Search the name before applying
Check existing entities and reserved names in Bizfile. ACRA advises avoiding names identical to existing or reserved names, undesirable names and certain protected names. Adding words such as “The”, “Pte Ltd” or “Singapore” does not necessarily distinguish a name.
Check domain availability and trade marks too. Name approval and owning a .sg domain serve different purposes; ACRA registration is not trade mark registration. Its name-selection guidance explains the checks.
Prepare the activity and application details
Prepare the proposed name, entity type, primary SSIC activity and any secondary activity. Choose a description that matches what the company will actually do. Keep alternatives ready if the first name is unavailable.
ACRA permits eligible applicants to submit through Singpass and Bizfile; foreigners must engage a corporate service provider to register a business. For a foreign-founder setup, read our company registration guide before arranging the filing.
Fee and reservation period
The name application fee is SGD 15 and is non-refundable if the name is unavailable or the application is withdrawn. After approval, register the business within 120 days; otherwise the name is released. Save the transaction number and the expiry date from the approval notice. These details are published in ACRA’s reservation instructions.
Allow for a referral or review
Certain names or activities need additional review or another agency’s approval. Do not commit to a launch date based only on an assumed immediate name approval. Read the application notice and the relevant authority’s current timing; different referral situations can take different periods.
Before commissioning signs, printed materials or a website, consider how much you would need to change if the intended name cannot be used. Keep the proposed brand and the eventual registered legal name consistent in the documents you prepare for customers and providers.
What to arrange after approval
- Confirm owners, directors, shares, funding and the registered address.
- Arrange the necessary registration filing before the reservation expires.
- Plan bank account preparation and any work-pass application separately.
- Set up company records and a calendar for later accounts and filings.
Our company setup service coordinates registration and related arrangements. A reserved name alone does not establish a company, approve a bank account or permit a founder to work in Singapore. Review the setup cost guide when budgeting beyond the name fee.
Check the name and activity before submitting
Shortlist alternatives and check the proposed name against ACRA’s criteria. Name availability does not establish trademark rights, domain availability or permission to perform a regulated activity. Check those questions separately before paying for branding, signage or a website.
- Confirm spelling and any wording connected to regulated activities.
- Check whether the proposed business needs referral or authority approval.
- Record the reservation expiry and intended incorporation date.
- Check suitable domains without assuming the name reservation reserves them.
- Use the correct registered name on contracts after incorporation.
If a referral or additional review is needed, allow for it in the setup timetable instead of promising immediate incorporation. Foreign applicants should use the required Corporate Service Provider route. Read foreign-founder setup for the other decisions needed before registration.
Frequently asked questions
Does reserving the name reserve its .sg domain?
No. Domain registration and company name reservation are separate.
Official sources
Related guides
Enquire about company setup
Tell us what the business will do, who will own it and whether you need a work pass.