All You Need to Know about Drinking Laws in Singapore (Updated for 2023)

With the constant changing of rules and laws revolving the consumption of alcoholic beverages in Singapore, its no wonder even locals are sometimes unsure of where drinking is allowed or disallowed and if there is a cut off time for drinking liquors.

Laws and rules will definitely experience changes from time to and as much as we try to update our blogs accordingly, we might not be the fastest to keep up to date with the latest changes. As such, it is best to refer to an official Singapore Government Agency Website like Singapore Statutes Online for the latest Liquor Control updates.

Are there any restrictions for drinking in Singapore

As with most other countries, yes, Singapore has regulations governing the purchase and consumption of liquor. The Liquor Control (Supply and Consumption) act came into operation in Singapore since 1 April 2015, this article will go through the dos and don'ts of drinking alcoholic beverages in Singapore.

A drink is considered as an alcoholic one if it contains at least 0.5% of alcohol or by mass or volume.

Legal Drinking Age in Singapore

The legal drinking age in Singapore is 18 years old. Only individuals aged 18 and above are permitted to purchase and/or consume alcoholic beverages in Singapore.

Drinking Restrictions in Singapore

During the Covid-19 Circuit Breaker phase in Singapore, rules were constantly changing but as of March 2023, here are when and where drinking is restricted:

• No drinking in public areas between 10.30pm of any one day till 7am the next day
• No drinking in licensed premises past 11.59pm to 6am the next day
• Certain areas in Singapore are classified as Liquor Control Zone (Little India & Geylang); at these zones, there are special rules in addition to the public area drinking timings: no-public drinking periods are from 10.30pm on any Friday ending at 7am the following Monday
• At Liquor Control Zones, public drinking is also disallowed from 7pm on any Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday or Friday that is the eve of a public holiday that ends before 7am on the day immediately after the public holiday

Geylang's Liquor Control Zone

Little India's Liquor Control Zone

Are there any rules for drinking at home or in private areas?

Drinking at home or in non-public areas such as hotel rooms or private function rooms are not controlled by the Liquor (Supply and Consumption) Act. This means that you can drink past the stipulated timing.

Where can I get drinks from in Singapore? 

As per regulations, only bars & restaurants with the appropriate licenses are allowed to sell alcoholic beverages till midnight. Stores with liquor licenses are only allowed to sell alcoholic beverages till 10.30pm daily, these include convenience stores and retails shops.

 The only solution to ordering liquor past the stipulated liquor supply control time is by ordering it online and having it delivered to a non-public area. Since there are no rules governing an individual from drinking at home, you may order liquors online past midnight and have it delivered to your private residential address/ hotel room/ office premises for consumption.

That's where businesses like ours, Three Musketeers Liquor Delivery come in. We provide express island wide delivery past midnight, perfect for satisfying your late night alcoholic cravings!