CHANGES TO MASSAGE ESTABLISHMENT REGULATORY REGIME
The Police will make the following changes to the massage establishment (ME) regulatory regime by the second half of 2026. A summary of the changes is as follows:
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S/N |
Description |
Remarks |
|
1 |
New Licence Category for Open-Concept MEs |
Open-Concept MEs are currently exempted from a licence. When the changes take effect, operators of open-concept MEs must apply for and obtain a Category 3 ME licence. These establishments will need to meet the same "fit and proper" criteria as other licensed massage establishments and obtain land use approval from HDB or URA. The new licensing regime is intended to address vice and social disamenities caused by open-concept MEs.
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2 |
Mandatory Poster to be Displayed at Shopfront |
All ME licensees must display a Police-issued ME poster at their shopfront in a location visible to the public. The poster will state the licence number, the key conditions of the licence, and include a URL for the public to easily report any breaches to the Police.
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3 |
Extended Licence Tenure for Compliant ME Licensees |
The current tenure of 3 years for ME licences will be extended to 5 years. This applies to all ME categories. New Category 1 and 2 ME licensees will still be issued with a one-year provisional licence. Thereafter, they may be granted 5-year licences if they have a good compliance record. |
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4 |
Uniform Guidelines for ME industry |
There will no longer be a need for ME licensees to seek the Police’s approval for their employee uniforms. Instead, the Police will issue uniform guidelines to ensure decency and uphold professional standards for the ME industry. If an operator wishes to deviate from the guidelines, he may still write to the Police for approval. Operators who deviate from the guidelines without approval may be taken to task for breaching the licensing conditions. |
2 The Police Regulatory Department (PRD) will engage the ME industry and operators to explain the regulatory changes before implementing the changes in the second half of 2026.
3 For enquires, you may email to PRD at SPF_PRD_GLD@spf.gov.sg
FAQs
A Massage Establishment Licence is required if you intend to operate a business providing massage¹ services in an establishment.
¹ Under Section 2(1) of the Massage Establishments Act, “massage” is defined as “the act of rubbing, kneading or manipulating the human body or any part of it, by any person (whether or not using any hand-held equipment), for the purpose of relaxing muscle tension, stimulating circulation, increasing suppleness or otherwise”.
A Massage Establishment licence is NOT required if you are providing any of the following without any massage service or treatment:
- Manicure
- Pedicure
- Light treatment
- Electric treatment
- Vapour treatment
- Baths
1.1 Notification to Police of Exempted Massage Establishment
You may submit a notification to inform Police Regulatory Department of your intention to operate an Exempted Massage Establishment via GoBusiness portal for Notification to Police of Exempted Massage Establishment.
1.2 Criteria for Grant of Licence
To be eligible for a Massage Establishment licence, you must meet the following criteria:
- Be a fit and proper person. The criteria and requirements for a person to be considered fit and proper to hold a licence are (but not limited to) whether the relevant person has honesty, integrity, a good reputation, competence and capability. For more details, you may click on the following link: Guidelines for considering whether a person is fit and proper to hold a licence under the Massage Establishments Act 2017
- Be a responsible officer* as defined in Section 2(1) of Massage Establishments Act 2017*
- At least 21 years of age at time of application
- Possess a valid and relevant work pass if you are a foreigner
You may also refer to the Massage Establishment Regulatory Framework 2018
Applications on behalf of an organisation will require a co-licensee who is a responsible officer from the organisation and able to meet the fit and proper criteria
*Responsible officer means:
- a partner of the partnership;
- a member of the governing body of the unincorporated association; and
- any director of the company or officer holding a similar managerial or an executive position in the body corporate.
Points to note:
| Factor | Descriptions |
| Sunk Investment Not Ground For Grant of Licence |
Sunk investments e.g. renovation, purchase of equipment, rental of premises are not grounds for a licence to be granted. You should ensure that you have obtained the necessary Massage Establishment Licence before starting renovation works or use the premises. Hence, you should consider the financial commitment to your business carefully if a licence/exemption has yet been granted. The following highlights two important considerations that you should take note before submitting an application to operate a Massage Establishment. |
| Suitability of Location |
Existence of Massage Establishment outlets in the vicinity of a proposed location does not automatically indicate that your application would be approved as other factors such as the law and order situation are taken into consideration when assessing your application. You may refer to “Unsuitable Location for Massage Establishments” which serves only as a general guide for potential applicants to check if the premises falls within an area where new massage establishments may be considered. Applicants may wish to note that new Massage Establishment licences are unlikely to be granted at the following locations. This is to manage the number of massage establishments and minimise inconvenience to the community in these areas.
Please note that the list of locations is non-exhaustive and serves only as a general guide. The existence of other massage establishments in the vicinity is not an indication that an application for a new licence would be approved. Every application will be assessed on its own merits. Massage establishment licences are also not transferable. Applicants should ensure that their application for a Massage Establishment licence is approved before making any financial commitment or entering into any contractual agreement. |
| Approval by URA or HDB |
Issuance of the Planning Permission or Approval Granted by URA or HDB (if applicable) does not guarantee the approval of your Massage Establishment Licence. |
| Existing Licensees |
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1.3 Types of Application and Associated Fees
The revised ME licence fees with effect from 1 April 2020 are reflected in the table below:
| Types of Applications | Validity | Fees (Non-Refundable) |
| New Massage Establishment Licence Application |
1-Year 2-Years 3-Years |
$290 $440 $590 |
| Amend Existing Massage Establishment Licence Application |
NA | Refer to Amend Licence Details* |
| Withdrawal of Massage Establishment Licence Application |
NA | NA |
| Cancel Existing Massage Establishment Licence |
NA | NA |
| Licence Type |
Category I (Provisional)* |
Category I | Category II (Provisional)* | Category II |
| Places to operate |
HDB shop houses, shopping centres and hotels |
Areas away from residential areas, schools, and places of worship. |
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| Nationality of employees |
Singapore citizens, Permanent Residents and Malaysians with valid work passes only. |
Singapore citizens, Permanent Residents and any foreign nationality with valid work passes. |
Singapore citizens, Permanent Residents and Malaysians with valid work passes only. |
|
| Minimum Establishment Floor Area |
At least 100m² |
At least 50m² |
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| CaseTrust Accreditation |
Not Required | Accredited |
Not Required |
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* You must apply for Category I (Provisional) or Category II (Provisional) licence first before upgrading to Category I or Category II massage establishment
New
This is for persons who wish to apply for a massage establishment licence. Under the Massage Establishments (ME) Act 2017, a ME licence is required if any premises is used or intended to be used for the reception or treatment of persons seeking massage, unless otherwise exempted. Massage is defined as the act of rubbing, kneading, or manipulating the human body or any part of it, by any person (whether or not using any hand-held equipment), for the purpose of relaxing muscle tension, stimulating circulation, increasing suppleness or otherwise.
You may submit a new Massage Establishment Licence via GoBusiness portal.
Existing Licensee
This is for persons who wish to apply the intend to continue operating a Massage Establishment Licence. You should submit your application for a new licence at least one month before the expiry of the current licence.
| Steps | Description |
| 1 | You may submit your intend to continue operating a Massage Establishment Licence via Gobusiness portal |
| 2 | Log in as Business User using SingPass |
| 3 | Under ”My Licences”, select the active licence and click on the “Select Action” to Renew. |
| 4 | Follow the instructions thereafter to complete the transaction. |
Amend Licence Details
You may make the following amendments to your existing Massage Establishment Licence:
- Company Name (*Should the UEN change, you will have to apply for a new Massage Establishment Licence)
- Responsible Officers
- Contact Details
- Mailing address
- Layout of Establishment*
- Uniform Design*
- Establishment Name
| Information to be Amended | Documents required |
Fees (Non-Refundable) |
| Layout of Establishment* |
|
$40 per application |
| Uniform Design* |
Photos showing front and back of the new uniform with name tag/company logo |
$35 per application |
| Name of Establishment |
NA | NA |
| Steps | Descriptions |
| 1 | You may submit an Amendment Application via Gobusiness portal |
| 2 | Log in as Business User using SingPass |
| 3 | Under ”My Licences”, select the active licence and click on the “Select Action” to Amend. |
| 4 | Under Type of Amendment, Select “Change of Licence Details” to amend your existing licence. |
| 5 | Follow the instructions thereafter to complete the transaction. |
Cancel Licence
Under the Massage Establishment Rules 2018, licensee of an establishment for massage must notify the Licensing Officer at least 7 days before the date on which the licensee ceases to carry on the business of providing massage services at the establishment for massage.
You may cancel your existing Massage Establishment Licence any time before its expiration.
Please note that there will be no refund of the licence fees upon cancellation as stipulated under the Massage Establishment Rules 2018 Section 19(1).
| Steps | Description |
| 1 | You may submit a Termination Application via Gobusiness portal |
| 2 | Log in as Business User using SingPass |
| 3 | Under ”My Licences”, select the active licence and click on the “Select Action” and “Cancel”. |
| 4 | Follow the instructions thereafter to complete the transaction. |
Withdrawal
You may withdraw your application for Massage Establishment Licence at any time before the licence is approved.
If the licence has been approved and issued, you will no longer be able to withdraw it and you will need to make a request to cancel the licence.
| Steps | Descriptions |
| 1 | You may withdraw your pending application via GoBusiness portal |
| 2 | Log in as Business User using SingPass |
| 3 | Under “My Submission”, select “Processing” and click on “Select Action” and withdraw the application. |
1.4 Licensing Conditions
1.5 Documents Required
| Types of Documents | Category I (Provisional)* | Category I | Category II (Provisional)* | Category II |
| Uniform |
Coloured photographs showing the following:
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| Floor Layout |
Layout plan of the establishment drawn to scale, stating the total floor area in Square Metres |
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| Planning Approval |
URA planning permission for proposed use of premises to be used as ‘Massage Establishment’ / HDB approval letter (whichever is applicable) |
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| ACRA Business Profile |
Required |
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| CaseTrust Accreditation |
NA | Required | NA | |
1.6 Submission Of Application
- You will be directed to the GoBusiness Licensing web page. Have your SingPass ready to log in.
- If you require assistance or guidance on the GoBusiness portal, please contact the helpdesk at (+65) 6336 3373 or email AskGoBiz@crimsonlogic.com.sg
1.7 Estimated Completion Time
Estimated Time to complete
20 minutes
Processing Time
- Approximately 4 weeks from the receipt of the application and if all necessary supporting documents are enclosed (if required). Any incomplete or incorrect submission will be rejected.
- You will be notified of the outcome via SMS and/or Email. In the meantime, you may log in to GoBusiness to view your application status.
1.8 Contact Details