- A UEN is issued automatically when you register your business with ACRA
- Every business type gets one: Pte Ltd, sole proprietorship, LLP and others
- UEN formats differ by entity type, such as private limited companies, sole proprietorships and LLPs.
- A Pte Ltd costs S$15 to name and S$300 to register with ACRA
- How to get a UEN: ACRA issues it automatically when your business registration is approved; there is no separate application.
- Where to find it: Check your ACRA business profile or official registration correspondence.
- What it is used for: Identifying your business in government transactions, tax filings and other official processes.
- Need a UEN? Register your business first. Your UEN is issued upon approval.
A UEN in Singapore is the Unique Entity Number that every registered business receives the moment it is incorporated with ACRA. It is the official ID you use for everything: filing taxes with IRAS, applying for licences, opening a corporate bank account and signing contracts. New companies and businesses receive their UEN automatically from ACRA when their registration is approved, so there is no separate application.
If you are looking up your UEN number in Singapore, you will find it on your ACRA business profile or in any government correspondence. If you don’t have one yet, your business isn’t registered, and you can register your company with Sleek to receive your UEN on approval. This guide explains what a UEN is, how it works and what business registration involves.
What is a UEN?
UEN (Unique Entity Number) is a government-issued identification number for businesses and organisations in Singapore. It serves as the official ID of a business, and that is the whole UEN meaning in one line. If you are asking what is UEN on a bank form or a tender document, this is the number they want.
The system was introduced to replace the multiple numbers businesses previously had to manage for different agencies, such as tax, employee contributions and licences. This consolidation reduces confusion and administrative work.
Today, the UEN is used for all government transactions, including filing with IRAS and applying for licences. It streamlines compliance, simplifies operations and keeps things consistent across agencies.
How do new businesses get a UEN?
A company or business receives its UEN from ACRA when it is registered, so you don’t apply for one separately. Choose a structure, reserve a name, then register on Bizfile (or through a filing agent), and ACRA issues the company UEN with your approval notice. For a Pte Ltd, ACRA charges S$15 to apply for the name and S$300 to register the company.
Wondering how to get a UEN for a new company? Sleek registers your company online and you receive your UEN on approval, with no separate application, and you can register from overseas too.
Who needs a UEN?
Short answer: almost every registered business in Singapore. If you have formally incorporated or registered with the Accounting and Corporate Regulatory Authority (ACRA), you automatically receive a UEN.
This includes:
- Locally incorporated companies
- Limited Liability Partnerships (LLPs)
- Sole proprietorships and partnerships
- Registered societies and trade unions
- Charities and non-profits
What about freelancers or sole traders just starting? Do they need a UEN too?
Yes, if they register a business in Singapore with ACRA. Once registration is approved, they receive a UEN automatically. Freelancers who have not registered a business do not automatically have a UEN.
Where do you get a UEN in Singapore?
Your UEN is issued during business registration by the relevant government agency. Most businesses in Singapore register with ACRA and receive their UEN through Bizfile.
If your entity type does not fall under ACRA, such as a society, charity or government-linked body, your UEN will be issued by the relevant government agency instead. Other issuing agencies include:
- Attorney-General’s Chambers (AGC)
- IE Singapore
- Islamic Religious Council of Singapore (MUIS)
- Ministry of Education (MOE)
- Ministry of Finance (MOF)
- Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MFA)
- Ministry of Health (MOH)
- Ministry of Manpower (MOM)
- Ministry of National Development (MND)
- Monetary Authority of Singapore (MAS)
- Registry of Societies (ROS)
- Singapore Land Authority (SLA)
What is the format of a UEN?
Your UEN number in Singapore is not just a random mix of letters and numbers. The UEN meaning is built into the pattern: it shows which agency issued the number and what type of entity your business is. Different types of entities receive different UEN formats based on the issuing agency.
| Entity Type | Issuing Agency | UEN Format Example |
|---|---|---|
| Sole proprietorships, partnerships | ACRA | nnnnnnnnX (e.g., 53212345A) |
| Local companies | ACRA | YYYYnnnnnX (e.g., 202312345A) |
| Limited Liability Partnerships (LLPs) | ACRA | T-YYnnnnnX (e.g., T23LL1234A) |
| Registered Societies | Registry of Societies (ROS) | S-YYSSnnnnX (e.g., S99SS1234A) |
| Trade Unions | Registry of Trade Unions | T-YYUEnnnnX (e.g., T12UE1234A) |
Legend:
- YYYY or TYY — Year of registration
- LL / SS / UE — Code for entity type
- X — Check alphabet
As you can see, the prefix of the UEN reflects the entity type and the year of incorporation, especially for companies registered with ACRA.
So if your business is called Sleek Digital Pte Ltd and it was incorporated in 2024, your UEN might look like: 202412345Z
How to get a UEN in Singapore?
Getting a UEN is easy, and in most cases you don’t apply for it separately. Your UEN number is issued automatically when you register your business with the relevant government agency, usually ACRA. In short: register your business, and your UEN comes with it.
Here is how the process works.
1. Choose your business structure
Decide whether you are setting up a sole proprietorship, partnership or private limited company. This affects how you register and what UEN format you receive, and our guide on how to register a business in Singapore compares the options.
2. Register your business on Bizfile
Most businesses in Singapore register through Bizfile, ACRA’s online portal, and our Bizfile guide walks through it. You will need to provide:
- Business name and activities, including choosing your SSIC code
- Registered address
- Identification details for directors and owners (e.g. NRIC or FIN)
3. Get your UEN upon approval
Once your application is approved, ACRA issues your Unique Entity Number as part of your registration confirmation. This UEN becomes your business’s official ID for all government transactions, and our company registration cost guide shows what the whole setup costs.
What happens after you get your UEN?
Getting your UEN is step one, but it is not the end of the setup process. Here is what most founders need to do in the first few weeks after incorporation:
- Open a corporate bank account. Banks in Singapore require your UEN, your Bizfile business profile and director identification before they will open a business account.
- Set up Corppass. Corppass is the government’s digital access system for businesses, and you need it to file taxes with IRAS, submit annual returns to ACRA and access most government portals.
- Appoint a company secretary. Under the Companies Act, every Pte Ltd must appoint a qualified company secretary within six months of incorporation, and a corporate secretary service can cover it.
- Check your GST obligations. If your projected annual revenue exceeds S$1 million, GST registration is mandatory.
Some private service providers offer business registration help, but only government agencies like ACRA can issue a UEN.
Can you choose your own UEN?
Yes, if you want a more memorable UEN, you can choose one through ACRA’s Special UEN (SUN) service. You pay a fee to pick from a list of available numbers when you register a new business, and you cannot apply for a SUN once your business is already registered (ACRA’s SUN guide).
The option to choose a Special UEN appears at the payment stage on Bizfile. Only part of the number is customisable: the prefix and the check alphabet are system-generated and cannot be changed. There are two SUN tiers:
- Tier one, S$3,000: consecutive same numbers such as 9999, or any combination involving the number 8
- Tier two, S$1,000: repetitive patterns excluding 8, or numbers ending in triple identical digits such as 222, 555 or 999
SUNs are non-refundable and non-exchangeable.
How to find a company’s Unique Entity Number?
Any ACRA-registered company’s UEN is not a secret. It is public information by design. This transparency helps you verify that the companies you work with are legitimate and have limited liability status if applicable.
So, how do you find another company’s UEN? The government makes it easy through its public online search directory. The most common tool is the Bizfile portal run by ACRA. Here’s how to do it step-by-step.
1. Go to Bizfile Entity Search and enter the company’s name in the search bar.
2. The system will show you a list of matching businesses. You can then see details like:
- UEN
- Entity status (e.g., Live Company)
- Industry (SSIC)
- Registered address
How can Sleek help you get your UEN?
Your UEN might seem like a minor detail, but it is your business’s official identity for everything from tax filing to hiring employees. At Sleek, we help you launch a compliant, ready-to-run business in Singapore, and your UEN is issued as part of the registration.
- End-to-end company registration: we handle your full registration with ACRA, so your UEN is issued automatically with no extra forms.
- Expert guidance from day one: we help you choose the right business structure and submit director and shareholder details.
- Business-ready from the start: a Sleek Business Account lets you send and receive payments soon after incorporation.
- Special UEN option: we can help you apply for a Special UEN if you want a number that matches your brand.
Sleek is an ACRA-registered filing agent (FA20170342), and company registration with us typically takes 1 to 3 days. Registration from S$600 includes ACRA fees. For more guides, browse the Sleek resources hub.
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FAQs on uen singapore
How long does it take to get a UEN for a new company?
Your UEN comes with your company registration, so the timing is the registration time. ACRA says most registrations are approved soon after payment, once every position holder has endorsed the application. With Sleek, registration typically takes 1 to 3 days.
Do I need a UEN to open a business bank account?
Yes, in practice. Banks ask for your company registration details, including the UEN, before they open a corporate account. You receive the UEN when ACRA approves your registration, so you register first and then apply to the bank.
What's the difference between an NRIC and a UEN?
An NRIC, or National Registration Identity Card, is a personal identity card for individuals in Singapore. A UEN, on the other hand, is an identifier for business entities, not people. While a director’s identity details are needed during company formation, the business itself operates under its own UEN.
Is UEN the same as GST number?
No. If your business is GST-registered, your GST number is based on your UEN, but the two are not the same. You can have a UEN without being GST-registered.
Do I need to display my UEN?
Yes. Your UEN must appear on all official documents, including invoices, letters, statements of account and your website. This helps people verify that your business is legitimate.
Do I need to renew my UEN?
No, the UEN itself never expires and does not need renewing. Your business registration does, which is a periodic requirement for sole proprietorships and partnerships, and if it lapses your entity will eventually be struck off and your UEN becomes inactive.
