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How to Set Up Your Grab Merchant Account: Documents and Steps by Country

How to open a GrabFood merchant account in Thailand, Singapore, Malaysia, the Philippines, Indonesia and Vietnam: routes, documents, timelines and fees.

A shop front with a folder of documents, a key and a checklist: opening a Grab merchant account step by step

To sell on GrabFood you apply on Grab's merchant page for your country, send the documents it lists (identity, business registration where required, a bank account), sign the e-contract and open the store once Grab has verified you; the documents and the delay differ by country, and this guide lists them.

Opening a GrabFood account is mostly paperwork. The steps are similar everywhere, but the documents, the timelines and even whether you can join without a registered business change from one country to the next. This guide covers all six markets, then the few setup choices that are hard to change later.

Grab updates its onboarding without notice. Treat this as a preparation checklist and confirm the live requirements on Grab's merchant page for your country before you apply.

Step 1: Choose your sign-up route

  • One outlet: download the GrabMerchant app and apply from your phone. In the Philippines, the app route is open to new single-store merchants, nationwide.
  • Several outlets, or if you prefer a form: use the web form on Grab's merchant page for your country.
  • In person: some countries offer help in person. Singapore's Grab Merchant Centre takes appointments, physically or by video call, and Malaysia lists documents for in-person sign-up.

Step 2: Prepare the core set

Every market asks for some version of the same things:

  • Restaurant name and pickup address
  • ID of the owner or authorised signatory
  • A bank account for payouts
  • Business registration documents, where required
  • Photos of your store and menu items

Step 3: Apply, verify, sign, go live

The usual sequence is: you apply, Grab verifies your documents, you sign an e-contract, and you receive an approval email. You then add or check your menu and open the store in the app. The order can vary: in the Philippines, for example, the contract is signed before verification.

The usual order of a GrabFood sign-up: apply, Grab verifies, sign the e-contract, approval email, add your menu, open the store
The usual sequence; it can vary by country (in the Philippines, the contract is signed before verification)

Requirements by country

Thailand

Who can join: individuals can register with a Thai ID card and a bank account, with no company registration. Applicants must be at least 20; from 18 to 20, a guardian's consent letter and the guardian's ID copy are needed.

  • Individual: Thai ID card, and a savings or current account at Kasikorn, Krungthai or Krungsri only.
  • Company: company registration certificate (issued within 6 months), VAT certificate (Por Por 20), shareholder list (Bor Or Jor 5, within 6 months), a committee member's ID, a company account at one of the three banks, and a letter of attorney with the authorised person's ID where relevant.
  • Foreign sole proprietor: passport, work permit, Foreign Business License, proof of residence such as a lease or utility bills, and an account at one of the three banks.

Timeline: a result in about 1 to 3 working days through the app, about 3 to 5 through the web form. Fees: Grab Thailand states zero activation fees. Watch out for: the three-bank rule. Open a qualifying account before you start.

Singapore

Who can join: the sign-up asks for a Unique Entity Number, so plan on a business registered with ACRA. Sole proprietorships qualify. No route without a registered entity was found.

  • Entity name and UEN, entered exactly as they appear in ACRA records.
  • The contract signee's full name and NRIC, entered exactly as recorded.
  • A Letter of Authorisation if the signee is not listed in the ACRA profile.

Fees: no Grab activation fee is stated. Licences: a physical shop that prepares or handles food needs an SFA Food Shop Licence. Home-based food businesses do not need an SFA licence, and online-only sellers have their own rules; check the SFA pages for your case. Watch out for: any mismatch with ACRA records.

Malaysia

Who can join: businesses registered with SSM: sole proprietorships, partnerships and companies. A physical pickup location with a permanent signboard is expected.

  • SSM documents: Form D (sole proprietorship or partnership), or Forms 9, 24 and 49 (company), plus the IC or passport of the signing director.
  • Bank: a bank statement header.
  • Photos and brand: logo, storefront photo showing the signboard, in-store menu with prices, and store photos.
  • If applicable: business licence, halal certification, SST registration.

Timeline: Grab Malaysia says you can start accepting orders in about 7 working days, depending on the number of locations. Fees: no activation fee is stated; Grab describes a service fee on every order. Watch out for: a store name that does not match the signboard, and a bank account name that does not match the IC or business.

Philippines

Who can join: registered corporations, partnerships and sole proprietors.

  • Registration: BIR Form 2303, SEC or DTI certificate, and Articles of Incorporation or Partnership, or a General Information Sheet.
  • Tax and ID: TIN and a valid photo ID of the authorised representative.
  • Bank: proof of bank account.
  • If applicable: DTI License to Operate for tobacco, vape or alcohol; a Letter of Authorization if the representative or the bank account holder is not the owner on record.

Timeline: online sign-up takes a minimum of 5 working days. Fees: no activation fee is stated; commission is set in your service agreement. Watch out for: a representative or bank account that does not match the registration documents without a Letter of Authorization.

Indonesia

Who can join: Grab Indonesia says sign-up is open to small businesses as well as restaurants. Third-party guides confirm home businesses can register, and that individuals do not need a company.

  • KTP and selfie: the owner's national ID and a selfie.
  • Bank: account details; third-party guides note the account should be in the owner's name, matching the KTP.
  • Store details: name, full address, map location, photos, logo, and a menu with prices and photos.
  • Tax ID (NPWP): described as optional for individuals by third-party guides.

Timeline: Grab says your account can be active from 24 hours, with verification in about 1 to 3 days. Fees: registration is free.

Vietnam

Who can join: a business registration licence is only required if you operate as a sole proprietorship or a company.

  • ID and contact: a colour copy of the owner's or representative's ID card, email and phone.
  • Business licence: a colour copy, only for sole proprietorships and companies.
  • Photos: store cover at 9:5, store avatar at 1:1, menu item photos at 1:1.
  • Bank: a bank account for payouts.

Timeline: a result in about 1 to 3 working days, and orders within about 3 working days. Fees: third-party guides report a New Merchant Package fee of VND 1,200,000 including VAT for new merchants in Ho Chi Minh City and Hanoi since September 2023. Grab's English merchant page does not mention it, so confirm with Grab before you apply. Watch out for: you cannot change your store name or address within 60 days of activation. Finalise both before going live.

Country comparison

CountryRegistered business needed?Typical time to go liveNotable requirement
ThailandNo, for individuals1 to 3 working days (app), 3 to 5 (web)Bank account at Kasikorn, Krungthai or Krungsri
SingaporeYes (ACRA, UEN)Not statedDetails must match ACRA exactly; SFA licence for physical shops
MalaysiaYes (SSM)About 7 working daysStorefront photo with signboard
PhilippinesYesMinimum 5 working days onlineBIR, SEC or DTI registration and TIN
IndonesiaNo, for individualsFrom 24 hours; 1 to 3 daysKTP and selfie
VietnamOnly for sole proprietorships and companies1 to 3 working daysPhoto ratios; 60-day name and address lock; reported fee in HCMC and Hanoi

Set up the listing right from day one

Store name. Use your real brand name. Grab Indonesia's merchant terms set the format as brand name followed by area (district, a well-known building or neighbourhood), and allow Grab to adjust names that do not follow it. Packing cuisine or dish keywords into the store name is not supported by any Grab guideline found, and your dish names are where search matching happens.

Cuisine and categories. Choose the categories that genuinely describe your food. They shape where you appear when customers browse.

Dish names and descriptions. Name each dish the way a customer would search for it, and give every item a short description: ingredients, portion, spice level.

Photos. A clear photo on each dish that you expect to sell most, at the ratios your country requires.

Hours. List only hours you can hold. Being offline during listed hours counts against you in Grab's quality programs.

A strong first month

  • Ask Grab what launch support exists in your market. Grab has run time-limited offers for new merchants. In Thailand, restaurants joining by 31 August 2025 received a 90-day commission waiver and advertising credit; that offer has ended. In Singapore, the Grab Merchant Centre sells a launch package for outlets opened in the last few months. Offers change, so ask before you plan around one.
  • Get the operations right before chasing orders. Acceptance, preparation time and avoidable cancellations are measured from your first order.
  • Earn your first ratings. Your rating and rating count sit on your store thumbnail, and Grab's quality badges require a minimum number of ratings.

Questions people ask

Do I need a registered business to sell on GrabFood?

In Singapore, Malaysia and the Philippines, yes. In Thailand and Indonesia, individuals can register. In Vietnam, a business licence is only required for sole proprietorships and companies.

Can a home kitchen sell on GrabFood?

In some markets. Indonesia accepts small and home businesses, according to Grab and third-party guides. In Singapore, home-based food businesses do not need an SFA licence, but the Grab sign-up still asks for a registered entity. Check the rules for your country.

Is there a fee to sign up?

Thailand and Indonesia state that sign-up is free, and no activation fee is stated elsewhere. Third-party guides report a fee for new merchants in Ho Chi Minh City and Hanoi; confirm it with Grab. Commission is separate and set in your agreement.

How long does approval take?

From 24 hours in Indonesia to about 7 working days in Malaysia, and it depends on the route. Incomplete or mismatched documents are the most common cause of delay.

Can I put keywords in my store name?

Grab Indonesia sets the store name format as brand name plus area and can adjust names that do not follow it. Put your search keywords in dish names and descriptions instead.

Keep reading: How the GrabFood Algorithm Works · Grab Commission Fees · GrabFood in Thailand

Sources

21 sources, each claim traceable to one

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