Liquor and cigarette licence plus cold storage food—what licence is required and is landlord approval needed?

To operate a business in Singapore that involves selling liquor, cigarettes, and cold storage food, you will need to obtain multiple licences and approvals.

Required Licences

You must apply for a liquor licence through the Singapore Police Force via the GoBusiness Licensing portal. The type of licence depends on whether you're selling for on-premise consumption (like a bar or restaurant) or off-premise consumption (like a retail store). The cost ranges from S$110 to S$880 per year depending on the licence class.

To qualify, you must be a Singapore Citizen, Permanent Resident, or hold a valid FIN, and be a director, partner, or sole proprietor of a business registered with ACRA. The application takes approximately three weeks to process.

For selling tobacco products, you need a tobacco licence from the Health Sciences Authority. Note that each licence is valid for only one outlet, so multiple locations require separate licences.

For cold storage food operations, you'll need to obtain the appropriate food-related licences from the Singapore Food Agency, which may include a Food Shop Licence or other relevant permits depending on your business model. The person in charge must complete the Level 1 WSQ Food Safety Course before running the business.

Landlord Approval Required

If your business is located in public housing, you must obtain approval from the Housing & Development Board on the supply of liquor at the premises before applying for a liquor licence.

If your premises are under URA or SLA jurisdiction, you need planning permission on the land use of the premises. This approval confirms that your intended business activities are permitted at that location.

These approvals from the land authority are mandatory documents that must be submitted as part of your liquor licence application. Without the proper landlord or land authority approval, your liquor licence application cannot proceed.