For businesses
Massage establishment licence in Singapore: who needs one, and what changes on 1 December 2026
You need a massage establishment licence from the Singapore police to run a business offering massage, with a few exceptions. From 1 December 2026 that includes open-concept shops, which need a new Category 3 licence. Shops already open have until 30 November 2027 to get one. Applications opened on 5 November 2026.
Booklaa is a booking platform, not a licensing body, so this is a plain summary of the police's licence page, read on 5 November 2026. Check that page before you sign anything.
Who needs a massage establishment licence
People often call it a massage business licence. The law defines massage broadly: rubbing, kneading or manipulating the body, by hand or with hand-held equipment, to relax muscles, stimulate circulation, increase suppleness "or otherwise". If your premises are used to receive or treat people seeking that, you need a licence.
You don't need one in these cases, set out on the police's page and in the Exemption Order:
- Manicures, pedicures, baths, or light, electric or vapour treatments, with no massage at all.
- Licensed healthcare premises, such as hospitals and outpatient medical or dental clinics.
- Premises where massage is given only by registered TCM practitioners, allied health professionals or doctors with a valid practising certificate.
- Massage given only to the head or scalp.
- Massage given only to children under 12.
These exceptions are narrow. Add massage to a manicure and that exception ends. A joint circular from May 2026 says a TCM clinic needs a licence if anyone else gives massage there, even part-time. If you're unsure, ask the police before you spend money. Their contact details are on the licence page.
The three categories
| Category 1 | Category 2 | Category 3 (open-concept) | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Private rooms | Allowed | Allowed | None, and no partitions, cubicles or curtains |
| Smallest floor area | 100 sq m | 50 sq m | No minimum |
| Opening hours | 7am to 10.30pm | 10am to 10.30pm | 7am to 10.30pm |
| CaseTrust accreditation | Needed after the provisional licence | Not needed | Not needed |
| Certified masseuses | At least 80% | At least 80% | No requirement |
| Foreign staff with valid work passes | Any nationality, Malaysians only on the provisional licence | Malaysians only | Any nationality |
| Client register | Yes | Yes | No |
| Licence length | One-year provisional, then 3 or 5 years | One-year provisional, then 3 or 5 years | 3 or 5 years from the start |
If you want private rooms, you need Category 1 or 2. Category 3 rules out even low or foldable partitions.
In every category you must be at least 21 and fit and proper, which covers honesty, integrity, reputation, competence and capability. A foreigner needs a valid work pass, and a company needs a director or similar officer as co-licensee. Licences can't be transferred.
What changes on 1 December 2026
| Date | What happens |
|---|---|
| 1 December 2026 | Open-concept shops stop being exempt, and a new one needs a Category 3 licence |
| 31 January 2027 | Last day for existing Category 1 and 2 shops to put up the new poster |
| Before 1 June 2027 | Existing open-concept shops get a lower fee if they have their licence by then |
| 30 November 2027 | Last day for existing open-concept shops to hold a licence and employee approvals, or they must stop |
Three more changes come in on 1 December:
- A police poster on your shopfront, clearly visible, with your licence details, its main conditions and a link for the public to report breaches. The police send it after the licence is issued, and not displaying it is an offence.
- Licences of 3 or 5 years, depending on your compliance record.
- Uniform standards in place of uniform approval. Category 1 and 2 staff wear a sleeved shirt or blouse with the establishment's name or logo and their own name, and pants to the knee or longer. In every category, staff must not be indecently dressed.
If you run an open-concept shop today
The licence isn't automatic, and past breaches count, so start early. Work through it in this order:
- Get change-of-use approval first. For an HDB shop, the registered owner or tenant applies to HDB. For a private property, the landlord or someone with the landlord's written consent applies to URA.
- Check your layout. Every massage must be visible from inside and outside at all times, with no tinted glass, curtains or blinds over windows and entrances.
- Apply on GoBusiness with Singpass, attaching that approval and a floor plan drawn to scale with the floor area in square metres.
- When your licence comes, put up the poster.
- Apply for each employee's approval on GoBusiness, under that licence.
The police generally take about four weeks, and may inspect the site. You can keep operating while you wait, until 30 November 2027. If you're refused, you can also operate until that date, and you must stop from 1 December 2027. Shops in exclusion zones or police hotspots are assessed case by case.
Before you sign a lease for a new shop
The police say renovation, equipment and rent are no grounds for granting a licence, and that URA or HDB approval doesn't guarantee one. They advise getting the licence approved before you commit money. If you have to secure the unit first, ask for a clause that lets you out if the licence is refused.
Check the location early. New licences are unlikely in areas such as Geylang, Chinatown, Little India, Joo Chiat and Jalan Besar, and that list isn't complete. Use the police's location check and URA's exclusion areas. A licensed shop next door proves nothing, because each application is assessed on its own merits.
Employee registration under a massage establishment licence
The police must approve each person before they start. A citizen or permanent resident working at two shops needs approval for both, and a foreign employee works only where their work permit allows. Staff must be at least 18 and fit and proper. You apply through GoBusiness, and you tell the police within three days of someone leaving.
Keep a register at the shop with each employee's name, job title, NRIC or FIN number, approval date and end date. Keep a leaver's record for at least a year.
What this means for taking bookings
Three of these rules touch your bookings:
- Match your booking hours to your licence. Booklaa only offers times that fit inside the hours you set.
- Treat your photos and wording as advertising. The licence conditions ban indecent advertisements of the establishment.
- Keep the client register separately. Category 1 and 2 shops must record each client's full name, ID or passport details, nationality, and arrival and leaving times, and keep the register for at least a year. A booking record holds far less.
If you're still choosing a system, the guide to online booking systems has the checks to run.
When your licence is in place, list your massage business on Booklaa with your treatments, team and hours, and share the link with your customers.
Questions
How long does it take to get a massage establishment licence?
About four weeks once your documents are complete, and the police may inspect the site. Incomplete or incorrect submissions are rejected.
How much does a massage establishment licence cost?
It depends on the category and how long the licence runs. Each employee approval has its own fee, and fees aren't refunded. The current figures are on the police's licence page.
How long is a massage establishment licence valid?
Three or five years, depending on your compliance record, and the police may grant a different length from the one you ask for. New Category 1 and 2 licensees start on one year. Apply to renew at least a month before it ends.
Can I run a massage business from home?
The Home-Based Business Scheme lists massage services among the activities it doesn't allow. If you only visit customers at their own address, ask the police how the rules treat you before you start.
What happens if I run a massage business without a licence?
It's an offence, with a fine, up to two years in jail, or both. A repeat offence can mean up to five years. The police say they carry out regular compliance checks.
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