Certificate of Registration and Hotel-keeper's Licence

Apply for Certificate of Registration and Hotel-keeper’s Licence

Hotels Licensing Board (HLB)

For Business Users only

This licence is only for business users with a registered Unique Entity Number (UEN).

Application Details

A Certificate of Registration and Hotel-Keeper's Licence are required for premises with 4 or more rooms to carry out the business of providing accommodation as a hotel.

FAQ

What is the definition of a hotel in the Hotels Act?
"Hotel" includes a boarding house, lodging-house, guest-house and any building or premises not being a public institution and containing not less than 4 rooms or cubicles in which persons are harboured or lodged for hire or reward of any kind and where any domestic service is provided by the owner, lessee, tenant, occupier or manager for the person on harboured or lodged.
What are the licences a hotel needs to obtain from HLB to operate?
To operate a hotel, the following two licenses are required:
1. Certificate of Registration to use the premises as a hotel; and
2. Hotel-keeper licence to enable the person to keep or manage the hotel.
The premise may require other licences issued by other agencies to operate.
Which premises need to apply for a licence to operate a hotel?
Any premises with 4 or more rooms/cubicles will need to apply for the licences.
Where can I find the template for the e-notice?
A copy of the template can be downloaded from the Hotels Licensing Board website at www.hlb.gov.sg, under Templates and Forms at the Resources section here.
What happens after I submit all the necessary documents?
If there are no objections from the public within fourteen (14) calendar days from the date the advertisement was published on the HLB website, and where all required and valid documents have been submitted, the HLB Secretariat will arrange for a pre-opening inspection at the hotel.
When can I start operations?
A hotel can only begin operations after it has paid for and received the e-copies of the Certificate of Registration and the Hotel-keeper's Licence. Any premises operating like a hotel without the valid licences is considered to be operating illegally. This is an offence under the Hotels Act and Licensing Regulations.
What changes to the licence must I inform HLB about, and how do I do so?
Any of the following changes need to be updated through GoBusiness Licensing.
- Change of Hotel Name
- Change of Hotel-keeper
- Update of Hotel Ownership
- Update of Existing Hotel and/or Hotel Keeper Information
- Update of Room Information
You may refer to the Hotels Licensing Board website at www.hlb.gov.sg for the requirements and processes for a change of Hotel Name or Hotel-keeper.
I just took over a hotel. Can the licence be transferred to me?
Should you be operating the hotel under a different legal entity, licences are not transferable and you would need to apply for a new licence.

Should you be operating the hotel under the same legal entity, there is no need to re-apply for the licence. You may wish to apply for a Change of Hotel-keeper or Change of Hotel Name where relevant.
When is the licence renewal exercise?
The Licence renewal exercise is conducted annually, and submission of the renewal application can be done from 1 October to 15 November. HLB will send out the notices of renewal to the Hotel Keepers in late September, and the renewal applications and payment must be done online through GoBusiness Licensing.
Who can I contact for further details?
For further assistance, kindly email us at hlb_info@hlb.gov.sg.

You can also write to us at:
Hotels Licensing Board
c/o Singapore Tourism Board
Tourism Court, Level 1
1 Orchard Spring Lane
Singapore 247729

You may refer to www.hlb.gov.sg for more information.
Where can I report any wrong-doings, unlawful conduct or malpractices?
STB provides the Applicant with a platform to report any wrong-doings, unlawful conduct or malpractices of STB staff that are against the public interest. The details of STB’s whistleblowing framework is set out at https://www.stb.gov.sg/about-stb/corporate-governance.

Additional Information

Certificate of Registration fees
a. Hotel with 100 rooms and less - $250
b. Hotel with 101-299 rooms - $600
c. Hotel with 300-499 rooms - $1,100
d. Hotel with 500 or more rooms - $1,450

Hotel-Keeper's licence fees for hotels of all sizes - $150

Documents Needed

For Certificate of Registration:

ACRA Business Profile
File format: pdf, doc, docx
Maximum upload per application: 7 MB
URA Grant of Written Permission / Temporary Permission
File format: pdf, doc, docx
Maximum upload per application: 7 MB
BCA Temporary Occupation Permit (TOP) / Certificate of Statutory Completion (CSC) / BCA's Letter of Acceptance of the most recent periodic inspection report of the building.
Under the Building Control Act, all building owners are required to conduct periodic structural inspections once every 5 years for non-residential buildings.
If the TOP/CSC is issued more than 5 years ago, please submit documentation of BCA's acceptance of the most recent periodic inspection report of the building.
File format: pdf, doc, docx
Maximum upload per application: 7 MB
SCDF Temporary Fire Permit (TFP) / Fire Safety Certificate (FSC) / Fire Certificate (FC)
Under the Fire Safety Act, any public buildings use as hotels, hostels, boarding houses, etc. and if the occupant load of buildings is more than 200 persons, the building owners or occupiers must apply/obtain Fire Certificates from the Singapore Civil Defence Force.
File format: pdf, doc, docx
Maximum upload per application: 7 MB
E-notice advertisement template
according to the Notice template in PDF format here. The electronic notice ("e-notice") will typically be published on the HLB website within 3 working days from the date in which the e-notice is submitted with complete information to the Board, for a period of 14 calendar days.
Any notice of objection lodged with HLB within 14 calendar days of the advertisement will be taken into account in the assessment of the application for a Certificate of Registration.
File format: pdf, doc, docx
Maximum upload per application: 7 MB

For Hotel-Keeper’s Licence:

Resume (Curriculum Vitae) of the proposed Hotel-Keeper
The Hotel-Keeper must be a person who holds a post of a Chief Executive Officer or General Manager or equivalent to that of a Chief Executive Officer or General Manager of the hotel.
File format: pdf, doc, docx
Maximum upload per application: 7 MB
Copy of proposed Hotel-Keeper's employment pass (if applicable)
The Hotel-Keeper must be a Singaporean, Permanent Resident or an Employment Pass holder.
File format: pdf, doc, docx
Maximum upload per application: 7 MB

Requirements

Applicant must be an ACRA registered company/business.