A Massage Establishment licence is required if you intend to carry on the business of providing massage¹ services 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
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.
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) 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.
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 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.
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
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 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.The revised ME licence fees with effect from 1 April 2020 are reflected in the table below:
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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 |
|
* 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 here.
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.
You may submit your intend to continue operating a Massage Establishment Licence here.
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* |
· 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/company logo |
$35 per application |
|
Name of Establishment |
NA |
NA |
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).
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.
|
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 |
|
A copy of the licensing conditions can be found at the following:
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.
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. Alternatively, you may login to GoBusiness to view your application status.
You will be directed to GoBusiness Licensing webpage, which will require you to sign in using your SingPass
If you require assistance or guidance on the GoBusiness portal, please contact their helpdesk at (+65) 6774 1430 or email licences-helpdesk@crimsonlogic.com.sg
The process may take around 15-20 minutes to complete.
Under the Massage Establishments (ME) Act, the licensee of a licensed ME is required to seek the prior approval of the Licensing Officer before the employee is allowed to work in the Massage Establishment.
Each employee can only work at one Massage Establishment unless special approval from the Police Licensing & Regulatory Department has been given.
Criteria To Employ Individual in a Massage Establishment
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.
|
Criterion |
Category I |
Category I (Provisional)* |
Category II |
Category II (Provisional)* |
|
Employment of Foreigners |
No restriction on foreigners, but subject to Ministry of Manpower’s approval |
Only Singapore Citizens, Singapore Permanent Residents and Malaysians with valid work permits will be allowed to work in the ME. |
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|
Approval to Employ Individuals to Work in the Massage Establishment |
Approval must be obtained from PLRD before any individual may be employed to work in the massage establishment. |
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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.
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.
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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 thecourse of any employment. 3. The relevant individual must not be convicted of any relevant offence underthe Women’s Charter (Cap. 353). 4. The relevant individual, if employed to provide massage services in theestablishment for massage, must also not be or have been convicted of anyrelevant 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 forcebefore 1 January 2020, of the Penal Code; or b) any offence under section 140, 141, 142, 145, 146, 146A, 147 or 148 ofthe Women’s Charter |
|
Types of Applications |
Validity |
Fees (Non-Refundable) |
|
New Employee Approval Application |
Approval tagged to the validity of a Massage Establishment Licence |
$50 upon submission of application |
|
Amend Existing Employee Approval Application |
NA |
NA |
|
Withdrawal of Existing Employee Application |
NA |
NA |
|
Cancel Existing Employee Approval |
NA |
NA |
New
This is for licensee to apply for employee approval for their employees. This application must be made to obtain an approval before they may work in a licensed massage establishment. The applicant shall submit the application for approval via the GoBusiness portal.
You may submit an Employee Approval Application here.
Amend Employee’s Details
You may make the following amendments to your existing Employee Approval:
1. Change of ID Type
2. Change of Staff Post
You may submit an Amendment Application here.
Cancel Approval
For cessation of employment, you must notify Police Licensing & Regulatory Department within 3 calendar days after ceasing the employment.
You may submit a cessation of approval Application here.
Withdrawal
You may withdraw your application for Employee Approval at any time before it is approved.
If the application has been approved, you will no longer be able to withdraw it and you will need to make an application to cancel the approval.|
Types of Documents |
Category I (Provisional)* |
Category I |
Category II (Provisional)* |
Category II |
|
Valid Work Pass/Letter |
For non- Singapore Citizen or Singapore Permanent Resident. Scanned copy of the employee’s Work Pass, Notification Letter or PLOC/LOC of the Ministry of Manpower. |
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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. |
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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. Alternatively, you may login to GoBusiness to view your application status.
You will be directed to GoBusiness Licensing webpage, which will require you to sign in using your SingPass
If you require assistance or guidance on the GoBusiness portal, please contact their helpdesk at (+65) 6774 1430 or email licences-helpdesk@crimsonlogic.com.sg
The process may take around 15-20 minutes to complete.
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 enquiries, please use our online services at www.police.gov.sg/licence or you can reach us using FormSG at https://www.go.gov.sg/PLRD
5. Thank you.
The information on this page shows additional information related to Massage Establishment Licence.
GoBusiness is the go-to platform for businesses in Singapore to access Government e-services and resources, including applying for a massage establishment related applications.
If you require assistance or guidance on the GoBusiness portal, please contact their helpdesk at (+65) 6774 1430 or email licences-helpdesk@crimsonlogic.com.sg