Published 2 July 2026 · by Singapore Lion Dancers
For a performance at a private venue, your home, office, shop interior or a hotel ballroom, you do not need a police permit for a lion dance. What you need is the venue's own approval, and who that is depends on where you perform.
Who approves what
Private homes: nobody, it is your space. HDB common areas: the town council. Condominiums: the MCST or managing agent. Shopping malls: mall management, who usually want the request 2 to 4 weeks ahead with an insurance letter and a floor plan of the performance area. Office buildings: building management, similar to malls but usually faster. Outdoor public spaces like parks or street events: this is the one case where government agency approvals come into play, and lead times are longer, allow 4 to 6 weeks.
What we handle for you
We prepare the documents venues ask for: our public liability insurance letter, performer headcount, equipment list and timing plan. For malls and Grade A offices we have submitted these packs dozens of times and know what each major venue wants to see. You forward one email, we do the rest.
The short answer
If your event is at a private venue, book the troupe and tell the venue, no permit needed. If it is in a public space, start early and let us manage the approvals with you. Either way, the paperwork should never be the reason your opening misses its auspicious hour. Message us on WhatsApp with your venue and we will tell you within hours exactly what approvals apply.
Venue-by-Venue Cheat Sheet
| Venue | Who approves | Lead time |
|---|---|---|
| Private home (inside) | Nobody | None |
| HDB void deck / common area | Town council | 3 to 7 working days |
| Condominium common area | MCST / managing agent | 3 to 10 working days |
| Office building | Building management | 1 to 2 weeks |
| Shopping mall | Mall management | 2 to 4 weeks |
| Hotel ballroom | Banquet team (routine) | Days |
| Public park / street event | Relevant agencies via organiser | 4 to 6 weeks |
The Documents We Provide
Every venue request runs on the same small pack, and we keep it ready: our public liability insurance certificate, a performer and equipment manifest, a timing plan showing setup, performance and teardown, and a floor plan sketch of the performance area when malls ask for one. For repeat venues, most major malls and several Grade A towers, we already know the format their operations team wants, which cuts approval time roughly in half.
The Mistake That Costs Openings
The pattern we see every January: a business confirms its opening date, invites guests, prints banners, and only then emails the mall, which needs three weeks and says no to the requested hour. The auspicious minute your geomancer chose does not negotiate with a mall operations calendar. Book the troupe and start the venue request the same week, we will happily run the paperwork in parallel while your slot is pencilled. If the approvals genuinely fail, our deposit transfers to the new date, that clause exists precisely for this situation.
Send Us Your Event Details
Check Your Date Now
Popular dates go fast, especially around Chinese New Year. Message us on WhatsApp with your date, venue and postal code. We reply within a few hours with availability and a fixed quote.