Is your tour operator licensed? How to check

You can check whether a seller is known to the tourism regulator in a few minutes, using the online check from the Ministry of Tourism, Arts and Culture (MOTAC). Sabah Tourism and Bernama point travellers to this check, which lets you search by company name or licence number ^[1]. Do it before you pay a deposit, not after.

The check is one part of safe booking, alongside the steps in our island booking checklist. It does not replace reading the quote, which is covered in reading an island quotation line by line.

What are the five steps?

1. Ask the seller for the registered company name and licence number, in writing.
2. Open the MOTAC licence check and search by the company name or number.
3. Compare the name, licence type and status you see with what you were told.
4. Compare that name with the name on the quote and the payment account.
5. Save a screenshot of the result with the date visible.

The exact web address of the check should be confirmed on the MOTAC site. A direct page for it did not load when we tried it on 16 October 2026, so treat any link you are sent with care and type the address yourself.

What should match, and what should make you ask?

What you see	What it suggests	What to do
Company name matches the quote and account	A clear trail	Keep the screenshot
Brand matches but company name differs	A trading name	Ask for the registered name in writing
Licence type does not fit the service	Possible mismatch	Ask the seller to explain
No result at all	Not found in the check	See the next guide

If the result is not what you expected, read what to do if a tour company is not on the licence list.

What do the licence types mean?

One reader letter to a newspaper lists inbound tour operating, outbound tour operating and travel agency (ticketing) businesses as categories ^[3]. It is not an official source, so confirm the categories with MOTAC. In practice, ask whether the licence covers the kind of service you are buying, for example arranging a tour package or selling tickets.

Is there a public list of offenders?

MOTAC publishes a list of entities that have committed offences under the Tourism Industry Act 1992, including those under investigation, as a consumer reference ^[2]. You can check a name there as well. A name that is not on the list is not proof of good standing, so use it alongside the licence check.

What can you report, and where?

If you suspect a business is operating without a licence, MOTAC’s complaints system accepts reports ^[4]. Keep your screenshots, the quote and any messages ready. Our guide on consumer protection and complaints explains other places to go.

A better fit if…

A licence check suits you if:

• you found the seller on social media or a messaging group.
• the price is much lower than others and you want to know why.
• you are paying a company you have never used.

The check may matter less if you book directly with a resort and pay that resort’s own account. Even then, compare the account name with the quote.

What should you do next?

Run the five steps, save the screenshot with your quote and then move to payment. If any step does not match, pause and ask in writing. The payment methods and safety guide covers the next step.