What you should know after incorporating your business
After successfully incorporating your business in Singapore, there are certain things that you may further need to know about Singapore company formation. This guide serves as an overview of the important information you need to know after incorporating your business in Singapore:
Business Licenses Application
The nature of your Singapore business’ activities may require you to apply for one or more licenses before you can fully proceed with your business operations. Business activities such as restaurants, travel agencies, export/import, etc. require business licenses obtained from specific government authorities.
Provided below, for your convenience, is the Authorities Referrals table
| REGULATORY AUTHORITY | WHEN REFERRAL REQUIRED |
|---|---|
| Board of Architects (BCA) | For companies with names or activities concerning “Architectural” or “Architect”. |
| Inland Revenue Authority of Singapore (IRAS) | Proposed companies and businesses which state “Real Estate Agent” or “Real Estate Agency” as one of the proposed activities, and applications for change of name by companies and businesses already carrying on real estate agency activities. |
| International Enterprise Singapore (IE Singapore) | Names and activities to do with Physical Rubber, Rubber futures, Commodity futures e.g. “Rubber trading”, “Rubber futures”, “Commodity brokers”, “Commodity Futures Exchange”, “Commodity / Commodities Exchange”, “Futures brokers”, “Futures Exchange”, “Commodity Futures”, “Clearing Exchange/House/House Exchange”. |
| Ministry of Community Development, Youth and Sports (MCYS) |
Companies with activities to do with the following SSIC codes:
Non-Residentially Based Social Activities
|
| Ministry of Defence (MINDEF) (Defence Technology and Resource Office) |
For use of proposed names which include words such as “Military” or “Defence”. |
| Ministry of Education (MOE) (Private Schools Section) |
Establishments that will function as a “school” / “learning centre” / “education centre” / “training centre”, excluding those offering instruction of a “non-academic” nature, e.g. beauty care, dressmaking, cooking, sports, games, driving, recreation-related, etc. Names containing references to “Academy”, “College”, “Institute”,”Institution”, “University”; and “National”, “Singapore”, will normally be disallowed. |
| Monetary Authority of Singapore (MAS) |
Applications to be referred to MAS if the proposed BUSINESS/ COMPANY NAMES contain the following words: A) “Bank” and its derivatives; (Examples of derivatives of word “Bank” would include “banking”, “banque”, “banco”, “Bancaire”, “Banca” and “Banche”)B) “Finance Company” and “Finance”; C) “Futures Exchange”, “Clearing House” and “Securities Exchange” or titles that resemble these titles or give the impression that the applicant is a securities or futures exchange or clearing house; (Examples of titles, which resemble “Futures Exchange”, “Clearing House” and “Securities Exchange”, would include “SGX”, “stock exchange”, and “clearing corporation” and “clearing organisation”) Applications to be referred to MAS if the business/ company is involved or engage in the following activities A) SSIC Codes: 6512, 6513, 6514, 6515, 65923, 65991 – Applications to register businesses/companies whose business activities come under the Banking Act (Cap 19), the Finance Companies Act (Cap 108), and the Monetary Authority of Singapore Act (Cap 186). This would include businesses/ companies, which conduct banking business, merchant banking, finance company business and credit and charge card operations. MAS will consider the applications and will, if necessary, liaise directly with the applicants on any information MAS may need concerning the applicants and their proposed business. Applications need not be referred to MAS. However, if applicant intends to engage in any activities that require licensing, registration, or approval by MAS, the requisite license, registration or approval shall be obtained from MAS. The approval of the registration of the business/ company by ACRA shall not be construed as a reflection on the business/ company’s suitability to be licensed, registered or approval by MAS. (A) If proposed BUSINESS/ COMPANY NAMES contain the words: “Futures”, “Futures Broker”, “Futures Trading Adviser”, “Futures Pool Operator”, “Securities”, “Stockbroker”, “Fund manager”, “Fund management”, “Asset management”, “Venture management”, “Insurance” or names which resemble these titles; “Financial”, “Financing”, “Financial Adviser”, “Insurance Broker”, “Reinsurance Broker”, “Assurance”, “Reinsurance”, “Reassurance”, “Insure”, “Insuring”, “Insuritz”. (B) If proposed business/ company ACTIVITES fall under the – Applications to register businesses/ companies whose operations come under the Securities and Futures Act (Cap 289) and the Financial Advisers Act (Cap 110).This would include businesses/ companies, which engage in the trading of securities or futures contracts, fund management activities, or the provision of financial advisory services. – Applications to register businesses/ companies whose activities include money-changing and remittance businesses. – Applications to register businesses / companies whose operations come under the Insurance Act (Chap 142). This would include businesses |
| Majlis Ugama Islam of Singapore (MUIS) | Names and activities to do with “Islam”, “Muslim” or its derivatives. Names containing the following words will be rejected: “Halal”, “Islam”, “Islamic”, “Muslim”, “Muslimah”, “Muslimin”, “Allah”, “Illahi”, “Illahiyah”. |
| Singapore Police Force (Licensing Division) |
Activities relating to arms, explosives, ammunition. |
| Singapore Tourism Board (STB) | Names to do with “Merlion”, “eMerlion” and activities to do with “Tourist”, “Travel”. Businesses and companies wishing to carry out tourism related activities could register for their license with the Singapore Travel Exchange of the STB via their website. |
| The Law Society of Singapore | Names and activities to do with “Law”, “Legal” or “Lawyer” will be referred to the Law Society. Where the activity involves the setting up of a Law Corporation under the Legal Profession Act, the applicant should obtain prior approval from the Law Society. Such company is required to have either the initials “LLC” or the words “Law Corporation” at the end of the applied name, instead of “Pte Ltd”. Where the activity involves the setting up of a Joint Law Venture under the Legal Profession Act, approval from the Attorney-General’s Chambers is required. |
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