Written by Sneha Patwari, Corporate Secretary Lead
I've guided hundreds of founders through the incorporation process across Hong Kong and Singapore. The questions are always different; the mistakes are usually the same. I write to help people avoid them.
Key Takeaways
Registration is fully online. Everything runs through bizfile.gov.sg, the portal ACRA relaunched in December 2024.
Government fees are SGD 315. That covers SGD 15 for the name application and SGD 300 for incorporation. Service provider fees sit on top.
Approval is usually same-day. Most applications are cleared within an hour to three working days, though a name referred to another authority can take weeks.
You need a resident director. At least one director must be ordinarily resident in Singapore, which foreign founders typically solve with a nominee.
Foreigners cannot self-file. Without a Singpass account, you must appoint a registered corporate service provider to submit on your behalf.
A company secretary is required within six months. This is a statutory deadline, not a formality, and missing it carries penalties.
Singapore runs one of the fastest company registration systems in the world. The entire process happens online through ACRA's Bizfile portal, and a straightforward application is often approved the same day. Government fees total SGD 315.
The speed hides some real decisions, though. You need the right business structure, a resident director, an approved name, and a registered address before you can submit anything. This guide walks through every step, what it costs, how long each stage takes, and what changes when the founder lives abroad.
Before You Start: Two Decisions to Make
Choose Your Business Structure
The structure you register determines your liability, your tax treatment, and how easily you can raise money later. Changing it afterwards means starting again.
| Structure | Key Features | Best Suited To |
|---|---|---|
| Private Limited Company (Pte Ltd) | Separate legal entity, limited liability, taxed at 17% with exemptions, 1 to 50 shareholders | Most businesses, and anyone planning to raise capital |
| Sole Proprietorship | No separate legal entity, owner personally liable, taxed as personal income | Very small, low-risk local businesses |
| Limited Liability Partnership (LLP) | Separate legal entity, partners taxed individually | Professional practices with two or more partners |
| General Partnership | No separate entity, partners are jointly liable | Rarely advisable |
| Branch Office | Extension of a foreign parent, not a separate entity | Foreign companies extending operations |
| Representative Office | Temporary, no commercial activity permitted | Market research before committing |
The private limited company is the default choice for good reason: limited liability, credibility with banks, and access to the start-up tax exemption.
Our comparison of the types of companies in Singapore covers the alternatives, and our guide to the sole proprietorship explains when the simpler route makes sense.
Check You Meet the Requirements
- At least one director ordinarily resident in Singapore, meaning a citizen, permanent resident, or eligible pass holder, who is at least 18 and not disqualified.
- One to 50 shareholders, individual or corporate, with 100% foreign ownership permitted.
- A local registered address that ACRA and the courts can use to serve notices. From 20 October 2026, the office no longer needs fixed public opening hours, but the company must still make company records available for inspection on reasonable notice, for at least two hours on each relevant business day. PO boxes are not accepted.
- Paid-up capital of at least SGD 1.
- A company constitution setting out how the company is governed.
- An approved company name and an SSIC code matching your actual business activity.
Our detailed breakdown of company incorporation requirements covers the eligibility rules in full, and our guide to the registered address explains the accessibility conditions most founders overlook.
What Documents Are Required for Registration?
Bizfile asks for information rather than uploads in most cases, but your service provider will need the underlying documents for its due diligence. Prepare this pack before you begin.
| Item | For Local Founders | For Foreign Founders |
|---|---|---|
| Identity Document | NRIC details | Passport copy, certified where requested |
| Proof of Residential Address | Usually verified through Myinfo | Utility bill or bank statement, typically under 3 months old |
| Company Name Approval | Bizfile transaction number | Same, filed by your service provider |
| Company Constitution | Model constitution or a tailored version | Same |
| Registered Office Address | Your own or a provider address | Usually a provider address |
| Shareholder Details | Names, holdings, share capital | Same, plus corporate documents for corporate shareholders |
| Business Activity | One or two SSIC codes | Same, plus a short business description |
| Director Consent | Consent to act and declaration of non-disqualification | Same, plus nominee director arrangements if used |
Where a corporate entity is a shareholder, expect to supply its certificate of incorporation, register of members, and a board resolution authorising the investment.
How to Register a Company in Singapore Online, Step by Step
Step 1: Apply for and Reserve Your Company Name
Search your proposed name on Bizfile first, then submit the name application and pay the SGD 15 fee. You select your SSIC code at this stage. A straightforward name is often approved within the hour, while one containing a regulated word such as bank, school, or finance is referred to another agency and can take considerably longer.
An approved name is held for 120 days. Save the transaction number, because you need it to register the company against that name.
Step 2: Prepare Your Company Details
Assemble everything Bizfile will ask for: directors and their consents, shareholders and their holdings, share capital, registered address, financial year end, and your constitution. Deciding your financial year end now matters, because it sets every filing deadline that follows.
Most companies adopt the model constitution. A tailored version is worth the cost when you have multiple shareholder classes or investor protections to reflect, as our guide to the company constitution explains.
Step 3: Log In to Bizfile
Access the portal with Singpass for individuals or Corppass for entity transactions. Singapore residents can file for themselves. Foreign founders without a Singpass account must engage a registered corporate service provider, which the law treats as a filing agent acting on your behalf.
Step 4: Submit the Incorporation Application and Pay
Complete the incorporation transaction, attach the constitution, confirm every director and shareholder detail, and pay the SGD 300 registration fee by card or online banking. Check the spelling of names and identification numbers before submitting, because corrections after the fact mean another filing.
Step 5: Receive Your UEN and Certificate
Most applications are approved automatically. ACRA issues your Unique Entity Number and an electronic certificate of incorporation, along with a free business profile delivered to your Bizfile account shortly after submission. Those documents open every door that follows, starting with your bank.
Step 6: Complete Your Post-Incorporation Obligations
- Appoint a company secretary within six months of incorporation.
- Open a corporate bank account so company money stays separate from personal money.
- Set up Corppass for tax filings and government transactions.
- Register for GST if your taxable turnover crosses the SGD 1 million threshold, or voluntarily if it suits your position.
- Apply for any industry licences your activity requires before you start trading.
- Set your accounting and tax calendar, including your Estimated Chargeable Income (ECI), the corporate tax return, and the ACRA annual return.
What Is the Cost of Company Registration?
Government fees are fixed and public. Everything else depends on how much help you need.
| Item | Who Charges It | Cost |
|---|---|---|
| Company Name Application | ACRA | SGD 15, non-refundable |
| Company Incorporation | ACRA | SGD 300 |
| Total Government Fees | ACRA | SGD 315 |
| Incorporation Package | Corporate service provider | SGD 500 to SGD 1,500 typically |
| Registered Office Address | Corporate service provider | SGD 200 to SGD 600 per year |
| Company Secretary | Corporate service provider | SGD 300 to SGD 1,200 per year |
| Nominee Director | Corporate service provider | SGD 1,500 to SGD 3,000 per year, sometimes plus a deposit |
| Accounting and Tax Filing | Accounting provider | From about SGD 700 per year |
A local founder who files personally and uses their own address pays close to SGD 315. A foreign founder needing a nominee director, a registered address, and a secretary usually lands between SGD 2,500 and SGD 4,500 for the first year.
Our breakdown of hidden incorporation costs covers the charges that appear after the package price.
How Long Does the Registration Process Take?
| Stage | Typical Duration | What Can Slow It Down |
|---|---|---|
| Name Application | Often within the hour | Referral to another authority adds days or weeks |
| Document Preparation | Same day to a few days | Waiting on certified passport copies or corporate documents |
| Incorporation Filing | Usually approved same day | Complex cases can take 14 to 60 days |
| Total, Straightforward Case | 1 to 3 working days | - |
| Corporate Bank Account | 2 days to several weeks | Compliance review, especially for foreign ownership |
Reality check: Incorporation is fast, banking is not. Founders who plan a launch date around the ACRA approval alone are often caught out by a bank compliance review that runs for weeks. Start the account application as soon as you have your UEN.
Can Foreigners Register a Company in Singapore?
Yes. Singapore permits 100% foreign shareholding, and you do not need to live here or hold a visa to own a Singapore company. Three practical constraints apply.
- You cannot file yourself. Bizfile transactions need a Singpass account, so a registered filing agent submits for you.
- You still need a resident director. Most foreign founders appoint a nominee director supplied by their service provider. Since the Corporate Service Providers Act 2024, that arrangement must be made through a registered CSP that has assessed the individual as fit and proper.
- Living and working here are separate. Owning a company does not grant residency. If you plan to relocate and run the business from Singapore, you need an Employment Pass or EntrePass, which our guide to work permits and visas explains.
Expect closer scrutiny at the banking stage rather than the registration stage. ACRA approval is procedural. A bank compliance team will ask about your business model, your customers, and your payment flows.
What Is the Role of a Company Secretary?
The company secretary is a statutory officer, not an administrative assistant. Every Singapore company must appoint one within six months of incorporation, and the role carries legal responsibility.
- Maintaining statutory registers, including members, directors, controllers, and nominee directors.
- Preparing board and shareholder resolutions and recording minutes.
- Filing changes with ACRA within the prescribed deadlines, from a change of address to a share transfer.
- Convening the annual general meeting and filing the annual return.
- Advising directors on their statutory duties and keeping the company compliant.
The secretary must be ordinarily resident in Singapore, and a sole director cannot also act as the company secretary. Single-founder companies therefore need a second person or an outsourced provider.
Our guide to what a corporate secretary does sets out the qualification criteria in detail.
What to Do After Your Company Is Registered
Registration is the start of a compliance cycle rather than the end of a project. Four things deserve attention in your first month.
- Open a business account. You need one to invoice clients, pay suppliers, and keep clean records. Our guide on how to open a business bank account covers the documents and the timeline.
- Set up your bookkeeping. Recording transactions from day one costs far less than reconstructing them at year-end, as our breakdown of the cost of accounting services shows.
- Understand your tax position. Singapore charges a flat 17%, and new companies can claim the start-up exemption for their first three Years of Assessment. See our guide to the corporate tax rate.
- Diarise your deadlines. ECI within three months of your financial year end, the corporate tax return by 30 November, and the ACRA annual return within seven months of year end for a private company.
Register Your Singapore Company With Statrys
Statrys Corporate Services Singapore Pte. Ltd. is registered as a Corporate Service Provider with ACRA under the Corporate Service Providers Act 2024 (Registration No. FA20230475). We act as your filing agent, which matters if you do not hold a Singpass account.
- Name application and incorporation filed for you, with government fees included in the package.
- Company up and running in about five days, handled entirely online from anywhere in the world.
- Company secretary, registered address, virtual mailroom, and nominee director in a single package.
- Accounting and tax filing priced on your actual transaction volume rather than revenue.
- A free multi-currency business account, so your company and its finances go live together.
Current pricing sits on our pricing page. If you want a comparison first, our review of the best company incorporation services sets out what each provider includes. Questions about your structure? Talk to our team.
Conclusion
Registering a company in Singapore online is genuinely quick. Reserve your name, prepare your details, file through Bizfile, and pay SGD 315 in government fees. Most applications are approved the same day.
The work sits on either side of that filing. Choose the right structure before you submit, and treat the six-month company secretary deadline, your first tax filings, and your bank account application as part of the same project. Founders who plan the whole first year, rather than just the registration, avoid every penalty that catches everyone else.
FAQs
How long does it take to register a company in Singapore?
A straightforward application is usually approved within one to three working days, and often on the same day. Complex cases, or names referred to another government agency, can take from 14 to 60 days.
How much does it cost to register a company in Singapore?
Government fees are SGD 315: SGD 15 for the name application and SGD 300 for incorporation. A corporate service provider charges separately, and a foreign founder needing a nominee director and registered address typically spends SGD 2,500 to SGD 4,500 in the first year.
Can I register a Singapore company entirely online from abroad?
Yes. The whole process is digital, and you do not need to visit Singapore. You will need a registered corporate service provider to file on your behalf, because Bizfile transactions require a Singpass account.
Do I need a local director to register a company?
Yes. At least one director must be ordinarily resident in Singapore. Foreign founders usually meet this through a nominee director arranged by a registered corporate service provider.
What is the minimum paid-up capital?
SGD 1. There is no meaningful capital barrier to incorporation, although banks and some counterparties view a higher figure as a sign of substance.
Do I need to appoint a company secretary immediately?
Not immediately, but within six months of incorporation. The secretary must be ordinarily resident in Singapore, and a sole director cannot also serve as the company secretary.
Can I use my home address as the registered office?
Sometimes. Residential addresses can be used under the Home Office Scheme, which requires approval from HDB or URA, depending on the property. From 20 October 2026, the address no longer needs fixed public opening hours, but the company must still make it available on reasonable notice to anyone entitled to inspect company records.
What happens after my company is registered?
You appoint a company secretary within six months, open a corporate bank account, set up Corppass, register for GST if you cross the threshold, and start tracking your ECI, corporate tax return, and ACRA annual return deadlines.
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