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When does SFA require a licence/permit?
Generally, food businesses must be licensed to prepare and sell food to consumers.
SFA takes a risk-based approach to ensuring that food sold in retail settings are safe for consumption. Our licensing regime takes into account the type of food sold and the operational setting of the premises.
Retail businesses selling food items that have a higher food safety risk and/or settings that pose greater risks in view of the scale of its operations (e.g. catering businesses) are required to be licensed by SFA. Licensing allows SFA to impose food safety controls upstream.
A licence from SFA is not required if the food is not meant for sale (e.g. when charity kitchens give away food). Nonetheless, such kitchen operators should adhere to good food safety practices.
Do I need a licence/permit? Which licence/permit?
There are many ways to sell food in Singapore. The table below summarises some of the different types of food retail operations and the licence/permit required.
Note
Home-based food businesses, given their small-scale operations, and online food sellers, serving only as intermediaries and are not handling or preparing any food, do not require a licence from SFA to operate. However, they are still regulated by SFA and must comply with food safety requirements.
| Type of Food Retail | Description | Licence/Permit Required |
|---|---|---|
Food Shops | Food Shops include:
 | |
Supermarkets | 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* 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.)  | |
Food Stalls | Food Stalls are individual stall units operating inside Food Shops that are multi-unit premises. | |
Hawker Stalls | Hawker Stalls are stalls operating inside one of the publicly-managed hawker centres / markets in Singapore. These centres / markets are managed by the National Environment Agency (NEA).
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.
The safety of food from these stalls will continue to be regulated through standards imposed by SFA on the importers and suppliers of these food items.
For details, see Requirements for Licence / Permit for Food Retail – Food Stall. | |
Temporary Fairs | Temporary fairs are events where there are individual stalls selling merchandise, food or drinks.
Each individual stall preparing food and beverages for sale at a temporary fair will also require a licence from SFA. The licensing officer will work through the fair operator to process stall licence applications. Temporary fair stall operators do not need to separately apply for licences. | |
Home-based Businesses | Home-based food businesses, such as home bakers, operate on a small scale so they do not require a SFA food retail licence. However, they must still comply with food laws and food safety requirements. For details, see Requirements for Home-Based Businesses. | |
Online Food Sellers | Online food businesses that merely serve as intermediaries do not need a SFA food retail licence to operate. However, they must still comply with food laws and food safety requirements. For details, see Types of Online Food Businesses. | |
When should I apply for the licence/permit?
You should apply for a licence/permit before you start operation.
You also need to submit a fresh application when:
- You want to change the name of the licensee / UEN of the business on the licence, as licences are not transferable.
- Your business operations have changed, and you need a SFA licence of a different type, as licences cannot be changed from one type to another.
Please be reminded that operating a food retail business without a SFA licence is an offence. Appropriate actions will be taken against offenders in accordance to the prevailing laws.
What do I need to apply for the licence?
To learn more about the eligibility and requirements for each licence, see Requirements for Licence / Permit for Food Retail.
How much do the licences/permits cost?
| Type of Licence | Licence Fee |
|---|---|
| Food Shop Licence | $195 a year |
| Food Stall Licence | $32 a year or $64 for 2 years
Hawker stalls and canteen food stalls within primary schools, secondary schools, and junior colleges are charged a reduced fee of $13 a year |
| Supermarket Licence | $250 a year for supermarket with an area of less than 200m2 $500 a year for supermarket with an area of more than 200m2 |
| Temporary Fair Permit | $60 per permit |
| Temporary Fair Food Stall Licence | No additional licence fee imposed beyond the fee for the Temporary Fair Permit |
How do I apply for licences/permits?
For details on how to apply for a licence/permit, see Application Process & Fees for Licence / Permit for Food Retail.
How long does it take to apply for the licences/permits?
The time taken for the processing of different types of licence application differs. Please refer to the following pages for more information on the processing time for each type of licence:
Frequently Asked Questions
My school provides boarding services for the students. We provide a hostel kitchen for the students to prepare their own food. Do we need to obtain a SFA canteen licence?
No. Since the food prepared is for personal consumption and not for sale, the hostel kitchen does not need to be licensed. However, a SFA Food Shop Licence would be required if the hostel kitchen is managed by a third-party operator to serve food to the student residents via a service contract.
When applying for the Food Shop Licence, the third-party operator should select ‘Canteen’ as the type to describe the food business activity.
My school is a private educational institution (PEI) and we have a kitchen/canteen within the school premises that prepares and serves meals to our students. Do we need to obtain a SFA licence for our food operations?
Yes. Canteens/kitchens within private educational institutions (e.g. those registered under Private Education Act) require a SFA Food Shop Licence to operate. This is regardless of whether the canteen is managed by the educational institution or a third-party operator appointed by the institution.
When applying for the Food Shop Licence, the applicant should select 'Canteen' to describe the food business activity.
My company provides free-of-charge, in-house meals for my staff. The kitchen operation is manned by in-house staff. Does my canteen operation need to obtain a licence from SFA?
No. Only private canteens operated by third-party vendors/businesses under a service contract need to obtain a licence from SFA to operate.
My company’s staff canteen is outsourced to a third-party operator, but my company oversees the canteen operations. Who should apply for and hold the licence?
The operator of the canteen should hold the licence, as it is responsible for food preparation. In this case, the third-party operator should hold the licence.
The staff canteen in my company provides free meals to staff. However, the food is catered from external parties, i.e. prepared offsite at the caterer's premises. Does my canteen need to be licensed by SFA?
No. Please note that you should only obtain catered food from food businesses that SFA has approved to conduct catering activities. These include SFA-licensed food caterers and select central kitchens.
For more information
You can contact us via the SFA Online Feedback Form.
