HDB flats can be used as a home office and for business registration under the Home Office Scheme.
Eligible Applicants
Owners, tenants, authorised occupiers and subtenants of HDB flats, who are 21 years and above, are eligible to apply under the scheme.
Terms & Conditions
To qualify for the Home Office Scheme, the following conditions must be met:
1. The person(s) conducting the business must be the flat owner(s) or any other authorised person(s) approved by HDB and must continue to use the flat as his place of residence. The business use must be ancillary to the residential use and the business activities should be confined within the premises.
2. The business approved under the Home Office Scheme has to be registered with the Accounting & Corporate Regulatory Authority. It is not necessary to register business if it has been exempted from registration under the Business Registration Act.
3. The HDB flat cannot be used as a home office for a society. In addition, the flat address cannot be used as the registered office of the society.
4. The business must not generate extraneous noise, smoke, odour, chemical/liquid waste or dust that could become a nuisance. Examples are excessive noise from use of equipment or appliances required in the business; smoke, odour and chemical/liquid waste as a result of preparation, processing, manufacturing of products as done in the catering business for example.
5. The business activities must not be illegal or unlawful. It also must not have any bad and immoral influences (e.g. gambling or pornography related activities).
6. The business activities must not introduce excessive extraneous human or vehicular traffic to the surrounding neighbourhood.
7. There must be no solicitation of business that may cause annoyance to the residents or public, i.e. distribution of brochures, flyers or door-to-door visits.
8. There must be no selling of physical goods.
9. There must be no display of advertisements or posters.
10. The applicant must take all necessary safety precautions and ensure that the business activities do not pose any danger to human lives or damage to properties.
11. Consumption of electricity and structural load must not exceed the normal (residential) load. Storage and use of dangerous chemicals and hazardous substances are strictly prohibited.
12. The business activities must not adversely affect the character, ambience and environment of the residential estate.
13. The business must comply with the fire safety requirements imposed by the Fire Safety and Shelter Department. They are :
a. To install one 2kg ABC Dry Chemical Powder fire extinguisher to the office area.
b. To install one single-station smoke detector to the office area.
(For enquiry on the fire safety requirements, please call FSSD at Tel : 62800000)
14. The business must comply with the regulations of other government authorities and licences/approvals must be obtained before business can commence. To search for the licences/approvals that may be required for the business, the applicant can go to On-line Business Licensing Service.
List of Businesses that are not permitted under the Home Office Scheme
Businesses that are not permitted under the Home Office Scheme are:
1. Maid Agency/Employment Agency
2. Contractors Business
3. Car Trading Business
4. Commercial School e.g. music, dance, language school or tuition centre
5. Sales/Marketing that involve conducting seminars/talks for large number of customers
6. Courier Business
7. Manufacture/Preparation/Processing of products and goods. Examples are food products, beverages, textiles, apparel, handbags, footwear, wood and paper products, pharmaceutical products, soap, food chemicals, additives, joss sticks, camphor products, glass, plastic, rubber products, domestic appliances, watches and clocks and other related products.
8. Ophthalmic Dispensing/Pharmacy/Medical or Dental Clinics/Veterinary Medicine
9. Card Reading/Palm Reading or fortune telling in any form
10. Funeral chapels or homes
11. Mausoleums
12. Shops and any form of retail activity, including pet shops.
13. Food Catering/Restaurants
14. Conducting of dress making/embroidery lessons
15. Repair of household appliances, electrical products, footwear, etc.
Examples of Businesses that are permitted under the Home Office Scheme
Examples of businesses that are permitted under the Home Office Scheme are:
1. Accountancy Services
2. Architectural Services
3. Consultancy Services (Business)
4. Consultancy Services (Engineering)
5. Consultancy Services (IT/Management)
6. Consultancy Services (Education)
7. Design / Advertising Services
8. Transportation Services
9. Estate Agency
10. Insurance/Financial Planning Services
11. Technology based and knowledge intensive business
12. Trading Office
Approval Period
The approval granted by HDB is valid for 3 years.
Administration Fee
A non-refundable administration fee of $20 is required. Applicants are required to pay administration fee online. Payment by Visa, Mastercard, Direct Debit by Internet Bank Account and Flexipay will be available.
Mode of Business
Mode of business can be sole-proprietorship, partnership, limited liability partnership or private limited company.
Registration of Business with Accounting & Corporate Regulatory Authority (ACRA)
The applicant has to register his business with Accounting & Corporate Regulatory Authority (ACRA).
No. of Employees
The Home Office Scheme allows a maximum of 2 non-residents. The non-residents could be shareholders, directors of the business or employees.
Property Tax Payable
As long as the HDB flat is still being principally occupied by the owner as residences, the owner-occupied concessionary tax rate would continue to apply.
Business Signage
To maintain the residential ambience, no business or advertisement signage is allowed.
Change in Scope of Business or Particulars of Business/Company
If there is a change in scope of the business, applicants have to ensure that the business complies with the conditions of the Home Office Scheme and notify ACRA of the changes.
Expiry of Approval Period
Applicants must stop using your HDB flat as a home office and file a notice of change of business or company address with ACRA.
Termination of Home Office Scheme
Applicants have to inform the HDB Branch Office managing your flat, as well as file a notice of change of business or company address with ACRA.
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