A sole proprietorship or partnership costs S$115 to register for one year (ACRA, as of 5 November 2026). A private limited company costs S$315. Both figures include the S$15 name application. You file on ACRA's Bizfile portal, and most applications are approved soon after payment with a free UEN. A company needs at least one director who meets ACRA's local residency rules. A foreigner without Singpass registers through a corporate service provider.
Accurate as of 5 November 2026. Every figure, date and rule on this page was checked against its source on that date, and the page is rechecked monthly.
ACRA requires registration when you trade for profit under any name except your full NRIC name
You register a business with ACRA if you carry on any activity for profit on a regular basis, unless you trade only under your full NRIC name.
ACRA's rule covers physical shops, home-based work and online ventures, and you have to be at least 18 years old. Trading without registering carries a fine of up to S$10,000, imprisonment of up to two years, or both, under section 35 of the Business Names Registration Act 2014. A registered business opens a bank account in its own name, protects its intellectual property and applies for grants and tenders. This guide covers registration with ACRA. Planning before registration sits in the guide to How to Start a Business in Singapore, which feeds into the choices below.
Do freelancers need to register a business in Singapore?
Not when you invoice under your full NRIC name, and yes once you add a brand or trading name.
| Situation | Name you trade under | Register with ACRA? | Rule behind the answer |
|---|---|---|---|
| Freelancer invoicing as an individual | Your full NRIC name only | No | ACRA exempts a business that uses only the owner's full NRIC name |
| Freelancer with a brand | A name such as "Flowers by Tan Mei Ling" | Yes | ACRA gives this as its own example of a name other than the full NRIC name |
| Partners trading together | The full NRIC names of all partners | No | The same exemption covers the full NRIC names of all partners |
| Online seller with a shop name | Any name other than your full NRIC name | Yes | ACRA's rule covers online ventures |
| Home-based business with a brand name | Any name other than your full NRIC name | Yes | ACRA's rule covers home-based work |
Whether each trading situation needs an ACRA registration, per ACRA's requirements page, checked 5 November 2026.
Foreigners register through a corporate service provider and need a local resident in the business
A foreigner engages a corporate service provider (CSP) to reserve the name and register the structure, unless the foreigner holds Singpass and registers a sole proprietorship or partnership personally.
ACRA's eligibility page states that foreigners engage a CSP, and its sole proprietorship page adds that a foreigner with Singpass registers personally. ACRA also states that every business has at least one local resident, and the role differs by structure. A qualifying local resident is a Singapore citizen, a Singapore permanent resident, or a valid holder of an Employment Pass, Personalised Employment Pass or Overseas Networks and Expertise Pass. Holders of a Foreign Identification Number (FIN) check with their pass issuer, MOM or ICA, before they register a name or accept a role. Employment Pass holders obtain a Letter of Consent from MOM first.
ACRA lists three work pass routes for founders. Entrepreneurs with venture-backed or innovative technology companies apply for an EntrePass before incorporation or within six months of setting up. Dependant's Pass holders apply for a Letter of Consent after they register the business. Other FIN holders check with their pass issuer. For a sole proprietorship or partnership run from overseas, ACRA requires an authorised representative who meets the local residency rules.
Your business structure sets your liability, your tax basis and the fee you pay on day one
A private limited company costs S$315 and limits your personal liability, while a sole proprietorship costs S$115 and leaves you personally liable for every business debt.
| Structure | Owners | Liability | Tax basis | ACRA fee on day one |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sole proprietorship | One owner: an individual, a company or an LLP | Unlimited and personal | Personal income tax rates | S$115 for 1 year or S$175 for 3 years |
| Partnership | 2 to 20 owners (professional partnerships exceed 20) | Unlimited for every owner, including debts caused by other owners | Personal or corporate tax rates | S$115 for 1 year or S$175 for 3 years |
| Limited partnership (LP) | 2 or more partners | General partners unlimited, limited partners capped at their contribution | Personal or corporate tax rates | Not listed on ACRA's structure page |
| Limited liability partnership (LLP) | 2 or more partners | Limited, with each partner liable for their own wrongful acts | Personal or corporate tax rates | Not listed on ACRA's structure page |
| Private limited company | 1 or more shareholders, up to 50 | Limited for shareholders | Corporate tax rates | S$315 |
Structures, liability and fees as ACRA lists them, checked 5 November 2026. Fees include the S$15 name application.
Which structure suits a solo founder who wants limited liability?
A private limited company, because an LLP needs two or more partners and ACRA names the company as the structure that best protects your personal money.
A company is a separate legal entity that sues, is sued and owns property in its own name. It needs at least one shareholder and one director. The price of that protection is paperwork: ACRA lists a company secretary, an auditor unless exempt, statutory registers, an annual general meeting and annual returns as ongoing duties. A sole proprietorship carries the lightest load, with renewal and Medisave as the main obligations.
How much does it cost to register a business in Singapore?
ACRA charges S$15 for the name and then S$100 (sole proprietorship or partnership, one year) or S$300 (company) for registration, so S$115 or S$315 in total.
| Option | Name application | Registration fee | Total |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sole proprietorship or partnership, 1 year | S$15 | S$100 | S$115 |
| Sole proprietorship or partnership, 3 years | S$15 | S$160 | S$175 |
| Private limited company | S$15 | S$300 | S$315 |
ACRA registration fees by option, with totals added up here (15 + 100 = 115; 15 + 160 = 175; 15 + 300 = 315), checked 5 November 2026.
A company costs S$200 more than a one-year sole proprietorship on day one (315 minus 115). The three-year term costs S$60 more than the one-year term (160 minus 100), which is S$30 for each extra year. ACRA offers the three-year term only if CPF Board conditions are met. ACRA's fee table lists renewal of a business registration at S$30.
A private limited company registers in two Bizfile filings, a name reservation and an incorporation
You reserve the name for S$15, then file the incorporation for S$300 inside the 120-day reservation window, and ACRA approves most applications soon after payment.
| Filing | Bizfile eService | Fee | Time ACRA lists | What you hold afterwards |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Name reservation | Apply for new business entity name | S$15 | ACRA review up to 3 working days; up to 15 working days if a referral authority reviews it | The name for 120 days |
| Incorporation | Register new business entity | S$300 | Soon after payment; up to 15 working days if complex; 14 to 60 days if a referral authority approves | Notice of incorporation, UEN, free Business Profile link |
Fees and timings for the two company filings on ACRA's pages, checked 5 November 2026.
How do you reserve a business name on Bizfile?
Log in with Singpass, apply for a new business entity name, pay S$15 and save the transaction number.
Prepare the preferred name without a legal suffix such as Pte Ltd, the business structure, the primary and any secondary SSIC business activity codes, a valid email address and a payment method. ACRA rejects a name identical to an existing or reserved business name, a name with vulgar or offensive terms, and a name similar to a government body or one protected by legislation, such as Temasek. Changing only a disregarded word such as Singapore, Holdings or Pte does not make a name unique. The S$15 fee is non-refundable if the name is unavailable or you withdraw.
What do you need to file the company application?
You need the reserved name's transaction number, Singpass, a Singapore registered office, details of every director, secretary and shareholder, your share capital and a constitution.
- The entity type on the application matches the type you reserved the name for.
- The registered office is open to the public for at least three hours each business day.
- At least one director meets the local residency rules.
- Each position holder supplies an NRIC or FIN, full name, date of birth, positions held, residential address, a contact address that is not a P.O. Box, a mobile number and an email.
- The constitution is either customised or a model constitution.
- Share capital details cover currency, share class and amounts. ACRA sets a minimum of one issued share and states no minimum paid-up amount on its registration guide.
How long does company approval take and what do you receive?
Most applications are approved soon after payment, and approval issues a notice of successful incorporation, your UEN and a link to a free Business Profile.
Complex applications take up to 15 working days, and registrations that need a referral authority take 14 to 60 days. Other position holders endorse the registration within 60 days unless a CSP filed it. ACRA's registration guide does not mention a certificate of incorporation. The Understanding the UEN System guide explains the number's format and how to look one up.
A sole proprietorship or partnership registers in five Bizfile steps for S$100 a year
The person who reserved the name registers on Bizfile in five steps and pays S$100 for one year or S$160 for three years.
- Log in as an Individual User and open Register new business entity.
- Retrieve the details with your name reservation number, then enter the commencement date, business email and business address.
- Add each owner or partner with ID details and addresses.
- Choose the registration period, tick the declaration and pay by credit card, debit card or online banking.
- Check your Bizfile inbox for the outcome.
Owners and partners are at least 18, are Singapore citizens, permanent residents or eligible FIN holders, and are not undischarged bankrupts. Self-employed owners have Medisave payments up to date. A partnership has two to 20 partners, apart from professional partnerships.
Is a home address allowed as a business address in Singapore?
Yes for small-scale businesses, after approval from HDB for HDB residents or from URA for private property residents.
ACRA calls this the Home Office Scheme. The business address is the main place of operation, and ACRA does not allow a P.O. Box there. Every owner also gives a residential address, where ACRA sends official letters. The contact address sits in the same country as the residential address and is not a P.O. Box.
Nine deadlines run from your name approval and UEN issue date
Corppass opens one day after your UEN arrives, and a new company then has up to six months to appoint its company secretary.
| When | What is due | Applies to | ACRA or IRAS basis |
|---|---|---|---|
| Within 120 days of name approval | Register the business, or ACRA releases the name | All structures | Name reservation guide |
| One day after UEN issue | Apply for Corppass | All structures | Post-registration guides |
| Before paying staff | Apply for a CPF Submission Number | Employers | Post-registration guides |
| Within 60 days of registration | Download the free Business Profile before it expires | All structures | Post-registration guides |
| Within 3 months of registration | Appoint an auditor unless exempt | Companies | Post-registration guide |
| Within 6 months of registration | Appoint a company secretary; the director risks a fine of up to S$1,000 if the post stays vacant longer | Companies | Directors and officers guide |
| Within 14 days of a change | Report changes to officers, address or activities in Bizfile | Companies | Updating company information |
| Within 6 months after year end | Hold the annual general meeting, unless exempt or dispensed | Non-listed companies | AGM guide |
| Taxable turnover above S$1 million | Register for GST | All structures | Post-registration guides, IRAS |
Registration deadlines in the order they fall, from ACRA and IRAS pages checked 5 November 2026.
You apply for GST once taxable turnover exceeds S$1 million at the end of any calendar year, or when you reasonably expect it to exceed S$1 million in the next 12 months.
What do the company deadlines look like for a company incorporated on 1 March 2027?
Corppass opens on 2 March 2027, the Business Profile download closes on 30 April 2027, the auditor is due by 1 June 2027 and the company secretary by 1 September 2027.
| Deadline | Rule | Arithmetic | Date |
|---|---|---|---|
| Corppass application | One day after UEN issue | 1 March plus 1 day | 2 March 2027 |
| Free Business Profile download | Within 60 days | 1 March plus 60 days (30 days left in March after the 1st, then 30 in April) | 30 April 2027 |
| Auditor appointed | Within 3 months | 1 March plus 3 calendar months | 1 June 2027 |
| Company secretary appointed | Within 6 months | 1 March plus 6 calendar months | 1 September 2027 |
| AGM for a 31 December 2027 year end | Within 6 months after year end | 31 December 2027 plus 6 calendar months | 30 June 2028 |
Worked example with an illustrative incorporation date. ACRA counts from your actual registration date, so confirm each day in Bizfile.
The Guide to Business Compliance in Singapore covers licences, tax and filings after these first deadlines.
Six registration errors cost a fee or weeks, and each has a fix
Most delays come from the name, the entity type or a missed appointment, and each one is avoidable with a check before you file.
| Mistake | What ACRA states happens | Fix | ACRA source |
|---|---|---|---|
| Reserving a name too similar to an existing or reserved name | The registration is likely rejected and fees are non-refundable | Run Bizfile's reserved-name search and add clear, meaningful words | Choosing a business name |
| Using a regulated word such as "school" | A referral authority reviews the name, adding 14 to 60 days | Reserve the name early and plan for the referral | Choosing a business name |
| Registering after the reservation lapses | ACRA releases the name after 120 days for others to use | Note the reservation date and file the incorporation inside 120 days | Reserving a business name |
| Filing under a different entity type from the one reserved | The entity type has to match the reserved name | Reserve the name for the final structure | Registering a local company |
| Leaving the company secretary post vacant beyond six months | A director faces a fine of up to S$1,000 | Appoint the secretary before month six | Directors and officers guide |
| Trading under a brand name without registering | A fine of up to S$10,000, up to two years in prison, or both | Register before you trade under the name | Requirements and eligibility |
Registration mistakes and the consequence ACRA states for each, checked 5 November 2026.
General guidance as of 5 November 2026, not legal advice.