Registering a company in Singapore is famously quick — the paperwork can be done in a day. The part people underestimate is knowing what you need before you start and what it costs to stay compliant afterwards. Here's the whole picture, plainly.
Most businesses register as a Private Limited Company (Pte Ltd) — it's a separate legal entity, limits your personal liability, and is the most credible structure with banks, clients, and investors. This guide covers that.
What you need to register a Pte Ltd
Before you file, you'll need:
- At least one shareholder (can be an individual or a company; 100% foreign ownership is allowed).
- At least one locally-resident director — a Singapore Citizen, Permanent Resident, or valid work-pass holder (EP/EntrePass). If you're a foreigner with no local director, this is the main thing to solve (see our foreigner guide).
- A company secretary, appointed within 6 months of incorporation. They must be ordinarily resident in Singapore — and the same person cannot be both the sole director and the sole secretary.
- A registered Singapore address — a physical local address for official mail. P.O. boxes are not accepted.
- Minimum paid-up capital of S$1 (yes, one dollar — you can start small).
The steps
- Choose and reserve your company name on ACRA's BizFile+ portal. Approval is usually quick unless the name clashes or needs referral to another agency.
- Prepare your details — shareholders, directors, secretary, registered address, share capital, and your business activity (your SSIC code).
- File the incorporation on BizFile+ and pay the fees.
- Receive your incorporation — ACRA issues your company registration, and you're live.
- After incorporation: appoint your secretary (within 6 months), open a corporate bank account, and set up for any licences your activity needs.
The fees
The official ACRA fees are fixed and low:
- Name application: S$15
- Company registration: S$300
- Total ACRA fee: S$315
Your total setup cost typically runs S$400–S$3,500, depending on whether you engage help — a corporate secretary, a registered address service, or a nominee director (common for foreigners).
How long it takes
ACRA registers most Pte Ltds within 1–3 business days once your documents are ready. In practice, allow 1–2 weeks end-to-end if you're gathering documents, doing KYC checks with a service provider, and opening a bank account.
What it costs to stay compliant each year
This is the part people forget. Every Pte Ltd has ongoing obligations:
- Corporate secretary: ~S$300–S$900/year (if outsourced).
- Annual Return to ACRA: S$60 filing fee (plus the work of preparing it).
- Registered address: ~S$300/year if you use a service.
- Plus corporate tax filing (ECI + Form C-S), and GST once you cross S$1M in turnover.
A realistic minimum ongoing cost is around S$660/year — budget for it from day one.
The honest caveat
Requirements and fees change, and your situation (foreign vs local, industry, licences) affects the details. Always confirm the current requirements on ACRA's BizFile+ before you file — the links are below. This is a plain-English starting point, not official or legal advice.