What Is a Certificate of Incorporation in Singapore?
Understanding the benefits, issuance, and purchase process of a certificate of incorporation is vital for any company looking to thrive in Singapore. With this comprehensive guide, you can learn how to navigate the purchase process smoothly and start your business on the right foot.
What Is a Certificate of Incorporation?
Although most countries today have a way to formalize newly registered companies, the procedures and requirements vary significantly from region to region. In Singapore, one of the documents issued by the Accounting and Corporate Regulatory Authority (ACRA) – the agency in charge of companies’ incorporation in Singapore – is a certificate of incorporation.
In Singapore, the main document to prove a status of an incorporated entity is a Business Profile from ACRA. A certificate of incorporation, however, is an official document that legally recognizes a Singapore-registered company as a formal entity and serves as proof that the company was registered in Singapore in compliance with local regulations. The importance of this document is that it is often required overseas in order to establish a fact of company incorporation in Singapore; for example, when a Singapore company is establishing a bank account in another country.
The certificate is issued by ACRA, but there are various steps you need to take to purchase this document.
What Are the Benefits of the Certificate?
Aside from formally recognizing a company in Singapore and serving as proof of compliance, a certificate of incorporation provides many essential capabilities and advantages for companies:
- Opening corporate bank accounts: If you aim to open a company bank account outside of Singapore, a certificate of registration is a crucial document.
- Handling bank loans and financing options: The certificate builds trust with the banks to lend money to your company that would otherwise be difficult to obtain.
What Information Is Contained in the Certificate?
The certificate of incorporation contains the following information:
- Company name
- Unique Entity Number (UEN)/ Registration Number
- Incorporation date
- Company type (public limited company, private limited company, etc)
- Former company names (up to 5 former company names)
You can check out an official ACRA certificate of registration sample here.
Who Issues the Certificate of Incorporation in Singapore?
In Singapore, the certificate of incorporation is issued by ACRA. The official certificate, however, is not issued automatically after you register your company. Instead, one of the company officers or an individual in charge of the incorporation filings (such as a company secretary or registered filing agent) will have to make an online purchase of the certificate through ACRA’s online portal – BizFile. The electronic copy of a protected PDF document with the QR-code will then be emailed to the requestor’s email address.
This document can be printed out and used as intended – for example, it can be certified and apostilled by the Singapore Academy of Law and/or legalized by other countries’ consulates for overseas use. To learn more, read our article about document legalization in Singapore.
What Are the Steps to Order a Certificate of Incorporation in Singapore?
There may be many instances in which your company must provide an official certificate of incorporation. As a result, obtaining it is essential for most companies. You can purchase an official certificate at BizFile for a fee of S$50. As mentioned above, only officially appointed officers of the entity may purchase a certificate.
Take a look at the steps below to buy your certificate of incorporation:
- Visit the BizFile official website
- Login with your SingPass account
- Select the ‘Buy Information’ tab
- View the four available options listed below the tab (Buy Business Profile, Buy Other Information, Buy Package Information, iShop Membership).
- Select ‘Buy Other Information’ -> ‘Certificate Confirming Incorporation of the Company, and proceed with the provided instructions
- Pay the S$50 fee for the certificate once you reach the corresponding step
- Within 5-10 minutes of a successful payment, you will receive an email with a URL to download a digital copy of the certificate.
You can follow the steps above when making additional purchases through BizFile.
Get Expert Incorporation Help Today
If you are looking to incorporate a company in Singapore, a certificate of incorporation is one of the documents which can be obtained by your registered filing agent. Don’t hesitate to contact our expert team at Intracorp if you need help completing the steps to purchase your certificate or if you have any questions about the incorporation process. We are here to help you reach your goals!
