Frequently Asked Questions on Administrative Changes to N2 and N3 Licences

Removal of need for N3 licence for medical professionals

1.

I am a registered medical doctor/dentist and I only use medical lasers in my clinic/hospitals or other PHMC sites. What am I required to do?

In July 2019, you would have received information that medical doctors/dentists will no longer require N3 licence to use medical lasers in clinics/hospitals. The termination of N3 licences for medical doctors/dentists using medical lasers at PHMC sites have been carried out in Sep 2019. You may contact us at NEA_RPNSD_licence@nea.gov.sg if you did not receive the termination notice for N3 licence.

2.

I am a registered medical doctor/dentistbut I use non-medical lasers, or use medical lasers outside of PHMC sites. What am I required to do?

Only medical doctors/dentists using medical lasers at PHMC sites are exempted from the N3 licence. Registered medical doctors/dentists who are using non-medical lasers, or medical lasers outside of PHMC sites will continue to require a licence to operate these lasers. Under such circumstances, your N3 licence will not be terminated. Please contact us at NEA_RPNSD_licence@nea.gov.sg should you receive a termination notice, so that we can re-instate your licence.

N2 Licence no longer required for industrial ultrasound having power output less than 1200W

1.

What is this change about and how does it affect me?

Following the regulation change on 1 August 2019, only industrial ultrasound apparatus with ultrasonic power output of 1,200W or more will require a N2 licence. Please note that the N2 licence is still required for all medical therapeutic and medical diagnostic ultrasound apparatus.

For existing N2 licensees with licensed industrial ultrasound apparatus below 1,200W, you will not be required to renew the N2 licence for these apparatus after 1 August 2019. You should have also received a notice informing you of the termination of your N2 licence in Aug 2019.

You may contact us at NEA_RPNSD_licence@nea.gov.sg if you did not receive the termination notice or if your N2 licence has been terminated incorrectly.

Additional

Information

a. Examples of industrial ultrasound apparatus includes ultrasonic cleaners, ultrasound imaging (for non-destructive testing purposes), ultrasonic welding machines.
b. Export of industrial ultrasound apparatus with ultrasonic power output of 1,200 W or more will still require the export licence. (Export of industrial ultrasound apparatus with ultrasonic power less than 1,200 W will not require the export licence.)
c.Import of industrial ultrasound apparatus will not be affected. It will still require the import licence as before 1 August 2019.

Changes to N2 licence structure and the licence fees

1.

What is this change about and how does it affect me?

Before 1 August 2019, possession for use of each controlled non-ionising irradiating apparatus requires one N2 licence for each apparatus. Following the regulation change on 1 August 2019, each N2 licence may now be granted for multiple non-ionising radiation controlled irradiating apparatus as long as the apparatuses are under the charge of the same licensee (i.e. same UEN).

In addition, the expiry date in the licence will be removed and will be replaced with the anniversary date. As such, provided the annual recurrent fees are fully paid prior to the anniversary date, the licence will remain valid until the cancellation of the licence by the licensee or by NEA. As there are no expiry date stated in the licence, please note that the licence will NOT be re-issued upon the payment of the annual fee. The licence will only be re-issued whenever the licence is amended e.g. addition or removal of apparatus from the licence.

Following the regulation change, the N2 licence will have a different licensing fee structure:

a. A fee of $155 is required for the application of an N2 licence with 1 apparatus.

b. The same fee will be chargeable for subsequent addition of each apparatus into the N2 licence.

c. The previous renewal fee of $155 has been replaced with an annual recurrent fee of $65 per apparatus that is payable on or before the licence anniversary date.

A summary table of the new fees structure and some scenarios illustrating the new fees calculation is appended below.

Table 1: N2 Licence Fee

Note: Recurrent fees not paid at the anniversary date may result in the licence being cancelled. Re-application of licence will incur a fee of $155 for each apparatus.

Scenario 1

I purchased 10 non-ionising irradiating apparatuses and am required to apply licence for them. What should I do?

Answer: You should use the GoBusiness NEW application for N2 form and add 10 apparatuses into the submission. (As was made know in the earlier version of this FAQs, hard copy submission for N2 application has discountinued on 1 November 2019.)

The total licence fee will be $155 x 10 = $1,550.

Scenario 2

I am already holding a N2 licence containing 10 non-ionising irradiating apparatus approved on 1st September 2019 with an anniversary date of 1st September. When do I need to pay the annual fee?

Answer: You will need to pay for the N2 licence annual fee before 1st September every year. The total annual fee will be $65 (annual fee per irradiating apparatus) x 10 (total number of irradiating apparatus in the same licence) = $650. You should receive an annual fee payment reminder approximately 90 days before anniversary date.

Scenario 3

I am already holding a N2 licence containing 10 non-ionising irradiating apparatus approved on 1st September 2019 with an anniversary date of 1st September. I bought another apparatus on January 2020 and I want to add it into my existing N2 licence. How should I do it?

Answer: You can add the new apparatus into your N2 licence using the GoBusiness AMEND application for N2 form. The licence amendment fee for adding one apparatus will be $155 (application fee per irradiating apparatus) x 1 (number of new irradiating apparatus) = $155. During the next anniversary date, your annual (recurrent) fee to be paid will be $65 more than the previous year.

Scenario 4

My company occupies a huge compound with three buildings. There are a few controlled non-ionising radiation irradiating apparatus in each of the buildings. Can I request for three consolidated N2 licences, so that apparatuses under each building are covered under one consolidated N2 licence?

Answer: To have one consolidated N2 licences for all apparatuses in each building as suggested above is possible. The company will then have three consolidated N2 licences. Note that if the apparatuses need to be moved from one building to another, please remember to get the N2 licence updated for the change in location.

Additional

Information

You will need to pay the N2 licence annual fee including the newly added apparatus on the anniversary date. The anniversary date for the consolidated licence will not change when new apparatus is added into existing consolidated licence (i.e. anniversary date remains at 1st September in this case). The total annual fee will now be $65 (annual fee per irradiating apparatus) x 11 (total number of irradiating apparatus in the same licence) = $715. You should receive an annual fee reminder approximately 90 days before anniversary date.

2.

Will my N2 licence issued before 1 August 2019 be converted to the new N2 licence and what am I required to do?

All non-expired N2 licences that are issued before 1 August 2019 have been converted to the new N2 licence. It will be

• issued as a consolidated N2 licence if you have provided a request for consolidation before the 1 November 2019 (refer to Q4 for information on the consolidation), or

• issued as an N2 licence with only one apparatus if no request for consolidation is received before end September 2019 (This licence will replace the licence issued before 1 Aug 2019)

The licence re-issuance took place from the end of October 2019 until 10 November 2019. In this exercise, all N2 licences issued before 1 August 2019 will be terminated and replaced with the new consolidated N2 licence (consolidated licence will have the anniversary date as determined in Q4, while non-consolidated licences’ anniversary date will be the same as the expiry date in the previous N2 licence.)

Additional Information

If you have not consolidate your N2 licence during this period, and intend to do so now, then it will be treated as addition of irradiating apparatus into your N2 licences. The cost for adding irradiating apparatus into existing N2 licence will cost $155 per irradiating apparatus.

3.

How was the anniversary date calculated for the consolidated licence, and why is the year missing from the anniversary date stated on my licence?

Calculation of anniversary date is done by averaging the expiry dates of all N2 licences to be consolidated and does not take into account the number of apparatus in each licence. As annual fee payment is required for all N2 licences, the year will not be stated on the licence. However, you can still track the next payment due date of your N2 licences via GoBusiness, under the licence end date . As per current practice, you will still be receiving an annual payment notice and annual payment reminder three and two months before the payment due date of your N2 licence.

4.

I am trying to apply for N2 licence but I am unable to select any other licence period other than 1 year. Is this an error?

After 1 August 2019, all N2 licences will only have a licence validity period of 1 year.

5.

How do I add more than one apparatus into my N2 licence?

For new applicants applying through the GoBusiness portal, the online form will allow you to add multiple apparatus into one new licence application.

For existing licensees, you may add your apparatus to your existing N2 licence by applying for N2 licence amendment via the GoBusiness portal. The online form will allow you to add multiple apparatus into one new licence application.

Additional Information

There is no restriction on the type of controlled non-ionising radiation apparatus that can be added to the N2 licence, i.e. laser, ultrasound and MRIs apparatus can be added to the same N2 licence.

6.

What would the new consolidated licence look like?

Please see an example of the licence below.

7.

I am a vendor who would be loaning a controlled irradiating apparatus to clinics/hospitals. Who should hold the N2 licence?

The vendor may hold the N2 licence if the apparatus is on loan to a hospital/clinic and it is not possible for the hospital/clinic to hold the licence. However, the hospital/clinic should hold the N2 licence of the loaned apparatus if they in-charge of it.

Do note that licence holder holds several responsibilities such as

1. The protection for public where the licensee shall do all that is reasonable to restrict the members of the public to radiation,

2. The submission of report of radiation accidents in which the licensees is required to make and

3. Investigation when there is reasonable cause to believe that a radiation incident has occurred, and

4. Complying to other conditions as may be stated in the licence.

You may refer to the Part V (reg. 16 – 20A) of the attached Radiation Protection (Non-Ionising Radiation) Regulations for more details.

In view of the above, the vendor is not encouraged to be the licence holder for apparatus to be used at hospitals/clinics because unlike the hospitals/clinics, vendors may not have the resources to deal with the above responsibilities.

8.

How do I pay for my licence fee?

You may submit your N2 application via the GoBusiness portal (https://www.gobusiness.gov.sg/licences) using e-Payment methods such as VISA, MasterCard, American Express and GIRO.

9.

Can I apply or renew the N2 licence via hardcopy submission?

Hardcopy submission are no longer accepted. All licences related application need to be applied through the GoBusiness portal.

10.

What do I do if I have paid for some of the licences that were being consolidated?

The renewal applications for those licences cannot be processed as the licences have been terminated and consolidated into the new consolidated licence as per the received consolidation request. The renewal applications for those licences will be refunded. Hence, please submit the renewal application for the consolidated licence (depending on the anniversary date) and to withdraw the previous renewal applications.

11.

What do I do if I can’t see my existing licences on the GoBusiness portal?

Please contact us at NEA_RPNSD_licence@nea.gov.sg regarding this issue.

12.

Where can I find the updated Radiation Protection (Non-Ionising Radiation) Regulations?

It can be downloaded at this link: https://www.nea.gov.sg/our-services/radiation-safety/regulatory/non-ionising-radiation