In this guide · 7 sections
Short answer
No general e-commerce licence exists. You need a licence or notification only for regulated products: for example a liquor licence to sell alcohol online, an HSA notification for most cosmetics, and SFA rules for food. Check your products with the free GoBusiness Licensing e-Advisers.
Short answer: no e-commerce licence, but product licences
Selling through your own website, Shopify, Shopee, Carousell or Instagram does not by itself need a licence. What you do need, in almost every case, is a registered business with ACRA if you sell regularly for profit, plus the normal rules every seller follows: honest product descriptions, a working refund process, PDPA compliance for customer data, and GST registration once taxable turnover goes above S$1 million a year.
Product-specific licences sit on top of that. The quickest way to check is the GoBusiness Licensing e-Advisers, short questionnaires that list the licences for your type of business, including a home-based business e-Adviser.
Licence check by product type
The table covers the categories small online sellers ask about most. Always confirm on the agency's own page before you launch.
| What you sell | Regulator | What you need |
|---|---|---|
| Clothing, accessories, gifts, homeware, books | None specific | Business registration and normal consumer rules |
| Home-cooked or baked food | SFA | No SFA licence for home-based businesses, but food safety rules apply |
| Imported food you bring in yourself | SFA | Import licence and permits for commercial food imports |
| Alcohol (wine, beer, spirits) | Singapore Police Force | Liquor licence, even if you only sell online |
| Cosmetics and skincare | HSA | Product notification before supply, labelling rules |
| Health supplements | HSA | No HSA licence, but the seller is responsible for safety, quality and claims |
| Medicines, contact lenses, aesthetic injectables | HSA | Generally cannot be sold on e-commerce platforms |
Food: home-based, online and imported
SFA's licensing page says food businesses generally need a licence to prepare and sell food, but home-based food businesses are not licensed today, and online businesses that merely act as intermediaries do not need a food retail licence. Both must still sell food that is safe and suitable to eat.
Home-based sellers have extra limits under SFA's requirements for home-based food businesses: no catering, no selling to restaurants, cafes or temporary fairs, no ready-to-eat raw seafood, and ingredients must be legally sourced. Our guide to selling food online from home covers the HDB and URA conditions too.
If you import food yourself for sale, SFA requires an import licence and permits for each consignment. Using a licensed importer avoids this.
Alcohol, cosmetics, supplements and health products
Alcohol
The police's liquor licence page is clear: any person or business that supplies liquor, including online, needs a liquor licence. Since 2 January 2024, online sellers must not supply anyone under 18, and must warn buyers that it is an offence for under-18s to buy liquor and state the penalty. Breaches carry a fine of up to S$10,000.
Cosmetics and skincare
HSA's cosmetics overview says a product notification usually needs to be submitted before you sell a cosmetic product in Singapore, through HSA's PRISM system. Ingredients must comply with the ASEAN Cosmetic Directive, labels must be in English, and notifications are renewed yearly. Products that treat conditions, such as acne treatment creams, are not cosmetics and fall under stricter rules.
Health supplements
According to HSA, health supplements do not need HSA approval or a licence to import, make or sell. The dealer, which includes online retailers, is responsible for safety and quality, and claims must not say the product treats or prevents disease.
How to check your own products in 15 minutes
List what you sell and where it comes from
Write every product line, whether you make it, buy it locally or import it, and whether it is eaten, drunk, applied to skin or used for health.
Run the GoBusiness e-Adviser
Choose the closest sector, for example retail or home-based business, and answer the questions. Save the list of licences it returns.
Read the regulator's own page
For each flagged product, read the SFA, HSA or police page linked above. Note any pre-sale step such as a notification or licence.
Check imports separately
Use GoBusiness's HS code checker for imported goods; it tells you if a product is controlled and which agency to contact.
Fix your product pages before launch
Remove medical claims, add required labels or warnings (for example the under-18 liquor warning), and keep your UEN and contact details visible.
Platforms are also tightening seller checks. Under the new OCHA anti-scam code for e-commerce platforms, designated marketplaces must verify sellers against government records.
Do it yourself or get help?
Licence checks are your responsibility and usually take an afternoon. The store itself is where we come in. Our guide to Shopify store costs in Singapore adds up the platform fees before you commit.
Before you open your online store
Our Shopify Store package (S$1,890) sets up a store with up to 30 products, PayNow and cards, shipping and policy pages on your own account. The PDPA Compliance Pack (S$690) covers your privacy policy and data handling. We are not lawyers and do not apply for licences on your behalf.
Frequently asked questions
There is no general online selling licence. You usually need to register a business with ACRA if you sell regularly for profit, and you need product-specific licences only for regulated goods such as alcohol, cosmetics, imported food or health products. Use the GoBusiness Licensing e-Advisers to check your situation.
You still need a liquor licence. The Singapore Police Force says any person or business supplying liquor, including online, must hold one. Since January 2024 online sellers must also refuse sales to under-18s and warn buyers about the offence and penalty. GoBusiness notes home-based businesses supplying liquor need a licence too.
Most cosmetic products need an HSA product notification before you sell them, submitted through HSA's PRISM system, plus compliant ingredients and English labelling. It is a notification rather than an approval, and it is renewed yearly. Products that claim to treat conditions, such as acne treatments, are not cosmetics and face stricter rules.
Yes, HSA does not license or approve health supplements before sale. As the seller, you are responsible for making sure they are safe, free of prohibited ingredients and correctly labelled, and that your claims do not say the product treats or prevents disease. You may voluntarily notify HSA of products you supply.
No. SFA does not currently license home-based food businesses. They must still follow food safety laws, use legally sourced ingredients and avoid catering, raw ready-to-eat seafood and selling to licensed food outlets or temporary fairs. HDB and URA conditions on home businesses also apply.