Skip to main content

Singapore's conservation & commercial shophouse authority

Off-market alerts →
Shophouses Singapore logoShophouses Singapore
Menu
Buy
Rent
Neighbourhoods
Heritage
Market
Living
Guides
By area
Explainers
Contact the desk

Safety explainer

Shophouse structural safety and BCA periodic inspection

Facts as of · Independent explainer

Illustration of an inspection checklist and scaffolding in front of a conservation shophouse row
Inspection and maintenance. Original illustration by Shophouses Singapore. Generic artwork, not a depiction of any specific building, brand or business.

Short answer

Under BCA's Periodic Structural Inspection (PSI) regime, non-residential buildings must be inspected once every 5 years and residential buildings once every 10 years, excluding detached, semi-detached, terraced and linked houses used exclusively for residence and temporary buildings. Owners appoint a Structural Engineer after receiving a PSI notice, give access, ensure the report reaches BCA on time, and carry out any rectification required. Conserved shophouses are additionally subject to URA's conservation guidelines for works.

Shophouses Singapore is an independent property resource. This page summarises public sources and is not affiliated with any company, owner or authority named. This page is general information, not legal, engineering or financial advice. Facts are as of the date shown and sourced from the links below. Speak to a qualified lawyer or professional engineer about your situation.

Key facts

Non-residential buildings
Inspection once every 5 years (BCA, page updated 15 July 2026)
Residential buildings
Once every 10 years
Who acts
Building owner appoints a Structural Engineer within the stipulated time after a PSI notice
Report
The engineer submits the inspection report to BCA; owners implement rectifications within the given timeframe
Conserved buildings
Works must comply with URA Conservation Guidelines

How PSI works

Five-step diagram of the BCA periodic structural inspection cycle from PSI notice to next cycle
Simplified from BCA guidance. Confirm current rules at bca.gov.sg.
  1. 1

    Receive a PSI notice

    BCA notifies the owner that an inspection is due.

  2. 2

    Appoint a Structural Engineer

    Within the stipulated timeframe.

  3. 3

    Provide access

    The engineer needs site access to assess the structure.

  4. 4

    Report to BCA

    The engineer submits the report on time; owners should check that this happens.

  5. 5

    Rectify

    Implement any recommended repairs within the given timeframe.

Frequency at a glance

BCA PSI frequency
Building typeFrequency
Non-residential (for example commercial shophouses)Every 5 years
ResidentialEvery 10 years
Exclusively residential detached, semi-detached, terraced or linked housesExcluded from these frequencies

Conservation shophouses: maintenance and works

URA says all works on conserved buildings must comply with its Conservation Guidelines, and its Conservation Portal helps owners determine status, applicable guidelines and allowable uses. URA's Do-It-Right Guide helps owners avoid unauthorised alterations. A structural repair on a conserved facade may therefore need approvals as well as an engineer's input.

Signs worth showing an engineer

  • New or widening cracks, especially diagonal ones near openings.
  • Sagging or bouncy floors, or doors and windows that suddenly jam.
  • Persistent damp, spalling plaster or exposed corroded steel.
  • Rotting timber joists, rafters or roof members.
  • Unapproved structural alterations such as removed walls.
Labelled diagram of shophouse parts including parapet, shutters, five-foot way, party walls and shopfront
Know the parts. Original illustration by Shophouses Singapore. Generic artwork, not a depiction of any specific building, brand or business.

People also ask

How often must a shophouse be structurally inspected?+

BCA says non-residential buildings are inspected once every 5 years and residential buildings once every 10 years, with some exclusions for exclusively residential landed houses.

Who arranges the inspection?+

The building owner appoints a Structural Engineer after receiving a PSI notice and must ensure the report is submitted to BCA on time.

Who pays for repairs?+

Owners are responsible for implementing rectifications. Whether a tenant shares costs depends on the lease.

Do conservation rules affect repairs?+

Yes. URA says works on conserved buildings must comply with its Conservation Guidelines.

Can I ask for a past PSI report before buying?+

You can ask the seller for records. See our condition-check guide.

Sources

Facts as of 5 November 2026. Pages we link to may have changed since.

  1. Periodic Structural Inspection (PSI), Building and Construction Authority. Accessed 2026-11-05.
  2. Conservation Guidelines, Urban Redevelopment Authority. Accessed 2026-11-05.
  3. Updated and new Do-It-Right Guides for conserved buildings, Urban Redevelopment Authority. Accessed 2026-11-05.

Next step

Need a condition-aware shophouse purchase?

We help buyers line up engineers, approvals and tenancy checks.

Browse conservation shophouses

Last reviewed 5 November 2026. See all shophouse explainers.