Public Entertainment Licence

SAFE MANAGEMENT MEASURES FOR PUBLIC ENTERTAINMENT VENUES

To resume business activities, all Public Entertainment (PE) operators must establish a system to implement and ensure adherence to the Safe Management Measures (SMMs) listed below:

1. For all PE venues

1.1. Use SafeEntry^[1] visitor management system to record the entry of all personnel (including employees, suppliers/contractors, and customers) entering the premises.

1.2. Put up signs to remind employees and customers to observe all SMMs in place at all times.

1.3. Implement a detailed monitoring plan to ensure compliance with SMMs and that issues are resolved in a timely manner (e.g. remedy of non-compliance, risk mitigation).

1.4. Appoint Safe Management Officer(s) (SMO) to assist in the implementation, coordination and monitoring of the system of SMMs at the premises.  Duties of the SMO include the training of other employees to engage customers to comply with SMMs, conducting inspections and checks to ensure that SMMs are complied with at all times; and keeping records of the checks which may be requested by the authorities.  Where non-compliance of SMMs are found during the inspections, the SMO will also remedy the non-compliance with immediate action

1.5. Implement a follow-up plan with precautionary measures in the event of a confirmed case, including immediately vacating the premises where the confirmed case had worked and thorough cleaning and disinfecting all relevant on-site areas and assets that were exposed to confirmed cases, in accordance with National Environment Agency  (NEA) guidelines found at https://www.nea.gov.sg/our-services/public-cleanliness/environmental-cleaning-guidelines.

1.6. In the event of a confirmed case among the employees or customers, the operator must inform Police Licensing & Regulatory Department (PLRD) immediately and temporarily suspend all operations.  All employees who had been in close contact with the confirmed case shall be placed on Leave of Absence for 14 days (if not already issued with a Quarantine Order by MOH). 

1.7. PE venues that provide food and beverages (F&B) must ensure that its F&B operations form only an ancillary component of the business operations (i.e. primary activity is to provide PE), and these F&B activities occur within a separate section of the premises.

1.8. Areas used for the F&B activities (i.e. the sale and consumption of F&B) must be clearly demarcated and SMMs applicable to F&B establishments must be complied with at all times by all persons using the areas.

^#From 21 June 2021, dining-in at F&B establishments, both indoor and outdoor, will be allowed for up to 2 diners only.

^[1]More information on SafeEntry and a full list of places where SafeEntry must be deployed can be found at https://www.safeentry.gov.sg/deployment.  From 17 May 2021, all individuals must use either their TraceToether (TT) App or TT Token to check-in and the venues must only permit those who check in with the TT App or Token to enter their premises.

2. Specific to amusement centres

2.1. The number of persons within the premises must comply with the occupancy limit of one person per 10 square metres (sqm) of Gross Floor Area (GFA).

2.2. Game machines must be placed sufficiently far apart with clear demarcation of a space around each machine meant for a group of up to five customers using it to ensure they maintain a safe distance of at least one metre away from other groups of customers and no mixing of different groups of customers.  If a series of game machines are attached together, there must be demarcation for alternate machines not to be used, such that safe distancing can be maintained.

2.3. Queue lines must be clearly demarcated for each game machine, to ensure at least one metre spacing between customers or groups of customers. 

2.4. Game machines and tokens must be cleaned and disinfected between peak periods, and at the end of the day.

2.5. For amusement centres with unique concepts [e.g. virtual reality (VR) and escape rooms]:

2.5.1. All used equipment must be cleaned and disinfected at the end of each session for each customer, before the next customer uses them.  This also applies if the equipment is transferred from one customer to another during a game.

2.5.2. Safe distancing must be maintained at all times, by clearly demarcating spaces at least one metre apart for each group of up to fivecustomers at common areas, and limiting the use of each room to a group of up to five customers at any time, with no mixing of different groups of customers.

3. Specific to computer games centres

3.1. The number of persons within the premises must comply with the occupancy limit of one person per 10 sqm of GFA.

3.2. Safe distancing must be maintained at all times, by maintaining at least one metre spacing between tables/terminals, and clearly demarcating alternate tables/terminals not to be used.

3.3. Computer equipment and terminals must be cleaned and disinfected at the end of each session for each customer, before the next customer uses them.

4. Specific to snooker / billiard saloons

4.1. The number of persons within the premises must be capped at 100 persons or 50% of its original capacity measured by the premises’ occupant load, whichever is lower, at any time.

4.2. Safe distancing between customers must be maintained at all times, by maintaining at least one metre spacing between tables, and clearly demarcating alternate tables not to be used.

4.3. All equipment (such as cue sticks, balls, and tables etc) must be cleaned and disinfected at the end of each session for each customer, before the next customer uses them. Customers must not exchange cue sticks during the game.

5. Specific to paintball game centres

5.1. The number of persons within the premises must be capped at 100 persons or 50% of its original capacity measured by the premises’ occupant load (within the indoor premises), whichever is lower, at any time.

5.2. All individuals must wear a mask at all times within the premises, unless the individual is participating in a paintball game.

5.3. All customers must be separated by at least 2 metres from each other during a paintball game.

5.4. Safe distancing must be maintained at all times, by clearly demarcating spaces for each group of up to fivecustomers for paintball games, and alternate lanes of at least one metre apart to be used for target paintball shooting.  There should be no mixing between different groups of customers at all times.

5.5. Queue lines must be clearly demarcated for each lane for target paintball shooting, to ensure at least one metre spacing between customers or groups of customers. 

5.6. All paintball equipment (e.g. paintball guns, vest, and facial masks) must be cleaned and disinfected at the end of each session for each customer, before the next customer uses them.  This also applies if any equipment is transferred from one customer to another during a paintball game, or target paintball shooting.

6. Specific to axe-throwing centre

6.1. The number of persons within the premises must comply with the occupancy limit of one person per 10 sqm of GFA.

6.2. Safe distancing must be maintained at all times, by clearly demarcating alternate lanes of at least one metre apart to be used.

6.3. Queue lines must be clearly demarcated for each axe-throwing lane, to ensure at least one metre spacing between customers or groups of customers. 

6.4. Axes and related equipment must be cleaned and disinfected at the end of each session for each customer, before the next customer uses them.  This also applies if the axe or related equipment is transferred from one customer to another during a game.

ADDITIONAL GUIDELINES TO ENHANCE MEASURES AT PUBLIC ENTERTAINMENT (PE) VENUES

Note: These guidelines are non-exhaustive.  Operators are strongly encouraged to incorporate these additional measures into your operations, where practicable, to mitigate the risks of COVID-19 transmission.

1. Control access and facilitate contact tracing

1.1. Conduct temperature screening and checks for respiratory symptoms for all onsite employees (twice daily) and customers (prior to entry into the premises).  Those who are unwell (including having a fever upon temperature screening) must be refused entry.

2. Queue management for customer-facing operations

2.1. Use floor markers to clearly demarcate queue lines and put up signage to facilitate queues and ensure customers maintain a safe distance.  This includes within the premises, where queues are likely to be formed (e.g. counters, waiting areas).

2.2. Implement a reservation or appointment system where possible, to minimise queues and crowd congregation at the premises.

3. Reduce interactions between employees and customers/visitors

3.1. Encourage the use of cashless or contactless payment and minimise need for physical touchpoints (e.g. deploying contactless access controls) to reduce contact between employees and customers. 

3.2. Adopt additional safeguards (e.g. frequent disinfection of touchpoints) to minimise the risk of cross infections, where physical contact is needed.

3.3. Adopt precautionary measures to reduce contact with suppliers/contractors, such as staggering delivery times and keeping transactions as short as possible.

4. Maintain cleanliness and hygiene

4.1. Provide hand sanitisers in close proximity to high touch surfaces.

4.2. Regularly clean and disinfect the premises and items, particularly areas with high human contact.  This includes common spaces such as waiting areas, counters, toilets and pantries.

4.3.   Provide cleaning and disinfecting agents at all toilets, hand-wash stations and human traffic stoppage points, such as entrances and waiting areas.

4.4.   Encourage employees to observe good personal hygiene (e.g. wash their hands regularly with soap).

5. Employee management

5.1. Encourage all employees to download and activate the TraceTogether handphone application to quickly identify potential close contacts of COVID-19 patients and reduce disease transmission.

5.2. Ensure employees adhere to MOH’s prevailing travel advisory.

5.3. Employers are reminded not to organise or encourage social gatherings (e.g. company-based social activities such as celebrations, team bonding activities, and gala dinners) within or outside the workplace.

5.4. Ensure that employees adhere to the permissible group size for their activities at the workplace based on prevailing guidelines, including during meals or breaks.

5.5. Ensure that all work-related events that proceed at the workplace adhere to prevailing workplace Safe Management Measures and are subjected to the following requirements:

i. The number of persons per event must be capped at 50 persons to limit the risk of exposure to infection (subject to prevailing capacity limit of the premises).

ii. Attendees must maintain at least 1 metre safe distancing between individual attendees, as per the requirement at the workplace.

iii. Food and beverages should preferably not be served at workplace events.  If deemed necessary for practical reasons to serve meals, individuals must be seated and served individually and minimise contact with one another while eating.  Meal durations should be kept short to minimise the period that individuals are unmasked, and the meal should not be a main feature of the event.

5.6. Ensure that work-related events at third-party venues adhere to the premise owners’ safe management policies.

5.7. Stagger working and break hours to reduce employee congregation at common spaces.  If it is not feasible to implement this due to operational reasons, employers must implement other systemic arrangements to achieve this outcome (e.g. arrange for different groups of employees to arrive/depart through different entrances/exits).

5.8. Implement shift arrangements where possible, and ensure clear separation of employees on different shifts, split teams or PE outlets. There should be no cross-deployment or interaction between employees in different shifts, teams or PE outlets, even outside of work.  If cross-deployment cannot be avoided (e.g. due to the nature of the work), additional safeguards must be taken to minimise the risk of cross-infection.

5.9. Pay special attention to vulnerable employees (e.g. persons who are aged 60 and above, and patients who are immunocompromised or have concurrent medical conditions) and enabling them to work from home, temporarily redeploying them to another role within the company etc.

6. Management of ill / suspected / confirmed cases

6.1. Actively monitor unwell employees and guard against incipient outbreaks.  Employees at the workplace who have visited a clinic must submit to their employers’ records of their Medical Certificates (MCs) and diagnosis provided (only for COVID-19-related symptoms, including acute respiratory infections), and if they were tested for COVID-19 and the results of their tests.  The employer should advise employees who are unwell to stay at home and consult a doctor and requiring these employees on MCs closely monitor their health before returning to the workplace and requiring their close contacts at the workplace to monitor their health more regularly.

6.2. Remind employees not to clinic-hop and where possible, ensure that each employee only visits one clinic for check-ups if unwell.  Otherwise, the employee should inform the clinic of all recent doctor visits over past 14 days for any symptoms that may be related to COVID-19 (including but not limited to typical symptoms such as fever, cough and shortness of breath).

6.3. Prepare an evacuation plan for unwell or suspected cases to seek medical assistance, as well as for other onsite personnel.  Any employee who is feeling unwell or showing symptoms of illness should report to his/her employer, leave the workplace and consult a doctor immediately, even if the symptom appears mild.  These cases must be recorded and monitored as part of SMMs.

6.4. Adhere to the sanitation and hygiene advisories disseminated by the NEA.  In the event of COVID-19 transmission in the premises, thorough cleaning and disinfecting of the premises should be carried out in accordance to NEA’s guidelines.

INFORMATION ON SAFEENTRY GATEWAY

How to deploy the SafeEntry Gateway (SEGW)

There are two types of SEGWs that you can deploy. You may choose to deploy either the SEGW Box or SEGW App.  You are eligible to apply for one free SEGW Box.  Please go to safeentry.gov.sg/login and log in with your SE Business account.  If you wish to apply for more SEGW Boxes as you have multiple public facing entrance or have heavy footfall at your entrance, you may put in an appeal after you have put in the initial application (link is provided at point of application).  Should you face any other issues during application, you may refer to the FAQs on how to apply or contact the helpdesk (link to helpdesk is embedded in application portal).  Please apply for the SEGW box early as it takes up to 2 weeks from application to delivery.  If you do not wish to apply for the Box and instead wish to deploy the App version of the SEGW, you may upgrade and then turn on the feature in the SE (Business) App. Please refer to the table below for specifications:

Details of the different categories and types of Public Entertainment licence and fees can be found here.

For information on exemption from a Public Entertainment Licence, click here

To be eligible for a Public Entertainment 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 include are (but are not limited to) whether the relevant person has honesty, integrity, a good reputation, competence and capability. For more information, you may click on the link: “Guidelines on the criteria and requirements for a person to be fit and proper to hold a public entertainment licence.”
2. Be a Singapore Citizen, a Singapore Permanent Resident or possess a valid work permit or employment pass if you are a foreigner
3. Be at least a committee member if you are applying on behalf of societies registered with the Registry of Societies
4. Be a director of the company, a partner of the Partnership, Limited Partnerships and Limited Liability Partnerships or the sole proprietor
5. Register the company/business with the Accounting and Corporate Regulatory Authority

Responsibility of the Organiser

As the organiser, you are to conduct your event in a socially responsible manner and ensure that it does not cause any danger or undue alarm to the general public. Due considerations are to be taken to ensure all aspects of public safety, security, law and order are not compromised in the organisation of and during the event, and that the event activities do not contravene any legislation. If in doubt, you should seek your own legal counsel.

Sunk Investment Not Ground For Grant of Licence

Sunk investments e.g. renovation, purchase of equipment, rental of premise are not grounds for a licence to be granted. You should ensure that you have obtained the necessary Public Entertainment licence/ approval 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 Public Entertainment outlet.

• Suitability of Location

Existence of Public Entertainment 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.

• Charging of Processing Fees by URA and HDB 

Although processing fees will be charged by URA and HDB for their planning permission/approval (where applicable), the planning permission/approval granted by these authorities does not guaranteethe approval of your Public Entertainment licence.

Applicants may wish to note that a new Public Entertainment licence is unlikely to be granted at the following locations. This is to manage the number of Public Entertainment establishments and mitigate law and order concerns in the areas:

1. Orchard Towers
2. Orchard Plaza
3. Cuppage Plaza
4. Parklane Shopping Mall
5. Geylang
6. Joo Chiat

A Public Entertainment licence is also unlikely to be granted at the following Historic Conservation Areas because URA intends to maintain the character and ambience of these areas.

1. Chinatown
2. Little India
3. Kampong Glam
4. Boat Quay
5. Blair Plain
6. Cairnhill
7. Emerald Hill

You can request for a replacement copy of your existing Public Entertainment licence in person at Police Licensing & Regulatory Department.

You will need to pay $11.00 for each new copy.

Address: 391 New Bridge Road Block D 

  #02-701 

  Police Cantonment Complex 

  Singapore 088762

Operating Hours: Monday to Friday (closed on Public Holidays)

  8.30am to 5.30pm (last Q-ticket is issued at 5.00pm)

New and Renew

You can submit a new public entertainment licence (establishment licence or ad-hoc licence) or renew your existing public entertainment licence.

Amend Licence Details

You can make the following amendments to your existing Public Entertainment licence:

1. Company Name
2. Downgrade & Upgrade of Category
3. Establishment Name
4. Extend or Reduce the Premises
5. Key Appointment Holders
6. Licensee
7. Mailing Address
8. Operating Hours

Cancel Licence

You are permitted to cancel your existing Public Entertainment Licence any time before its expiration.

Please be informed that there will be no refund upon cancellation of the existing Liquor licence.

Withdrawal

You can withdraw your applications for any Public Entertainment Licence any time before licence approval.

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

You are required to obtain the following documents before applying for any Public Entertainment licence.

1. Approval from HDB (if supplying liquor at the premises);
2. Planning permission on the land use of the premise from URA, SLA or HDB; and
3. Registry of Societies certificate (if applying on behalf of societies).

About 3 weeks from the receipt of the application and the necessary supporting documents, if required. Any incomplete or incorrect submission will be rejected.

You will be notified of the outcome via SMS, 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

Licensees may wish to note that the accumulation of demerit points may result in the following regulatory action(s) to be taken:

*Calculated according to Rule 6 of the Public Entertainments (Demerit Points) Rules 2017

You will need to have the infringement number before making payment, which will require you to login using SingPass or CorpPass. The whole process may take about 10 mins. Click here to make payment.

• Best Practices Handbook
• Guidelines on Noise Mitigation for Foodshops
• Guidelines on Noise Mitigation for Entertainment Outlets

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

• Public Entertainment Act
• Public Entertainment (Demerit Points) Rules 2017
• Public Entertainment (Appeal Board Proceedings) Rules 2017