Cost of Setting Up a Company in Singapore (2026): Full Fee & Tax Breakdown

Singapore is one of the most respected places in the world to incorporate a company — but "how much does it cost?" has more than one answer, because the government registration fee is only a small part of the real total. The mandatory ACRA fees are fixed and modest; the larger, recurring costs come from the services Singapore law requires every company to have — a resident director, a company secretary and a registered office. This guide breaks the cost of setting up a Singapore Private Limited Company (Pte Ltd) into government fees, mandatory service costs and ongoing annual costs, so you can budget accurately.

All figures below are in Singapore dollars (S$). The government fees are fixed by the Accounting and Corporate Regulatory Authority (ACRA); the service fees are indicative market ranges that vary by provider and by whether you need a nominee director — always confirm a current quotation for your specific setup.

1. Government registration fees (ACRA) — fixed

The only truly fixed, non-negotiable cost is what ACRA charges to register the company through its BizFile+ portal:

That is the entire government cost to incorporate a Pte Ltd. Minimum paid-up capital is just S$1, so capital is not a real barrier. If ACRA's fees are all you see quoted, though, the quote is incomplete — Singapore law requires several things that carry their own cost.

2. Mandatory service costs — the real cost drivers

Every Singapore company must have the following. For a foreign founder these are where most of the budget goes:

Singapore-resident director (often a nominee)

A Pte Ltd must have at least one director who is ordinarily resident in Singapore — a citizen, permanent resident, or the holder of an EntrePass / Employment Pass. If you do not yet have a resident director, you appoint a nominee director through your corporate services provider. This is typically the single largest recurring line item; providers usually charge an annual fee plus a refundable security deposit. It applies until you or a co-founder obtain your own Singapore work pass and can act as the resident director yourselves.

Company secretary

Every company must appoint a qualified, Singapore-resident company secretary within six months of incorporation. The secretary maintains statutory registers and filings. This is a mandatory annual cost, usually bundled into a corporate-services package.

Registered office address

The company must have a physical Singapore registered address (not a P.O. box). If you have no local office, a registered-address service provides one — another small annual cost.

3. Corporate tax and GST — what you'll pay on profits

Singapore's tax system is a major reason companies choose it, and it affects your ongoing cost:

• Corporate Income Tax: a 17% headline rate, but with a substantial partial tax exemption for SMEs and a separate Start-Up Tax Exemption (SUTE) for qualifying new companies — which means the effective rate on the first portions of taxable income is well below 17%. Confirm your eligibility and the current exemption bands with IRAS or your tax advisor.
• GST (Goods and Services Tax): the current rate is 9%. Registration is only mandatory once your annual taxable turnover exceeds — or is expected to exceed — S$1 million. Below that, GST registration is voluntary.
• Double Taxation Agreements: Singapore has an extensive network of 90+ DTAs, which can materially reduce tax on cross-border income.

For help modelling the tax side, see our corporate tax advisory team.

4. Ongoing annual costs

Incorporation is a one-off; running the company is annual. Budget for:

• Nominee director (if used) and company secretary — renewed yearly;
• Registered office address — yearly;
• Accounting and bookkeeping, plus preparation of financial statements;
• Annual return filing with ACRA and holding the Annual General Meeting (AGM);
• Corporate tax filing with IRAS (Form C-S / Form C);
• Audit — only if the company exceeds the "small company" thresholds; most small private companies are exempt from audit;
• GST filing — only if GST-registered.

Our accounting & bookkeeping team handles the ongoing compliance for regional groups.

What a Singapore setup typically costs — at a glance

Indicative only — confirm a tailored quotation:

How to keep the cost down

Two things move the number most: whether you need a nominee director, and whether you must register for GST and be audited. Founders who relocate and obtain their own Employment Pass eventually remove the nominee cost. Companies below the S$1M turnover and small-company thresholds avoid GST filing and audit. The right structure from day one avoids expensive restructuring later — which is exactly what a Singapore company formation advisor plans with you. If you are weighing Singapore against the UAE, our Singapore vs Dubai comparison sets the two side by side.

Why set up your Singapore company with Avyanco

Avyanco's Singapore practice runs the full setup as one coordinated engagement — ACRA incorporation through BizFile+, the mandatory resident-director and company-secretary appointments, registered office, IRAS corporate tax and GST setup, and bank-account introductions through DBS, OCBC and UOB. You get one transparent quotation covering the government fee and every mandatory service, so there are no surprises. We also support UAE, Qatar and Saudi Arabia setups, so groups expanding across Asia and the Gulf can structure it all under one partner. Talk to our team for a tailored Singapore cost estimate.