Singapore company setup cost 2026: official fees

Setting up a Singapore private limited company costs S$315 in government fees in 2026: S$15 to ACRA for the name application and S$300 to register the company. After that, the only fixed yearly government fee is S$60 for the annual return. The larger costs sit elsewhere: the people the law requires you to have, namely a resident director, a company secretary and a registered office address in Singapore. Those are provider fees, and they vary.

This page covers cost only. It sets out the official fees and the legal requirements behind them, then builds year-one and yearly totals from official fees alone. If you want the step-by-step process, see our guide on how to set up a company in Singapore. All fees were checked on 10 November 2026.

Singapore company setup cost at a glance

The money you spend falls into three kinds:

• Official ACRA fees: fixed, published and the same for everyone.
• Required roles: things a foreign owner normally buys from a registered corporate service provider (CSP). There is no official price for these.
• Ministry of Manpower pass fees: only relevant if someone relocates to Singapore.

Share capital is not a real cost. The minimum is S$1, and it stays in the company's own bank account rather than going to the government.

ACRA fees: name, registration and annual return

Your incorporation bill to ACRA is S$15 for the name application and S$300 for registration. Most registrations are approved soon after payment. Complex applications can take up to 15 working days, and if another agency must approve (a referral authority, for regulated activities), expect 14 to 60 days.

Foreigners cannot file this themselves. You must engage a registered corporate service provider (CSP) to reserve the name and register the company through Bizfile. Our article on Singapore company requirements for foreigners covers this in detail.

The yearly ACRA fee is the S$60 annual return, due within 7 months of the financial year end. It applies even if the company is dormant. Your AGM is due within 6 months of year end unless you are exempt. If you need more time, an extension costs S$200 per application, gives 60 days, is non-refundable and must be requested before the deadline.

Missing deadlines is where the official costs climb:

ACRA can also strike the company off. If you simply no longer need the company, applying to ACRA to strike it off is free.

Director, secretary and office: what the law requires

These are requirements, not prices. Each one becomes a provider fee if you buy it in.

• Resident director (Companies Act s.145): at least one director must be ordinarily resident in Singapore. That means a citizen, a permanent resident, or a valid holder of an Employment Pass, Personalised Employment Pass or Overseas Networks and Expertise Pass.
• Nominee directors: since 9 June 2025, a person may act as a nominee director by way of business only if a registered CSP arranges it and has assessed the person as fit and proper. Nominee details go on a register filed with ACRA that is not open to the public. Every director, nominee or not, carries the full legal duties.
• Company secretary (s.171): appointed within 6 months, a natural person resident in Singapore, and not the sole director.
• Registered office: a Singapore address. Since 20 October 2026 there are no minimum opening hours, but records must be available for inspection for at least 2 hours on the relevant business days after reasonable notice.
• Auditor: appointed within 3 months unless the company is exempt as a small company, meaning it meets 2 of 3 tests: revenue of S$10 million or less, total assets of S$10 million or less, 50 employees or fewer.

Provider fees vary, so ask for a fixed quote and check the provider on ACRA's register of CSPs before you sign anything.

Employment Pass fees and salary if you relocate

This section only applies if an owner or employee moves to Singapore. The company applies for the pass, not the individual.

The application must also pass COMPASS with at least 40 points, unless the fixed monthly salary is S$22,500 or more. The salary, not the S$330 in fees, is the real cost. For example, a new applicant aged 45 or over from 1 January 2027 needs S$11,500 a month, which is S$138,000 a year.

EntrePass carries the same S$105 and S$225 fees. The holder must own at least 30% of the company, and most cases are decided within 6 weeks.

Year one and yearly totals from official fees

These totals for the Singapore company incorporation cost use official fees only. Every figure below is a sum of official fees, not a quote.

Add S$30 if a Multiple Journey Visa applies. Not included: provider fees, salary and tax.

On tax, briefly: corporate income tax is a flat 17%. New companies may get a 75% exemption on the first S$100,000 and 50% on the next S$100,000 of chargeable income for their first 3 years of assessment, though not investment holding or property development companies. GST is 9%, with registration compulsory above S$1 million in taxable turnover. See our pages on Singapore corporate tax and Singapore GST registration. Weighing up jurisdictions? Compare the Hong Kong company formation cost or read Hong Kong vs Singapore.

How Cosmos helps

Cosmos is an AI-native platform with named specialists. In Singapore we arrange incorporation, the company secretary, resident or nominee directors and the registered office through licensed local partners, and our own team does the bookkeeping and accounting. Every filing date sits in one place, so the S$60 annual return and the 14-day change filings are done before they turn into S$300 or S$600 penalties.

Book a demo to see how Cosmos would run your Singapore company.

FAQ

How much does it cost to register a company in Singapore?

The government fees total S$315: S$15 to ACRA for the name application and S$300 for registration. That is the full official setup cost. A foreign owner will also pay a registered CSP for filing and the required roles, such as a resident director and company secretary. Provider fees vary, so ask for a fixed quote.

Can a foreigner register a Singapore company without a provider?

No. Foreigners must engage a registered corporate service provider (CSP) to reserve the company name and register the company with ACRA. You will also need a director ordinarily resident in Singapore, which most foreign owners arrange through a CSP. Check any provider against ACRA's register of CSPs before engaging them.

What is the minimum share capital?

S$1. Share capital is paid into the company itself, not to the government, so it is not a fee or a real setup cost. You can issue more shares later if the business needs capital or a bank or investor asks for a larger paid-up amount.

What does a Singapore company cost each year in government fees?

The only fixed yearly ACRA fee is S$60 for the annual return, due within 7 months of the financial year end, even if the company is dormant. Extra official costs arise only if you need an extension (S$200 per application) or file late. Provider fees for the secretary, director and office are separate.

How much does a Singapore Employment Pass cost?

S$105 to apply and S$225 to issue, so S$330 per pass, plus S$30 if a Multiple Journey Visa applies. Renewal costs S$225. The bigger cost is the qualifying salary: currently from S$5,600 a month (S$6,200 in financial services), rising with age, and higher for new applications from 1 January 2027.

What is the penalty for a late annual return?

S$300 if it is up to 3 months late, and S$600 if more than 3 months late. If the matter goes to court, a conviction can bring a fine of up to S$10,000 per charge. ACRA can also strike the company off the register.

Does it cost anything to close a Singapore company?

Applying to ACRA to strike off a company you no longer need is free. ACRA sets conditions for striking off, so check them before you apply.