A service layer entity (e.g., application entity, common service entity in oneM2M, also referred to as registree entity) may register to another service layer entity (e.g., common service entity in oneM2M, also referred to as a registrar entity) and proactively request to gain access to the local services hosted by the registrar entity. A registrar entity may accept a registree entity's registration request but only grant access of its partial services to the registree entity. If a registree entity does not need to proactively request the services within its registration request message, the registrar entity decides what services may be needed by the registree entity and grants access of those services to the registree entity.