Statute Details
- Title: Environmental Public Health (Burning of Joss Sticks and Candles) Regulations
- Act Code: EPHA1987-RG1
- Legislative Type: Subsidiary legislation (SL)
- Authorising Act: Environmental Public Health Act (Cap. 95), s. 113
- Citation: Environmental Public Health (Burning of Joss Sticks and Candles) Regulations
- G.N. No.: S 76/1998
- Revised Edition: 2000 Rev. Ed. (31 January 2000)
- Commencement (as per extract): 1 March 1998
- Key Provisions: Regulations 1–4 (Citation; Prohibition; Restriction; Penalty)
- Status: Current version as at 27 March 2026
What Is This Legislation About?
The Environmental Public Health (Burning of Joss Sticks and Candles) Regulations (“the Regulations”) are Singapore’s targeted rules on the burning of joss sticks and candles in order to manage environmental public health risks—particularly smoke, particulate emissions, and the potential nuisance or hazard arising from larger or longer-burning incense and candles.
In plain terms, the Regulations do not ban the burning of joss sticks and candles altogether. Instead, they regulate the size of the items that may be lit. The law draws a line between (i) joss sticks and candles that are too large and therefore prohibited, and (ii) items that are within a permitted size range but may be subject to additional limits depending on where they are burned.
For practitioners, the key is that the Regulations operate through measurable physical thresholds (height and cross-sectional dimensions) and through location-based permissions (certain premises may burn a limited number of items). The offences are framed as conduct—setting or keeping alight, or causing or permitting such burning—rather than as a licensing regime.
What Are the Key Provisions?
Regulation 1 (Citation) is straightforward: it provides the short title by which the Regulations may be cited.
Regulation 2 (Prohibition of burning of joss sticks or candles exceeding certain height or cross section) creates an absolute prohibition. It provides that no person shall set or keep alight (or cause or permit another to do so) any joss stick or candle that exceeds specified dimensions.
For joss sticks, the prohibition applies if either of the following is exceeded:
- Total height exceeding 2,000 mm; or
- Cross section where the widest length or diameter exceeds 75 mm.
For candles, the prohibition applies if the total height exceeds 600 mm.
Practically, this means that even if a person is burning items for religious or ceremonial purposes, the size thresholds in Regulation 2 are determinative. The offence is not limited to commercial settings; it applies to “any person”.
Regulation 3 (Restriction of burning of joss sticks or candles exceeding certain height or cross section) then addresses the “middle band” of sizes—items that are not prohibited outright but are still regulated. Regulation 3(1) provides that, except as provided in paragraph (2), no person shall set or keep alight (or cause or permit such burning) any joss stick or candle that falls within the restricted ranges.
The restricted ranges are:
- Joss sticks with:
- Total height exceeding 700 mm but not exceeding 2,000 mm; or
- Cross section widest length/diameter exceeding 50 mm but not exceeding 75 mm.
- Candles with:
- Total height exceeding 500 mm but not exceeding 600 mm.
However, Regulation 3(2) introduces a limited exception for certain premises. It allows an owner or occupier of specified premises to set or keep alight (or cause or permit to be set or kept alight) not more than:
- 6 joss sticks of the type described in Regulation 3(1)(a); and
- 2 candles of the type described in Regulation 3(1)(b)
within the premises.
Regulation 3(3) (Specified premises) identifies where this exception applies. The premises are:
- the enclosed part of any building;
- any temple or other place of worship; and
- any other premises situated at least 30 metres away from any building.
Two definitions in Regulation 3(4) are important for evidential and compliance purposes:
- “Cross section with a length or diameter at its widest” (for joss sticks) means the distance between the farthest points on the largest cross-sectional area.
- “Enclosed part of any building” means a part of a building that has a ceiling or roof, and is completely enclosed by walls or windows (except for doors and passageways).
These definitions matter because enforcement will likely depend on measurements. A practitioner advising clients should anticipate that disputes may arise over how “widest” is measured, and whether a space qualifies as “enclosed” (e.g., semi-open verandas, covered walkways, or partially walled areas).
Regulation 4 (Penalty) sets the enforcement consequence. Any person who contravenes:
- Regulation 2, or
- Regulation 3(1)
is guilty of an offence and liable on conviction to a fine not exceeding $2,000.
Notably, the penalty provision is tied to contraventions of Regulation 2 and Regulation 3(1). This structure implies that Regulation 3(2)’s exception is a defence-like permission: if the burning is within the permitted number and premises, it should not fall within the prohibition in Regulation 3(1). Practically, the prosecution would still need to prove that the item(s) fall within the restricted ranges and that the defendant did not qualify for (or did not comply with) the exception.
How Is This Legislation Structured?
The Regulations are compact and consist of four provisions:
- Regulation 1: citation (short title).
- Regulation 2: absolute prohibition for joss sticks and candles exceeding the higher thresholds (joss sticks > 2,000 mm height or > 75 mm widest cross section; candles > 600 mm height).
- Regulation 3: restriction for items in the intermediate size ranges, with an exception allowing limited numbers on specified premises (up to 6 joss sticks and 2 candles) and with definitions to clarify measurement and “enclosed part” status.
- Regulation 4: penalty (fine up to $2,000) for contraventions of Regulation 2 and Regulation 3(1).
There are no licensing, permit application, or administrative approval mechanisms in the extract. The regulatory design is therefore rules-based: compliance is achieved by meeting the dimensional thresholds and, where relevant, the location and quantity limits.
Who Does This Legislation Apply To?
The Regulations apply to “any person” in relation to setting or keeping alight, or causing or permitting the burning of joss sticks and candles. This broad phrasing captures individuals, occupiers, and potentially persons in control of premises who allow burning to occur.
For the exception under Regulation 3(2), the law specifically refers to the owner or occupier of the premises. This means that, while the general prohibition applies to everyone, the ability to rely on the limited permission is tied to a person with ownership or occupation of the relevant premises. Practitioners should therefore consider advising clients to clarify responsibility for compliance in multi-tenant buildings, shared worship spaces, and managed facilities.
Why Is This Legislation Important?
Although the Regulations are narrow in scope, they are significant because they regulate a common cultural and religious practice through objective physical thresholds. The law’s focus on height and cross-sectional dimensions makes it relatively straightforward to assess compliance, but it also creates practical risk: a person may inadvertently breach the Regulations by using unusually large incense sticks or candles, or by burning them in a way that exceeds the quantity limits in permitted premises.
From an enforcement and litigation perspective, the key issues will typically be:
- Measurement: whether the joss stick/candle exceeds the relevant height or cross-sectional “widest” dimension;
- Characterisation of the premises: whether the burning occurred in an “enclosed part of any building” or in a “temple or other place of worship”, or in premises at least 30 metres from any building;
- Quantity: whether the number of restricted items exceeded the permitted maximum (6 joss sticks and 2 candles); and
- Responsibility: whether the defendant is an owner/occupier seeking to rely on the exception, or whether the defendant’s conduct falls within the general “any person” prohibition.
For practitioners advising temples, worship leaders, facility managers, and property owners, the Regulations underscore the importance of operational controls—such as ensuring that only compliant sizes are stocked and used, and that any burning within enclosed areas is monitored to stay within the permitted numbers for the restricted size range. For individuals, the Regulations highlight that good intentions do not remove liability where the dimensional thresholds are exceeded.
Related Legislation
- Environmental Public Health Act (Cap. 95), s. 113 (authorising provision for these Regulations)
Source Documents
This article provides an overview of the Environmental Public Health (Burning of Joss Sticks and Candles) Regulations for legal research and educational purposes. It does not constitute legal advice. Readers should consult the official text for authoritative provisions.