Singapore
Company
Formation
What a Singapore company can offer
A Singapore private limited company is often used by founders who need an Asian operating entity, a clear ownership structure, and a company that can contract with customers and providers in multiple markets. The benefits still depend on how the company is managed and where its business is carried out.
Foreign shareholders are permitted
A shareholder may be an individual or a corporate entity. A local shareholder is not required, although every company must meet the separate resident-director rule.
A separate legal entity
A private limited company can own property, enter contracts, and incur liabilities in its own name. Shareholder liability is generally limited to the investment in the company.
A 17% headline corporate tax rate
Qualifying new companies may claim startup tax exemptions during their first three consecutive Years of Assessment. Eligibility depends on tax residence, ownership, and business activity.
A verifiable business identity
After registration, ACRA issues a Unique Entity Number and a Business Profile. Banks, marketplaces, payment providers, and counterparties can use those records during their own checks.
A structure built for ongoing operation
The incorporation can be connected with company secretarial work, accounting, tax filings, licenses, employment, and annual compliance instead of being treated as a one-time registration.
Business models commonly considered
Singapore companies are used for ecommerce, software and consulting, international trade, regional operations, and investment holding. Registration with ACRA does not replace a sector license, customs permit, payment-services license, or other approval that a regulated activity may require.
Ecommerce and technology
International trade
Holding and investment
Discuss a Singapore company setup
Tell us about the owners, proposed activities, customer markets, and expected payment flows. JNT will use those details to identify the incorporation and ongoing work that may be required.
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Singapore company incorporation requirements
Most overseas founders use a private company limited by shares, commonly written as Pte. Ltd. These are the main decisions and statutory requirements that should be resolved before the ACRA application is submitted.
A registered Corporate Service Provider
ACRA requires foreign founders to engage a Corporate Service Provider to reserve the name and register the company. Identity and business due diligence takes place before filing.
An approved name and suitable SSIC codes
The application identifies the proposed company name and primary business activity. The name can be reserved for up to 120 days after approval, and the selected SSIC codes should match the intended work.
At least one shareholder and S$1 share capital
A private company may have up to 50 individual or corporate shareholders. The minimum issued share capital is S$1, but the amount and share classes should reflect the planned ownership and funding.
At least one ordinarily resident director
The company needs a director who meets Singapore's local residency rules. A founder who does not meet them may need an appropriately arranged nominee director, subject to due diligence and the agreed role limits.
A company secretary within six months
The secretary must meet the applicable Singapore residency requirements. The sole director cannot also serve as the company secretary.
A registered office in Singapore
The address is used for official notices and company records. It must be accessible to the public during the hours required by the Companies Act.
Singapore incorporation service scope
Private limited company setup and first-year support
1. Company registration
| Service | Included |
|---|---|
Initial structure and activity review |  |
Company name availability check and reservation | |
SSIC and financial year-end preparation | |
Preparation of ownership and officer information | |
Company constitution and incorporation documents | |
ACRA incorporation filing coordination | |
Electronic incorporation records and Business Profile | |
Share certificates | |
Company seal, if required | |
Rubber stamp, if required | |
Company statutory records package | |
ACRA compliance deadline reminders | |
Service and filing fees | |
Company secretarial service for the first year | |
2. Statutory roles and address
| Service | Included |
|---|---|
Company secretarial service for the first year | |
Registered office address for the first year | |
3. Post-incorporation planning
| Service | Included |
|---|---|
Initial ACRA compliance calendar | |
How the Singapore incorporation process works
Step 1: Confirm the structure
- Review the business activity, owners, directors, target markets, and banking needs
- Choose the company type, share structure, SSIC codes, and financial year end
Step 2: Complete due diligence
- Provide identity, address, ownership, source-of-funds, and supporting business information
- Confirm the resident director, secretary, registered office, and any regulated activity
Step 3: Prepare and file
- Approve the proposed name, constitution, officers, shareholders, and share allotment
- Sign the required documents and submit the incorporation through the Singapore service provider
Step 4: Receive the records and next actions
- Receive the incorporation records, Business Profile, constitution, and initial corporate documents
- Confirm the banking, accounting, tax, licensing, and annual filing actions that follow
Information and documents to prepare
The final list depends on the ownership structure, business activity, and due diligence review.
- Passport or government-issued identity document for each director, shareholder, and beneficial owner
- Recent proof of residential address for each relevant individual
- Ownership chart and incorporation documents for any corporate shareholder
- Proposed company names, business description, customer markets, and expected payment flows
- Planned share capital, ownership percentages, SSIC activities, and financial year end
- Source-of-funds or source-of-wealth information where required by due diligence
Singapore company incorporation pricing
US$1,200 per year
- The final proposal identifies the incorporation work, government fees, and first-year services included
- Nominee director arrangements, deposits, document certification, licenses, and bank support are confirmed separately when applicable
- Bank account approval, work passes, tax residence, and regulatory licenses are never guaranteed by incorporation
Frequently asked questions
A foreign individual or overseas company may hold all the shares in a Singapore private limited company. Singapore does not require a local shareholder. The company must still have at least one director who meets the local residency rules, a Singapore registered office, and a company secretary appointed within six months.
A nominee director is appointed so the company can meet the resident-director requirement when the founders do not have an eligible Singapore resident. The appointment is not merely ceremonial. The director remains subject to statutory duties, and the arrangement requires due diligence, written terms, and the registers and filings required by ACRA.
JNT confirms availability, responsibilities, restricted activities, deposits, and fees before offering this service. A nominee arrangement does not give the company a bank account, tax residence, work pass, or regulatory license automatically.
The company registration work can usually be completed without the foreign shareholders traveling to Singapore. Documents and identity checks can be handled remotely, subject to the Corporate Service Provider's due diligence process.
Timing depends on name approval, document quality, ownership complexity, due diligence, and whether another authority must review the activity. ACRA states that straightforward name applications are often approved soon after payment, while reviewed or referred applications take longer. JNT provides a case-specific estimate after the initial review.
A Pte. Ltd. incorporated in Singapore is a separate legal entity and is the usual choice for a founder-led business. When an overseas company owns the shares, the Singapore company is its subsidiary. A branch is an extension of the overseas company rather than a separate legal entity, so the parent remains directly responsible for the branch's liabilities.
The right structure depends on ownership, liability, contracts, tax treatment, financial reporting, and whether the Singapore operation needs its own balance sheet or investors. That comparison should be completed before the name application is filed.
No. ACRA incorporation and bank onboarding are separate processes. A bank reviews the owners, directors, business activity, source of funds, expected transactions, and reasons for using Singapore. It may request a video call, additional documents, or an in-person meeting.
JNT can help prepare the application and corporate documents. The bank makes the approval decision and may decline or close an application independently of JNT and ACRA.
A Singapore company must maintain accounting records and statutory registers, keep its officers and ownership information current, prepare financial statements when required, file an annual return with ACRA, and complete the applicable corporate tax filings with IRAS. Some companies must also register for GST, appoint an auditor, run payroll, or maintain industry licenses.
The financial year end determines key reporting deadlines, so it should be selected deliberately during incorporation. JNT prepares a compliance calendar based on the company profile and the services included in the engagement.