{"id":24212,"date":"2018-11-09T15:02:54","date_gmt":"2018-11-09T07:02:54","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/glutenfreepleasure.com\/__proxy_domain\/www.3ecpa.com.sg\/?page_id=24212"},"modified":"2026-10-05T05:26:51","modified_gmt":"2026-10-04T21:26:51","slug":"what-is-a-singapore-company","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/glutenfreepleasure.com\/__proxy_domain\/www.3ecpa.com.sg\/resources\/guide-to-setup-singapore-business\/what-is-a-singapore-company\/","title":{"rendered":"What is a Singapore Company?"},"content":{"rendered":"<div class=\"wpb-content-wrapper\" id=\"wpb-content-root\"><p>[vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text css=&#8221;&#8221;]<\/p>\n<h2>Singapore Company Registration Guide \u2013 ACRA Process, Requirements &amp; Compliance<\/h2>\n<p><center><iframe loading=\"lazy\" title=\"YouTube video player\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/nMD48Z8I0zA?si=c0tfxSnHJJ9MqOtW&amp;rel=0\" width=\"800\" height=\"400\" frameborder=\"0\" allowfullscreen=\"allowfullscreen\"><\/iframe><\/center><\/p>\n<h3><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignright size-full wp-image-80873\" title=\"What is a Singapore Company?\" src=\"https:\/\/glutenfreepleasure.com\/__proxy_domain\/www.3ecpa.com.sg\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/07\/photo-what-is-a-singapore-company-400x300-1.jpg\" alt=\"What is a Singapore Company?\" width=\"400\" height=\"300\" srcset=\"https:\/\/glutenfreepleasure.com\/__proxy_domain\/www.3ecpa.com.sg\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/07\/photo-what-is-a-singapore-company-400x300-1.jpg 400w, https:\/\/glutenfreepleasure.com\/__proxy_domain\/www.3ecpa.com.sg\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/07\/photo-what-is-a-singapore-company-400x300-1-300x225.jpg 300w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 400px) 100vw, 400px\" \/>Definition of a Singapore company<\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">According to the definition by Accounting and Corporate Regulatory Authority of Singapore (\u201cACRA\u201d), a Singapore company is a business entity that has been registered under the<\/span> <a href=\"https:\/\/glutenfreepleasure.com\/__proxy_domain\/www.3ecpa.com.sg\/resources\/guide-to-setup-singapore-business\/singapore-companies-act\/\"><b>Companies Act<\/b><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">,<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> Chapter 50. The most common business entity in Singapore is the private limited company, which usually has the words \u2018Pte Ltd\u2019, or \u2018Ltd\u2019 as part of its business name.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Once<\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/glutenfreepleasure.com\/__proxy_domain\/www.3ecpa.com.sg\/resources\/guide-to-setup-singapore-business\/acra-singapore-registrar-of-companies-roc\/\"> <b>registered with the ACRA<\/b> <\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">(Accounting and Corporate Regulatory Authority), a Singapore company becomes a separate legal entity offering limited liability protection. Singapore\u2019s pro-business policies and low tax rates, and ranked it among the best places globally to start a business.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">This is one of the major reasons why <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/glutenfreepleasure.com\/__proxy_domain\/www.3ecpa.com.sg\/services\/business-setup\/\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">setting up a company in Singapore<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> is becoming a popular choice for both locals and foreign entrepreneurs.<\/span><\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<h3>General Info<\/h3>\n<ol style=\"list-style-type: number;\">\n<li><strong><strong>Legal Entity<\/strong><\/strong>\n<ul>\n<li>It is a legal entity separate and distinct from its shareholders and directors.<\/li>\n<li>It is a taxable entity in its own right<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<li><strong>Language<\/strong>\n<ul>\n<li>Main language: English<\/li>\n<li>Secondary language: Chinese, Malay<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<li><strong>Authority<\/strong>\n<ul style=\"list-style-type: lower-alpha;\">\n<li><a title=\"ACRA: Singapore Registrar of Companies (ROC)\" href=\"https:\/\/glutenfreepleasure.com\/__proxy_domain\/www.3ecpa.com.sg\/resources\/guide-to-setup-singapore-business\/acra-singapore-registrar-of-companies-roc\/\">Accounting and Corporate Regulatory Authority (\u201cACRA\u201d)<\/a>\n<ul>\n<li>The statutory board under the Ministry of Finance of Singapore.<\/li>\n<li>It administers and oversees the regulation of companies and public accountants in Singapore.<\/li>\n<li>It is vested with the power to ensure compliance and monitor the regulatory environment for businesses, public accountants, and corporate service providers (as stipulated under the Companies\u2019 Act).<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<li><a title=\"Inland Revenue Authority of Singapore \u2013 Income Tax Department\" href=\"https:\/\/glutenfreepleasure.com\/__proxy_domain\/www.3ecpa.com.sg\/resources\/singapore-taxation\/inland-revenue-authority-of-singapore-income-tax-department\/\">Inland Revenue Authority of Singapore (\u201cIRAS\u201d)<\/a>\n<ul>\n<li>The <a href=\"https:\/\/glutenfreepleasure.com\/__proxy_domain\/www.3ecpa.com.sg\/resources\/singapore-taxation\/inland-revenue-authority-of-singapore-income-tax-department\/\">statutory board<\/a> under the Ministry of Finance of Singapore.<\/li>\n<li>It is the main tax administrator to the government.<\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"3\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Besides tax collection, IRAS is also responsible for tax treaty negotiations, drafting tax legislation, and providing advice on property valuation to the Singaporean Government.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<p>Registering a company in Singapore offers limited liability protection and is the most common choice for entrepreneurs setting up a company in Singapore.<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<h3><b>\u00a0What are the Legal Requirements for Directors, Shareholders, and Company Setups in Singapore?<\/b><\/h3>\n<h4>Members<\/h4>\n<p><strong>1. Directors<\/strong><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">According to the Companies Act, every company must hav<\/span><b>e at least one director<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> who is ordinarily resident in Singapore.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-24224 alignright\" title=\"What is a Singapore Company?\" src=\"https:\/\/glutenfreepleasure.com\/__proxy_domain\/www.3ecpa.com.sg\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/11\/photo-what-is-a-singapore-company-1-400x300.jpg\" alt=\"What is a Singapore Company?\" width=\"400\" height=\"300\" srcset=\"https:\/\/glutenfreepleasure.com\/__proxy_domain\/www.3ecpa.com.sg\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/11\/photo-what-is-a-singapore-company-1-400x300.jpg 400w, https:\/\/glutenfreepleasure.com\/__proxy_domain\/www.3ecpa.com.sg\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/11\/photo-what-is-a-singapore-company-1-400x300-300x225.jpg 300w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 400px) 100vw, 400px\" \/><\/p>\n<p>Definition of \u201cordinarily resident in Singapore\u201d: it means the director&#8217;s usual place of residence is in Singapore.<\/p>\n<p>The director could be either a <a title=\"Apply for Singapore Citizenship Application in Singapore\" href=\"https:\/\/glutenfreepleasure.com\/__proxy_domain\/www.3ecpa.com.sg\/services\/immigration\/singapore-citizenship\/\">Singapore Citizen<\/a>, or a <a title=\"Apply for Singapore PR Permanent Residence in Singapore\" href=\"https:\/\/glutenfreepleasure.com\/__proxy_domain\/www.3ecpa.com.sg\/services\/immigration\/singapore-permanent-residence\/\">Singapore Permanent Resident<\/a> or an EntrePass holder.<\/p>\n<p><b>Director Requirements:<\/b><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Minimum age limit: 18 years<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u00a0Maximum age limit: none<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Cannot be someone declared bankrupt or convicted a criminal offence before.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">An <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/glutenfreepleasure.com\/__proxy_domain\/www.3ecpa.com.sg\/services\/immigration\/singapore-employment-pass\/\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Employment Pass<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> holder (who is ordinarily resident) may be eligible to act as a director in this capacity. EP holders who want to take up a secondary directorship position in another company (other than the company for which their EP is approved), will have to apply for and be granted a Letter of Consent (\u201cLOC\u201d) before the registration of the directorship positions with ACRA.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p><strong>2. Shareholders<\/strong><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">All companies must have at least one shareholder, who may be a local or foreign person.<\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Shareholders may be appointed or not appointed as Directors of the Company.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">A private limited company can have up to 50 shareholders.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Shareholders can be either natural persons or corporations.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">100% foreign ownership is allowed<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> in Singapore.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p><strong>3. Company Secretary <\/strong><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"list-style-type: none;\"><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Every company is <\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">mandated to<\/span><b> appoint a secretary within 6 months<\/b> <span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">of its incorporation.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><b>Requirements:<\/b><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The company secretary must reside locally in Singapore<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The<\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/glutenfreepleasure.com\/__proxy_domain\/www.3ecpa.com.sg\/resources\/corporate-compliance-requirement\/company-secretary-and-its-role-and-responsibilities-in-singapore\/\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> company secretary<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> cannot be the sole director of the company<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><b>Qualifications for Public Company Secretary<\/b><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The company secretary of a public company must comply with section 171(1AA) of the Companies Act, which requires that he or she must possess a minimum of one of the following qualifications:<\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Has been the company secretary of a company for at least 3 of the 5 years immediately before his appointment, and\/or<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Is a qualified person under the Legal Profession Act (Cap. 161), and\/or<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Is a public accountant registered under the Accountants Act (Cap. 2), and\/or<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Is a member of the Institute of Certified Public Accountants of Singapore, and\/or<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Is a member of the Singapore Association of the Institute of Chartered Secretaries and Administrators, and\/or<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Is a member of the Association of International Accountants (Singapore Branch), and\/or<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Is a member of the Institute of Company Accountants, Singapore<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p><strong>4. Auditor<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>All locally incorporated companies are mandated to appoint an auditor within three months of its incorporation<\/p>\n<p>The company is exempted from such requirement if it is exempted from audit requirements (companies with less than 20 individual shareholders with no corporate shareholders and the annual turnovers that are less than S $5 million are exempt from audit requirements).<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<h3><b>Company Name <\/b><b>Requirements<\/b><\/h3>\n<ol>\n<li style=\"list-style-type: none;\">\n<ol>\n<li><strong>ACRA\u2019s <a title=\"Guide to Select Your Singapore Company Names\" href=\"https:\/\/glutenfreepleasure.com\/__proxy_domain\/www.3ecpa.com.sg\/incorporation\/guide-to-select-your-singapore-company-names\/\">Company Name Guidelines<\/a><\/strong><br \/>\nACRA has published to <a title=\"Practice Direction No.4 of 2003\" href=\"https:\/\/www.acra.gov.sg\/regulations\/practice-directions-registrars-interpretations-guidance\/practice-directions\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">the Practice Direction No.4 of 2020<\/a> that spelt out the following:<\/p>\n<ul style=\"list-style-type: lower-alpha;\">\n<li>The rules in the selection of proposed company names;<\/li>\n<li>The facilities available to support in the name selection process; and<\/li>\n<li>The guidelines for the selection of proposed company names.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<li><strong>Unacceptable company names<\/strong><br \/>\nIn Singapore, Section 27(1) of the Companies Act (2006) governs the selection of a company name. Section 27 stipulates that the Registrar (unless the Minister approves it) will reject the company name registration if it is:<\/p>\n<ul style=\"list-style-type: lower-alpha;\">\n<li>Undesirable due to obscene words or if it includes religious names<\/li>\n<li>Identical to any registered company or business name<\/li>\n<li>Identical to any reserved name as per:\n<ul style=\"list-style-type: lower-alpha;\">\n<li>The Business Registration Act 2014,<\/li>\n<li>Limited Liability Partnership Act, or<\/li>\n<li>Limited Partnership Act<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<li>Refused for registration by the Registrar as per the Minister\u2019s directions.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<h3>Registered Office Address<\/h3>\n<p>In Singapore, you need to have a local, physical Singapore address as the <a title=\"Virtual Office Address \/ Registered Address Services in Singapore\" href=\"https:\/\/glutenfreepleasure.com\/__proxy_domain\/www.3ecpa.com.sg\/services\/virtual-office\/registered-address\/\">registered office address<\/a> of the company. While the registered office address can be either a residential or commercial address, a P.O. Box cannot be used as the registered office address.<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<h3>Company Shares and Shareholders<\/h3>\n<p>In Singapore, the company law mandates all companies to maintain share capital throughout the company&#8217;s life. Companies must have at least S$1 in paid-up capital for <a title=\"Incorporate Your Business in Singapore\" href=\"https:\/\/glutenfreepleasure.com\/__proxy_domain\/www.3ecpa.com.sg\/services\/company-setup\/singapore-company-incorporation-services\/\">company incorporation<\/a>.<\/p>\n<h4><strong>Share Capital Requirement<\/strong><\/h4>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"list-style-type: none;\">\n<ul style=\"list-style-type: lower-alpha;\">\n<li>Share capital means the money that has been invested in the company (by shareholders) in exchange for company shares that were issued to shareholders.<br \/>\n<h3><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-24222 alignright\" title=\"What is a Singapore Company?\" src=\"https:\/\/glutenfreepleasure.com\/__proxy_domain\/www.3ecpa.com.sg\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/11\/photo-what-is-a-singapore-company-2-400x300.jpg\" alt=\"What is a Singapore Company?\" width=\"400\" height=\"300\" srcset=\"https:\/\/glutenfreepleasure.com\/__proxy_domain\/www.3ecpa.com.sg\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/11\/photo-what-is-a-singapore-company-2-400x300.jpg 400w, https:\/\/glutenfreepleasure.com\/__proxy_domain\/www.3ecpa.com.sg\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/11\/photo-what-is-a-singapore-company-2-400x300-300x225.jpg 300w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 400px) 100vw, 400px\" \/><\/h3>\n<\/li>\n<li>In Singapore, the total share capital of a company can be categorised into two groups: paid-up capital and unpaid capital.<\/li>\n<li>Paid-up capital: the money that have been paid by shareholders in full for the issued shares.<\/li>\n<li>Unpaid share capital: it is the situation when none of the monies due for an allotment of shares (that have been issued) has been paid. In certain small companies, the unpaid share capital is often to the company indefinitely.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h4><strong>Types of Shares<\/strong><\/h4>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"list-style-type: none;\">\n<ul style=\"list-style-type: lower-alpha;\">\n<li><strong>Ordinary shares<\/strong><br \/>\nAll companies have to issue one ordinary share in order to incorporate the company. Generally, ordinary shares come with voting rights of one vote per share at general meetings, the equal right to dividends, and the right to share the surplus of capital when the company is wound up.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Non-voting shares<\/strong><br \/>\nAs the name suggests, non-voting shares do not provide the shareholder either the right to attend general meetings or the right. Generally, non-voting shares are issued to the main shareholder\u2019s family members or employees.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Preference shares<\/strong><br \/>\nThis type of share gives ordinary shareholders the special rights dividend payments and in most cases, it is non-voting shares. A company may decide to issue dividends to preference shareholders before its ordinary shareholders. Preference shares may have rights to share the surplus of capital or claim the company assets over ordinary shareholders.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Alphabet shares<\/strong><br \/>\nA company can choose to have different classes of shares (commonly Class A, Class B, Class C and so forth) with each providing different privileges and rights to shareholders.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Management shares<\/strong><br \/>\nManagement shares confer extra voting rights and it is offered to the founders of the business.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Redeemable shares<\/strong><br \/>\nA redeemable share, as the name implies, is issued with a term that the company will buy back the share at a future date.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Deferred shares<\/strong><br \/>\nNo dividend will be paid to deferred shares until other shareholders have received a minimum dividend.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h4><strong>Who Can Be A Shareholder?<\/strong><\/h4>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"list-style-type: none;\">\n<ul style=\"list-style-type: lower-alpha;\">\n<li>A private limited company is mandated to have at least one shareholder and the maximum number of shareholders is capped at 50.<\/li>\n<li>Shareholders can be either natural persons or corporations and can be either local or foreign.<\/li>\n<li>100% company ownership by foreign shareholders is allowed in Singapore.<\/li>\n<li>To be eligible to be a shareholder, an individual must first purchase company shares.<\/li>\n<li>The shareholder does not hold any company assets nor is not liable for the company debts as the company is a separate legal entity.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>Singapore company registration allows flexible ownership transfers, making it easier to restructure or bring in new shareholders when needed.<\/p>\n<h3>Incorporation Form and Fee<\/h3>\n<ul>\n<li><strong>Documents Needed<\/strong>\n<ul style=\"list-style-type: lower-alpha;\">\n<li>Company Name (make sure it is an ACRA-approved company name)Important note: The reservation period of an ACRA-approved company name is 120 days from the date of approval. There will be no further extension of name reservation period allowed.<strong><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-24220 alignright\" title=\"What is a Singapore Company?\" src=\"https:\/\/glutenfreepleasure.com\/__proxy_domain\/www.3ecpa.com.sg\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/11\/photo-what-is-a-singapore-company-3-400x300.jpg\" alt=\"What is a Singapore Company?\" width=\"400\" height=\"300\" srcset=\"https:\/\/glutenfreepleasure.com\/__proxy_domain\/www.3ecpa.com.sg\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/11\/photo-what-is-a-singapore-company-3-400x300.jpg 400w, https:\/\/glutenfreepleasure.com\/__proxy_domain\/www.3ecpa.com.sg\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/11\/photo-what-is-a-singapore-company-3-400x300-300x225.jpg 300w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 400px) 100vw, 400px\" \/><\/strong><\/li>\n<li>Brief description of the business activities<\/li>\n<li>Details of shareholders, directors and company secretary<\/li>\n<li>Registered office address<\/li>\n<li>Constitution (formerly known as Memorandum and Articles of Association)<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<li><strong>Constitution<\/strong><br \/>\nThe Constitution contains information:<\/p>\n<ul style=\"list-style-type: lower-alpha;\">\n<li>Company\u2019s name<\/li>\n<li>Registered office\u2019s location<\/li>\n<li>Liability of the members<\/li>\n<li>The Company\u2019s capital structure<\/li>\n<li>Names of the subscribers and the number of shares subscribed by them<\/li>\n<li>Primary business activities of the company<\/li>\n<li>The governing rules of the internal management of the company<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<li><strong>Incorporation Process<\/strong>\n<ul style=\"list-style-type: lower-alpha;\">\n<li>In Singapore, all applications for the company registration are all submitted online via <a title=\"BizFile System\" href=\"https:\/\/glutenfreepleasure.com\/__proxy_domain\/www.3ecpa.com.sg\/resources\/guide-to-setup-singapore-business\/acra-bizfile\/\">BizFile System<\/a> (ACRA&#8217;s electronic filing and information retrieval system).<\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"2\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Log<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> in to <\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">BizFile+ using the SingPass or CorpPass to perform <\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">an <\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">online transaction. All proposed <\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">directors <\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">(including shareholders and secretaries) will need to endorse their consent online via BizFile+ within 120 days (from the name application approval date).<\/span><\/li>\n<li>For foreigners, the company incorporation process could be completed with the help of a registered filing agent (for example law firm, accounting firm or corporate secretarial firm) to submit an online application on your behalf.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<li><strong>After Incorporation Process<\/strong>\n<ul style=\"list-style-type: lower-alpha;\">\n<li><strong>Issuance of Unique Entity Number (\u201cUEN\u201d)<\/strong>Every newly incorporated company will be issued with a system-generated UEN- an identification number that all businesses need to use when dealing\/transacting with government agencies.<\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"2\"><b>Issuance of Business Profile. <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Upon successful incorporation, all new <\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">companies <\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">will receive a free Business Profile. It is an electronic report with all <\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">the <\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">business registration information of that company. The person who filed the incorporation will receive an email with a URL to download the free Business Profile.<\/span><\/li>\n<li><strong>Issuance of Company\u2019s items<\/strong>\n<ul>\n<li>Share certificates for each of the shareholders<\/li>\n<li>Statutory Registers<\/li>\n<li>Common seal<\/li>\n<li>Rubber Stamp (optional)<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<li><strong>Corporate Bank Accounts <\/strong>After the incorporation, a company can open a corporate account at any of the local banks in Singapore or an overseas bank in Singapore.<\/li>\n<li><strong><a title=\"Goods and Services Tax (GST) Services in Singapore\" href=\"https:\/\/glutenfreepleasure.com\/__proxy_domain\/www.3ecpa.com.sg\/services\/taxation\/goods-and-services-tax-gst\/\">Goods and Services Tax Registration<\/a><\/strong><br \/>\nAll Singaporean companies with over S$1-million taxable supplies of goods and services are mandated to register for GST and file GST returns on a quarterly basis.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<h3>Compliance Requirements for Companies in Singapore<\/h3>\n<ul>\n<li><strong>Fiscal year determination<\/strong><br \/>\nEvery Singapore\u2019s company must <a title=\"Determining the Financial Year End\" href=\"https:\/\/glutenfreepleasure.com\/__proxy_domain\/www.3ecpa.com.sg\/resources\/corporate-compliance-requirement\/determining-financial-year-end\/\">determine its financial year end<\/a> (\u201cFYE\u201d), which is not necessarily to be on 31<sup>st<\/sup> of December.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Annual general meeting (\u201cAGM\u201d)<\/strong>\n<ul style=\"list-style-type: lower-alpha;\">\n<li>Every company have to hold its AGM every calendar year, with its financial statements tabled at the AGM for shareholders\u2019 approval.<\/li>\n<li>For Companies with FYE ending before 31 Aug 2018, AGM has to be held within 18 months from the date of incorporation or 6 months from FYE date, whichever earlier.<\/li>\n<li><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">For Companies with an FYE ending on or after 31 Aug 2018, the AGM must be held within 6 months of the FYE.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<li><strong>Annual returns<\/strong>\n<ul style=\"list-style-type: lower-alpha;\">\n<li>It is mandatory for every company to file its annual returns within one month of its AGM date. For Companies with financial year end (\u201cFYE\u201d) ending before 31 Aug 2018, within 30 days from the AGM date.<\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"2\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Companies must file their annual returns within 7 months after FYE if their FYE <\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">ends <\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">on or after 31 Aug 2018.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<li><strong>Tax filing<\/strong><br \/>\n<span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">30<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">th<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> November is the deadline for filing <\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">the <\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">corporate income tax return in Singapore.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>Know all about\u00a0<a title=\"Corporate Compliance Requirement in Singapore\" href=\"https:\/\/glutenfreepleasure.com\/__proxy_domain\/www.3ecpa.com.sg\/resources\/corporate-compliance-requirement\/\">Compliance Requirements<\/a><\/p>\n<h3><\/h3>\n<h3>Why Set Up a Company in Singapore?<\/h3>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">100% foreign ownership <\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">is<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> allowed, which means anyone can incorporate a company in Singapore.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The ACRA Process is very simple<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, <\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">with online company registration being possible through BizFile+.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Low corporate tax rates and strong double taxation treaties is a strong benefit.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Reputation as a global business hub in Asia.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Mandatory company name check ensures unique brand identity.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<h3>Closing the Business in Singapore<\/h3>\n<ol style=\"list-style-type: number;\">\n<li><strong>Striking off<\/strong>\n<ul style=\"list-style-type: lower-alpha;\">\n<li>A company can apply to ACRA to <a title=\"Strike Off Company Services in Singapore\" href=\"https:\/\/glutenfreepleasure.com\/__proxy_domain\/www.3ecpa.com.sg\/services\/corporate-secretarial\/strike-off-company\/\">strike off<\/a> its name from the Register.<br \/>\n<h3><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-24226 alignright\" title=\"What is a Singapore Company?\" src=\"https:\/\/glutenfreepleasure.com\/__proxy_domain\/www.3ecpa.com.sg\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/11\/photo-what-is-a-singapore-company-4-400x300.jpg\" alt=\"What is a Singapore Company?\" width=\"400\" height=\"300\" srcset=\"https:\/\/glutenfreepleasure.com\/__proxy_domain\/www.3ecpa.com.sg\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/11\/photo-what-is-a-singapore-company-4-400x300.jpg 400w, https:\/\/glutenfreepleasure.com\/__proxy_domain\/www.3ecpa.com.sg\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/11\/photo-what-is-a-singapore-company-4-400x300-300x225.jpg 300w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 400px) 100vw, 400px\" \/><\/h3>\n<\/li>\n<li>The striking-off application will be approved by ACRA if the company can prove that is not carrying on any business, and the company is able to fulfil the striking-off criteria.<\/li>\n<li>For a GST-registered company, it has to apply for cancellation of GST registration with IRAS.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<li><strong>Members\u2019 Voluntary Winding Up<\/strong>\n<ul style=\"list-style-type: lower-alpha;\">\n<li>A company may opt to wind up voluntarily if the directors are confident that the company will be able to repay its debts in full within 12 months after the commencement of the winding up.<\/li>\n<li>A liquidator, or provisional liquidator, will be appointed by the company to wind up its affairs and file the necessary notifications required under the Companies Act.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<li><strong>Creditors\u2019 Voluntary Winding Up<\/strong>\n<ul style=\"list-style-type: lower-alpha;\">\n<li>\u201cCreditors\u2019 voluntary winding up\u201d is another option if the company\u2019s directors believe that it cannot continue its business.<\/li>\n<li>A liquidator, or provisional liquidator, will be appointed by the company to wind up its affairs and file the necessary notifications required under the Companies Act.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<li><strong>Compulsory Winding up<\/strong>\n<ul style=\"list-style-type: lower-alpha;\">\n<li>This situation happens under an Order of the Court (due to reasons like the company is unable to pay its debts)<\/li>\n<li>The Court may appoint a liquidator to wind up the affairs of the company.<\/li>\n<li>If there is no liquidator being appointed by the Court, the Official Receiver shall be the liquidator of the company.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<li><strong>Receivership<\/strong><br \/>\nThis happens when a receiver is appointed to enforce a charge for the benefit of holders of debentures of the company.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Judicial Management<\/strong>\n<ul style=\"list-style-type: lower-alpha;\">\n<li>This is a debt restructuring method where an independent judicial manager is appointed to manage the affairs, business, and company property.<\/li>\n<li>The company is also temporarily exempted from legal proceedings by third parties.<\/li>\n<li>Instead of winding up, the company is given the opportunity to rehabilitate.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<h3><strong>Related Guides:<\/strong><\/h3>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><a href=\"https:\/\/glutenfreepleasure.com\/__proxy_domain\/www.3ecpa.com.sg\/resources\/guide-to-setup-singapore-business\/acra-singapore-registrar-of-companies-roc\/\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">ACRA Singapore \u2013 Registrar of Companies<\/span><\/a><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><a href=\"https:\/\/glutenfreepleasure.com\/__proxy_domain\/www.3ecpa.com.sg\/resources\/singapore-taxation\/inland-revenue-authority-of-singapore-income-tax-department\/\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Singapore Taxation &#8211; IRAS Overview<\/span><\/a><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><a href=\"https:\/\/glutenfreepleasure.com\/__proxy_domain\/www.3ecpa.com.sg\/incorporation\/guide-to-select-your-singapore-company-names\/\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Guide to Choose Your Singapore Company Name<\/span><\/a><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><a href=\"https:\/\/glutenfreepleasure.com\/__proxy_domain\/www.3ecpa.com.sg\/services\/corporate-secretarial\/\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Corporate Secretarial Services in Singapore<\/span><\/a><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><a href=\"https:\/\/glutenfreepleasure.com\/__proxy_domain\/www.3ecpa.com.sg\/services\/immigration\/singapore-employment-pass\/\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Singapore Employment Pass &amp; Immigration Guide<\/span><\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>[\/vc_column_text][\/vc_column][\/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_row_inner css=&#8221;.vc_custom_1730870221717{background-color: #126742 !important;border-radius: 5px !important;border-color: #EEEEEE !important;}&#8221;][vc_column_inner][vc_column_text css=&#8221;&#8221;]<\/p>\n<h3 style=\"text-align: center; color: white !important;\">Ready to Start Your Singapore Company?<\/h3>\n<p style=\"text-align: center; color: white;\">Get your company incorporated with 3E Accounting&#8217;s expert support. We handle all ACRA filings and compliance<\/p>\n<p>[\/vc_column_text][vc_btn title=&#8221;Get Started Today&#8221; style=&#8221;flat&#8221; color=&#8221;white&#8221; align=&#8221;center&#8221; css=&#8221;.vc_custom_1747125370476{padding-bottom: 20px !important;}&#8221; link=&#8221;url:%2Fcontact-us%2F&#8221;][\/vc_column_inner][\/vc_row_inner][vc_empty_space][vc_column_text css=&#8221;&#8221;]<\/p>\n<h3>Frequently Asked Questions<\/h3>\n<p>[\/vc_column_text][vc_tta_accordion title_tag=&#8221;h3&#8243; style=&#8221;flat&#8221; color=&#8221;green&#8221; spacing=&#8221;10&#8243; gap=&#8221;10&#8243; c_align=&#8221;left&#8221; c_position=&#8221;right&#8221; active_section=&#8221;&#8221; no_fill=&#8221;true&#8221; css=&#8221;.vc_custom_1730871643818{margin-top: 0px !important;border-top-width: 0px !important;padding-top: 0px !important;}&#8221;][vc_tta_section title=&#8221;How do I register a company with ACRA in Singapore?&#8221; tab_id=&#8221;how-do-i-register-a-company-with-acra-in-singapore&#8221;][vc_column_text css=&#8221;&#8221;]Registering a company with ACRA is simple and fully online via BizFile+. You\u2019ll need a unique company name, a local registered address, at least one resident director, a company secretary, and shareholders. Most businesses register as Private Limited Companies in Singapore. The process usually takes 1\u20133 working days.[\/vc_column_text][\/vc_tta_section][vc_tta_section title=&#8221;What is the Unique Entity Number (UEN) in Singapore?&#8221; tab_id=&#8221;what-is-the-unique-entity-number-uen-in-singapore&#8221;][vc_column_text css=&#8221;&#8221;]<span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The Unique Entity Number (UEN) is a standard identification number issued to all businesses and entities registered in Singapore. It\u2019s used for all government-related transactions, such as filing taxes, applying for licenses, and submitting documents. Think of it as your company\u2019s official ID in Singapore<\/span>[\/vc_column_text][\/vc_tta_section][vc_tta_section title=&#8221;Can foreigners register a company in Singapore?&#8221; tab_id=&#8221;can-foreigners-register-a-company-in-singapore&#8221;][vc_column_text css=&#8221;&#8221;]Yes, Singapore allows 100% foreign ownership when setting up a company in Singapore.[\/vc_column_text][\/vc_tta_section][vc_tta_section title=&#8221;How do I check if a company name is available in Singapore?&#8221; tab_id=&#8221;how-do-i-check-if-a-company-name-is-available-in-singapore&#8221;][vc_column_text css=&#8221;&#8221;]<span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">You can perform a company name check through our <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/glutenfreepleasure.com\/__proxy_domain\/www.3ecpa.com.sg\/resources\/tools\/singapore-company-name-checker\/\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">company name check tool<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">.<\/span>[\/vc_column_text][\/vc_tta_section][\/vc_tta_accordion][vc_empty_space][\/vc_column][\/vc_row]<\/p>\n<\/div>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>[vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text css=&#8221;&#8221;] Singapore Company Registration Guide \u2013 ACRA Process, Requirements &amp; Compliance Definition of a Singapore company According to the definition by Accounting and Corporate Regulatory Authority of Singapore (\u201cACRA\u201d), a Singapore company is a business entity that has been registered under the Companies Act, Chapter 50. The most common business entity in Singapore is&hellip;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":22,"featured_media":80873,"parent":12753,"menu_order":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","template":"","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[],"class_list":["post-24212","page","type-page","status-publish","has-post-thumbnail","description-off"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/glutenfreepleasure.com\/__proxy_domain\/www.3ecpa.com.sg\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/24212","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/glutenfreepleasure.com\/__proxy_domain\/www.3ecpa.com.sg\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/glutenfreepleasure.com\/__proxy_domain\/www.3ecpa.com.sg\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/page"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/glutenfreepleasure.com\/__proxy_domain\/www.3ecpa.com.sg\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/22"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/glutenfreepleasure.com\/__proxy_domain\/www.3ecpa.com.sg\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=24212"}],"version-history":[{"count":10,"href":"https:\/\/glutenfreepleasure.com\/__proxy_domain\/www.3ecpa.com.sg\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/24212\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":108923,"href":"https:\/\/glutenfreepleasure.com\/__proxy_domain\/www.3ecpa.com.sg\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/24212\/revisions\/108923"}],"up":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/glutenfreepleasure.com\/__proxy_domain\/www.3ecpa.com.sg\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/12753"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/glutenfreepleasure.com\/__proxy_domain\/www.3ecpa.com.sg\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/80873"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/glutenfreepleasure.com\/__proxy_domain\/www.3ecpa.com.sg\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=24212"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/glutenfreepleasure.com\/__proxy_domain\/www.3ecpa.com.sg\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=24212"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}