Open a Restaurant in Singapore

As one of the most attractive tourism destinations in Southeast Asia, Singapore welcomes thousands of tourists every month no matter the season. This great influx of foreign visitors has transformed tourism into one of the most profitable economic sector in Singapore, especially since there are many areas of this industry which can be explored.

Foreign investors who want to start a business in the tourism sector can establish hotels and travel agencies in Singapore. However, another secure option is to set up a restaurant in Singapore. In order to open a restaurant, an investor must comply with the local legislation which can be explained by our lawyers in Singapore.

We also invite you to watch a video on how to set up a restaurant in Singapore:

Registering a restaurant business in Singapore

The first step to open a restaurant in Singapore is to register a company with the Trade Register followed by filing the applications related to starting operating. In order to establish a restaurant, foreign investors must appoint a local service agent or a law firm in Singapore in order to carry out the company registration process. Choosing the premises and equipment for the restaurant are also steps to be followed before applying for the special licenses which are issued by the National Environment Agency (NEA).

Licenses related to opening a Singapore restaurant

The most important special license a Singapore restaurant must obtain is the food shop license. However, there are also other licenses which can be issued to food establishments in Singapore based on their specific or if the owners plan to serve alcoholic beverages. These other licenses are the halal certification and the liquor license.

The food shop license is issued by the NEA based on the following documents:

• -          information about the owner of the restaurant;
• -          information on the company;
• -          a plan of the premises of the restaurant;
• -          approval from the Urban Redevelopment Authority, the Housing Development Board, or Building and Construction Authority;
• -          information about the employees of the restaurant who must also have certain qualifications.

Apart from these, the Singapore restaurant must appoint a food officer who will make sure the business complies with the requirements of the Code of Practice of Environmental Health.

For full information on the licensing requirements applied to local restaurants, do not hesitate to contact us. Our Singapore lawyers can also help you open a restaurant in the Lion City.