Additional Licensing Information

Through the GoBusiness Singapore Portal, you will be able to:

• View basic licence information of all radiation licences tied to your UEN or individual identification number that you logged in with such as licence status, number, expiry/anniversary date and start date
• Submit applications for new licences and applications to amend, renew and cancel existing licences
• View your licence application status which is usually updated once a day on every working day

You will not be able to:

• View or download the licence PDF which would have been sent via email when the licence was issued
• View licence details such as irradiating apparatus or radioactive material details

If you are unable to find any of your licences when you log into the GoBusiness Portal, please check that you have logged into GoBusiness Singapore and not GoBusiness Licensing. Please also check that the Singpass is tied to the UEN/individual identification number that the licence was registered under. If you are still unable to find your licence, please contact NEA for assistance.

For N1 and N3 licence holders, please do not submit a new application in place of a renewal if you have a licence that is eligible for renewal but are unable to find your licence on the GoBusiness Singapore Portal. Please contact us for assistance. 

The following is a non-exhaustive list of controlled irradiating apparatus and radioactive materials. Should you possess any of the following apparatus or materials, you will have to apply for the relevant radiation licence(s) from NEA.

Note:
Under Regulation 3(3) of the Radiation Protection (Ionising Radiation) Regulations, an educational institution which has in its possession or under its control any radioactive substance, being a sealed source, not exceeding 100 times the activity or activity concentration prescribed in the First Schedule of the Regulations with respect to that particular radioactive substance is exempted from possession, use and transport under the Radiation Protection Act and its subsidiary legislation only in relation to that radioactive substance if —

(a) the radioactive substance is used or to be used solely for demonstration, teaching or research purposes in the educational institution;
(b) the radioactive substance is under the control of a competent employee or staff designated by the principal in the case of a primary or secondary school, or by the head of the relevant department, in the case of any other educational institution, to take full responsibility for the safe and secure storage and use of such radioactive substance and for the compliance with the relevant provisions of these Regulations relating to a sealed source; and
(c) the complete details of the radioactive substance have been submitted to the Director-General.

Also, under Regulation 3(4) of the Radiation Protection (Ionising Radiation) Regulations, any person who has in the person’s possession or under the person’s control not more than 3 sealed sources for the sole purpose of checking or calibrating a particular radiation survey or monitoring instrument, and each of which contains any radioactive substance not exceeding 175 kBq, is exempted from possession, use and transport of the Radiation Protection Act and its subsidiary legislation only in relation to that radioactive substance and subject to all the following conditions:

(a) the complete details of the radioactive substance have been submitted to the Director-General
(b) that person must ensure compliance with the provisions of these Regulations relating to a sealed source; and
(c) that person must ensure the safe and secure storage and use of the radioactive substance.

For the exempted radioactive substances under Regulation 3(3) and 3(4), you are required to submit a notification via NEA ePortal > Radiation Safety > Submission of Notification (Exempted Radioactive Substance) to inform NEA on the details of the radioactive substances exempted from licensing for possession, use and transport. Submission on ePortal will be at no charge, and information required in the submission includes, but not limited to:

(a) Purpose of use
(b) Details of the radioactive substance including apparatus or source serial and model numbers (if any), type of radionuclide, physical form and its activity;
(c) Storage location;
(d) Photographs;
(e) Brochures or technical specifications;
(f) Storage and disposal plans; and
(g) Information of teacher designated to be responsible for safe storage and use of source (if applicable)

The following is a non-exhaustive list of offences and its maximum penalty under the Radiation Protection Act and its subsidiary legislation.

For the purpose of demonstration, workshops or trials, the apparatus must be authorised under a possession licence (IR2 or N2) if the apparatus is to be energised. There is no restriction that the licence holder would have to be either the client or the vendor. However, the licensee should note any licensing conditions that may be imposed (e.g. vendor representative may be required to be present for use of the apparatus).

As licence holders are directly responsible for the apparatus under their licence, the responsibility would be on the licensee to amend the storage location should they wish to relocate the apparatus. For relocation from one storage location back to a previously used storage location again, licensees should include a note in the amendment application stating that location has been used before to store the apparatus and provide details such as last inspection date (if available). If the storage location that it is being moved to was once inspected before, additional inspection might not be necessary to facilitate the amendment.

In cases where the apparatus owned by a vendor is intended to be moved to various customers’ premises for short term use (e.g. cases where apparatus is used for trial, demonstration, training purposes, etc.), having the vendor as the licence holder could be more convenient in terms of licence-related work. For each move, the vendor would be able to apply for licence amendment; as opposed to each customer applying for a new licence each time.

If the apparatus would not be energised, the apparatus can be authorised under either a dealer licence (IR1 or N1) or possession licence (IR2 or N2).   

For apparatus that can only be operated by licensed users, the relevant licences or registrations must be obtained. [Note: Only qualified medical professionals and radiographers can be licensed to use irradiating apparatus on living, human subjects.]

Please note that demonstrations, exhibitions and workshops are generally not considered ‘emergency cases’ as they are expected to have been planned in advance. Hence, last minute submission of licence application, resulting in the possibility that licence(s) would not be obtained on time before the demonstration/exhibition/workshop would generally not be considered eligible for expedition of application.

The Health Sciences Authority (HSA) regulates medical devices in Singapore under the Health Products Act (HPA) and its Health Products (Medical Devices) Regulations. HSA evaluates the registration of medical devices based on:

• Risk classification
• Number of prior approvals given by their overseas reference regulatory agencies
• Duration of safe marketing history 

Applicants intending to import, possess for sale or deal in radiation-emitting medical apparatus should check with the Medical Device Branch (MDB) under HSA to ensure that the apparatus is registered and listed on the Singapore Medical Device Register (SMDR), or authorised by HSA via the Special Access Routes (SAR) approval, when submitting an application. For more information, please refer to the MDB/HSA website.

For radiation-emitting medical apparatus, the following documents have to be provided:

• Regulatory approval from at least one of the 5 reference agencies (US Food and Drug Administration, Health Canada, Australian Therapeutic Goods Administration, Japan Ministry of Health, CE marking) (for non-ionising radiation irradiating medical apparatus such as lasers and ultrasounds)
• Product registration approval and/or acknowledgment email from the Medical Device Branch of the Health Sciences Authority (MDB-HSA)
• Other types of MDB-HSA special authorization or acknowledgement

NEA officers will contact licence applicants if a pre-licensing inspection is required to evaluate an application. The officer will arrange the date and time of inspection and inform the contact person of any other requirements. A licensee authorised to use the irradiating apparatus or radioactive material and/or a person authorised to represent the applicant organisation should typically be present for the inspection. All NEA officers doing on-site inspection will carry the NEA staff pass and authority card which allows them to exercise the power and the duties as stated in the Radiation Protection Act and its Regulations.

For N3 licences and R1 certificate holders:
As the user licences and registrations are tied to the applicant's identification number, the change in employer will not affect the validity of your user licence or registration. However, N3 licence or R1 certificate holders are to note that the licence or certificate must authorise you to use the irradiating apparatus or carry out the type of radiation work as required for work under your new employer. For N3 licence holders, you should submit a licence amendment application to update your licence to reflect the purpose of use. For R1 certificate holders, you should submit a licence amendment application to update your certificate to reflect the type of radiation work you are engaged in.

All other licences: 
Generally, licences tied to UEN cannot be transferred from one organisation to another. When possession of licensed irradiating apparatus or radioactive materials is transferred from one organisation to another, the first organisation should apply for the licence to be cancelled and the new organisation should apply for a new licence under its UEN.

Exceptions may be made for cases where there is a change of UEN arising from amalgamation or mergers or other processes where the former entity is legally recognised as becoming the new entity. Documentary proof (e.g. ACRA documents) must be provided. Please contact NEA via NEA’s online feedback form or myENV app to check if a licence is eligible for transfer 

Medical examination is required when applying for a new N3 licence or R1 certificate, or when re-applying for a lapsed N3 licence or R1 certificate. The medical certificate form may be found on NEA ePortal: Miscellaneous Forms.

• For R1 registration, please bring the Medical Certificate Form for R1 Applications (MC-1) to a local medical clinic to arrange for a blood test. The doctor should complete the form.
• For N3 user licence, please bring the Medical Certificate Form for N3 Applications (MC-2) to an eye clinic and complete the medical eye examination. The ophthalmologist will complete the form before returning it to you.

Please upload the completed and endorsed medical certificate form as a supporting document in your online application on GoBusiness Singapore Portal. You are advised to keep a copy of the medical certificate form for your own reference. No other forms of documentation or certification will be accepted in place of the MC-1 or MC-2 form unless otherwise informed by NEA.

Please note that: 

• R1 certificate holders engaging in non-destructive test (NDT) radiation work (also known as “industrial radiography”) using Cobalt-60, Iridium-192 or Selenium-75 will need to complete the MC-1 form annually and submit it to NEA via email to NEA_RPNSD_Licence@nea.gov.sg. This annual examination is generally not compulsory for workers who are not in the NDT industry.
• Licensees with an expired user licence will be required to submit a newly completed medical certificate form when submitting a new application if the medical certificate form was completed more than 12 months ago.

Some N3 and R1 applicants may be required to pass the qualifying tests administered by NEA. A notification letter informing applicants of the test date, time, venue, as well as the webpage link to the study materials will be sent to the applicants upon the processing of the submitted licence application. Study materials may also be found at the following website: http://www.nea.gov.sg/our-services/radiation-safety/radiation-protection-services

Note: Study materials provided are only meant as a study guide and are not representative of questions that may be tested.

A maximum of 2 test attempts is allowed for the qualifying test, which upon failing both, the licence application will be rejected. There will be no refund of the licence fee for rejected applications.

For existing N3 licence and R1 certificate holders who have changed their individual identification number (e.g. changing UIN from FIN to NRIC, etc.), and/or are unable to log in to the GoBusiness Singapore Portal using the Singpass linked to their former identification number, please contact NEA to request for the amendment. Please note that there will be a fee of $25 per licence amendment application chargeable for the change of UIN. Upon application approval and payment collected, individual will receive a copy of their amended eLicence via email to the customer profile contact person.

Applicants who would like to learn about radiation safety may do so via the following courses offered by Ngee Ann Polytechnic and Republic Polytechnic. The courses most relevant to the various applicants are as follows:

Please note that completion of the courses are not mandatory. Applicants for N3 user licence or R1 registration who are required to attend and pass the qualifying test will have a maximum of two attempts at the qualifying test, and failure to pass the test on the second consecutive attempt will result in rejection of the user application. In such cases, we will advise the applicant to attend the radiation safety courses to improve their knowledge in radiation safety. Please also note that completion of the course does not necessarily exempt applicants from having to pass the licence qualifying test administered by NEA.

For more details of the courses, please refer to the respective websites of Ngee Ann Polytechnic and Republic Polytechnic.

Ionising irradiating apparatus
For the decommissioning and disposal of irradiating apparatus, we recommend that the original vendors, manufacturers or any other vendors dealing with similar apparatus be engaged to provide this service as they generally have the necessary expertise to carry out the task safely. The engaged vendor/contractor should provide a formal document indicating that the irradiating apparatus has been decommissioned, disposed, repatriated, exported or transferred before the item can be removed from the IR1 or IR2 licences. The serial numbers of the apparatus should be clearly reflected in the document. 

Note: Some parts of the X-ray machine contain toxic materials, such as Beryllium and Lead-glass in the X-ray tube. Such components should be collected by licensed Toxic Industrial Waste collectors for proper disposal. Other components that do not contain toxic materials can be disposed as industrial waste and/or be recycled.

For more information on Toxic Industrial Waste, you may visit the following links:

1. https://www.nea.gov.sg/our-services/pollution-control/hazardous-waste/toxic-waste-control/
2. https://www.nea.gov.sg/docs/default-source/our-services/pollution-control/hazardous-waste/list-of-tiw-collectors-(30-oct-23).pdf
   

Radioactive materials (including those as part of an apparatus)
Radioactive materials cannot be disposed of in Singapore except with prior approval from NEA, in writing, authorising the disposal. There is currently no radioactive waste disposal site in Singapore and approval is generally not granted for disposal of radioactive waste (other than waste containing short-lived isotopes that have decayed below control levels).

Licensees should work with the vendors and manufacturers to repatriate disused radioactive sources or send the sources for recycling or reusing. The engaged vendor/contractor should provide a formal document indicating that the radioactive materials have been repatriated, exported or transferred before the item can be removed from the IR1 or IR2 licence. The serial numbers of the apparatus should be clearly reflected in the document. 

Non-ionising irradiating apparatus
Licensees are advised to approach their apparatus vendor/supplier for the disposal of controlled non-ionising irradiating apparatus. Licensees may also choose to approach any E-waste disposal or recycling companies for such disposals. Disposal certificates/invoices with details of the apparatus (apparatus make, model, serial number, etc.) are to be submitted along with the N1 or N2 licence cancellation application.

A list of E-waste companies can be found on: https://www.nea.gov.sg/docs/default-source/our-services/waste-management/20211026_list-of-licensed-gwdfs.xlsx

Business entities can authorise a third party in Corppass to transact on their behalf in the GoBusiness Singapore Portal. The third party would be able to submit applications, make payment and view the applications on the entity’s behalf. For more information, please visit the “Help Topics” on the GoBusiness Singapore Portal: 9. 3rd Party using CorpPass. 

Individuals must submit their applications using their own Singpass. 

Prospective IR1 applicants should note that IR1 licence holders must ensure that their customer, to whom an irradiating apparatus or radioactive materials are supplied to, either:

(a) has a licence to possess the irradiating apparatus or radioactive materials; or
(b) submits an application for a licence to possess the irradiating apparatus or radioactive materials prior to receipt of the apparatus or materials, and subsequently, obtains a licence authorising possession of the apparatus or materials.

Dealers should also note that separate import or export licences (e.g. IR4A/B and IR5A/B licences) are required for the import or export of each consignment of irradiating apparatus or radioactive materials. For more information on import and export of ionising irradiating apparatus, please refer to Information on Licence to Import or Export Irradiating Apparatus or Radioactive Materials.

For supplying of radioactive materials from overseas, dealers must, where applicable, have an arrangement with the overseas supplier to accept the return of disused sources. Dealers are advised to ensure that the overseas supplier has authorisation from its local authorities to accept the returned sources. 

In addition, IR1 licensees are to designate suitably Qualified Persons (QPs) to carry out necessary tasks and actions to fulfil the responsibility of the licensee for radiation protection and safety (refer to S/n 18 for information on QP and Radiation Safety Officer (RSO)).

Prospective IR2 applicants should note that a valid licence is required to keep, possess for use (other than sale) or use ionising irradiating apparatus or radioactive materials. They are not allowed to energise the apparatus or use the radioactive materials until the IR2 licence has been granted. Also, IR2 licensees are to designate suitable QPs to carry out necessary tasks and actions to fulfil the responsibility of licensee for radiation protection and safety (refer to S/n 18 for information on QP and RSO).

Separately, IR2 licensees are to maintain an inventory list of irradiating apparatus and radioactive materials, and ensure that it is kept up to date. Should there be a need to remove the item from the licence, IR2 licensees are to submit a licence amendment application for the removal of the item together with the supporting documents mentioned under the Section: “Information on Amendment, Annual Fee Payment, Renewal and Cancellation of Licences” on our website at Guidelines for Licence Application and Annual Payment.

Security requirements
IR2 applicants/licensees are required to implement security measures that are in line with guidelines set out by RPNSG. RPNSG may also impose specific requirements on licensees to enhance the security of radioactive materials in storage, use or transport. Prospective licensees may contact RPNSG for more information regarding the security requirements. 

IR3 licence applicants must submit a Transport Emergency Response Plan (TERP) covering, but not limited to:

(a) Routes of transportation
(b) Information on radioactive materials to be transported
(c) Product material safety data sheet
(d) Scanned copy of the driver’s Hazardous Materials Transport Driver Permit (HTDP) issued by SCDF
(e) Details of packaging
(f) Photos of vehicles to be used in the transportation
(g) Emergency response procedures

Security requirements
IR3 applicants or licensees are required to implement security measures that are in line with guidelines set out by RPNSG. RPNSG may also impose specific requirements on licensees to enhance the security of radioactive materials in transport.  

Under the Radiation Protection (Ionising Radiation) Regulations, radiation workers refer to any individual who is engaged in or is employed for part or whole of the individual’s working time to do radiation work, and radiation work refers to work which –

(a) involves the handling of any radioactive substance; or
(b) involves the operation of any ionising irradiating apparatus.

Individuals intending to be involved in radiation work must be registered as a radiation worker unless the individual:

(a) is a registered or enrolled student of an educational institution who, in the course of the individual’s studies, conducts any activity involving the handling or use of ionising irradiating apparatus or radioactive materials under the direct supervision of a registered radiation worker authorised to conduct such activity;
(b) or has been exempted by NEA from registration as a radiation worker

The following list shows common types of radiation work and the specific qualifications and/or conditions for registration. For other types of radiation work, please contact RPNSG for more information.

Qualified Person (QP) requirements
IR1 or IR2 licensees must designate suitable QPs to carry out necessary tasks and actions to fulfil the responsibility of the licensee for radiation protection and safety. The responsibility of the QP designated by the licensee (i.e. organisation) is to carry out actions and tasks, including establishing and implementing technical and organisational measures, that are necessary for ensuring protection and safety, and for compliance with all applicable requirements of the Radiation Protection (Ionising Radiation) Regulations 2023, as delegated by the licensee. Every licensee must document the names and responsibilities of persons designated and such documentation must be kept up to date and made available for inspection at any time by the NEA. The requirements for qualifications and credentials will be similar to that of the former L5 and L6 until requirements are reviewed and revised. NEA will engage existing licensees separately on implementation of any changes arising from revised requirements. IR1 and IR2 licensees are also required to list out the QPs in their licence.

The qualified person may or may not need to be registered as radiation workers. For example, a diagnostic radiologist may be the QP and if that diagnostic radiologist is not involved in radiation work (e.g. does not operate x-ray equipment), that individual need not be registered as R1. However, if the radiologist does operate x-ray equipment, then they will have to be registered as an R1.

Radiation Safety Officer (RSO) requirements
Qualification and credentialling of Radiation Safety Officers appointed under the regulations are assessed on a case-by-case basis. Licensees are to submit to NEA the relevant supporting documents (e.g. qualification certificate, etc.), for our assessment.

Applicants applying for new IR1 or IR2 licences are to submit a RPP as part of their application, if required by NEA. The objective of the RPP is to fulfil the management’s responsibility for radiation protection and safety through the adoption of management structures, policies, procedures and organisational arrangements that are commensurate with the nature and extent of the risks. The RPP should document down the safety measures and features that your organisation has in place to protect employees and restrict access to supervised and controlled areas. The scope of the RPP should cover, but not limited to, the following:

(a) Assignment of responsibilities
(b) Functions of qualified personnel
(c) Classification of supervised and controlled areas
(d) Safety measures (local rules, radiation monitoring, etc.)
(e) Accounting of sources/apparatus
(f) Training programme for new and existing workers
(g) Actions to be taken in the event of an emergency

If you intend to accumulate or transport radioactive waste, please contact NEA via NEA’s online feedback form or myENV app with information on the waste to be accumulated or transported for further advice.  

The classification of non-ionising irradiating apparatus is as shown below. 

Below are several important points to take note before submitting your licence applications.

Dealers should note that microwave ovens for local sale will need to comply with provisions listed in the Radiation Protection (Non-Ionising Radiation) Regulations

Exemption of licensing requirements for medical and dentistry professionals
Medical and dentistry professionals registered with the Singapore Medical Council and the Singapore Dental Council do not require N3 licences for the use of medical lasers in healthcare institutions (as defined in the Private Hospitals and Medical Clinics Act), if they have obtained the consent of both of the following persons to use a medical laser at a healthcare institution:

1. The individual in charge of that healthcare institution
2. The licensee of the N2 licence granted in respect of that medical laser

The N3 laser user licence will no longer require the N1/N2 licence number to be listed in the N3 licence. Instead, the N3 licence will contain a new “purpose of use” field. The N3 licence holder is allowed to carry out laser work for the purpose(s) stated in the “purpose of use” field.

If an existing N3 licence holder requires to work on a new apparatus not listed in their licence, they may continue to carry out laser work provided that the new apparatus share the same “purpose of use” with any apparatus stated in their existing N3 licence.

An existing N3 licence holder will be required to submit an N3 licence amendment application if the new apparatus is not stated in their existing N3 licence and do not share the same “purpose of use” with any apparatus stated in their existing N3 licence.

Existing N3 licence holder will only receive the new N3 licence PDF containing the “purpose of use” upon the approval of amendment or renewal application after 20 Feb 2023. 

A licence is required for the import or export of a consignment of irradiating apparatus or radioactive materials. The different licence types and their respective application fees are as shown below.

The licence should be applied through Singapore Customs’ TradeNet system. This is usually done by Declaring Agents (DAs) which handle the Customs permit declaration of cargoes moving in and out of Singapore. The importers/exporters should ensure that their dealer licences are valid and have been updated to include the irradiating apparatus/radioactive materials, and that they have obtained the relevant possession licence if the apparatus is to be used at their premises.

DAs are to use the appropriate HS Code when declaring the import or export of controlled irradiating apparatus and radioactive sources. Permit applications with inappropriate HS Code declared will be rejected.

For more information on import and export of ionising irradiating apparatus and HS Codes, please refer to Information on Licences to Import or Export Irradiating Apparatus and Radioactive Materials and Application for Licence to Import and Export Irradiating Apparatus and Radioactive Materials. 

When completing permit applications involving radioactive materials on Singapore Customs’ TradeNet Portal, Declaring Agents (DAs) are required to declare the category of the radioactive source (based on the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) Safety Guide for Categorisation of Radioactive Sources) to be imported or exported.

Depending on the categorisation of the radioactive source, DAs will be required to declare either “1”, “2” or “OTHERS” in the CA/SC Code 1 field, and the declaration must be done for every radioactive source declared in the permit. Permit applications with invalid inputs to the CA/SC Code 1 field will be rejected. Please refer to the table below for the input to be declared in the CA/SC Code 1 field for the respective categories..

For more information regarding IAEA categorisation of radioactive sources, please refer to the IAEA Safety Guide for Categorisation of Radioactive Sources, which can be found at IAEA’s website.

If you are unsure of the category of the radioactive source you are intending to import or export, please contact NEA via NEA’s online feedback form or myENV app for clarification.

Transit and transhipment of sea cargo (radioactive material, excluding nuclear materials
For transit and transhipment of sea cargoes containing radioactive materials (excluding nuclear materials), the shipping agent is required to obtain approval from RPNSG. The NEA application forms for transit and transhipment may be found under Import and Export in NEA ePortal and Dangerous Cargo section of the MPA website.

Transit of sea cargo (nuclear material)
For transit of nuclear materials through Singapore, the shipping agent is required to apply for an IR5C licence.You may wish to submit your licence application via the GoBusiness Singapore Portal.

Additional requirements from Singapore Customs on Strategic Goods Permit for Transit and Transhipment (radioactive material)
For transit or transhipment of air/sea cargoes containing radioactive materials as listed in Fifth and Fourth Schedules of the Strategic Goods (Control) Regulations respectively, the shipping agent is required to obtain a strategic goods permit from the Singapore Customs. For more information, please refer to Singapore Customs’ strategic goods control webpage.

For hand-carried items without the relevant import/export licences, your items may be detained and disposed of at the checkpoint. For more information on import/export licences, please refer to S/n 24. For more information on application for licence without going through TradeNet, please refer to Application for Licence to Import and Export Irradiating Apparatus and Radioactive Materials.  

Should you have further enquiries on radiation protection licences and services, you may contact the respective email addresses listed below: