Company services in Singapore: formation and accounting, online
A company in Singapore from abroad: formation and accounting, the first year in order, what a year costs and who Singapore suits. ACRA fees S$315.
Two services a Singapore company starts with
Services for a company in Singapore, and how long each takes
For the other countries where we register companies, see international company formation.
| Service | When you need it | How long it takes |
|---|---|---|
| Company formation in Singapore | At the start | ACRA approves most filings soon after payment; plan 1 to 2 weeks with the bank step |
| Accounting in Singapore | From the first financial year | Every month, with the ECI within 3 months of the year end and Form C-S by 30 November |
First year of a Singapore company, in order
- 1 to 3 working days1
Name and documents
We check the name against ACRA's rules and choose the activity code, and the filing agent pays S$15 for the name. You upload your passport and proof of address, and we draft the constitution and the consents for your online signature.
- soon after payment2
Incorporation
The agent files the incorporation for S$300, and ACRA issues the UEN, the number under which the company deals with every authority.
- day 1 to 23
Registers and Corppass
The company opens its register of registrable controllers on the first day and applies for Corppass, the login for government services, a day after the UEN.
- 1 to 2 weeks4
Bank account
We prepare the bank file from the documents in your account. Banks usually meet most of the directors in Singapore, so we plan one trip with you.
- every year5
Returns
The ECI falls due 3 months after the year end, the annual return 7 months after it and Form C-S on 30 November: accounting in Singapore.
What a Singapore company costs to run for a year
ACRA's fees as published in October 2026. Our fees for the resident director, the secretary, the registered office and accounting come in your quote. The quote gives the total of the year. See how our prices work.
ACRA, name application S$15 and incorporation S$300
- Amount
- S$315
- When
- once
ACRA, annual return
- Amount
- S$60
- When
- each year
Corporate income tax on S$200,000, a start-up in its first 3 years
- Amount
- S$12,750
- When
- 6.4% of the profit
Who Singapore suits, and what you sign
17%Suits trading companies and subsidiaries
Singapore taxes chargeable income at 17%, and a start-up pays S$12,750 on S$200,000 in its first 3 years of assessment. A shareholder pays no tax on a dividend, capital gains are not taxed, and a foreign parent can hold every share.
Up to 20Less suited to a company owned through companies
The start-up exemption is for up to 20 shareholders, all of them individuals or at least one of them an individual who holds 10% or more. A company owned through other companies gets the partial exemption, up to S$102,500 of income, in place of S$125,000.
4 rolesWhat ACRA expects
A foreigner files through a registered corporate service provider. The company needs one director resident in Singapore, a secretary within 6 months and a registered office there. We arrange all four.
OnlineWhat you sign and what we sign
You sign the constitution, the consents and the board resolution for the bank in your account on the Legarithm platform. The filing agent files with ACRA, and our accountant prepares the ECI, the tax return and the annual return for your approval.
What clients write about Legarithm
4.8 on Google from 26 reviews.
Questions about a company in Singapore
Can the company invoice before the bank account is open?
Yes. The company exists with its UEN once ACRA registers it, and a business that needs no licence trades from that day. The bank, tax and licence steps take 1 to 2 weeks.
When does the start-up exemption end, and do I apply for it?
It ends after the first 3 years of assessment, and you do not apply: IRAS applies it when it assesses the return. On S$200,000 of chargeable income the tax is S$12,750 under it and S$16,575 in the fourth year.
In what order do a Singapore company's yearly filings fall?
The ECI within 3 months of the year end, the annual general meeting within 6 months, the annual return within 7 months and the tax return by 30 November. A private company that sends the statements to its shareholders within 5 months holds no meeting.
Who acts as company secretary of a Singapore company run from abroad?
A person whose home is in Singapore, and never the sole director. The directors appoint the secretary within 6 months of registration, and we arrange the person.
Does a Singapore company need a director who lives there?
Yes, one director ordinarily resident in Singapore, which we arrange. A small private company is exempt from audit.
Can I move to Singapore on the strength of the company?
Not by the company alone. A founder who moves needs a work pass: an Employment Pass from a salary of S$5,600 a month, or an EntrePass for a venture-backed or technology business whose founder holds 30% of the shares or more. The salary by age, the COMPASS points and the family passes are in EntrePass or Employment Pass for a founder.
Get a quote for your company in Singapore
Book a 30-minute call about your company
Your consultant Vladyslav Babaiev Opens in a new tab Business Setup Specialist
- We email you the Google Meet link.
- 30 minutes, free, no obligation to order.
- After the call we email you the checklist of documents for your country.
We reply by the end of the next working day with the cost and the dates for your case. The first call is free and confidential.
Updated 21 October 2026. Reviewed by Vladyslav Drapii, Founder.
