relevant authorities to hold the fair. Download the declaration template here. |
Any documents or applications submitted late may result in a delay in the fair start date on the Permit issued.
If you need clarification on your application or the supporting documents required, please submit an enquiry at least 2 weeks before the event date to SFA's Food Services Department via SFA's Online Feedback Form. Include the following details in your enquiry:
Operators are required to comply with the Environmental Public Health (Food Hygiene) Regulations.
General Conditions
Food Safety Conditions
Sanitation Conditions
Other Conditions
For more information
You can contact us via the SFA Online Feedback Form.
Extensive food preparation, such as the processing and preparation of raw food (e.g. degutting of fish, cutting of raw meat, and vegetables), is not allowed on-site. All fresh seafood and meat must be stored at 4°C or below at all times in freezers or chillers.
Food items that cannot be sold at Temporary Fairs
Food items that can be sold only if conditions are met
If items that pose safety concerns (dry ice and liquid nitrogen etc.) are used, operators should provide suitable safety advisories to consumers (e.g. through labelling and display of notices).
To apply for this licence:
For application as an individual, you should submit a photocopy of both sides of your NRIC.
For application as a company, you should submit the latest copy (at least within 3 months) of your Business Profile Information from ACRA.
For more information
You can contact us via the SFA Online Feedback Form.
