| Item | Details |
|---|---|
| Agency | URA |
| Applicant access | Individuals with Singpass; Authorised individual filers |
| Processing estimate | 10 working days |
| Validity | Valid while the home-office business continues; permission can be revoked for a breach. |
Scope and eligibility
This URA scheme concerns home offices in private residential property. The business must meet the Home Office conditions and performance criteria and must not be a prohibited business. HDB homes use a separate HDB scheme.
Application steps
- Check the official Home Office Guidelines against the proposed business
- apply through the individual Singpass route or an authorised individual filer
- pay the one-time fee and comply with the conditions throughout operation.
Documents to prepare
- The directory does not require routine attachments at initial submission
- URA may request documents during assessment.
Fees and validity
| Fee item | Published amount |
|---|---|
| One-time permit | S$20 |
Valid while the home-office business continues; permission can be revoked for a breach.
Important details and examples
An ACRA business address does not by itself establish that a residential business meets the Home Office conditions. Assess the actual activity using URA's linked guidelines.
Operating conditions
- Continue to reside at the property and keep office activities entirely inside it. Non-owners need the owner's prior written consent.
- No more than two non-residents may work there, counting employees, partners and directors.
- Only administrative work is allowed at home; no customer visits, physical-goods sales, residential signage or disruptive solicitation.
- Avoid noise, odour, dust, waste or additional traffic that disturbs residents.
- Keep electrical/structural loads within residential limits; no hazardous chemicals, dangerous substances or unauthorised building works.
- Install at least an 8A/34B ABC dry-powder extinguisher and a standalone smoke detector in the office area. This applies even without employees.
- Obtain other required agency licences/approvals; a breach may revoke the home-office permission.
URA business examples
- Permitted examples also include insurance/financial-planning administration and real-estate agencies. The Home-Based Business Scheme has different conditions; do not interchange the schemes.
Business examples
| Type | Examples |
|---|---|
| Administrative examples | Accountancy, architecture, consultancy, design, technology and trading-office administration (excluding car trading). |
| Activities not allowed as home-office operations | Customer-facing beauty/massage, food catering/restaurants, retail, manufacturing, repairs, commercial classes and maid/employment-agency operations are among the listed exclusions. |