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A Massage Establishment licence is required if you intend to carry on the business of providing massageservices in an establishment.

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
  •  

    You can find more details on the exemption here.

    1Under 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”.


The information on this page is a guide to apply for a new Massage Establishment licence.

Sunk investments are not grounds for a licence to be granted. You must ensure that approval for the relevant land use and a valid Massage Establishment licence had been obtained before making any financial commitment or entering into any contractual agreement.


To be eligible for a Massage Establishment licence, you must meet the following criteria: 

  1. 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
  2. Be a responsible officer as defined in section 2(1) of Massage Establishments Act 2017*
  3. At least 21 years of age at time of application
  4. Possess a valid and relevant work pass if you are a foreigner

 

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) a partner of the partnership;

(b) a member of the governing body of the unincorporated association; and

(c) any director of the company or officer holding a similar managerial or an executive position in the body corporate.


The revised ME licence fees with effect from 1 April 2020 are reflected in the table below:

 

 

Type of Application/Licence

Revised Fee

1

1-year Massage Establishment Licence

$290for 1 year

2

2-year Massage Establishment Licence

$440for 2 years

3

3-year Massage Establishment Licence

$590 for 3 years

 

Licence Type

Category 1 (Provisional)*

Category 1

Category 2 (Provisional)*

Category 2

Places to operate

HDB shop houses, shopping centres and hotels

HDB shop houses, shopping centres and hotels

Areas away from residential areas, schools, and places of worship.

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 100m2

At least 50m2

CaseTrust certification

Not required

Accreditation

Not required

 

* You must apply for Category 1 (Provisional) or Category 2 (Provisional) licence first before you can apply for a new Category 1 or Category 2 massage establishment.


RESTRICTION ON EMPLOYMENT

  • A licensee of an establishment for massage must not employ an individual to work in the establishment for massage except with the approval of the Licensing Officer.
  • A licensee of an establishment for massage must also not employ any individual in the establishment for massage —
  • (a) whom the licensee knows or has reason to believe is likely to engage in, or abet another person to engage in, the provision of sexual services;
  • (b) who is below 18 years of age; or
  • (c) who has not undergone and passed a medical health screening if required to do so by the Licensing Officer.

Criteria for Grant of Approval for Employment

  • In determining whether to grant approval for the licensee of an establishment for massage to employ an individual to work in the establishment for massage, the Licensing Officer must consider, and give such weight as the Licensing Officer considers appropriate to, all of the following matters:

·       whether the relevant individual has the requisite expertise and qualifications to perform the duty or duties in the establishment for massage for which approval for employment is sought;

·       whether the relevant individual is, in the opinion of the Licensing Officer, a fit and proper person to be employed to work in an establishment for massage according to such criteria as the Minister may prescribe;

·       whether there is any other relevant matter that makes it contrary to the public interest to grant approval.

  • For the purpose of determining whether a relevant individual has the requisite expertise and qualifications listed above, the Licensing Officer must consider whether the relevant individual has completed such training, or passed such course or courses, as may be approved by the Licensing Officer.
  • The Licensing Officer is not only confined to consideration of the matters listed above and may take into account such other matters and evidence as may be relevant.

 

MASSAGE ESTABLISHMENTS RULES

RULE 8

 

CRITERIA TO EMPLOY INDIVIDUAL IN

ESTABLISHMENT FOR MASSAGE


1. The relevant individual must not have offered or provided, for consideration, any form of sexual service.


2. The relevant individual must not have engaged in any indecent act in the course of any employment.


3. The relevant individual must not be convicted of any relevant offence under the Women’s Charter (Cap. 353).


4. The relevant individual, if employed to provide massage services in the establishment for massage, must also not be or have been convicted of any relevant offence under the Penal Code (Cap. 224).


5. In this Schedule, “relevant offence” means —


(a) any offence under section 294, 354, 354A, 375, 376, 376A, 376AA,

376B, 376C, 376D, 376E, 376EA, 376EB, 376EC, 376ED, 376EE,

376F, 376H, 377BA, 377BB, 377BC, 377BD, 377BE, 377BF, 377BG,

377BH, 377BI, 377BJ, 377BK or 377BL, or section 509 as in force before 1 January 2020, of the Penal Code; or


(b) any offence under section 140, 141, 142, 145, 146, 146A, 147 or 148 of the Women’s Charter.





  1. Coloured photographs showing the following:

    • full front view of staff uniform (with sleeves for top and pants for bottom)
    • side view of the staff uniform (with sleeves for top and pants for bottom)
    • rear view of the staff uniform (with sleeves for top and pants for bottom)
    • company or establishment name or company nametag on staff uniform
    • a close-up shot of the company nametag (if nametag is used)

     

  2. Layout plan of the establishment drawn to scale, stating the total floor area in Square Metres

     

  3. URA planning permission for proposed use of premises to be used as ‘Massage Establishment’ / HDB approval letter (whichever is applicable)

     

  4. ACRA Business Profile

Existence of Massage Establishments in the vicinity of a proposed location is not an indication that your application would be automatically approved as other factors such as the law and order situation of the location will be taken into consideration when assessing the application. You may click on this portal 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.


A reminder letter will be sent to you two months before the expiry of your current licences.

If you are interested to continue to operate a Massage Establishment, you should submit your application for a new licence using the RRN No. stated in the reminder notification at least one month before the expiry of the current licence. 

Supporting documents, such as CaseTrust Accreditation and URA/HDB Planning Approval, are to be submitted online together with the application. 

Submission via email or fax will not be accepted. 


About 21 working days from the receipt of the application and the necessary supporting documents, if required.

Applications submitted without all relevant supporting documents will be rejected IMMEDIATELY.

You will be notified of the outcome via email and post. Alternatively, you can login to GoBusiness Licensing to view your application status.


You will be directed to GoBusiness Licensing webpage which will require you to sign in using your SingPass or CorpPass.

The process may take around 15-20 minutes to complete.

APPLY


The information on this page is a guide to amend information in existing Massage Establishment licence.


You can amend the following information of your existing Massage Establishment licence:

  1. Layout of establishment
  2. Uniform design
  3. Employee’s status and particulars
  4. Name of establishment

You are required to obtain the following documents before amending your existing Massage Establishment licence. 

Information to be Amended

Documents required

Fees

Layout of establishment

  • Copy of existing layout
  • Copy of new layout showing the changes

$40 per application

Uniform design

  • Photos showing front and back of the new uniform with name tag

$35 per application

Employee’s status and particulars

  • Copy of the work pass, in-principle approval or long term visit pass issued by MOM
  • Qualifications of masseur

No fee is required

Name of establishment

  • No documents required


About 21 working days from the receipt of the submission and necessary supporting documents, if required. Any incomplete or incorrect submission will be rejected. 

You will be notified of the outcome via email and post. Alternatively, you can login to LicenceOne to view your application status.


You will be directed to GoBusiness Licensing webpage which will require you to sign in using your CorpPass.

The process may take around 15-20 minutes to complete.

AMEND


The information on this page is a guide to cancel existing Massage Establishment licence. 


You are permitted to cancel your existing Massage Establishment licence at any time before its expiration. 

Please be informed that there will be no refund upon cancelling the existing Massage Establishment Licence.


No document is required.


No fee is required.


About 7 working days from the submission of your Cancellation Request.

You will be notified of the outcome via email and post. Alternatively, you can login to LicenceOne to view your application status.


You will be directed to GoBusiness Licensing webpage which will require you to sign in using your SingPass or CorpPass.

The process may take around 10 minutes to complete.

AMEND


The information on this page is a guide to withdraw application for a Massage Establishment Licence.


You can withdraw your application for a Massage Establishment licence any time before licence approval.

If licence has been approved and issued, you will have to submit a request to cancel licence.  


No document is required.


No fee is required.


Immediate upon the submission of your Withdrawal Request.


You will be directed to GoBusiness Licensing webpage which will require you to sign in using your SingPass or CorpPass.

The process may take around 10 minutes to complete.

WITHDRAW


The information on this page is a guide on employment matters in licensed Massage Establishments.


You must obtain approval from the Police Licensing & Regulatory Department before employing any individual to work in your licensed Massage Establishment.

For cessation of employment, you must notify Police Licensing & Regulatory Department within 3 calendar days after ceasing the employment.

Each employee can only work at one Massage Establishment unless special approval from the Police Licensing & Regulatory Department has been given.


1. The relevant individual must not have offered or provided, for consideration,  any form of sexual service.

 

2. The relevant individual must not have engaged in any indecent act in the course of any employment.

 

3. The relevant individual must not be convicted of any relevant offence under the Women’s Charter.

 

4. The relevant individual, if employed to provide massage services in the establishment for massage, must also not be or have been convicted of any relevant offence under the Penal Code.



Documents required

Remarks

Fees

Valid work pass

For non- Singapore Citizen or Singapore Permanent Resident

$50 per individual*

*The increase in fees will be phased in over two years (i.e. to charge $34 from 15 April 2021 and $50 from 1 July 2022).

Relevant recognised certification

For application to be a qualified masseuse/therapist.

You must ensure that at all times during the licence tenure, at least 80% of masseuses have the required certification recognised by the Licensing Officer.

 

Any untrained masseuses will be provisionally registered as trainees and they must obtain the necessary certification, recognised by Police Licensing & Regulatory Department, within six months from the date of first registration.

 

Trainees who did not obtain the necessary certification after six months from their first registration will not be allowed to work in any Massage Establishments till they obtain the necessary certification.

 


About 21 working days from the receipt of application, processing fee and the necessary supporting documents, if required.

Any incomplete or incorrect submission will be rejected IMMEDIATELY.

Applicants will also have to pay the FULL APPLICATION FEE AGAIN for the resubmission of the application.

You will be notified of the outcome via email and post. Alternatively, you can login to GoBusiness Licensing to view your application status.


You will be directed to GoBusiness Licensing webpage which will require you to sign in using your SingPass or CorpPass.

The process may take around 15-20 minutes to complete.

UPDATE


Locations where Massage Establishment licences are unlikely to be granted
 
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.
 
  1. Balestier
  2. Boat Quay & Upper Circular Road 
  3. Chinatown
  4. Geylang
  5. Jalan Besar
  6. Joo Chiat
  7. Kampong Glam
  8. Little India 
  9. Macpherson
  10. Tiong Bahru
  11. Upper Paya Lebar 
  12. Upper Thomson 
  13. Fortune Centre 
  14. Golden Mile Complex & Golden Mile Tower
  15. Orchard Towers
  16. People’s Park Complex & People’s Park Centre
  17. Roxy Square
  18. Space @ Kovan & Vibes @ Kovan
  19. Tanjong Pagar Plaza
  20. Upper Serangoon Shopping Centre 
 
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.

Dear Sir/Mdm,

The Multi-Ministry Taskforce has announced that all remaining COVID-19 measures, as well as border measures, will be stepped down from 13 February 2023 and Singapore will lower its Disease Outbreak Response System Condition (DORSCON) level from Yellow to Green.

Thus, the Safe Management Measures for the massage establishments has also ceased from 13 February 2023.You may however choose to put in place your own requirements as a company policy for workplace health and safety or business continuity reasons.

We are deeply appreciative to all of you for contributing to our fight against COVID-19 and thank you for your efforts.

Thank you and stay safe.


Dear Customers,

Since 1 August 2021, all over-the-counter services at the Police Licensing & Regulatory Department at the Police Cantonment Complex (391 New Bridge Road), would be only through pre-approved appointments (including making payments at the counter).

2. To make an appointment, please use the following link at www.picktime.com/policelicensing or the below QR code:

3. We will attend to cases of persons who turn up without an appointment on a case by case basis, only if they have a valid reason(s).

4. For all other enquiries, please use our online services at www.police.gov.sg/licence or email us at SPF_Licensing_Feedback@spf.gov.sg

5. Thank you. 


The information on this page shows additional information related to Massage Establishments licence


If you are familiar with the application requirements and wish to apply now, please click here to proceed to GoBusiness, SingPass or CorpPass is required for login to LicenceOne.



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