F&B is one of the most popular businesses to start in Singapore — and one of the most licence-heavy. The cooking is the easy part; the paperwork is what trips people up. This is the full path from idea to open doors, in order, in plain English. (If you're baking or cooking from home first, start with our home-based food guide — you may not need any of this yet.)
Step 1 — Register the business
Before any food licence, you need a legal business to hold it. Most F&B operators register a Private Limited Company (Pte Ltd) with ACRA — it limits personal liability, which matters in a business with premises, staff, and suppliers. A sole proprietorship is cheaper but exposes you personally.
The SFA licence can be held by a Singapore Citizen, Permanent Resident, or an ACRA-registered entity — so in practice you register the company first, then apply for the licence under it. See our company registration guide for the full process.
Step 2 — Secure the right premises
Your licence is tied to your premises, so this comes before you apply. The unit must be approved for F&B use — you can't run a restaurant out of a space zoned for retail or office use without approval. Check the permitted use before you sign a lease, and keep your tenancy agreement and stamp-duty documents, because SFA asks for them.
You'll also need a layout plan (to metric scale) showing your kitchen equipment, exhaust, sinks, and wash basins — SFA reviews this as part of licensing.
Step 3 — Apply for your SFA licence (the core one)
Every F&B outlet needs a licence from the Singapore Food Agency (SFA), applied for through the GoBusiness portal with your Singpass/Corppass. There are two main types:
- Food Shop Licence — for a premises you occupy: a restaurant, café, bakery, canteen, or coffee shop. Cost: S$195, valid for one year (renew annually).
- Food Stall Licence — for an individual stall inside a coffee shop, hawker centre, food court, or canteen.
Once your application and documents are in order, SFA typically emails an In-Principle Approval (IPA) within 7 working days, listing conditions to meet before final approval — usually followed by a pre-licensing inspection of the premises. Budget time for fitting out the kitchen to meet hygiene requirements before that inspection.
Step 4 — Train your people
Food safety training is mandatory, not optional:
- Every food handler must pass the WSQ Food Safety Course Level 1 before handling food.
- If you have 5 or more food handlers, you must appoint at least one Food Hygiene Officer (FHO), who holds the higher Level 3 certification.
Factor this into your hiring and opening timeline — you can't legally have untrained staff handling food.
Step 5 — Add the licences your concept needs
Depending on what you serve, you may need more on top of the SFA licence:
- Selling alcohol? You need a Liquor Licence from the Singapore Police Force (SPF). The class depends on your hours and whether it's for drinking on-premise or takeaway.
- Marketing your food as halal? You need MUIS halal certification. Expect the process to take roughly 2–3 months and to require a Muslim halal team and a documented, traceable supply chain — so start early if halal is core to your concept.
- Importing ingredients (meat, seafood, produce, processed food)? You'll likely need SFA importer registration and import permits.
- Playing music, having live performances, or outdoor seating can trigger further permits (e.g. a public entertainment licence).
Step 6 — GST and the ongoing obligations
F&B is a high-turnover business, so GST matters sooner than in most trades. Once your taxable turnover crosses S$1 million, registration becomes compulsory — see our GST registration guide for the thresholds and deadlines. On top of that you'll have the usual company obligations: annual filings, a company secretary, and licence renewals each year.
The money side — grants that help
F&B operators commonly tap the Productivity Solutions Grant (PSG) for pre-approved tools — POS systems, online-ordering and delivery integrations, kitchen and inventory automation — at up to 50% support. Bigger transformation or expansion projects can look at the Enterprise Development Grant (EDG). See our SME grants guide for who qualifies and how much you can get.
The honest caveat
F&B rules — licence fees, food-safety requirements, liquor and halal criteria — change, and depend heavily on your concept and premises. The figures here are current as of the verified date below, but always confirm the current requirements with SFA (via GoBusiness) and the relevant agency before you commit money or sign a lease. This is a plain-English roadmap, not official or legal advice.