Tax Identification Number (TIN) in Singapore: What It Is and How to Find It
By Lucas Seah, Founder of Excellence Singapore Group | Last Updated: June 2026
Singapore does not issue a separate tax number. Your Tax Identification Number (TIN) is simply an identifier you already hold. For a Singapore citizen or permanent resident it is your NRIC. For a foreigner with a work pass it is your FIN. For a company or registered entity it is your UEN from ACRA. You do not apply for a TIN; you just locate the right number.
This guide explains what the Singapore TIN is for each type of person and entity, exactly where to find yours, and what to use if you have no NRIC or FIN.
Key Takeaways
- Singapore has no standalone tax number. Your TIN is an identifier you already hold (NRIC, FIN, or UEN).
- Singapore citizens and PRs use their NRIC. Foreigners with a pass use their FIN. Both appear on your identity card or pass.
- A company’s TIN is its Unique Entity Number (UEN), issued by ACRA at registration and shown on your business profile.
- Yes, for a foreign individual the TIN and the FIN are usually the same number.
- A foreigner with no NRIC or FIN is assigned an IRAS tax reference (ASGD or ITR) instead.
What is a Tax Identification Number (TIN) in Singapore?
A Tax Identification Number is the unique identifier the tax authority uses to track you. In Singapore there is no separate TIN to apply for. The Inland Revenue Authority of Singapore (IRAS) reuses an identifier you already have: your NRIC, your FIN, or your company’s UEN. This matters most when an overseas bank or platform asks for your TIN, because the answer depends on who you are.
Many of the search results for this term show numbering rules from other countries, because the global “TIN” concept does not map cleanly onto Singapore. Singapore folds the tax ID into the existing national identifier instead of minting a new one, which is why there is nothing to register for.
So when a form asks for your “Singapore TIN”, you are really being asked for the number tied to your tax record: NRIC for citizens and PRs, FIN for foreigners, or UEN for an entity. The next sections show exactly where each one lives.
Where do I find my TIN in Singapore?
Your TIN depends on whether you are an individual or an entity, and on your residency status. The table below maps each case to the correct identifier and its format. In our experience helping thousands of SMEs and their staff with IRAS filing, the wrong-number error almost always comes from a foreigner quoting an old passport number instead of the FIN, or a director quoting their own NRIC instead of the company UEN.
| Who you are | Your TIN is | Typical format | Where to find it |
|---|---|---|---|
| Singapore citizen or PR | NRIC number | 1 letter, 7 digits, 1 check letter (e.g. S1234567A) | Front of your NRIC card; IRAS notices |
| Foreigner with a pass | FIN (Foreign Identification Number) | 1 letter, 7 digits, 1 check letter (e.g. G1234567X) | Your work pass card (EP, S Pass, DP); IRAS notices |
| Company or registered entity | UEN (Unique Entity Number) from ACRA | 9 or 10 characters (e.g. 202312345K) | ACRA business profile; the UEN register (uen.gov.sg) |
| Foreigner with no NRIC or FIN | IRAS tax reference (ASGD or ITR number) | Assigned by IRAS (ASGD or ITR prefix) | On the correspondence or assessment IRAS sends you |
For an individual, the number is printed on the front of your NRIC, your work pass card, or your IRAS notices. For a company, the UEN appears on your ACRA business profile, your incorporation documents, and your IRAS correspondence. You can confirm a UEN free of charge on the UEN register.
Is my TIN the same as my FIN in Singapore?
For a foreign individual, yes: your TIN is normally your FIN. The Foreign Identification Number is issued by the relevant agency when you hold a long-term pass such as an Employment Pass, S Pass, or Dependant’s Pass, and IRAS uses that same FIN as your tax reference. So when an overseas bank asks a foreigner in Singapore for a TIN, the FIN is the number to give.
The equivalent for a Singapore citizen or PR is the NRIC, not a FIN. Your NRIC number is your tax reference, so on a TIN field you enter your NRIC. The format is one letter, seven digits, and a final check letter (for example, S1234567A), and it stays with you for life.
When a foreign client cannot find a TIN, we tell them to look at the green or blue pass card in their wallet: the FIN is the alphanumeric code on it, and that is the number both IRAS and their bank want.
What is the TIN for a Singapore company (the UEN)?
A Singapore company’s TIN is its Unique Entity Number (UEN), the single identifier issued when the entity is registered. ACRA assigns a UEN to every local company, business, and most registered entities, and it stays the same throughout the entity’s life. The UEN is what IRAS, banks, and government portals use to identify the business, so it is the number you put in any corporate TIN field.
A UEN is 9 or 10 characters long, depending on the entity type. A business registered before 2009 typically has a 9-character UEN, while a locally incorporated company usually has a 10-character UEN that begins with the year of incorporation (for example, 202312345K). You can verify any UEN free on the UEN register.
If you are setting up a new entity, the UEN is assigned automatically during incorporation, so there is no separate tax-number step. Our guide on how to register a company in Singapore walks through where the UEN appears on your ACRA paperwork.
What if I am a foreigner with no NRIC or FIN?
If you have no NRIC and no FIN, IRAS issues you a tax reference number directly. This applies to a foreigner who has Singapore-sourced income or a tax obligation but holds no local identity document, and to a foreign company or individual that needs to deal with IRAS without a UEN. The two formats you may see are an ASGD number (Administrative Service Group Designation) or an ITR number, both assigned by IRAS rather than by you.
You do not request these in advance. IRAS generates the reference when it first creates a tax record for you, and it appears on the correspondence or assessment you receive. From then on, that IRAS reference is your TIN for any form that asks for one.
For foreign-owned businesses, the picture can be more involved, especially where a non-resident company has Singapore tax obligations. Our guide to tax filing for foreign-owned companies in Singapore covers how the identifiers and filing duties fit together.
Why your TIN matters: filing, banking, and CRS
Your TIN links every tax record to you, so the wrong one causes real friction. You quote it when you log in to file your taxes, when you read your Notice of Assessment, and when a bank onboards you under the Common Reporting Standard (CRS), the global tax-information exchange that requires financial institutions to collect your tax residence and TIN.
The CRS request is where most confusion appears, because the form uses the generic word “TIN” without telling a Singapore resident which local number to enter. The clean rule: a citizen or PR enters the NRIC, a foreigner enters the FIN, and an entity enters the UEN. Getting it right the first time avoids a follow-up query from the bank.
For individuals, the same number drives your annual filing. If you want to estimate your bill before you file, try our Singapore income tax calculator, then read the detail in our guide to personal income tax filing and the reliefs you can claim to lower the amount due.
Frequently Asked Questions
How do I find my TIN number in Singapore?
If you are a Singapore citizen or PR, your TIN is your NRIC, printed on the front of your identity card. If you are a foreigner with a pass, it is your FIN, shown on your pass card. For a company, it is the UEN on your ACRA business profile. All three also appear on your IRAS correspondence.
Is TIN the same as FIN in Singapore?
For a foreign individual, yes. Your FIN (Foreign Identification Number), issued when you hold a long-term pass such as an Employment Pass or S Pass, is the number IRAS uses as your tax reference. So a foreigner enters the FIN on a TIN field. A Singapore citizen or PR uses the NRIC instead, not a FIN.
What is the TIN for a Singapore company?
A Singapore company’s TIN is its Unique Entity Number (UEN), issued by ACRA when the entity is registered. It is 9 or 10 characters and stays the same for the life of the entity. A locally incorporated company usually has a 10-character UEN beginning with its year of incorporation, and you can verify it free on the UEN register.
What if I do not have an NRIC or FIN?
If you have no NRIC and no FIN, IRAS issues you a tax reference number directly, shown as an ASGD or ITR number. This covers a foreigner with a Singapore tax obligation but no local identity document, or a foreign entity without a UEN. You do not apply for it; IRAS generates it when it opens your tax record.
Do I need to apply for a TIN in Singapore?
No. Singapore does not issue a standalone tax number, so there is nothing to apply for. Your TIN is an identifier you already hold: the NRIC for a citizen or PR, the FIN for a foreigner with a pass, or the UEN for a company. Only a foreigner with no NRIC or FIN receives a separate IRAS reference.
Why does my bank ask for my TIN?
Banks collect your TIN under the Common Reporting Standard (CRS), the global framework for exchanging tax information between countries. The bank reports your tax residence and TIN to IRAS, which may share it with other tax authorities. Enter your NRIC if you are a citizen or PR, your FIN if you are a foreigner, or your UEN for an entity.
Talk to Us
A wrong tax reference is a small error that can stall a bank account, a filing, or a CRS form. Excellence Singapore helps individuals and companies keep their tax records clean, from personal and corporate tax compliance to incorporation and ongoing filing. If you are unsure which number to use, or you need help with IRAS filing for yourself or your business, talk to us and we will point you to the right identifier and handle the paperwork.
