47103

Department stores

classLevel 4Use for ACRA Registration

This sub-class includes: - retail sale of a wide variety of new merchandise such as clothes, jewellery, home furnishings (e.g., curtains, carpets), toys, and/or household appliances (e.g., television, audio player, computers) with no single product line predominating. A limited assortment of food which are mostly non-perishables may be sold.

SSIC Guide

Licences & Permits

1 licence apply to businesses in this SSIC code depending on the specific activities you conduct. Most are activity-triggered — a holding company in 64, for example, only needs a Banking Licence if it actually conducts banking.

Required for activitySFA

Supermarket Licence

Validity
1 year
Processing
7 working days if application is complete and in order
Prerequisites (20)
  • Planning Permission/Change of Use approval
  • Approval from URA/HDB for the use of the premises
  • File Format: DOC,DOCX,GIF,JPG,PNG,PDF
  • Maximum upload per application: 5MB
  • Layout plan of the premises
  • Layout Plan (to scale)
  • File Format: DOC,DOCX,GIF,JPG,PNG,PDF
  • Maximum upload per application: 5MB
  • Tenancy Agreement/ Letter of consent
  • File Format: DOC,DOCX,GIF,JPG,PNG,PDF
  • Maximum upload per application: 5MB
  • Pest Control Contract
  • File Format: DOC,DOCX,GIF,JPG,PNG,PDF
  • Maximum upload per application: 5MB
  • Cleaning programme/schedule
  • File Format: DOC,DOCX,GIF,JPG,PNG,PDF
  • Maximum upload per application: 5MB
  • Food Safety Course Level 1 / Refresher Food Safety Course Level 1
  • A copy of the food handler's Food Safety Course Level 1 certificate / Refresher Food Safety Course level 1 certificate
  • File Format: GIF,JPG,PNG,PDF
Full reference: how to apply, FAQ, prerequisites

Need help with these licences?

We handle the applications, document prep, and agency liaison end-to-end.

Licence requirements change — we keep this list current as part of the engagement.

Tax Incentives & Schemes

2 schemes that businesses in this SSIC code may qualify for. Eligibility is case-by-case — talk to the relevant authority.

Tax exemptionIRASPTE

Partial Tax Exemption (PTE)

Benefit: First SGD 10,000: 75% exemption; next SGD 190,000: 50% exemption. Available to all companies (including those past their 3-year SUTE window).

Eligibility: Singapore tax-resident company.

Tax exemptionIRASSUTE

Start-Up Tax Exemption (SUTE)

Benefit: First SGD 100,000 of chargeable income: 75% exemption; next SGD 100,000: 50% exemption. For each of the first 3 YAs after incorporation.

Eligibility: Newly incorporated SG-resident company, ≤ 20 individual shareholders (or one corporate holding ≥ 10%), not in investment-holding or property-development.

Note for SSIC : Excludes 64202 investment holding & 41001/68101 property development

Worth applying for any of these?

We screen eligibility and shape the application — most schemes are discretionary and need a substantive activity case.

Foreign Worker Levies

This SSIC code falls under MOM's Services sector for foreign-worker levy purposes. Levies below apply per worker per month, paid by the employer in addition to salary.

S Pass

TierMonthlyConditions
Tier 1SGD 550Up to 10% of total workforce

Work Permit

TierMonthlyConditions
Higher-skilled (Tier 1)SGD 300Up to 10%
Basic (Tier 1)SGD 450Up to 10%
Basic (Tier 2)SGD 60010–25%
Basic (Tier 3)SGD 800>25% (up to DRC of 35%)

Hiring foreign workers in this sector?

We handle Work Permit, S Pass, and EP applications alongside the incorporation — and check Dependency Ratio Ceilings before you commit headcount.

Levies and Dependency Ratio Ceilings are reviewed periodically by MOM (rates above effective 2024-09-01).

Classification Path

Section
G-WHOLESALE AND RETAIL TRADE
Division
47-RETAIL TRADE
Group
471-RETAIL SALE IN NON-SPECIALISED STORES
Current class
47103-Department stores

Need help choosing?

Our guide helps you find the right SSIC code for your business activity.

Read the SSIC Guide