All massage shops must be licensed, display police-issued poster from Dec 1

There will be a one-year grace period for existing operators of open-concept massage establishments, between Dec 1 and Nov 30, 2027.

ST PHOTO: LIM YAOHUI

Published Nov 05, 2026, 04:10 PM

Updated Nov 05, 2026, 04:10 PM

All massage establishments, including open-concept ones, must be licensed from Dec 1. They must show a police poster with licence details on the shopfront.

Open-concept operators need a new Category 3 licence and land approval. Existing businesses get a one-year grace period until Nov 20, 2027.

Police are tightening rules to curb vice and improve standards. Licence terms will be three or five years, and breaches can bring fines, jail, and enforcement checks.

SINGAPORE – All massage shops , including open-concept ones , must be licensed from Dec 1 and display prominently on their shopfronts a police-issued poster containing details of their licences .

In a statement on Nov 5 , the police said open-concept massage establishments are no longer exempted from requiring a massage establishment licence from Dec 1 , and these operators must o btain a new Category 3 licence.

Also, t he tenure for all three licence categories for massage shops will be extended to three or five years, as compared with one to three years for the current two categories.

I n February, the police said they will clamp down harder on massage parlours and salons involved in vice and are reviewing the Massage Establishment Act.

Massage shop operators must get a licence from the police under the Act, although it currently exempts open-concept establishments, and beauty salons and hair salons that do not provide massage services.

The police then said in April that all massage establishments must be licensed from the second half of 2026 .

From Dec 1 , those who want to operate an open-concept massage shop must undergo an “fit and proper” assessment before it may be granted a Category 3 licence.

Massage establishments are currently licensed under Category 1 or 2; Category 1 shops are bigger, allow for foreign workers of any nationality with valid work passes, and have to be Case-Trust accredited.

Applicants must also submit relevant land planning approval from the Housing and Development Board or the Urban Redevelopment Authority for the premises to be used.

The approval from either agency also applies for current establishments in the other two categories that are renewing their licences.

Existing open-concept massage shop operators will get a one-year grace period, until Nov 30, 2027 , to fall in line with the new regulations, failing which they will have to stop its operations, the police said.

Those that get a Category 3 licence before June 1, 2027 will receive 50% off the $340 fee for a three-year licence, or the $510 fee for a five-year one .

Operators of open-concept shops must comply with requirements, such as allowing customers and the public to have an unobstructed view of the massage services being provided at all times, and not having structures that would allow massage services to be provided in private.

Minister for National Development Chee Hong Tat said in a Facebook post on Nov 5 that HDB has taken action on 26 cases involving vice activities across both sold and rental shops since January.

“HDB shop owners have a responsibility to ensure they do not turn a blind eye to vice activities on their premises, or they will face serious consequences,” he added.

“Our heartlands are home to families and communities, and we will ensure they remain a safe environment for all. We will continue to work closely with SPF to weed out such undesirable activities from our neighbourhoods.”

Mandatory poster, clear uniform standards, extended licence tenure

The police on Nov 5 said that all massage shop operators must clearly display on their shopfronts a police-issued poster containing details and key conditions of their licence, and a website link for the public to report breaches to the police .

Existing Category 1 and 2 massage shops have up to Jan 31, 2027 to fall in line with the new rule.

“Failure to display the poster will be an offence,” the police said.

However, Category 1 and 2 licensees will no longer need the police’s approval for its employees’ uniforms, unless they differ from the uniform standards - a shirt or blouse with sleeves bearing the establishment’s name or logo and the employee’s name, together with pants that are knee-length or longer.

All licensees, including those in the new Category 3, must ensure employees are not indecently dressed on the premises , the police said.

The police also said on Nov 5 that they will grant longer licence tenures of three or five years, as part of the Government’s efforts to review regulations and reduce administrative burden on businesses.

New Category 1 and Category 2 licensees will be issued a one-year provisional licence, before being granted licences of three or five years, depending on their compliance history.

This replaces and simplifies the current progressive licencing tenure model.

New Category 3 licensees will be issued licences of three or five years from the outset , subject to the police’s assessment and the applicant’s compliance record.

Those who wish to apply for the new Category 3 licence can go on the Go-Business portal from Nov 5.

The process could take around four weeks, including a possible site inspection , where applicable, the police said.

Anyone convicted of operating a massage establishment without a valid licence may be fined up to $10,000, jailed for up to two years, or both.

Repeat offenders may be fined up to $20,000, jailed for up to five years, or both.

对于现有的开放式按摩场所经营者，将有一年的宽限期，从 2027 年 12 月 1 日至 11 月 30 日。

ST 照片：林耀辉

发布于2026年11月5日下午4:10

更新于2026年11月5日下午4:10

自12月1日起，所有按摩场所，包括开放式按摩场所，都必须获得营业执照。他们必须在店面张贴带有执照详细信息的警方海报。

开放式经营者需要申请新的三级许可证和土地审批。现有企业可获得一年的宽限期，截止日期为2027年11月20日。

警方正在收紧监管，以遏制卖淫活动并提高社会治安水平。许可证有效期为三至五年，违规者将面临罚款、监禁和执法检查。

新加坡——从 12 月 1 日起，所有按摩店，包括开放式按摩店，都必须获得营业执照，并在店面显眼位置张贴警方签发的包含其营业执照详细信息的海报。

警方在 11 月 5 日的一份声明中表示，从 12 月 1 日起，开放式按摩场所不再免于申请按摩场所许可证，这些经营者必须获得新的 3 类许可证。

此外，按摩店所有三类许可证的有效期将延长至三至五年，而目前两类许可证的有效期为一至三年。

今年2月，警方表示将加大力度打击涉及卖淫活动的按摩院和沙龙，并正在审查《按摩场所法》。

根据该法案，按摩店经营者必须从警方获得许可证，但目前该法案豁免了开放式场所、美容院和不提供按摩服务的美发店。

警方随后在四月份表示，从 2026 年下半年起，所有按摩场所都必须获得许可。

从 12 月 1 日起，想要经营开放式按摩店的人必须经过“适格性”评估，才能获得 3 类许可证。

按摩场所目前分为 1 类或 2 类；1 类店铺规模较大，允许持有有效工作准证的任何国籍的外国工人入驻，并且必须获得 Case-Trust 认证。

申请人还必须提交房屋及发展局或市区重建局出具的有关土地规划批准文件，以证明所用场所的合法性。

这两个机构的批准也适用于其他两类正在续签许可证的现有机构。

警方表示，现有的开放式按摩店经营者将获得一年的宽限期，至 2027 年 11 月 30 日，以符合新规，否则将不得不停止营业。

在 2027 年 6 月 1 日之前获得 3 类许可证的人，三年期许可证费用为 340 美元，五年期许可证费用为 510 美元，可享受 50% 的折扣。

开放式店铺的经营者必须遵守相关规定，例如允许顾客和公众随时无遮挡地观看按摩服务，并且不得设置任何允许在私密空间内提供按摩服务的结构。

国家发展部长徐芳达11月5日在脸书上发帖称，自1月以来，建屋发展局已对26起涉及已售和出租店铺的卖淫活动案件采取了行动。

“组屋店主有责任确保他们不会对店内发生的不法活动视而不见，否则他们将面临严重的后果，”他补充道。

“我们的社区是家庭和社区的家园，我们将确保这里始终是所有人的安全环境。我们将继续与新加坡警察部队密切合作，清除社区中此类不良活动。”

强制张贴海报，制定清晰统一的标准，延长许可证有效期

11月5日，警方表示，所有按摩店经营者必须在店面显眼位置张贴警方发放的海报，海报上应包含营业执照的详细信息和关键条件，以及供公众向警方举报违规行为的网站链接。

现有的 1 类和 2 类按摩店必须在 2027 年 1 月 31 日之前遵守新规定。

警方表示：“不张贴海报将构成违法行为。”

但是，第 1 类和第 2 类许可证持有者不再需要警方批准其员工的制服，除非制服与标准不同——衬衫或女式衬衫的袖子上印有机构名称或标志以及员工姓名，裤子长度到膝盖或更长。

警方表示，所有持牌经营者，包括新设立的第三类经营者，都必须确保员工在经营场所内穿着得体。

警方在11月5日还表示，作为政府审查法规、减轻企业行政负担的举措之一，他们将延长许可证有效期至三年或五年。

新获得 1 类和 2 类许可证的持证人将获得为期一年的临时许可证，之后根据其合规记录获得三年或五年的正式许可证。

它取代并简化了当前的渐进式许可期限模式。

根据警方的评估和申请人的合规记录，新的第 3 类许可证持有者将从一开始就获得三年或五年的许可证。

有意申请新的第 3 类许可证的人士可于 11 月 5 日起登录 Go-Business 门户网站。

警方表示，整个过程可能需要大约四周时间，包括可能进行的现场检查（如适用）。

任何被判犯有无有效执照经营按摩场所罪的人，最高可被处以 10,000 美元罚款、两年监禁，或两者并罚。

屡犯者可被处以最高 2 万美元的罚款、最高五年的监禁，或两者并罚。