How to Check if a Company Is Registered in Singapore (ACRA Bizfile & UEN Guide 2026)
By Lucas Seah, Founder of Excellence Singapore Group | Last Updated: June 2026
To check if a company is registered in Singapore, search its name or Unique Entity Number (UEN) free on Bizfile, the official ACRA portal at bizfile.gov.sg. A registered, active entity shows the status “Live” along with its registered address. For directors, shareholders and the full record, buy the company’s Business Profile for $5.50.
This guide shows you how to run the search, read a Business Profile, understand a UEN, and tell what each company status means.
Key Takeaways
- Search any Singapore company free by name or UEN on Bizfile (bizfile.gov.sg), the official ACRA portal launched in December 2024.
- A registered, active company shows the status “Live”; the free result also gives its registered address.
- A UEN (Unique Entity Number) is the company’s single government identifier, issued by ACRA at registration, and it doubles as the company’s tax reference (TIN).
- For directors, shareholders, share capital and the full record, buy the company’s Business Profile for $5.50.
- Read the status field: Struck Off, In Liquidation, Dissolved or Amalgamated all mean the company can no longer trade as before.
How do I check if a company is registered in Singapore?
Every company, business and limited liability partnership in Singapore is recorded on the public register kept by the Accounting and Corporate Regulatory Authority (ACRA). You check registration by searching that register, which is free and open to anyone. Registration and the duties that follow it are set out in the Singapore Companies Act.
Open Bizfile at bizfile.gov.sg, select the Entity tab, and type the company name or its UEN. If the entity is registered, it appears in the results with its current status and registered address at no cost. If nothing appears, the name is not registered, or you have the spelling or UEN slightly wrong.
The free result confirms that a company exists and whether it is still active. To see who runs it and its financial particulars, you move on to a paid Business Profile, covered below.
Step by step: searching on ACRA Bizfile
ACRA replaced its older portal with a new Bizfile system in December 2024. The search itself takes under a minute.
The four steps in detail:
- Go to bizfile.gov.sg. This is the only official ACRA portal, and there is no fee to reach the search.
- Select the Entity tab and enter the name or UEN. Use “Name exact match” or the UEN filter under “keyword match type” to narrow a common name, per ACRA’s guide to using Bizfile search.
- Read the free result. It shows the entity name, UEN, status (such as Live) and registered address.
- Buy the Business Profile if you need more. It costs $5.50 on Bizfile and is emailed to you, usually within 15 minutes.
What is a UEN (Unique Entity Number)?
A UEN is the single identification number every registered entity in Singapore uses to deal with government. ACRA issues it when the entity is registered, and it stays the same for the life of the company. The UEN replaces the separate reference numbers agencies once used, so one number identifies the company to ACRA, IRAS, Singapore Customs and the CPF Board.
Because IRAS uses the UEN as the company’s tax reference, a company’s UEN is also its tax identification number (TIN). A locally incorporated company has a 10-character UEN that begins with its year of incorporation, for example 202312345K. A business registered before 2009 usually has a 9-character UEN.
How do I find a company’s UEN?
If you only have the company name, run the free Bizfile search and the UEN appears next to the entity name in the results. The UEN is also printed on the company’s official documents: invoices, letterheads, its ACRA Business Profile, GST notices and CPF records. Under the Companies Act 1967, a company must show its registered name and number on its business letters and notices, so a legitimate supplier can give it to you on request.
If you are setting up rather than checking, our guide on how to register a company in Singapore shows where the UEN is assigned. If a company refuses to share its UEN, or the UEN it gives does not match the name on Bizfile, treat that as a warning sign.
What does a Business Profile show?
A Business Profile is ACRA’s official electronic record of an entity. It costs $5.50 on Bizfile and is the document banks, suppliers and lawyers rely on for due diligence. It contains:
- the registered name, UEN and entity type;
- the registration or incorporation date;
- the current status (Live, struck off, and so on);
- the registered office address;
- the principal business activities, shown as SSIC codes;
- the issued and paid-up share capital;
- the officers: directors, company secretary and shareholders.
ACRA gives a free Business Profile to a newly incorporated entity, and again after it renews its registration or files its annual return. For any other company you buy the profile, and a non-live entity shows only limited information.
Red flags to watch for in a business profile
Reading a profile is not just confirming that the company exists. In our corporate secretarial work, a registered company can still be a poor counterparty. These are the patterns that warrant a closer look before you sign or pay:
- A status that is anything other than “Live”, such as gazetted to be struck off, in liquidation, or amalgamated.
- A very recent incorporation date paired with a request for a large deposit or upfront payment.
- A history of frequent company name changes, each of which is recorded on the profile.
- A registered address that is a shared mass-registration address used by hundreds of unrelated entities.
- A principal activity (SSIC code) that does not match what the company says it does.
- Directors or shareholders changed just before you were approached, which the new central registers of nominee directors and shareholders can help you trace.
- A long-dormant company that suddenly resumes activity under new controllers.
- A UEN that returns no result, or a profile name that does not match the invoice in front of you.
None of these is proof of wrongdoing on its own, but two or three together justify a formal due diligence background check before you commit.
What each ACRA company status means
The status field on a Business Profile is the single most useful line for verifying a company. Here is what each common status means and what to do about it. If a company shows as struck off, or has amalgamated into another entity, it can no longer trade in its own name.
| Status | What it means | What to do |
|---|---|---|
| Live | The entity currently exists and is active in ACRA’s records. | Safe to transact, but still check the directors and recent filings. |
| Live (Receiver or Manager appointed) | Still registered, but a receiver or manager now controls some or all of its assets. | Proceed with caution; the company is in financial difficulty. |
| Gazetted to be Struck Off | ACRA has published notice that it intends to remove the company (First Gazette), with a 60-day objection window. | Do not extend credit; the company may be defunct. |
| Struck Off | Removed from the register (Final Gazette); the company no longer has legal existence. | Do not transact; it cannot legally enter into contracts. |
| In Liquidation or Winding Up | A liquidator is realising the company’s assets to pay creditors before it is dissolved. | Deal only through the appointed liquidator. |
| Dissolved | Winding up is complete and the company has ceased to exist. | The entity is closed; pursue any claim through the liquidator before dissolution. |
| Amalgamated | The company combined with one or more others and is not the surviving entity. | Transact with the surviving amalgamated company instead. |
| Cancelled | A sole proprietorship or partnership registration that has been cancelled or has lapsed. | The business is no longer registered; verify before dealing with it. |
A “Live” status confirms the company legally exists, but it is not a guarantee of financial health, so read it together with the company’s filing history.
Can I check a foreign or overseas company on Bizfile?
Bizfile covers entities registered in Singapore. A foreign company that has set up a Singapore branch, or a local subsidiary of an overseas group, is registered with ACRA, so it appears on Bizfile with its own UEN and status and you check it the same way. A purely overseas company with no Singapore registration will not be on the register, so for those you check the company registry in its home country instead.
If you are dealing with a Singapore subsidiary of an overseas group, the Business Profile names the local directors and the corporate shareholder, which is usually the parent. That is often enough to confirm the ownership chain before you contract.
Are Bizfile and ACRA the same thing?
No, but they are closely linked. ACRA is the statutory regulator that keeps Singapore’s register of companies and businesses. Bizfile is the online portal ACRA runs for registering entities, filing documents and searching the register, so you use Bizfile to reach ACRA’s data. The web address uen.gov.sg, which once hosted the UEN search, now redirects to Bizfile, so Bizfile is the single place to search both names and UENs.
Frequently Asked Questions
How do I check if a company is registered in Singapore?
Go to Bizfile at bizfile.gov.sg, the official ACRA portal, select the Entity tab, and search by the company name or its UEN. A registered company appears with its status and registered address at no charge. To confirm directors, shareholders and share capital, buy its Business Profile for $5.50.
Are Bizfile and ACRA the same thing?
They are connected but not identical. ACRA is the government regulator that maintains Singapore’s register of companies and businesses. Bizfile is the online portal ACRA runs for registration, filing and searches. You use Bizfile to reach ACRA’s records. The old uen.gov.sg search now redirects to Bizfile.
What is a UEN and how do I find it?
A UEN, or Unique Entity Number, is the single identifier ACRA issues to a registered entity at registration, and it serves as the company’s tax reference too. You find it free by searching the company name on Bizfile, where the UEN shows next to the entity name. It also appears on the company’s invoices and letterheads.
Is it free to check a company on ACRA Bizfile?
Yes. Searching the register by name or UEN is free, and the result shows the entity name, status and registered address. You only pay if you want the full Business Profile, which costs $5.50 and adds the directors, shareholders, share capital and incorporation details.
How can I tell if a company has been struck off?
Search the company on Bizfile and read its status field. A status of Struck Off means ACRA has removed it from the register and it no longer legally exists. A status of Gazetted to be Struck Off means it is in the 60-day notice period before removal. Both mean you should not extend credit.
How do I find the directors or owners of a Singapore company?
The free Bizfile search does not list officers. To see the directors, company secretary and shareholders, buy the company’s Business Profile for $5.50 on Bizfile. The profile lists each officer and shareholder, the share capital, and the registered address, which is what banks and suppliers use for due diligence.
Talk to Us
Verifying a counterparty is one thing; keeping your own company’s ACRA record clean and accurate is another. Excellence Singapore handles company incorporation, ongoing secretarial compliance and background checks on the parties you deal with. If you need to verify a company, run a due diligence check, or fix your own filings, talk to us and we will sort the paperwork.
