True only for a Singpass holder filing on their own. Foreigners must go through a Registered Filing Agent, so the service fee is unavoidable.
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COMPANY REGISTRATION
Government fees are fixed at S$315 (S$15 name application plus S$300 registration). That is only the starting point: local founders typically spend S$1,500-2,500 in the first year, and foreign founders who need a nominee director and a registered address usually land between S$3,500 and S$5,000. What gets underestimated is the recurring cost from year two onwards.
| Item | Amount | Type |
|---|---|---|
| Name application (ACRA) | S$15 | One-off, reserved 120 days once approved, non-refundable |
| Company registration (ACRA) | S$300 | One-off |
| Annual return filing (ACRA) | S$60 | Yearly |
| Company secretary | approx. S$300-900 / year | Yearly, legally required |
| Registered address | from approx. S$300 / year | Yearly, legally required |
| Incorporation service | approx. S$500-1,500 | One-off, depends on complexity |
| Nominee (local) director | case by case, deposit usually required | Recurring yearly, only where no local director exists |
| Minimum paid-up capital | S$1 | One-off, can be increased later |
Incorporation happens on ACRA's BizFile+ portal, and the government charges exactly two fees: S$15 for the name application and S$300 for registration, S$315 in total. That figure is the same for everyone, regardless of which service provider you use.
An approved name is reserved for 120 days. If registration is not completed within that window, the name is released. The S$15 is not refunded whether or not the name is approved.
What actually changes the cost is this: logging in to BizFile+ requires a Singpass. Foreigners without one cannot file themselves, and the rules require them to appoint a local Registered Filing Agent. So for foreign founders, "save money by doing it yourself" is not an available option.
Most cost surprises come from treating incorporation as a one-off expense. The following three are statutory requirements and must remain in place for as long as the company exists.
This must be a Singapore citizen, permanent resident, or a valid pass holder approved to act as a director. If the founding team is entirely foreign with no pass yet, a nominee director service is needed. That is an annual fee, and providers usually require a deposit. This single item is the largest cost gap between foreign and local founders.
Must be ordinarily resident in Singapore. Market rates run roughly S$300-900 a year, with the difference lying in whether annual return filing and board resolution drafting are included.
It must be a real address capable of receiving mail, not a post box number. Virtual office address services start from around S$300 a year.
| Item | Year one | Year two onwards |
|---|---|---|
| ACRA registration fees | S$315 | — |
| Incorporation service | S$500-1,500 | — |
| Company secretary | S$300-900 | S$300-900 |
| Registered address | from S$300 | from S$300 |
| ACRA annual return | usually falls after the first financial year end | S$60 |
| Bookkeeping, tax, annual filing | depends on volume | depends on volume |
| Nominee director (if needed) | case by case | recurring |
| Typical range (local founder) | S$1,500-2,500 | approx. S$800-1,500 |
| Typical range (foreign founder) | S$3,500-5,000 | depends on the nominee director, rarely below 60% of year one |
The key point: how cheap a first-year quote looks depends largely on which annual fees the provider folded into it. Two quotes that differ by S$800 may simply have shifted the secretary and address fees into year two. The question to ask when comparing is what year two costs.
There is another reason the range is wide: low-priced packages usually exclude bank account support, and nominee director arrangements differ in deposit structure and scope of responsibility. Add those back and a complete package sits well above the lower bound. Our own package and per-item prices are published on the pricing page, so you can compare directly rather than requesting a quote.
This is the misunderstanding we see most. Incorporation gives you no status and no pass.
An Employment Pass is applied for by the company as employer on behalf of an employee, even when that employee is you. The 2026 thresholds are:
One thing to plan around: the floor rises to S$6,000 (S$6,600 in financial services) from January 2027, with the age-scaled figures adjusted accordingly. If your timeline spans 2026 into 2027, that change affects feasibility directly.
True only for a Singpass holder filing on their own. Foreigners must go through a Registered Filing Agent, so the service fee is unavoidable.
It is an annual fee, and most providers hold a deposit as well. It continues until the company has its own locally resident director.
Check whether "all-inclusive" covers the first year or continues. Most low-priced packages include only the first year of secretary and address.
Account opening is a separate process assessed independently by the bank, and it can be declined. Business substance, shareholder background and source of funds all affect the outcome, and it usually takes several additional weeks.
ACRA moved fully to the SSIC 2025 classification in May 2026. The wrong code affects later pass applications, bank review and licensing requirements, and changing it later is more trouble than choosing correctly at the start.
We confirm three things first — the nationality and residency status of shareholders and directors, whether there is a pass plan, and the intended operating substance — before deciding which services are necessary and which can wait. Where legal judgement is required, such as an EP pathway without a third-party employer offer, a partner law firm assesses the case before we advise, and we state clearly which party is responsible for which part. The relevant scope is set out under company registration and compliance and EP and legal pathway assessment.
Yes. Singapore does not restrict foreign shareholding. The constraint is on directors: at least one must be locally resident.
S$1. However, very low paid-up capital can weaken credibility assessments during bank account opening and EP review, so in practice we suggest setting it in line with the business.
Name approval usually takes a few hours to a few business days, and registration itself around 1 to 3 business days, provided documents are complete and the name is not referred.
Yes, and this is a common sequence. But the company needs enough operating substance to support the application at the time of submission, otherwise rejection is likely.
No. Annual returns and tax filings remain due even with zero transactions, and late filing creates penalties that attach to the directors' records. A company that will not continue should be struck off properly.
Sources: ACRA (BizFile+ fees and annual return requirements) and MOM (EP salary thresholds and COMPASS). Cost ranges reflect prevailing market rates; actual quotations depend on the case. This article is general information and is not legal or tax advice.
Shareholder nationality, whether a local director already exists, the pass plan and your timeline all change every figure above. Tell us your conditions and we will give a cost and timeline assessment for your case.
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