ACRA Company Search

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How do I check whether a company or business is registered with ACRA?

Answer:
To check whether a business is registered with ACRA,
1) visit BizFile+
2) Key in the business name or UEN in the search bar on the top right-hand corner.

If it is a registered entity, you will see the entity name and Unique Entity Number (UEN) in the search results.

What Is the ACRA Company Name Search Tool?

To register with ACRA, first, you need to do an ACRA company search. If you already have a business name in mind and would like to check if it is available in Singapore, you can use our ACRA Company Search tool above. 

Why Is the ACRA Entity Name Search Tool Important?

Using the ACRA Search tool is important as it helps you to:

  1. Quickly identify if your preferred company name is available
  2. Compare other companies with similar names and avoid copyright issues
  3. Simplify the company name reservation process

What makes a company name valid by ACRA Singapore?

While you are in the process of choosing a valid name for your company, do note that to get your preferred company name approved, you should ensure that:

  1. It is not identical to the name of a registered company
  2. It is not currently reserved by someone else
  3. It is not inappropriate or offensive (refrain from including obscene or religious names)
  4. It does not include gazetted names (“Temasek” is not allowed in Singapore)
  5. It does not include words such as “Academy”, “College”, “Institute”, “Institution”, “University”; and “National”, “Singapore”.

You should also check that there are no trademarks associated with your preferred company name.

How Do I Create a Unique Company Name that will Approved by ACRA?

If your preferred name is rejected by ACRA, here are some tips to help you enhance and differentiate your core company name:

  1. Add distinguishing words or features to your core business name
  2. Add your scope of services to your business name
    E.g. add “hospitality” or “hotel”
  3. Use symbols
    E.g. “+” to replace “plus”

Please note that the following attempts at differentiating your name will not be accepted by ACRA:

  1. Adding “The” to the start of your preferred name
  2. Adding business entity type to the end of your preferred name e.g. “Pte Ltd”, “Ltd”
  3. Adding countries and regions to the end of your name e.g. “Singapore”, “Asia Pacific”, “International”
  4. Using the plural version of the name

My Company Name is Available, What’s Next?

Once you’ve registered your name on ACRA, and it has been approved, your next step would be to incorporate your company!

The process of setting up a company in Singapore can be completed within a day if you have all of your documents ready.