How to Register a Company in Singapore (ACRA Steps)

Registering a private limited company (Pte Ltd) in Singapore is done entirely online through BizFile, the portal run by the Accounting and Corporate Regulatory Authority (ACRA). The whole process has two paid steps: reserve your business name for S$15, then incorporate for S$300. Once your name is approved, most incorporations are approved soon after payment.

What you need before you start

• At least one director who is ordinarily resident in Singapore — a citizen, permanent resident, or an EntrePass/Employment Pass holder who meets the residency rules.
• At least one shareholder, individual or corporate. Up to 100% foreign ownership is allowed.
• A registered office address in Singapore (a P.O. box is not accepted).
• Paid-up capital: at least one share must be issued. The issued share capital is commonly set at S$1, but the paid-up capital field may be entered as S$0 where the shares are not yet paid.
• A company constitution (ACRA’s model constitution works for most companies).
• An SSIC code describing your main business activity, chosen during the name application.

The ACRA fees

ACRA’s fees are fixed and public. For a local company you pay a name-application fee and an incorporation fee; after that, the main recurring ACRA cost is the annual return.

ACRA’s basic incorporation fees and annual-return filing fee. Government fees only; graphic by StartBizSG, as of October 2026.

These are government fees only — they do not include any Corporate Service Provider, company-secretary, accounting or other professional charges you may choose to pay.

Step by step on BizFile

1. Choose your structure. This guide covers a Pte Ltd; if you are a solo trader testing an idea, compare it with a sole proprietorship or LLP first.
2. Reserve your name (S$15). Search BizFile, apply for your name, and specify an SSIC code. An approved name is held for 120 days.
3. Prepare officer and shareholder details. Collect NRIC/FIN, addresses, share allocations and the constitution. Unless a CSP files the application, all other proposed position holders — including shareholders — must endorse it through BizFile, and endorsement and payment must be completed within 60 days.
4. Register the company (S$300). Log in with Singpass, enter the company details and officers, and pay. Most registrations are approved soon after payment; complex applications may take up to 15 working days, and applications referred to another agency can take 14 to 60 days.
5. Receive your UEN. On approval you get a Unique Entity Number and can download a free business profile.

After incorporation

Registration is the start, not the finish. Within six months you must appoint a company secretary, and you will have ongoing duties including annual filing with ACRA and, once you cross the threshold, GST registration. Your company is taxed under Singapore’s corporate tax rules, which include a start-up exemption for new companies.

DIY or use a firm?

DIY filing is available only where you reserved the name, will be appointed a director or secretary, and all proposed position holders satisfy BizFile’s local-filing eligibility rules. In that case you can file everything yourself on BizFile for the S$315 ACRA fee. Many founders instead engage a corporate service provider to handle the constitution, the resident-director requirement and the first year’s secretary and annual return — a convenience, not a legal requirement. If any proposed position holder is a foreigner, a registered Corporate Service Provider (CSP) must file the incorporation. Whichever route you choose, the ACRA fees above are the same; compare the service fee against the time you’d spend.

General information and official rules, not legal or tax advice. Check ACRA for the current fees and requirements before you file.