Ownership and the resident director.
A foreign shareholder can own 100% of a private limited company. At least one director must be ordinarily resident in Singapore. A foreigner must use a corporate service provider for name reservation and registration under ACRA’s guidance. Share ownership alone gives no right to work in Singapore.
Prepare the company details.
- Proposed company name and actual business activities.
- Shareholders, share allocation and initial paid-up capital.
- Eligible directors and the Singapore registered office.
- The financial year-end and administration arrangements.
The company must appoint a secretary within six months of incorporation. A sole director cannot also be the company secretary. A registered office is a statutory contact address; your operational needs may require a different place of work.
If you need a nominee director.
A nominee is a real director with statutory duties. The contract cannot erase those responsibilities. If you later intend to replace the nominee, check resident status, work-pass permissions, the appointment and statutory filings rather than assuming EP approval automatically completes the change.
Plan work permission and banking.
If you will work in Singapore, review the relevant pass requirements before relying on the company to employ you. For an EP, the role, age/sector salary and usually COMPASS apply. Banks separately assess the company, ownership, funds and expected activity. Neither registration nor a pass guarantees an account.
Budget beyond the registration fee.
Separate professional fees, authority fees, company capital, director arrangements and recurring administration. Our company setup and EP support starts from SGD 8,888, with the scope and exclusions confirmed in writing. Accounts, tax, banking, websites or other services may be quoted separately.
Keep the company in good standing.
Maintain ownership and officer records, accounting evidence and applicable returns. Corporate tax and GST requirements have their own rules. Keep records from the start so they are available for annual filings and any pass renewal.
Reserve your company name
Our company name reservation guide covers name searches, the application fee and the approval expiry period.
Prepare the ownership and company details together
Decide who owns the business and who is authorised to manage it before completing registration instructions. Where a corporate shareholder is involved, prepare its registration and ownership records as well as the individuals behind it. Choose business activities that describe the work the company will actually carry out; a broad registration description does not authorise a regulated activity.
| Decision | Prepare before registration |
|---|---|
| Ownership | Shareholders, intended percentages and the agreed basis for each person’s investment. |
| Directors | Proposed officers, eligibility and the resident-director arrangement. |
| Business activity | Actual services or products, customer markets and any sector-specific permissions to check. |
| Capital and funding | Share funding separately from the first-year operating budget. |
| Address and records | Registered office arrangement, record access and the person responsible for notices. |
Make sure founders agree on these details. Disagreements about share ownership, signing powers or promised funding are more difficult to resolve after the company has started contracting.
Plan the order of registration, employment and banking
The company, work pass and bank account are separate processes, but their timing affects one another. A foreign shareholder should decide whether they will manage the business from overseas, relocate to work for it, or appoint other people to operate it. Ownership alone does not grant permission to work in Singapore.
If relocation depends on an EP, check the intended role and candidate profile before signing a long lease or committing to a move. Discuss how the company will be funded while its account or application is pending, and document any lawful temporary arrangements. Do not assume incorporation automatically completes the nominee-director replacement, permits employment or opens the account.
Our existing holding-company case illustrates how one founder’s incorporation, MOM queries, EP issuance and bank arrangements were sequenced. Use it to understand the dependencies, not as a standard timetable.
Set up administration immediately after registration
Assign responsibility for accounting records, corporate notices, contracts and filing dates. Keep the company’s records accessible even if the founder is overseas. The ACRA officer guidance explains the secretary requirement and the deadline for appointment; appointing a service provider does not remove directors’ responsibilities.
- Retain registration documents and the agreed shareholder/officer details.
- Record funding transfers and the basis for them.
- Keep invoices, receipts, contracts and payment records in the company’s name where appropriate.
- Set a filing calendar around the chosen financial year-end.
- Confirm who receives and acts on official notices.
A dormant or newly established company still needs its applicable obligations checked. Waiting until an EP renewal or annual filing is due often turns a straightforward record-keeping task into a reconstruction exercise.
Compare a quotation by exclusions as well as price
Ask what period the secretary, address and director arrangements cover, which government charges are separate, and what happens if a pass application needs more evidence. Confirm whether bookkeeping, tax, bank assistance and website work are included or separately quoted. A company-registration fee should not be treated as the full cost of operating the business.
For the initial enquiry, share your business activity, ownership structure, whether you already have a Singapore pass and the intended start date. That lets us distinguish a company-only setup from a company-and-work-pass plan. Do not send passports or private bank records through the first-enquiry form.
Frequently asked questions
Can I be a shareholder while living overseas?
Share ownership and permission to work are separate. Plan the officer and work-pass arrangements around what you will actually do.
Is the bank account opened automatically?
No. It requires the provider’s separate application and assessment.
Can I replace a nominee as soon as my EP is approved?
Check residency, relevant work-pass permissions, the replacement appointment and filings. Approval does not automatically change the director records.
What should the first-year budget include?
Separate setup fees, authority charges, recurring administration and the cash needed to operate and pay employees.
Can a foreigner own all shares?
Yes. The company still needs an eligible ordinarily resident director.
Does registration allow me to work in Singapore?
No. Review the appropriate work pass separately.
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.