Food Safety Records in Singapore: Laws, SFA Licence and SAFE Grades

Singapore food safety records explained: the law, SFA licence, SAFE grades, the records inspectors ask for, common lapses and how digital records help.

2026-10-31 · Chef Hygiene

Do food businesses in Singapore need food safety records? Every food business in Singapore needs a licence from the Singapore Food Agency (SFA), and SFA can inspect it. The law does not set one list of daily records for every restaurant. But caterers must have a food safety management system (FSMS) with proper records, and SFA grades every licensed place (A, B, C or NEW) from its track record, in public. This page explains the Singapore rules, what SFA looks for, where businesses lose marks, and how digital records help.

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Every fact below comes from an official source, linked in the text and at the end. Where the law sets no number and a number comes from SFA advice, we say so. Singapore is moving to a new law, the Food Safety and Security Act 2025, and only parts of it are in force. Check SFA for the latest.

The law: what every Singapore food business must do
Who inspects you, and how often
The SAFE grade and the demerit points
The records inspectors ask for
Where businesses go wrong
By type of business
Why digital records help in Singapore
How Chef Hygiene helps
A fair price, on purpose
Less paper
FAQ
Official sources

1. The law: what every Singapore food business must do

The main laws. The Environmental Public Health Act 1987, the Environmental Public Health (Food Hygiene) Regulations, and the Sale of Food Act. The Food Safety and Security Act 2025 will replace them in stages. When we last checked, only some parts were in force (Food Hygiene Regulations, Environmental Public Health Act, Food Safety and Security Act 2025).
A licence from SFA. Running a food establishment needs an SFA licence (Environmental Public Health Act, section 32). The licence must be shown where customers can see it. A new licensee, a new address or a new company (UEN) generally needs a new licence (SFA: SAFE framework).
Register your food handlers. The licensee must register every food handler with SFA, at or before the licence application.
A food safety management system for caterers. SFA requires caterers, and businesses that provide catering as an extra service, to have an FSMS. It does not have to be certified. SFA asks for proper records of hazards, control measures, critical limits, monitoring and corrective actions. We could not confirm that the same FSMS duty applies to ordinary restaurants or shops. Ask SFA if you are unsure (SFA: FSMS).
Temperatures: law. The Regulations set a few numbers:
Chilled fresh meat, thawed meat and fish to be eaten raw: 0 to 4°C.
Dairy and other products labelled to keep chilled: 7°C or colder.
Frozen meat: -12°C or colder. Ice cream: -2°C or colder.
Frozen meat is thawed in a chiller at 0 to 4°C, labelled, used within 3 days and never refrozen.
Every chiller and freezer needs a working thermometer.
Temperatures: SFA advice, not law. Cook to at least 75°C for 2 minutes in the centre. Keep hot food above 60°C. Chill hot food to below 5°C within 4 hours. Reheat only once, to at least 75°C for 2 minutes. Keep cooked food in the fridge at 4°C or colder (SFA: temperature control).
The 4-hour rule for caterers. Caterers must not sell food kept between 5°C and 60°C for more than 4 hours in total. Catered food must be labelled "FOOD READY-TO-EAT ON ... CONSUME BY ..." (regulations 13A and 13B). SFA advises all businesses to follow the 4-hour limit.
Staff training. Every food handler must pass the Food Safety Course Level 1. The first refresher is due within 5 years, then every 10 years. A handler whose course has lapsed may not handle food. A Food Hygiene Officer (Food Safety Course Level 3) is needed only if SFA directs it (SFA: requirements for food handlers).
Staff who are ill. SFA no longer requires typhoid vaccination or tuberculosis screening, and advises sick staff to stay home.
Kitchen hood and flue. They must be kept clean and in good working order (regulation 22). SFA may ask for the maintenance records.
Allergens. For prepacked food, the label must name cereals containing gluten, crustaceans, eggs, fish, peanuts and soybeans, milk, tree nuts, and sulphites at 10 mg/kg or more. We found no legal duty for restaurants to show allergens on loose food.

2. Who inspects you, and how often

SFA. The Singapore Food Agency licenses and inspects every food establishment.
How often. We could not confirm an official fixed visit schedule, so we do not give one.
What can happen. SFA gives demerit points for lapses (next section). It can suspend or cancel a licence.
Fines. Instead of going to court, SFA can offer a composition fine of $200, $300 or $400. In court, a breach of the Food Hygiene Regulations can bring a fine of up to $2,000, plus up to $100 a day while it continues. Running a food business without a licence can bring a fine of up to $10,000. A repeat offence can bring up to $20,000 and/or 3 months in prison (Environmental Public Health Act, section 41A; Food Hygiene Regulations, regulation 33).

3. The SAFE grade and the demerit points

The SAFE grade. Since 19 January 2026, SFA's SAFE framework gives each licensed place a grade from its track record, not from one inspection:
A: more than 3 years without a major lapse.
B: 1 to 3 years without a major lapse.
C: after a major lapse, such as a court conviction or a suspension.
NEW: less than 1 year.
A new licence starts again. A change of licensee, address or company usually means a new licence and a grade of NEW. SFA may make exceptions case by case.
It is public. Anyone can look up a grade on SFA Track Records. The grade can also be reached by scanning the QR code on the licence.
Two categories. Category 1 is places with significant food preparation, such as caterers, central kitchens and restaurants with kitchens of 16 m² or more. Category 2 includes takeaways, supermarkets, bakeries, cloud kitchens and stalls in coffeeshops, hawker centres and food courts. Category 1 places can use an optional fast route to Grade A. Category 2 places are graded on track record only.
Demerit points. Under the Points Demerit System, lapses are minor (0 points), major (4) or serious (6). Pests, or a food handler not registered with SFA, are examples of serious lapses.
12 points in 12 months. This brings a suspension. For a restaurant or stall it is 2 weeks the first time and 4 weeks the second time. After that the licence is cancelled. A suspension leads to Grade C (SFA: Points Demerit System).

4. The records inspectors ask for

Singapore law does not give one list of daily records for every kitchen. What it does say:

The register. The Regulations require a register in the form the Director-General of SFA decides (regulation 32).
Where your food comes from. Show source-of-supply documents when SFA asks (regulation 17).
Toilet cleaning record. Keep one if SFA directs it (regulation 30).
FSMS records for caterers. Hazards, control measures, critical limits, monitoring and corrective actions. SFA offers record templates.
Training and registration. Proof that every food handler has passed the course and is registered with SFA.
Kitchen hood and flue maintenance. SFA may ask for these records.

Temperature, cleaning and pest records. SFA guidance supports these, but we did not find each one written as a legal duty for an ordinary restaurant.

How long to keep them. We found no general period in the law. Keep records as long as SFA or your own plan asks.

Digital or paper. There is no government records app. We found no rule that records must be on paper. Ask SFA if you are unsure.

5. Where businesses go wrong

SFA's points system shows what matters most. Common problems are easy to picture:

Unregistered food handlers. This is a serious lapse worth 6 points.
Pests. Also a serious lapse.
Lapsed courses. A handler whose refresher is overdue may not handle food.
Gaps in records. Days with no checks written down, in a caterer's FSMS.
No action recorded. A fridge reading above 4°C or 7°C with nothing written about what was done.
Lost or damaged pages. Paper gets wet, greasy or thrown away.
Dirty hood and flue. The Regulations require them to be kept clean and working.
Operating without a licence. This can bring a fine of up to $10,000.

6. By type of business

All food establishments need an SFA licence. The records you keep depend on what you do.

Restaurant: daily temperature checks, cooking and hot-holding checks, cooling, deliveries, cleaning. Restaurants with kitchens of 16 m² or more are Category 1.
Takeaway: the same as a restaurant. Takeaways are Category 2.
Café: fridges and displays, cleaning, and food handler courses. Label food packed for sale.
Bakery / cake shop: Category 2. Display temperatures for cream cakes, and labels with the allergens named in the rules for prepacked food.
Dessert shop: fridge and freezer temperatures (ice cream at -2°C or colder) and allergen labels for what you pack.
Pub / bar / club: the same records as a restaurant for the food you serve.
Community hall / venue: we could not confirm a separate rule for halls. If you sell food, you need the licence. Keep temperature and cleaning records for each event.
Corner shop / grocery: supermarkets are Category 2. Fridge and freezer checks, delivery checks, and labels for food you pack yourself.
School / nursery kitchen: SFA names canteens as an example of where it can direct a Food Hygiene Officer. Keep temperature, cleaning and allergen records.
Caterer / food van: caterers are Category 1 and must have an FSMS. Time-stamp catered food ("consume by") and follow the 4-hour rule. We could not confirm a separate rule for vans. Ask SFA.
Home kitchen business: we could not confirm SFA's rules for home kitchens, so we give none. Ask SFA before you start.

7. Why digital records help in Singapore

No gaps go unnoticed. A missed check shows up the same day, not at the next inspection.
Problems come with their fix. When a reading is out of range, the record can ask what you did about it.
Nothing is lost. No wet, greasy or missing pages.
Staff training in one place. You can show every handler's course and registration at once.
Ready for SFA. You can show everything at once, instead of looking for folders. A clean record supports a good track record, which is what the SAFE grade is built on.
Every staff member can take part. Staff can record checks on a phone or tablet, in their own language.

8. How Chef Hygiene helps

Chef Hygiene follows the Singapore rules and SFA advice, and tells you which is which. It keeps your daily records; it does not license you, and it is not approved by SFA or any Singapore authority. What it does:

Daily checks for fridges, freezers, cooking, hot holding, cooling, cleaning and deliveries, with the time, the staff member's name and photos. Saved records cannot be changed; corrections are added as new records.
Your country's rules built in, such as the legal temperature limits and SFA's advice.
Food safety plan ("safe methods"). About 20 minutes: answer questions, check each method, sign it, set a review date and print it. Earlier versions are kept.
Ready for inspection? Checks your last 4 weeks of records the way an inspector would and shows how many are ready.
Inspector's visits log. Write down each visit: date, type and officer.
Practice inspection. A free walk round of about 10 minutes, with questions for your type of business and a "Put it right" list, showing a likely result in Singapore's own SAFE scheme.
Allergen chart and labels. Every dish against the allergens, a staff view on the kitchen tablet, and labels for food you pack.
Staff training records.
Inspector pack. Print all your records as one pack, or share them by secure link.
40 languages. Singapore has four official languages: English, Malay, Mandarin (Chinese) and Tamil. Staff can use the app in their own language.

9. A fair price, on purpose

Chef Hygiene costs about €2.99 a month per site (about €1.99 for bakeries, dessert shops and corner shops), shown in Singapore dollars in your app store; unlimited staff, no contract, 14-day free trial.

We keep the price low on purpose. We want as many food businesses as possible, from a single stall to a busy restaurant, to keep good records and pass inspections.

10. Less paper

A paper diary means printed sheets every day. One daily sheet per kitchen is 365 sheets a year, before you count delivery forms, cleaning rotas and training records. Digital records mean no record books to buy and fewer printed forms to throw away, and nothing to store in a back office.

11. FAQ

Do I legally need food safety records in Singapore?

Caterers must have an FSMS with proper records. For other food businesses we found no single legal list of daily records, but SFA inspects and grades every licensed place.

Who inspects restaurants in Singapore?

The Singapore Food Agency (SFA), which also issues the licence.

Do I need a licence?

Yes. Running a food establishment needs an SFA licence (Environmental Public Health Act, section 32). Without one, a fine of up to $10,000 is possible.

What are the SAFE grades?

A (more than 3 years without a major lapse), B (1 to 3 years), C (after a major lapse) and NEW (less than 1 year).

Is the grade public?

Yes. Anyone can look it up on SFA Track Records.

Is the grade based on one inspection?

No. It is based on your track record.

What happens if I change my company or address?

That generally needs a new licence, and the grade starts again at NEW. SFA may make exceptions case by case.

What are demerit points?

Lapses are minor (0), major (4) or serious (6). 12 points in 12 months bring a suspension.

How long is a suspension?

For a restaurant or stall, 2 weeks the first time and 4 weeks the second. After that the licence is cancelled.

Do I need an FSMS?

Caterers, and businesses that provide catering as an extra service, do. It need not be certified. We could not confirm it for ordinary restaurants.

What temperature must my fridge be?

The law sets 0 to 4°C for chilled fresh meat, thawed meat and fish to be eaten raw, and 7°C or colder for dairy and products labelled to keep chilled. SFA advises 4°C or colder for cooked food.

What temperature must my freezer be?

The law sets -12°C or colder for frozen meat and -2°C or colder for ice cream.

What temperature should I cook food to?

SFA advice: at least 75°C for 2 minutes in the centre.

How should I keep hot food?

SFA advice: above 60°C. Chill hot food to below 5°C within 4 hours. Reheat only once, to at least 75°C for 2 minutes.

Do my staff need a certificate?

Yes. Every food handler must pass the Food Safety Course Level 1 and be registered with SFA by the licensee. The first refresher is due within 5 years, then every 10 years.

Do I need a Food Hygiene Officer?

Only if SFA directs it. This role needs Food Safety Course Level 3.

What allergen information do I need?

Prepacked food must name the allergens in the rules, including sulphites at 10 mg/kg or more. We found no legal duty for restaurants on loose food.

How long must I keep records?

We found no general period in the law. Keep them as long as SFA or your plan asks.

Are digital records accepted?

We found no rule that records must be on paper, and no government records app. Ask SFA if you are unsure.

How much does Chef Hygiene cost in Singapore?

About €2.99 a month per site (about €1.99 for bakeries, dessert shops and corner shops), shown in Singapore dollars in your app store; unlimited staff, no contract, 14-day free trial.

12. Official sources

Chef Hygiene keeps your Singapore food safety records ready for every inspection: