Singapore Company Incorporation Requirements: What You Need to Get Started
Thinking of incorporating your company in Singapore? Good choice.
Before you hit “submit” on ACRA’s BizFile+, make sure you’ve got all your ducks in a row. While the process is famously smooth, there are legal requirements and key documents that you’ll need to prepare.
Here’s your cheat sheet to ensure you don’t miss a thing.
1. At Least One Shareholder
✅ A shareholder is anyone who owns shares in the company.
Can be a person or a corporate entity
Can be local or foreign
A company can have 1 to 50 shareholders
💡 In fact, you can be the sole shareholder of your own company.
2. At Least One Resident Director
✅ Your company must appoint at least one director who is “ordinarily resident” in Singapore.
This includes:
Singapore Citizens
Singapore Permanent Residents (PRs)
EntrePass holders or certain Employment Pass holders (with LOC)
❌ A foreigner can’t be the only director unless they also appoint a local nominee.
3. A Company Secretary (within 6 months)
✅ A company secretary ensures you’re compliant with corporate filings and deadlines.
Must be a natural person
Must be ordinarily resident in Singapore
Must be appointed within 6 months of incorporation
📝 We offer this service for free in Year 1. Here’s why it matters.
4. A Registered Local Address
✅ Every company must provide a physical local address in Singapore.
Can be commercial or residential (under HDB/URA’s Home Office Scheme)
Must be open to official correspondence during business hours
🏢 You can use your home address—but you’ll need to file with HDB/URA and follow certain guidelines.
5. Approved Company Name
✅ The name must:
Be unique and not already in use
Not be offensive or vulgar
Not infringe on trademarks
Apply through BizFile+ and you’ll typically get approval in under an hour (unless the name needs vetting by another agency).
6. Constitution Document
✅ This is your company’s legal playbook.
Most companies use ACRA’s Model Constitution
You can also submit a custom one if needed (e.g. with investor terms)
If you don’t know what this is, don’t worry—we’ll guide you.
7. S$1 in Paid-Up Capital (Minimum)
✅ Yup, you can start a company with just S$1.
But you can always issue more shares later. What matters is that:
Your shareholder(s) pay for the shares
It’s recorded properly with your secretary
💰 No need to overthink this—start lean, grow later.
8. The Right Filing Partner (Like Us 😉)
✅ We make all of this painless.
With Paperwork.sg, you get:
A real team who guides you through each step
Free incorporation (you only pay the S$315 ACRA fee)
Free corporate secretary for the first year
Let us handle the boring stuff—so you can get back to building.