Registering a Sole-Proprietorship / Partnership

To start doing business in Singapore, you must register with the Accounting and Corporate Regulatory Authority (ACRA) in Singapore.

To register for a sole-proprietorship or partnership, submit an application online via BizFile – ACRA’s electronic filing and information retrieval system.

The person starting the business can choose one of the following ways to register a sole-proprietorship or partnership:

• Log into BizFile using his/her identification number and SingPass to submit an online transaction. This can be done from home, office or at one of ACRA’s BizFile Kiosks at our premises. For more information, please refer to the BizFile Business Registration Guide.
• Engage the services of a professional firm (e.g. lawyers, accountants, chartered secretaries) or a service bureau (e.g. DP Bureau) to submit the online application on his/her behalf.

Find out more about other types of business entities here.

Registration fees

[Refer to other fees applicable for transactions relating to Sole-Proprietorship/Partnership.]

Processing Time

The sole-proprietorship or partnership is usually registered within 15 minutes after the registration fee is paid. However, it may take between 14 days to 2 months if the application needs to be referred to other authorities for approval or review.

For example, if the intention of the sole-proprietorship or partnership is to carry out activities involving the setting up of a private school, the application will be referred to the Ministry of Education.

[Refer to the Referral Authorities Table]

If no referral is required and the business entity is a:

• Sole-Proprietorship
  The applicant may proceed to pay the fee of $65 for the transaction (comprising a registration fee of $50 and a name approval fee of $15) and the sole-proprietorship will then be registered.
• Partnership
  The partnership can only be registered after all the partners have endorsed (or consented) to the submission of the online transaction and after the registration fee is paid.

What does a sole-proprietor / partner need to do BEFORE registration?

From 1 January 1994, all self-employed persons are required to top up their Medisave account with CPF Board before they register a sole-proprietorship or partnership, become the new partner of an existing sole-proprietorship or partnership, or renew their business registration. This requirement is only applicable to Singaporean Citizens and Permanent Residents.