• At least 1 local citizen, PR or resident director to start a business in Singapore^[2] https://www.acra.gov.sg/how-to-guides/setting-up-a-local-company/determining-the-company-type.
• At least 1 shareholder. This may be either an individual, or a corporate entity.
• At least 1 company secretary.
• At least S$1 for initial paid-up share capital to start a business. This is per rules and regulations by the government.
• A physical Singapore office address to start a business.

Director

The company must have at least 1 local director who is ordinarily resident in Singapore. The director must either be a Singapore citizen, Singapore permanent resident or an individual that holds a valid work pass. This includes an EntrePass, Employment Pass or Dependant Pass. Director must be at least 18 years old. In addition, the to-be director must not be bankrupt or subjected to any automatic disqualification.

There is no requirement that a director has to be the shareholder. However, if the company has no local resident director, a foreigner is not permitted run a business in Singapore Hiring a local nominee solves the problem to start a business. Company setup Singapore service provided by WLP Group solves this problem on your behalf.

Shareholder

When incorporating and starting a business it is important to read and understand the Singapore Companies Act. The Singapore Companies Act allows a minimum of 1 and a maximum of 50 shareholders to be part of a Singapore private limited company. Under the company setup Singapore law, a shareholder can either be a natural person. The shareholder can also be a legal entity such as another company or a trust.

A director and shareholder can be the same or different person. 100% local or foreign shareholding is allowed.

Company Secretary

All private limited companies must appoint a competent company secretary who has the prerequisite domain knowledge and is responsible for ensuring all regulatory compliances within 6 months of incorporation.

It is crucial to note that in the case where there is only a sole director or shareholder, the same person cannot act as the company secretary. The office of company secretary also cannot be left vacant for more than 6 months at any one time under the law.

Paid-up Capital

The minimum paid-up capital for registration of Singapore companies is S$1. Under the company setup Singapore law, the paid-up capital can be increased anytime after incorporation of the company.

Registered Address

To start a business, each company is required to have a local registered address in Singapore where all the official correspondences are send to that address. The registered address must be a physical address and must not be a P.O. Box under the law.

Individual may also use the residential address as the business address, but you are advised to seek prior approval from HDB authority or URA for private residential property.

The following documents are required to set up a company. Meet with our team for a free company registration consultation with the most competitive company incorporation fees!

• Company name.
• A brief description of business activities.
• Registered address.
• Company constitution.

Local / PR Directors or Shareholders

• Scanned copy of Singapore NRIC. The front and back of the Singapore NRIC is needed.

For Foreign Directors or Shareholders

• Scanned copy of foreign NRIC.
• Scanned copy of your passport.
• Latest 3 months proof of residency. For example, utility bills and telephone bills.
• Notarised official documents.

For Corporate Shareholders (if any)

• Scanned copy of the business profile.

Step-by-Step Guide

Local / PR Directors or Shareholders

• Scanned copy of your NRIC. The front and back of the NRIC is needed.

For Foreign Directors or Shareholders

• Scanned copy of foreign NRIC.
• Scanned copy of your passport.
• Latest 3 months proof of residency. For example, utility bills and telephone bills.
• Notarised official documents.

For Corporate Shareholders (if any)

• Scanned copy of the business profile.

It is important to take note that the process of company incorporation and starting a business in Singapore can be aggravating. In addition, this process can be extremely time-consuming. This is especially so if you are setting up a local company for the first time by yourself.

Here’s an overview of each task that we could assist you step-by-step.

Step 1: Get the company name approved

Think of at least 3 business names that best suit your business nature and the branding that you want to bring across to your clients.

The notification of approval or rejection of the preferred name usually received within an hour. In rare cases, if the approval needs to be referred to another government agency for further vetting, the process may take a week or two.

Upon approval, a company can reserve the name for a period of 120 days. If it does not incorporate the name within that period, the name is released and can be reserved by another person.

Step 2: Register with ACRA

Once the incorporation documents have been prepared, a company can be officially registered with ACRA. The registration process itself takes less than an hour.

Step 3: Documents Issued by ACRA

Upon successfully registering the company, ACRA will issue the following documents which serve as the confirmation of incorporation:

1. Certificate of Incorporation

ACRA issues an e-Certificate of Incorporation, which is an official email from ACRA that contains a statement that the company has been incorporated and the Unique Entity Number (UEN) issued to the company date of incorporation, which our team can help you with during our free Singapore company registration consultation.

2. Company Business Profile

When starting a business in Singapore, you will be issued a company business profile. The company business profile is also known as BizProfile. BizProfile is a PDF documentary proof, issued by ACRA, and contains the following details about the company:

• Company name and registration number.
• Date of incorporation.
• Principal activities.
• Paid-up capital.
• Registered office address.
• Details of directors, shareholders and company secretary.

The e-Certificate of incorporation and the business profile are sufficient for all corporate needs. This includes opening bank accounts, signing office lease agreements, subscribing to essential services (e.g. utilities and internet services). This is all necessary information needed by us. We will mention this in greater detail when you meet with our consultants for a free Singapore company registration consultation.

The process to set up a company might seem complex to those new to company incorporation process. The first step is to choose a name and incorporate your company. We’ll help you with this. This is the preferred option for new companies as private limited companies have many advantages, including the fact that they are scalable and a taxable entity. You must have a registered office in Singapore and a company secretary who is a local resident. You must also have a physical address to conduct business in. If don’t have one, we will use WLP Group’s address on your behalf.

Once you’ve chosen a business name, you’ll need to register your company with the Accounting and Corporate Regulatory Authority (ACRA). The ACRA is responsible for overseeing all company registrations and ensuring that businesses are compliant with the local laws. You’ll also need a unique company name that is not similar to another business in Singapore. After registering your company, you must pay a registration fee of 300 SGD and pay a name approval fee of 15 SGD.

After you’ve registered your company, you’ll need to get a registered office. A registered office is a physical location where the business will be based. It’s the address where official documents can be sent and where the company’s registers are stored. The address must be a physical location and cannot be a PO Box. Some types of businesses can have a residential address, though. The application process can be time-consuming, but is worth the effort. If you decide not to have a PO Box or to list your residential address, you can list WLP Group’s address.

After meeting our consultants for a free Singapore company registration consultation, you can start the registration process. After completing the process to incorporate a company, you can officially start doing business under its name immediately. However, here are a few post-incorporation tasks that you should keep in mind^[3] https://www.acra.gov.sg/how-to-guides/setting-up-a-local-company/other-important-information.

Opening Corporate Bank Accounts

You are now ready to open a bank account! Our team will assist you and recommend banks that will be best suit for your needs and make an introduction to the bank executives.

Apply for Business Licenses

Singapore’s business environment has minimal bureaucracy. Most industries do not require a license to be function. But we can help you to apply and get a license if you’re in an industry that requires one, such as the F&B industry that is notorious for its regulations.

Goods and Services Tax Registration

Companies that expect to exceed S$1 million in taxable turnover in the next 12 months are required, by law, to register for GST (also known as sales tax or value-added tax). Other companies with annual taxable turnover less than S$1 million are not required to register for GST. However, you can still register voluntarily if it suits your needs.

Web Services

Web services are the silent but vital backbone in today’s internet-driven world for everything. This is applicable from email to news feeds. For all business owners who have just started a local company, we provide web services that meet your needs and expectation.

Apply for Work Pass

If you, or any of your foreign team members are planning to relocate to Singapore, we can assist you in applying for a suitable work pass or visa. Call +65 6493 2970 for a free company registration consultation.

Stay Compliant

Ensure that you are staying in compliance with company regulations (ACRA and IRAS) on an ongoing basis. This will help you to avoid unnecessary penalties or losses due to carelessness in the process to incorporate a company. We provide a range of services from accounting, tax compliance, corporate secretary, HR payroll, and recruitment services. We allow you to focus on managing your business and enjoying the fruits of your hard work.