How to Register a Company in Singapore

Last Updated: June 2026

To register a company in Singapore, you reserve a company name and submit an incorporation application through ACRA’s BizFile portal, after meeting five core requirements: at least one shareholder, at least one resident director, a registered local address, a minimum paid-up capital of S$1, and a plan to appoint a company secretary within six months. Once your name and documents are in order, most incorporations are approved within 1 to 2 working days. This guide walks through exactly how to register a company in Singapore, what it costs, who can do it, and what you must do after the company is formed.

Key Takeaways

• A Singapore private limited company needs at least 1 shareholder, 1 resident director, a local registered address, and S$1 minimum paid-up capital.
• You must appoint a company secretary within 6 months of incorporation, and a sole director cannot also be the secretary.
• Registration runs through ACRA’s BizFile portal: reserve the name, then file incorporation. Most are approved within 1 to 2 working days.
• The ACRA fee is S$300 to incorporate plus S$15 for the name application.
• Foreigners can own 100% of a Singapore company but still need a locally resident director.
• After incorporation, the work continues: bank account, ECI filing, annual return, AGM, and possibly GST registration.

Who Can Register a Company in Singapore?

Almost anyone can own a Singapore company. The country places no restriction on foreign shareholding, so a private limited company can be 100% foreign-owned. A shareholder can be an individual or another corporate entity, and can be local or based overseas.

The one rule that trips people up is the resident director. Every company must have at least one director who is ordinarily resident in Singapore, meaning a Singapore citizen, a permanent resident, or an EntrePass holder with a local residential address. If you are a foreigner without a local partner, this is usually solved with a nominee director service.

Before you start, it helps to confirm the private limited company is the right vehicle for you at all. Our guide on choosing the right business structure compares the sole proprietorship, private limited, and LLP so you do not lock yourself into the wrong setup.

The 5 ACRA Requirements for Company Registration

Singapore company registration rests on five requirements that every private limited company must satisfy.

1. At least one shareholder

You need a minimum of one shareholder, and a company can have up to 50 for a private limited company. Shareholders can be individuals or corporations, and there is no nationality requirement.

2. At least one resident director

You need at least one director who is ordinarily resident in Singapore. You can appoint additional directors of any nationality, but the resident director condition must always be met.

3. A company secretary within six months

You must appoint a company secretary within six months of incorporation. Per the Companies Act and ACRA guidance, the role cannot stay vacant beyond six months, and a sole director cannot also act as the company secretary. The secretary keeps your statutory registers and filings in order.

4. A local registered office address

Your company needs a physical Singapore registered office address. It must be a real location open and accessible to the public during normal business hours, so a P.O. box is not allowed. Many small businesses use a virtual office address to satisfy this without renting a full office.

5. Minimum paid-up capital of S$1

You can incorporate with as little as S$1 in paid-up capital, though banks and some licensing bodies may expect more. You can increase capital later as the business grows.

How to Register a Company in Singapore: Step by Step

Here is the actual process from start to finished incorporation.

Step 1: Choose and reserve your company name

Apply for your company name through ACRA’s BizFile portal. The name must be unique, not identical to an existing entity, and not infringing on trademarks or restricted words. The name application fee is S$15, and a straightforward name is usually approved within an hour. An approved name is reserved for 120 days.

Step 2: Prepare your incorporation details and documents

Pull together the company particulars: the business activity and its SSIC code, the registered address, shareholder and director details, share capital, and the company constitution. Getting the SSIC code right matters because banks read it during account opening.

Step 3: Submit the incorporation application

Once your name is approved, file the incorporation application in BizFile and pay the S$300 ACRA registration fee. You confirm the directors, shareholders, secretary, share capital, and constitution, and the directors and secretary endorse their consent to act.

Step 4: Receive your incorporation approval

Most registrations are approved soon after payment, and straightforward applications are typically completed within 1 to 2 working days. Cases that need review by another authority can take longer, up to 14 to 60 days where a referral is required. Once approved, ACRA issues a unique entity number (UEN) and an email notification of incorporation, which serves as your official certificate. You can buy a business profile from BizFile as your formal company extract.

The diagram below shows the path from name to incorporated company.

How Much Does It Cost to Register a Company?

The government fees are fixed: S$15 for the name application and S$300 for incorporation, paid to ACRA. Most owners also pay a service provider to handle the filing, the company secretary, and the registered address. Packages vary widely, and you can read the lower end in our breakdown of the S$1 company cost question. The S$1 figure refers to minimum capital, not the total cost of getting set up.

What to Do After You Register: Post-Incorporation Checklist

Incorporation is the start, not the finish. The compliance clock starts on day one.

• Open a corporate bank account. Keep business and personal money separate. See what banks ask for in our guide to opening a corporate bank account.
• Appoint your company secretary within six months if you did not name one during incorporation.
• Register for GST if required. GST registration becomes compulsory once your taxable turnover exceeds S$1 million. Below that, registration is voluntary. See our GST registration guide.
• File your Estimated Chargeable Income (ECI) within three months of your financial year end, as required by IRAS, unless your company qualifies for the filing waiver.
• Hold your AGM and file the annual return with ACRA each year, and keep your registers current.
• Apply for any business licences your activity needs before you start trading.

Miss these deadlines and your company can rack up penalties, so many owners hand the ongoing filings to a corporate secretarial provider from the outset.

A Note for Foreign Entrepreneurs

A foreigner can own a Singapore company outright, but cannot be the sole director without local residency. The common routes are to appoint a resident nominee director or, if you intend to relocate and run the business yourself, to apply for an EntrePass or Employment Pass. Our dedicated guide on opening a business in Singapore as a foreigner covers this in detail.

DIY vs Using a Professional

You can file the incorporation yourself in BizFile if you have a SingPass and meet the resident director rule. For a simple local setup with a clear name, the DIY route works.

The friction shows up elsewhere. Foreigners cannot self-file without a resident director and often need a nominee. SSIC codes, the constitution, share structures, and the post-incorporation filing calendar are easy to get wrong, and penalties for late ECI, annual returns, or AGMs add up. A professional bundles the filing, the secretary, the registered address, and the compliance reminders so nothing slips. For most owners, the time saved and the errors avoided are worth the fee.

Frequently Asked Questions

How long does it take to register a company in Singapore?

Most incorporations are approved within 1 to 2 working days once the company name is reserved and the documents are ready. Applications that require review by another government agency can take up to 14 to 60 days.

How much does it cost to register a company in Singapore?

The ACRA government fees are S$15 for the name application and S$300 for incorporation. Most owners also pay a service provider for the filing, the company secretary, and the registered address, which is quoted separately.

Can a foreigner register a company in Singapore?

Yes. Foreigners can own 100% of a Singapore company, but every company must have at least one director who is ordinarily resident in Singapore. Many foreign owners use a nominee director service to meet this rule.

What is the minimum paid-up capital to register a company?

The minimum paid-up capital is S$1. You can increase it later as the business grows, and some banks or licensing bodies may expect a higher amount.

Do I need a company secretary to register a company?

You must appoint a company secretary within six months of incorporation. A sole director cannot also serve as the company secretary, so a separate appointee is required.

When does my new company need to register for GST?

GST registration is compulsory once your taxable turnover exceeds S$1 million over a 12-month period. Below that threshold, you can register voluntarily if it suits your business.

Ready to Register Your Company?

Singapore makes incorporation fast, but the requirements and the compliance that follow are easy to underestimate. Excellence Singapore handles the whole process end to end: name search, ACRA filing, company secretary, registered address, nominee director where needed, and the ongoing filings that keep your company in good standing. Talk to us and have your company set up correctly from day one.