Conversion of industrial premises to workers' dormitories
What types of worker's dormitories can I convert my industrial premises into?
Applications for temporary conversion of industrial premises to workers' dormitories can be considered if the proposal meets the prevailing planning guidelines and is supported by the infrastructure needs. You can convert your premises to the following types of workers' dormitories:
- Ancillary Workers' Dormitories (AWD)
To house workers employed by the owner of lessee of the factory, or sub-contractors' workers (whether workers are working on site at the factory or off-site), or workers who work on site at the factory.
- Single employer-operated Secondary Workers' Dormitories (SWD)
To house employer's own workers or sub-contractors' workers (whether workers are working on site at the factory or off-site), where the employert is not the owner or lessee of the factory.
These converted dormitories are also known as Factory Converted Dormitories (FCD).
Where are FCDs not allowed?
Factory Converted Dormitories (FCD), are not allowed in:
- High-rise factories that comprise of multiple industrial units within the development i.e. flatted factory or ramped-up industrial development;
- Terrace workshops and terrace factories without stand-alone compounds;
- Areas that are within Urban Redevelopment Authority's (URA) Specified List;
Note that while FCDs are generally disallowed within areas stipulated in URA's Specified List, URA's circular dated 10 February 2023 has lifted this restriction for specific areas. For these sites, applications for new temporary workers' dormitories or to increase the number of workers in existing dormitories will be considered if the proposals meet prevailing guidelines and can be supported by existing infrastructure as assessed by technical agencies. Please refer to URA's circular for more information.
- Areas that are affected by Health and Safety buffers;
- Areas that are designated by Public Utilities Board (PUB) as a red zone.
What guidelines must my FCD comply with?
FCDs should also comply with the prevailing guidelines:
- Ministry of Manpower's (MOM) Requirements for Various Types of Housing on the maximum permissible occupancy and other relevant regulations and guidelines.
- URA's Revised Guidelines for Temporary Workers' Dormitories within Industrial or Warehouse Developments on areas where FCDs are not allowed, usage quantum restrictions and other relevant regulations and guidelines.
- Fitting-out and Renovation Guidelines when converting your premises into a dormitory.
How do I apply to convert my premises into a dormitory, or renew an existing one?
With effect from 1 October 2026, FCD applications will be submitted via the GoBusiness portal instead of email. Please refer to the new process below.
Step 1: Submit your application via GoBusiness
The GoBusiness portal simplifies the application process by providing a single submission channel for applicants to obtain In-Principle No Objections (IPNO) from the relevant agencies, for setting up a new dormitory, change of occupancy load of an existing dormitory, and renewing the land use permission for dormitory operations.
You or your Qualified Persons (QPs) can submit applications through the GoBusiness portal and provide the necessary information for agencies to evaluate your applications. For more information, please refer to the FAQs for the GoBusiness e-Adviser and the IPNO Portal.
Step 2: Apply for JTC landowner's consent via Construction and Real Estate Network (CORENET)
If your application for FCD is supported by agencies under Step 1, the next step is to obtain JTC landowner's consent. To do so, please log in to CORENET to submit:
- Relevant documents and drawings
- Approvals from relevant agencies
If all documents are in order, we will issue a landowner's consent to you through CORENET within 10 working days of our receipt of your documents.
Step 3: Obtain Temporary Permission (TP) from URA
Upon receiving the landowner's consent, proceed with the following:
- For new FCDs, log in to CORENET to submit a new application to URA to convert to dormitories
- For renewal of existing FCDs, log in to GoBusiness Licensing Portal (to be hyperlinked) and select change of use
Upon approval from URA, you will be issued a TP. The TP will state the duration during which your premises can be used as an FCD. You must submit a copy of your TP to us along with the original submission in CORENET within 7 working days of obtaining the TP from URA.