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Documents Needed to Register a Company with ACRA (2026)

Incorporating with ACRA needs an approved name, an SSIC activity, a constitution, and the particulars of your directors, shareholders and secretary — plus the KYC documents a CSP collects.

By The CorpSec AI Compliance Team, Singapore corporate secretarial & compliance·Updated 2026-07-11
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What documents and information does ACRA require to register a company?

ACRA’s incorporation filing is mostly structured information entered into Bizfile+ rather than uploaded paper. You confirm particulars and attach a constitution; consents to act are captured as part of the filing.

A corporate service provider layers its own KYC/CDD document collection on top of ACRA’s requirements — so in practice the client is asked for more than the bare filing needs, because the CSP must verify who it is acting for.

ItemWhat it isNeeded for
Company nameThe approved, reserved name from the name applicationACRA filing
SSIC activity code(s)Primary (and optional secondary) business activityACRA filing
ConstitutionThe company’s constitution (Model or tailored)ACRA filing
Officer & shareholder particularsNames, IDs, nationality, addresses; consents to actACRA filing
Registered office addressA Singapore address open to the publicACRA filing
Share capitalAmount, currency, shares and each holdingACRA filing
KYC / identity documentsPassport / NRIC, proof of address, ownership infoCSP due diligence

What is the company name and SSIC code?

The company name must be approved through the name application in Bizfile+ before incorporation. It must be available, not identical to an existing name, and not undesirable or subject to a referral for regulated words.

The SSIC code — Singapore Standard Industrial Classification — describes what the company does. You select a primary activity and may add a secondary one. The right SSIC matters because some codes trigger licensing or a referral to another agency.

What is the constitution, and do I need a custom one?

The constitution is the document that governs the company — the rules on shares, directors, meetings and members. Every company must have one at incorporation.

ACRA provides a Model Constitution that many private companies adopt as-is. Companies with specific shareholder arrangements (multiple share classes, investor rights, transfer restrictions) usually adopt a tailored constitution instead.

What particulars of directors, shareholders and the secretary are filed?

For each officer and member you provide identity and contact particulars. These feed both the ACRA record and, after incorporation, the company’s statutory registers.

  • Directors: full name, identification (NRIC / passport), nationality, residential address, and each director’s consent to act and confirmation they are not disqualified.
  • Shareholders: full name and ID (or, for a corporate shareholder, its name and registration details), and shareholding. Companies registered in Singapore each carry a UEN as their identifier.
  • Company secretary: particulars of the secretary; if not appointed at incorporation, one must be appointed within 6 months.
  • Beneficial owners / controllers: information needed to set up the register of registrable controllers after incorporation.

What is the registered office address?

Every company must have a registered office in Singapore — the official address for correspondence and where statutory registers are kept. It must be a physical Singapore address that is open and accessible to the public for the prescribed hours; a PO box does not qualify. Many CSPs offer a registered office address as part of their service.

What identity / KYC documents does the CSP collect?

A corporate service provider is legally required to perform customer due diligence (CDD/KYC) before acting — verifying the identity of the persons behind the company and screening them. This is an obligation under Singapore’s anti-money-laundering regime and the Corporate Service Providers Act, separate from ACRA’s incorporation form.

  • Proof of identity for each director, shareholder and beneficial owner — passport or NRIC.
  • Proof of residential address — for example a recent utility bill or bank statement.
  • For a corporate shareholder: its constitutional documents, registration/UEN details, and information identifying its ultimate beneficial owners.
  • Screening and risk information the CSP is required to keep on file to support its due diligence.

What extra considerations apply to foreigners?

Foreigners can own and direct Singapore companies, but a few extra points shape the document set.

  • The company still needs at least one director ordinarily resident in Singapore (section 145) — often met with a local or nominee director.
  • Foreign individuals provide passport and overseas residential-address proof; documents may need to be certified.
  • Without Singpass, foreigners generally must appoint a registered filing agent (a CSP) to lodge the incorporation.
  • A foreigner intending to relocate and run the company from Singapore may need a suitable work pass (for example an Employment Pass or EntrePass) — a separate application from incorporation.

Frequently asked questions

Do I need to upload identity documents to ACRA to incorporate?

ACRA’s Bizfile+ filing mainly captures structured particulars and consents rather than uploaded IDs. Your corporate service provider, however, collects passport / NRIC and address proof to meet its own KYC/CDD obligations before filing.

What is an SSIC code and where do I find it?

The SSIC (Singapore Standard Industrial Classification) code describes your business activity. You choose a primary (and optional secondary) code during incorporation; the classification is published by the Department of Statistics and available in Bizfile+.

Can I use the Model Constitution?

Yes. ACRA’s Model Constitution is accepted for incorporation and many private companies adopt it unchanged. Adopt a tailored constitution if you have multiple share classes or specific investor arrangements.

Does every company get a UEN?

Yes — every entity registered in Singapore receives a UEN (Unique Entity Number) as its permanent identifier, issued on registration and used for dealings with government agencies.

Sources

This article is general information for Singapore corporate service providers, not legal or professional advice. Verify against the primary sources above and your own professional judgement.

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