ACRA is Singapore’s business registrar. Bizfile is its official online service, and UEN is the Unique Entity Number a registered business or company receives. Reserving a business name is not the same as registering the entity, and registering an entity does not automatically give permission to operate a regulated food shop, tuition centre, clinic or financial service. Those distinctions determine the real steps in starting a business.
If you are searching for ACRA registration, Bizfile Singapore, how to register a business, UEN search, sole proprietorship vs Pte Ltd, ACRA business registration fee or ACRA annual return, start with the business structure. A sole proprietor and a private limited company can both have a UEN, but the owner’s liability, tax treatment, renewal and reporting obligations differ.
Quick answer: Decide your legal structure, check whether registration is needed, reserve an acceptable name, register through official Bizfile, obtain the UEN and Business Profile, then set up the correct Corppass access, bank account, licences and ongoing obligations. ACRA currently lists S$15 for name reservation, S$100 for ordinary one-year sole-proprietorship registration and S$300 for local company registration. Other fees or professional costs may apply. This is an explanatory guide, not business or legal advice.
ACRA business registration: the key figures at a glance
| What you are doing | Current ACRA fee | What it does |
|---|---|---|
| Reserve a business or company name | S$15 | Name application only; does not create the business |
| Register sole proprietorship or ordinary partnership for one year | S$100 | Registers qualifying business under selected structure |
| Register qualifying sole proprietorship for three years | S$160 | Available only if relevant CPF conditions are met |
| Register a local company | S$300 | Company registration after the name application |
| File a local company’s annual return | S$60 | Recurring statutory company filing, separate from registration |
These are the official ACRA service amounts reviewed on 3 November 2026. Thus a straightforward sole proprietor choosing one-year registration may see S$15 plus S$100 in ACRA fees, while a straightforward local company may see S$15 plus S$300. Such arithmetic excludes any corporate service provider, secretary, accounting, licensing or premises costs. Actual fee treatment depends on the transaction.
50 Singapore business-registration vocabulary terms explained
Read each term as a piece of the real business process. The third column asks what the word changes in a founder’s decision, rather than stopping at a dictionary-style definition.
| Word or abbreviation | Plain-English meaning | Why it matters |
|---|---|---|
| ACRA | Accounting and Corporate Regulatory Authority | Singapore’s business registry and corporate regulator; not the tax authority. |
| Bizfile | ACRA’s digital registration and filing portal | Official starting point for business name reservation and registration. |
| UEN | Unique Entity Number | Identifier assigned to a registered entity for dealing with government agencies. |
| Entity | Organisation or registered legal form | A sole proprietorship and a company are not legally identical entities. |
| Sole proprietorship | Business owned by one party without separate legal personality | Owner generally bears unlimited liability for business debts. |
| Partnership | Business involving multiple partners under the relevant legal structure | The ordinary partnership is not a separate legal person. |
| Limited partnership (LP) | Partnership with general and limited partners | Liability differs by type of partner; not interchangeable with LLP. |
| Limited liability partnership (LLP) | Separate entity combining partnership and limited-liability features | Has specific filings and governance responsibilities. |
| Private limited company | Company generally limited by shares | A separate legal person; directors and shareholders have different functions. |
| Pte Ltd | Abbreviation for Private Limited | Describes company legal form, not an official licence for every trade. |
| Legal personality | Ability for entity to hold rights and obligations in own name | A company may contract separately from its shareholders. |
| Unlimited liability | Owner’s personal exposure to business debts | Important for sole proprietors and ordinary partners. |
| Limited liability | Certain personal exposure is limited by structure and law | Does not shield people from their own wrongful acts or personal guarantees. |
| Business name | Registered public name of a business | Must be reserved and meet ACRA rules before registration. |
| Name reservation | ACRA approval to hold a proposed name | Not yet full registration of an entity. |
| Name application fee | Charge to submit proposed entity name | Currently S$15 for relevant Bizfile name applications. |
| Registration fee | Charge for forming or registering an entity | Sole proprietorship and company fees are not the same. |
| Registration period | Validity period for some business registrations | Sole proprietorships require relevant renewal; companies use other ongoing filings. |
| Renewal | Extension of registration for relevant business forms | Not the same as a company’s annual return. |
| Incorporation | Creation of a new company as a legal entity | Distinct from sole proprietorship business registration. |
| Director | Company officer responsible for company management | At least one director must meet local residency rules. |
| Shareholder | Owner of a company’s shares | May also be director, but the roles are different. |
| Company secretary | Officer responsible for relevant statutory compliance | Local companies must appoint within the legally specified time. |
| Registered office | Official Singapore address for a company | Can differ from place where day-to-day operations occur. |
| Business address | Place where a business operates | Cannot simply be an arbitrary PO box. |
| Contact address | Address shown for certain position holders in public records | Different from a person’s private residential address. |
| Home Office Scheme | Approval framework for eligible small-scale home businesses | HDB/URA permission may be required before using a residence. |
| Business activity | Type of trade or service carried on | Must describe real operations accurately. |
| SSIC | Singapore Standard Industrial Classification code | Used to classify principal and secondary business activities. |
| FYE | Financial Year End | Date that determines accounting periods and affects filing deadlines. |
| Annual return | Recurring filing for companies with ACRA | Not the same as the IRAS annual income-tax return. |
| AGM | Annual General Meeting | Company meeting subject to statutory rules and exemptions. |
| Financial statements | Records of company’s financial position and performance | Certain companies must prepare/file under relevant conditions. |
| Constitution | Internal governing rules of a company | May use ACRA model or custom constitution. |
| Share capital | Company shares issued and related capital | Not the same as projected revenue. |
| Paid-up capital | Amount paid for issued shares | Not identical to the market value of the business. |
| Corporate service provider (CSP) | Registered service firm performing specified corporate work | Foreign applicants without Singpass may need a CSP. |
| Singpass | Individual national digital login | Used by qualifying individuals accessing Bizfile. |
| Corppass | Government-to-business digital access system | Typically used after an entity has a UEN. |
| Business Profile | Official downloadable summary of registered entity details | Can help check basic entity information; does not guarantee trustworthiness. |
| Entity status | Current registration condition | Active, closed or otherwise changed status affects verification. |
| Business licence | Sector-specific permission to conduct regulated activity | ACRA registration does not replace food, health or other licences. |
| GoBusiness | Government portal supporting relevant business licences | Useful after ACRA registration if activity requires licensing. |
| GST registration | Separate IRAS tax obligation or election | Not automatic for every new UEN. |
| Corporate income tax | IRAS tax on chargeable company income | Different from a sole proprietor’s personal income-tax treatment. |
| Beneficial owner | Person with underlying qualifying control or ownership | May trigger registrable-controller reporting requirements. |
| RORC | Register of Registrable Controllers | Required for many entities, subject to relevant exemptions. |
| Nominee director | Director appointed to act on another’s instructions under relevant rules | Must not be confused with beneficial control or free choice of authority. |
| Statutory obligation | Duty imposed by law | Continues after incorporation even when business activity is quiet. |
| Cessation | Formal closure of relevant business registration | Different from merely stopping sales or closing a website. |
| Striking off | Formal company removal process | Not identical to informal abandonment of a registered entity. |
Sole proprietorship, partnership, LLP and Pte Ltd: why the labels matter
| Structure | Legal identity | What the owner should consider |
|---|---|---|
| Sole proprietorship | Not separate from proprietor | Personal liability, simple formation and renewal |
| Ordinary partnership | Generally not separate from partners | Personal liability and shared decision-making |
| Limited partnership | General and limited partners have different roles | Liability differs according to partner status |
| Limited liability partnership | Separate legal entity | Partner arrangements and statutory governance |
| Private limited company | Separate legal entity from shareholders | Share capital, company officers and recurring filings |
The word limited is important but easy to misunderstand. In an eligible company, shareholders generally have limited liability for the company’s obligations. That does not mean company directors are immune to enforcement for statutory breaches, negligence, fraud or their own guarantees. Nor does a sole proprietor gain limited liability by putting ‘Enterprise’ in the business name. Choose a structure based on genuine risks, expected scale, tax treatment and administration.
How to register a business through Bizfile
- 1. Identify your activity. Explain what you will sell or provide, who owns the business and whether an additional licence is required.
- 2. Select the legal form. Compare sole proprietorship, partnership, LLP or company on liability and recurring obligations.
- 3. Check eligibility. ACRA has age, residence, immigration status and other conditions. Some self-employed persons must address MediSave requirements.
- 4. Reserve a name. Submit a compliant proposed name and its selected entity type through Bizfile.
- 5. Prepare accurate details. Include the correct business/registered address, contact information, activity code and required officers.
- 6. Register using Bizfile. The person entitled to submit or an appointed CSP submits the application and pays the applicable fee.
- 7. Read the outcome. Retrieve the official UEN and Business Profile once approved.
- 8. Prepare to operate lawfully. Set up banking, tax, licences and the continuing filings required for your particular entity.
For many straightforward applications ACRA can process registration soon after payment, while applications needing further review or referral approval may take longer. Do not advertise an unapproved business or tell customers the entity has been incorporated solely because a name reservation succeeded. ACRA’s official confirmation is the meaningful milestone.
UEN: what the number proves and what it does not
A Unique Entity Number helps identify registered entities in government and many business transactions. It can be shown on invoices, registration documents and correspondence. A UEN is useful for checking that an entity exists, but a valid UEN does not mean a seller is honest, insured, financially healthy or licensed for every activity. A fraudster may even copy a real UEN from another company.
Suppose a fictional online seller sends an invoice showing a UEN but asks for payment to an unrelated individual’s account. The presence of that UEN alone cannot prove the seller controls the entity. Check the business name, entity status, authorised payment recipient, relevant licences and contract. Verification must connect the number to the actual person and transaction, not merely match digits.
Bizfile vs Corppass vs Singpass
| Term | Role | Reader action |
|---|---|---|
| Bizfile | ACRA service for entity transactions | Go there to reserve names, register and make statutory filings |
| Singpass | Individual authentication | Used by eligible persons to sign in or act as a proposed officer |
| Corppass | Digital access for government-to-business services | Set up authorised organisational access when permitted |
| UEN | Identifier of the entity | Quote when required for business and government transactions |
A person can have Singpass without running a business, and a company can have a UEN without every employee automatically having authority to make government filings. Corppass permissions need to be assigned correctly. ACRA says sole proprietors may set up Corppass after obtaining a UEN, subject to the relevant process. These are different tools for different questions: Who are you? Which organisation exists? What are you authorised to do for it?
Registered office, business address and home office
A local company’s registered office is the official Singapore address for receiving legal and statutory communications and keeping records. ACRA states it should generally be accessible to the public for at least three hours during each business day. The office does not necessarily need to be where the business actually trades. A company might have a registered office in the CBD and operate a facility elsewhere.
A sole proprietor may use a qualifying home business address under the appropriate Home Office Scheme, but ACRA says the required HDB or URA approval must first be obtained. Registering a home address does not override housing, safety, employment or sector-licensing conditions. The related word is authorisation: ACRA registration is only one layer of a lawful operating arrangement.
Company director, shareholder and secretary
A shareholder owns shares in a company; a director participates in its governance and management; a company secretary supports specified statutory compliance. One individual may hold more than one role when legally permitted, but the roles are not synonyms. ACRA requires at least one director meeting the local residency criteria at registration, and a company must appoint a qualified company secretary within six months of incorporation. There are also restrictions on a sole director acting as the company secretary.
For example, a fictional founder incorporates a Pte Ltd and becomes its only shareholder. That alone does not settle questions of proper local directorship, registered address, secretary appointment, beneficial ownership records or filing deadlines. The word incorporated marks the start of a legal entity, not the end of compliance.
Financial Year End, annual returns and taxes
FYE means Financial Year End. It marks the close of a company’s accounting period and affects the timing of its financial statements, Annual General Meeting obligations and annual returns. ACRA’s annual return is not an income-tax return. A local company may have obligations to ACRA even if it made little revenue that year. IRAS has separate corporate income tax, GST and employer reporting requirements.
| Document or duty | Responsible agency | Why it exists |
|---|---|---|
| Annual return | ACRA | Updates and confirms statutory company information under the relevant filing rules |
| Company financial statements | ACRA/company governance framework | Records financial performance and position where required |
| Corporate income-tax filing | IRAS | Reports relevant company income and tax position |
| GST registration and returns | IRAS | Separate tax obligations when the law requires registration |
| Relevant trade or food-shop licence | GoBusiness or sector regulator | Authorises a regulated business activity |
| CPF contributions for employees | CPF Board and applicable employment laws | Different from ACRA entity registration |
A sole proprietor’s registration renewal is a different recurring event from a company’s annual return. If you choose the wrong form of business because both appear in search results for ‘register a business’, you may misread your future costs and compliance duties. Organise records by entity type and responsible authority.
How to check a business before paying it
- Search the exact registered name and UEN through ACRA’s official business information channels.
- Check the entity’s stated status and whether the invoice and company name agree.
- Ask whether the provider needs a trade-specific licence and verify that separately.
- Check whether the account receiving money genuinely belongs to the business or its properly authorised recipient.
- Read the terms of the actual contract and confirm who is liable for refund or warranty obligations.
- Be sceptical of urgent transfer requests, cloned business profiles and unusually low quotations.
- Use official payment portals for ACRA transactions rather than paying an unknown person who claims a filing is overdue.
A small business example: start from the work, not the registration form
Imagine a Singapore resident planning a small home-based design service. Before selecting a structure, they consider whether they will work alone, hire employees or sign contracts involving significant liabilities. A sole proprietorship might have lower immediate administrative complexity, but the owner bears personal liability. A company may separate the legal entity but involves director, secretary and filing duties. The person also checks whether the home address can lawfully be used and whether their activity requires an additional licence.
A second fictional founder wants to open a food shop. Registering a company with ACRA creates a legal entity, but does not itself grant the appropriate food shop licence. The right sequence involves business registration, lawful premises, specific approval and compliance with the relevant regulator’s requirements. The decisive word is licence, not merely UEN.
Frequently searched ACRA questions
What is ACRA in Singapore?
The Accounting and Corporate Regulatory Authority, responsible for registering and regulating relevant business entities and companies.
What is Bizfile?
ACRA’s official portal for business name reservation, registration and other business or company filing services.
How much does it cost to register a sole proprietorship?
ACRA lists S$15 for name application and S$100 for one-year business registration. Other transaction or professional costs are separate.
How much does a Singapore Pte Ltd company registration cost?
The official name application is S$15 and local-company registration is S$300, excluding any secretary, CSP or other operational costs.
Can I use my home address for a business?
Only if it complies with relevant requirements. ACRA says qualifying home businesses must obtain necessary HDB or URA Home Office Scheme approval first.
Do I receive a UEN automatically after registration?
Once a relevant entity’s registration is approved, ACRA issues a UEN and provides confirmation through Bizfile. A pending name application is not yet approval.
Is a UEN proof a business is trustworthy?
No. It identifies a registered entity; you still need to verify status, actual counterparty, licences and payment arrangements.
What is the difference between Pte Ltd and sole proprietor?
A company is a separate legal entity with officers and recurring statutory filings; a sole proprietor is legally tied to the owner with unlimited liability.
What is an ACRA annual return?
A company filing covering statutory information and relevant reporting. It is not the same as an IRAS income-tax submission.
Do I need a business licence after ACRA registration?
Possibly, depending on the industry and activity. Use GoBusiness and the relevant sector regulator rather than assuming registration is enough.
Four short exercises to make the words useful
| Exercise | Question or activity | What success looks like |
|---|---|---|
| 1 — Structure | Compare sole proprietor and Pte Ltd for two fictional businesses | Can name liability and paperwork trade-offs |
| 2 — Process | Arrange name reservation, registration, UEN and Corppass | Can distinguish a draft from an approved entity |
| 3 — Costs | Calculate simple ACRA government fees | Can distinguish name, registration and annual filing |
| 4 — Verification | Check a fictional invoice using a UEN and different bank-account name | Can identify what still needs verifying |
Related eduKateSG reading
- How Singapore Works | ACRA Bizfile, UEN and Business Registration — broader business setup.
- How Singapore Works | GST Registration and Invoices — what follows registration.
- How Singapore Works | Food Shop Licences and GoBusiness — activity-specific permits.
- Singapore Vocabulary | Singpass and Myinfo — secure digital access.
- Master Vocabulary — vocabulary as applied understanding.
Official ACRA resources
- ACRA: register a business — the five-step official overview.
- ACRA: choosing a business structure — legal identity and liability.
- ACRA: sole proprietorship or partnership registration — eligibility and fees.
- ACRA: local company via Bizfile — registered address, director and share information.
- ACRA: company transaction fees — registration and annual returns.
- ACRA: after registering a company — continuing responsibilities.
Editorial date: 3 November 2026. This is a learning and public-information guide. Charges, licence criteria and statutory duties can change. Verify the transaction in Bizfile, consult the actual sector regulator, and use qualified accounting or legal advice when your business structure or circumstances make it necessary.