Are you thinking of running a business from the comforts of your home? Do you know that depending on your nature of business, you can or cannot run your business from home?
This post will shed some light on how you can conduct your business from home in accordance to Singapore’s legislation.
This post will shed some light on how you can conduct your business from home in accordance to Singapore’s legislation.
Home Office Scheme in Singapore
This scheme allows a company’s registered address to be their Housing Development Board (HDB) address. In addition home-owners can conduct their business at home provided they satisfy the following list of criteria and guidelines set by the Urban Redevelopment Authority (URA). In a nutshell, home-owners running their business from home should not bring about disturbances or inconveniences to the neighbourhood.
Criteria for Home Office Scheme
1. The business owner must be the home-owner or any other authorised person approved by the Housing Development Board (HDB) and must continue to use the address as his/her place of residence.
2. Business activities must be confined within the stated residential premises.
3. The business must be registered with Accounting & Corporate Regulatory Authority (ACRA), unless it is exempted under the Business Registration Act.
4. The HDB home cannot be used as home office or a registered office for a society.
5. The business must not:
a. generate excessive noise or be a nuisance
b. be illegal or unlawful
c. have bad moral influence
d. significantly introduce excessive human or vehicular traffic to the surrounding neighbourhood
e. have any negative impacts on the character and environment of the residential estate
6. Any form of solicitation of business by any means such as flyer/brochure distribution, door-to-door visits or any other methods that may cause disturbance to the residents are not allowed.
7. Selling physical goods are not allowed.
8. Display of advertisements and / or posters is not allowed.
9. All business activities conducted must not pose any form of danger.
10. Electricity and structural load must be adhered to.
11. Storage and usage of hazardous materials are prohibited.
12. Fire safety requirements imposed by the Fire Safety and Shelter department must be adhered to.
13. Relevant licences and approvals from governing bodies must be obtained before businesses commence.
Here are the list of Permitted and Non-Permitted business activities.
Permitted
Accountancy services
Architectural services
Consultancy services
Design / Advertising services
Financial Planning / Insurance services
Real Estate agencies
Transportation services
Technology and knowledge intensive businesses
Trading office
Non-permitted
Beauty parlour / Hair dressing and / or Massage services
Car trading business
Card / Palm / Tarot reading or Fortune Telling in any form
Catering / restaurants
Clinics and pharmacies
Commercial schools
Courier business
Dress-making / Embroidery classes
Employment agencies
Funeral services
Maid agencies
Manufacturing, preparation or processing of any products and goods
Money lending services
Opticians
Repair activities
Sales and / or Marketing involving conduct of seminars and demonstrations for large group of people
Retail activities
