Singapore business setup guide
How to Set Up a Company in Singapore: Registration and Office Planning
To set up a local company in Singapore, choose the appropriate structure, reserve its name, prepare the required officers, shareholder, capital and address information, and register through ACRA’s Bizfile service. Company registration and permission to operate from particular premises are separate matters. Plan your workspace alongside the incorporation process.
This overview focuses on a local company, particularly a private company limited by shares. A sole proprietorship, LLP, foreign-company branch or representative office follows different requirements. Use professional corporate and tax advice for your circumstances.
Frequently asked questions
Do I need to rent an office before registering a company?
A company needs a compliant registered office in Singapore, but ACRA says this need not be the same place where business activities are carried out. Assess your operational premises separately.
How much are ACRA’s company registration fees?
The standard name application fee is S$15 and the local-company incorporation fee is S$300. The S$315 total excludes professional services and ongoing business costs; check the applicable fees before filing.
Can a foreigner register a business in Singapore?
ACRA directs foreigners to engage a Corporate Service Provider for name reservation and registration. Local residency requirements also apply. Ownership or incorporation does not itself grant a right to live or work in Singapore.
Can the only director also be company secretary?
No. A sole director cannot also act as the company’s secretary. A secretary must be appointed within six months of incorporation.
Why Set Up a Company in Singapore?
Businesses may choose Singapore for its commercial connections, professional services and operating environment. Whether a local company is appropriate depends on your activities, customers, ownership, regulatory requirements and expected costs.
Avoid choosing a structure based only on a headline tax rate or broad claims about rankings. Incorporation does not guarantee financing, a bank account, licences, tax benefits or work-pass approval. Assess each requirement separately.
1. Choose the Business Structure
Compare a company with a sole proprietorship, partnership and limited liability partnership using ACRA’s guidance and professional advice. A company is a separate legal entity, but directors still have duties and personal guarantees can create separate liabilities.
For this guide, the remaining steps concern a local company. An overseas business should compare the relevant subsidiary, branch or other route rather than applying every local-company step to all structures.
2. Reserve the Company Name
Check the proposed name and submit the appropriate name application through Bizfile. ACRA’s standard name application fee is S$15. Name approval and any referral requirements should be resolved before proceeding with registration.
Prepare suitable Singapore Standard Industrial Classification activity codes. Explain the real activities you intend to carry out; choosing a code is not permission to operate from any property or to conduct a regulated activity.
Do not confuse a registered company name with trademark protection. Consider separate intellectual-property advice if the brand is important to your business.
3. Prepare Directors, Shareholders and Officers
A local company must appoint at least one director meeting Singapore’s local residency requirements. Check each proposed officer’s eligibility and consent. Other directors may be appointed, subject to the applicable requirements.
Appoint a company secretary within six months. The sole director cannot also be secretary. An auditor must be appointed within three months unless an exemption applies; ask your adviser whether the company qualifies.
Prepare shareholder information, ownership arrangements and relevant controller or nominee disclosures. These are part of corporate compliance, not merely optional administrative details.
4. Decide the Share Capital and Constitution
ACRA distinguishes issued share capital from paid-up capital, which is the amount actually paid by shareholders. Where the company type requires share capital, at least S$1 is needed to start. This minimum is not an estimate of the funds needed to operate.
Choose a realistic funding plan for deposits, salaries, suppliers and setup costs. Prepare the company’s constitution and agree share rights and shareholder arrangements with suitable advice. Avoid treating a nominal incorporation amount as sufficient operating capital.
5. Arrange a Compliant Registered Office
ACRA requires a registered office in Singapore that can receive official communications and is accessible to the public. Its current guidance states that it must be open for at least three hours during normal business hours on business days, excluding Saturdays, Sundays and public holidays.
The registered office can differ from your operational address. If using a service provider’s address, confirm the service meets your obligations and how correspondence will be handled. Notify ACRA of address or office-hour changes within the required 14-day period.
For your operating premises, check the approved use, landlord consent and any trade-specific requirements. Registering an address with ACRA does not override planning or licensing rules.
6. Register Through Bizfile
Prepare the approved name, financial year end, contact and address details, officers, shareholders, capital, constitution and required disclosures. Use ACRA’s current registration checklist rather than relying on an old list of screenshots.
The standard incorporation fee for a local company is S$300. Together with the S$15 name application, that is S$315 in standard government fees, excluding professional services.
Allow time for review and referrals. ACRA indicates that straightforward registrations are often approved soon after payment, while complex or referred applications take longer. Do not promise a fixed incorporation date before assessing the application.
7. Plan Banking, Compliance and Operating Premises
After registration, arrange banking and the relevant company administration. A bank makes its own account-opening assessment. Set up bookkeeping and filing arrangements with your corporate adviser, and confirm tax and employment obligations with the relevant authorities.
Foreign founders should establish their filing route with a Corporate Service Provider and check work-pass requirements if they intend to work in Singapore. Incorporation itself is not immigration approval.
| Need | What to assess |
|---|---|
| Registered address | Compliance, access and official correspondence |
| Client meetings | Suitable meeting arrangements and privacy |
| Team workspace | Headcount, attendance, IT and storage |
| Operational permission | Approved property use and any required licences |
| Cash flow | Registration, advisers, deposits, setup and running costs |
When you need operational space, start with Renting Your First Office and compare coworking with a traditional office. A workspace decision should support your business plan rather than simply follow incorporation.
Written by Dave Lee TL, Founder of SHO. Originally published 10 April 2020. Reviewed 15 October 2026.
This guide provides general information. Confirm current requirements and obtain professional advice for the particular premises, agreement or company.
Sources and further reading
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Dave Lee TL · Founder, SHO · +65 9722 6361
