Customs (Liquors Licensing) Regulations - Singapore Statutes Online

Customs Act

(CHAPTER 70, Section 143)

Customs (Liquors Licensing) Regulations

Rg 3

REVISED EDITION 2009

(31st August 2009)

[19th September 1980]

Citation

1. These Regulations may be cited as the Customs (Liquors Licensing) Regulations.

Definitions

2. In these Regulations, unless the context otherwise requires —

“Board” means the Liquors Licensing Board constituted under section 70(1) of the Act;

“Chairman” means the Chairman of the Board;

“licence” means any licence specified in section 74(1) of the Act;

“member” means a member of the Board;

“Secretary” means the Secretary of the Board;

“session” means a general licensing session of the Board;

“temporary licence” means any licence issued for a specified period of not more than 30 days;

“Vice-Chairman” means the Vice-Chairman of the Board.

Term of office of member

3. A member shall hold office for a period of not more than 3 years and shall be eligible for reappointment.

Revocation of appointment

4. The Minister may, at any time, revoke the appointment of a member without assigning any reason therefor.

Resignation

5. A member may resign from his appointment at any time by giving written notice to the Minister.

Vacation of office

6. The office of a member shall be vacated if he has been absent from 2 consecutive sessions without the permission of the Board.

Casual vacancy

7. If a member resigns, dies or has his appointment revoked or otherwise vacates his office before the expiry of his term of office, another person may be appointed by the Minister for the unexpired period of the term of office of the member in whose place he is appointed.

Vice-Chairman

8. During the absence, or incapacity owing to illness or otherwise, of the Chairman, the Vice-Chairman may exercise all the functions, powers and duties of the Chairman.

Chairman may call meetings

9.—(1) The Chairman may call a meeting of the Board at any time for the purpose of considering applications for the issue or transfer of licences and for any other business of the Board.

(2) Any meeting of the Board may be advertised in such manner as the Chairman thinks fit.

Proceedings of Board

10.—(1) At any session or meeting of the Board, 3 members shall form a quorum.

(2) All questions for the determination of the Board shall be decided by a majority of votes and, in the event of an equality of votes, the Chairman shall have a casting vote.

(3) The Secretary shall keep minutes of all proceedings of the Board.

Decisions of Board

11.—(1) Any decision of the Board shall normally be taken at a session or meeting of the Board.

(2) An application for the transfer of a licence may be considered by the Board at any time by the recording of the votes of members on files circulated among them.

(3) The Chairman and any 2 members, whose votes may be recorded on files circulated among them, after consulting the Commissioner of Police or such other police officer as may be authorised by the Commissioner of Police for that purpose, may on behalf of the Board —

(a)	issue to an applicant a temporary licence; or
(b)	grant approval for any extension of the hours for the sale of intoxicating liquor.

Application for licences

12.—(1) Subject to paragraph (2), an application for a licence or a temporary licence shall be made using the electronic application service provided at https://licences.business.gov.sg/.

(2) In the event of a malfunction or failure of the electronic application service, the application shall be in such form as the Board may approve.

(3) Every applicant for the issue of a licence shall attend in person, if so required in writing by the Secretary, at the session or meeting of the Board at which his application is to be considered.

Transfer of licence

13.—(1) A licensee shall not transfer his licence to any other person without the approval of the Board.

(2) Subject to paragraph (3), an application for the transfer of a licence shall be made using the electronic application service provided at https://licences.business.gov.sg/.

(3) In the event of a malfunction or failure of the electronic application service, the application shall be in such form as the Board may approve.

(4) Every applicant for the transfer of a licence and every person who is specified by the applicant as the person to whom he desires to transfer the licence shall attend in person, if so required in writing by the Secretary, at the session or meeting of the Board at which his application is to be considered.

Application for temporary licence

14. An application for the issue of a temporary licence may be submitted to the Secretary at any time and shall be supported by such particulars as the Board may require.

Officers entitled to be heard at sessions and meetings of Board

15. The Commissioner of Police or any police officer authorised by him shall be entitled to be heard at any session or meeting of the Board before any decision is made relating to the issue, transfer, suspension or cancellation of any licence.

Date of expiry of licences

16. Every licence, other than a temporary licence, shall be valid for a period not exceeding 2 years.

Licences to be issued by Secretary

17.—(1) All licences shall be issued by the Secretary in accordance with the decision of the Board.

(2) No licensee shall assign, lease or let the licensed premises or do any act to relinquish the management of the business for which the licence is issued.

(3) No licensee shall change the name or style under which he carries on business or the address of the place at which he so carries on business without the prior approval of the Board.

Cancellation and suspension of licences

18.—(1) The Board may, in its discretion, cancel or suspend any licence at any session or meeting of the Board.

(2) Every suspension of a licence shall be for such period as the Board thinks fit.

Fees

19. The fees payable for —

(a)	a licence;
(b)	a replacement licence;
(c)	a transfer of licence; and
(d)	a change in the name or style under which a licensee carries on business or the address of the place at which he so carries on business,

shall be specified in the First Schedule.

Extension of hours of sale of intoxicating liquors

20.—(1) A licensee shall not sell any intoxicating liquor during the statutory closing hours without the approval of the Board.

(2) Subject to paragraph (3), an application for the extension of hours of sale of intoxicating liquors shall be made using the electronic application service provided at https://licences.business.gov.sg/.

(3) In the event of a malfunction or failure of the electronic application service, the application shall be in such form as the Board may approve.

Fees for extensions

21.—(1) Where the Board grants its approval under regulation 11(3)(b) for a licensee to extend the hours for the sale of intoxicating liquors on the same day or days of each week for a period of 3 months or more, the fee payable by the licensee in respect of the extension shall be specified in the second column of the Second Schedule.

(2) The fee specified in the third column of the Second Schedule shall be payable by a licensee in respect of any other extension for which approval is granted by the Board under regulation 11(3)(b).

Refund of fees

22. Except where the Board considers appropriate, no refund shall be made in respect of any fee paid under these Regulations.

Closing hours

23. Subject to any extensions granted under regulation 11(3)(b), every premises licensed to sell intoxicating liquor, except the Changi Airport Transit Restaurant Bar and an Airport duty-free shop, shall remain closed between the hours as set out in the Third Schedule, unless it is to be used for any purpose other than the sale of intoxicating liquor.

No person to remain in premises during closing hours

24. No licensee shall permit any person, other than his employee or an occupier of the licensed premises, to remain in the premises during any period the premises are required by these Regulations to remain closed.

Prohibition of sale or consumption of liquor

25. No person shall, at any premises licensed to sell intoxicating liquor and during the hours as set out in the Third Schedule —

(a)	sell or offer for sale any intoxicating liquor;
(b)	keep open the premises for the sale of any intoxicating liquor; or
(c)	allow any intoxicating liquor to be consumed on the premises.

Licensee to exhibit licence, etc.

26.—(1) Every licensee shall —

(a)	on demand by the Secretary or any police officer, produce his licence for inspection; and
(b)	if so directed or required by the Commissioner of Police, display notices, in such form and manner as the Commissioner of Police may approve, in conspicuous places within his licensed premises, stating in English that no person below the age of 18 years is allowed to buy or consume intoxicating liquors at those premises.

(2) The Commissioner of Police may, in his discretion, waive the requirement under paragraph (1)(b) in the case of any person to whom a temporary licence has been issued.

Licensee to keep premises clean

27. The licensee of a public house, beer house or samsu shop shall keep his premises clean and in good repair, and shall maintain such toilet facilities for the use of his customers as the Board may require.

Disorderly conduct

28. No licensee shall permit any drunkenness, disorderly conduct or gambling in his licensed premises.

Restrictions on sale and consumption of liquor

29.—(1) No licensee shall supply or permit to be supplied in his licensed premises any intoxicating liquor to any drunken person.

(2) No licensee shall permit the consumption in his licensed premises of any intoxicating liquor by any person who is below the age of 18 years.

(3) No person who is below the age of 18 years shall buy or attempt to buy any intoxicating liquor for consumption in any licensed premises.

(4) No person shall buy from any licensed premises intoxicating liquor for consumption in a licensed premises by a person who is below the age of 18 years.

Employment of women in licensed premises

30.—(1) No licensee shall employ or permit to be employed in his licensed premises any waitress —

(a)	who has not attained the age of 17 years; or
(b)	who he knows or has reason to believe is a prostitute or of bad character.

(2) Where the Director of Social Welfare has reasonable cause to believe that any woman employed in any licensed premises is a prostitute or of bad character, he may, by writing under his hand, order the licensee of such premises to terminate her employment within such time as is specified in the order, and the licensee shall comply with the order.

(3) Any licensee who is aggrieved by any such order of the Director of Social Welfare shall have the right of appeal to the Minister for the time being charged with responsibility for social welfare whose decision shall be final.

Penalty

31. Any person who contravenes any of the provisions of these Regulations shall be guilty of an offence and shall be liable on conviction to a fine not exceeding $5,000.

[G.N. Nos. S 266/80; S 277/80; S 48/83; S 268/91; S 232/93; S 373/94; S 239/98; S 222/99; S 547/99; S 419/2000; S 617/2000; S 713/2005; S 122/2008]

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