Change of Use Approval | Apex Gateway

Application at a glance
Item	Details
Agency	URA
Applicant access	Individuals with Singpass; UEN-registered businesses with Corppass; Authorised individual filers; Authorised business filers
Processing estimate	10 working days
Validity	Approval duration is assessed case by case, typically three years or longer.

Scope and eligibility

Changing a shop into a restaurant, or a restaurant into a pub, can require URA planning permission. Check the permitted use before committing to a tenancy or purchase. SLA may assess Land Betterment Charge (LBC); planning permission can be granted only after any applicable LBC is paid.

Application steps

Confirm the proposed use and obtain the property owner's consent
submit a scaled floor plan, location plan and business concept
respond to URA and SLA requests and obtain any separate SCDF, SFA or SPF clearances before operating. For state-leased premises, obtain the relevant landlord agency's consent. New structures or building alterations require the appropriate development application.

Documents to prepare

Owner consent
scaled floor plan with dimensions and uses
unit location plan
business cover letter
LBC assumption-of-liability notice where applicable
agency clearances.

Attachment filenames must be no longer than 130 characters and use letters, digits, underscores or hyphens. Spaces are converted to underscores. Check the accepted file formats and size for each upload field in the official application.

Fees and validity

Fees published by official sources
Fee item	Published amount
Application	S$500

Approval duration is assessed case by case, typically three years or longer.

Important details and examples

Changing only the operator or owner does not itself require a new URA use approval when the approved premises use remains valid. A non-owner assuming LBC liability must provide the relevant notice. A requested temporary-permission period of one to ten years is subject to approval.

Official sources

Read the official GoBusiness entry ↗

Open the official application service ↗

Browse all licensing guides →