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:

* 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.

A copy of the licensing conditions can be found at the following:

• Licensing conditions for Cat 1 and Cat 1 (Provisional)
• Licensing conditions for Cat 2 and Cat 2 (Provisional)

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

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. 

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

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

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

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.

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

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.

Massage Establishments Act

Massage Establishments (Exemption) Order

Massage Establishments Rules

Massage Establishments Regulatory Framework