Landing page banner

The Singapore Police Force had announced in April 2026¹ that changes to the regulatory regime for massage establishments (ME) will be introduced in the second half of 2026, following engagements with the ME associations and operators. The Police have since completed the engagements, and the following changes will take effect from 1 December 2026:

Specific to Open-concept MEs (OMEs):

a. OMEs are no longer exempted from an ME licence. Operators of OMEs must obtain a new Category 3 licence.

Applicable to Categories 1, 2, and 3 licensees:

b. All MEs must display a Police-issued poster containing details of the licence on their shopfronts;  

c. Prior approval for employee uniforms will no longer be required. Instead, ME operators must comply with uniform standards prescribed by the Police; and 

d. The licence tenure for all categories of MEs will be extended to three or five years, depending on the licensee’s compliance records.

New Category 3 Licensing Regime for OMEs

From 1 December 2026, operators of OMEs will no longer be exempted from licensing. Anyone who wishes to operate an OME must apply for a licence and undergo a fit and proper assessment before a licence may be granted. As part of the application, the applicant must also submit the relevant land planning approval from the Housing & Development Board or the Urban Redevelopment Authority for the premises to be used as an OME. 

There will be a one-year grace period for existing OME operators, between 1 December 2026 and 30 November 2027, to transit into the new regime. Existing OME operators may continue to operate during this grace period. However, they must obtain a Category 3 ME licence and the requisite employee approvals by 30 November 2027, or cease operations.

Existing OME Operators who wish to continue operations should apply for a Category 3 ME licence early. To encourage early application, those that obtain the licence before 1 June 2027 will receive a 50% licence fee concession. Details of the applicable fees are found in Annex A.

All OME operators must comply with the OME requirements. This includes the following: (a) customers and members of the public must have an unobstructed view of massage services being provided at all times from both inside and outside of the premises; and (b) the premises must not contain rooms, partitions, cubicles, curtains or other features that would allow massage services to be provided in private.

Mandatory Poster to be Displayed at Shopfront

All ME licensees must display a Police-issued poster on their shopfronts and ensure that the poster is clearly visible to the public. The poster will contain details and key conditions of the licence, and a website link for the public to report any breaches to the Police. Existing Categories 1 and 2 MEs will be given up to 31 January 2027 to comply with the requirement. Failure to display the poster will be an offence.

Clear Uniform Standards

Category 1 and Category 2 ME licensees no longer need to seek the Police’s prior approval for employee uniforms. Instead, clear uniform standards will be set out in the Massage Establishment Rules 2018 (“Rules”). Under the Rules, Category 1 and Category 2 licensees must ensure that their employees don uniforms which comprise a shirt or blouse with sleeves that bears the establishment’s name or logo and the employee’s name, together with pants that are knee-length or longer. Any deviation from these uniform requirements must be approved by the Police. 

All licensees, including Category 3 ME licensees, must ensure that their employees are not indecently dressed on the premises².

Extended Licence Tenure for ME Licensees

The Police will streamline the licensing regime for ME operators by granting longer licence tenures of three or five years as part of the Government’s wider efforts, led by the Inter-Ministerial Committee on Pro-Enterprise Rules Review, to review regulations and reduce administrative burden on businesses.

1. For Category 1 and Category 2 ME licensees, the current progressive licensing tenure model (one-year provisional licence, followed by licences of one, two and three years, subject to compliance) will be simplified. New licensees will be issued a one-year provisional licence, before being granted licences of three or five years, depending on their compliance history. 
   
   
2. New Category 3 ME licensees will be issued licences of three or five years from the outset, subject to the Police’s assessment and the applicant’s compliance record.
   
   

Other Matters 

Persons who wish to apply for the new Category 3 licence may submit an application online via the Go-Business portal (https://www.gobusiness.gov.sg/browse-all-licences/singapore-police-force-(spf)/massage-establishment-licence) from 5 November 2026. The Police will generally take about four weeks to assess an application, which may include a site inspection, where applicable.

Operating a massage establishment without a valid licence is an offence under the Massage Establishments Act 2017 and is punishable by a fine of up to $10,000, imprisonment of up to two years, or both. A second or subsequent conviction may result in a fine of up to $20,000, imprisonment of up to five years, or both. The Police will conduct regular compliance checks and take enforcement action against operators who breach the regulatory requirements.

For details of the changes in the ME regulatory regime, please visit https://www.police.gov.sg/Business-E-Services/Apply-for-Massage-Establishment-Licence.

Annex A

*No changes to the existing fees. 

^#Only eligible for existing exempted OME operators who apply before 1 June 2027

¹Please refer to this link for the Police News Release issued in Apr 2026 on the planned changes to the ME regime.

²Indecent attire refers to attire that has any form of nudity; exposes any part of the genitalia, buttocks, nipples or breasts including through transparent or translucent material; or consists only of underwear, briefs, lingerie, swimwear or a bikini.