How to Start a Cleaning Business in Singapore: NEA Licence, Progressive Wages and Work Permits

Short answer: To start a cleaning business in Singapore, incorporate a company with ACRA, then obtain an NEA cleaning business licence before signing any cleaning contract. New businesses usually start on a 2-year Class 3 licence. Resident cleaners must be paid Progressive Wage Model wages, and foreign cleaners need Work Permits within MOM’s quota.

If you plan to start a cleaning business in Singapore, the order of the steps matters. The National Environment Agency (NEA) will not let you take on a general cleaning contract until you hold a licence, and the licence depends on your business registration, your cleaners’ training and a plan to pay progressive wages. This guide sets out what NEA, the Ministry of Manpower (MOM) and IRAS require as at 24 October 2026, and the sequence from incorporation to first invoice.

Raffles Corporate Services works with a panel of experienced Singapore law firms who offer cost-effective and efficient legal service and advice. This article is general information only and is not legal advice.

Do you need a licence to start a cleaning business in Singapore?

Yes, if you will provide general cleaning services at any premises or public place, even when cleaning is only part of what your business does. According to NEA’s cleaning business licence page, the licence must be in place before you start any cleaning work.

NEA’s examples include office, carpet and upholstery cleaning, on-site dishwashing, condominium common areas, hotel housekeeping and wipe-down disinfection, whether ad hoc or under a term contract. The Environmental Public Health (Excluded Cleaning Work) Notification 2014 excludes work such as cleaning of domestic premises, facade cleaning and swimming pool cleaning, and vehicle cleaning needs no licence.

A business that subcontracts its cleaning to a licensed firm still needs its own licence, and since 1 January 2024 so does a business supplying cleaning manpower to other cleaning businesses. Service buyers can be fined up to S$10,000 for engaging an unlicensed cleaning business, so clients will ask to see your licence. If you signed a contract before obtaining the licence, NEA’s guidance is to stop operating until it is issued.

Which NEA cleaning business licence class should a new company apply for?

Most new companies start on a Class 3 licence, because it does not require paid-up capital, bizSAFE certification or a past contract. It gives you 2 years to build up to Class 2 or Class 1, since it cannot be renewed.

Class 3 is a one-time route: you cannot return to it after holding Class 2 or Class 1. NEA accepts renewal applications up to 12 months before expiry. The training requirement covers foreign, part-time and casual cleaners too, and you must declare all your cleaners when you apply.

The class also affects tenders. Since 1 January 2026, only Class 1 businesses can bid for government cleaning contracts valued above S$1 million; Class 1 and Class 2 businesses can bid for those of S$1 million or less.

How much paid-up capital does a cleaning company need?

None for a Class 3 licence, S$25,000 for Class 2 and S$250,000 for Class 1. NEA checks the figure only when you apply and when you renew; you do not need to maintain it throughout the licence period.

For a company, the evidence is a Business Profile from Bizfile or a corporate bank statement dated within the 3 months before the application. If you expect to move to Class 2 within 2 years, plan the share capital at incorporation or budget for an increase later. Our guide on how much share capital a Singapore company should start with explains the choices. A sole proprietorship has no paid-up capital, so NEA looks instead at net worth (total assets minus total liabilities) in its latest 12-month statement of accounts.

What is the Progressive Wage Model for cleaners, and what must you pay?

The PWM is a mandatory wage and training ladder for cleaners who are Singapore citizens or permanent residents. Licensed cleaning businesses must meet it to obtain or renew their NEA licence, and NEA has required progressive wages from licensed businesses since 1 September 2015.

MOM sets basic monthly wages by job group for full-time cleaners working 35 to 44 hours a week: Group 1 (offices, schools, hospitals, condominiums), Group 2 (food and beverage outlets) and Group 3 (conservancy, such as town councils). The wage points step up every 1 July. The current and next two rates for common roles, from MOM’s cleaning sector PWM page, are:

Other points to build into your costing:

• A PWM bonus of at least 2 weeks of basic monthly wages a year is payable to eligible cleaners.
• Part-time cleaners’ wages and bonus are pro-rated.
• Outsourced resident cleaners must complete 1 approved WSH module and 1 core WSQ module.
• Minimum annual leave for outsourced PWM workers will rise from 7 to 10 days from 2029, in phases.

Price multi-year contracts with an escalation clause for the July increases. Our Progressive Wage Model compliance guide covers the wider rules.

Can a cleaning company hire foreign workers on Work Permits?

Yes, within MOM’s quota and levy rules for the relevant sector. MOM classifies an employer’s sector by its registered principal business activity, and the services sector list includes business services. Confirm your classification with MOM before you rely on foreign hiring.

For the services sector, MOM’s current rules are:

Because the quota is a share of total workforce, a company with no local staff cannot hire Work Permit holders, and MOM uses the Local Qualifying Salary to decide which local employees count. Workers must come from Malaysia, the People’s Republic of China or North Asian sources (Hong Kong, Macau, South Korea, Taiwan), unless the role is on the Non-Traditional Sources Occupation List, and be aged 18 to 62 at application. From 2028 the first two levy tiers will merge, at S$400 (higher-skilled) and S$600 (basic-skilled). See our article on the 2028 foreign worker levy changes.

Work Permit applications and quota checks are handled by our associated MOM-licensed agency, Little Big Employment Agency.

What are the steps to start a cleaning business in Singapore, in order?

Incorporate, recruit a qualified supervisor, train your cleaners, obtain the NEA licence, and only then sign contracts and hire at scale.

1. Register a private limited company with ACRA (our Incorporation of Company Package starts from S$450, one time). See our guide to registering a company in Singapore.
2. Open a corporate bank account and set up Corppass, which you need for GoBusiness Licensing.
3. Hire a supervisor who meets NEA’s experience or training requirement.
4. Train every cleaner you will declare, and prepare a progressive wage plan for resident cleaners.
5. Apply through GoBusiness Licensing and pay the S$180 fee once NEA approves.
6. Sign client contracts, issue employment contracts and run payroll with itemised payslips.
7. Build local headcount, then apply for Work Permits within the quota.
8. Before the Class 3 licence ends, attain bizSAFE Level 3 and the Class 2 paid-up capital.
9. Track taxable turnover against the GST threshold. Our free tools help with the compliance calendar.

When do bizSAFE and GST registration come in?

bizSAFE Level 3 is needed when you move to a Class 2 or Class 1 licence, which for a new business means before the 2-year Class 3 licence expires. GST registration is a separate tax obligation that applies once turnover crosses S$1 million.

bizSAFE is the Workplace Safety and Health Council’s risk management programme. Per NEA’s FAQ, Level 3 needs a Level 1 workshop certificate, a Level 2 risk management course statement of attainment, and a risk management audit by an auditing organisation accredited by the Singapore Accreditation Council. The certificate is valid for 3 years and must stay valid throughout the licence period.

For GST, IRAS applies two tests. If taxable turnover for a calendar year exceeds S$1 million, you apply between 1 and 30 January and are registered from 1 March. If you can reasonably expect taxable turnover above S$1 million in the next 12 months, for example on signing a large term contract, you must apply within 30 days of that forecast. GST is currently 9%. See how to apply for GST registration.

Frequently asked questions

Do I need an NEA licence for home cleaning only?

No. Cleaning of domestic premises is excluded cleaning work, so a business that only cleans the inside of private homes does not need a cleaning business licence. Cleaning condominium common areas does require one.

Can I sign my first cleaning contract while the licence is pending?

No. NEA requires new applicants to obtain a valid licence before entering into a cleaning contract, and new applicants do not need to submit a contract to apply.

Does the Progressive Wage Model apply to foreign cleaners?

The PWM wage levels are mandatory for Singapore citizen and permanent resident cleaners. MOM encourages employers to apply the same principles to foreign cleaners, and NEA’s training requirement applies to the whole workforce.

Is the NEA licence fee refundable?

No. The S$180 fee is non-refundable, but you pay it only after NEA tells you the application has been approved.

What are the penalties for breaching licence conditions?

A financial penalty of up to S$5,000, and the licence may be suspended or revoked. A false declaration in an application can lead to a fine of up to S$5,000, or up to S$10,000, 3 months’ imprisonment or both for a later conviction.

Last reviewed: 24 October 2026. The Editorial Team, Raffles Corporate Services.