Singapore Company Naming Guide (Basic Requirements and Common Questions)

When registering a company in Singapore, choosing an appropriate and compliant company name is the crucial first step for successful Singapore company registration. Below are some important considerations and steps to consider when naming your Singapore company, helping you smoothly complete your company name registration.

Basic Requirements for Company Names

Company Naming Rules and Considerations

When choosing a name for your company, you need to ensure that the selected name has not been registered by others. You can check the availability of your proposed name through the BizFile+ system. The chosen company name must not be identical to existing registered entities.

1. Check Name Availability

Through the BizFile+ website, enter your proposed company name at the top of the page and click the "Search" button.
If the name has been registered, you need to consider replacing the name or adding other words to distinguish your proposed name. However, certain words lack sufficient distinctiveness, and ACRA will ignore these words when assessing whether names are identical (see Table A).

Table A: Words Ignored When Assessing Identical Names

The (at the beginning of the name)
Asia / Asia Pacific
Associates / Company / Corporation
Group / Holding / Holdings
Incorporated / International
Partner / Partners / Partnership
Singapore / South Asia / South East Asia
Trading / Worldwide
Berhad / Limited / LLP / LP / Pte

For example:

Registered name: "Morning Caffeine Pte Ltd"
Rejected applications: "Morning Caffeine International Pte Ltd", "The Morning Caffeine Pte Ltd", "Morning Caffeine LLP"

2. Avoid Inappropriate or Protected Names

Avoid choosing names that are indecent, similar to government agencies, or legally protected (such as "Temasek").

3. Name Registration Process

You can register a company name through BizFile+ for $15 SGD. Once the application is successful, it will be reserved for 120 days. If the company is not registered within this period, the name will expire and can be registered by others.

4. Names Referred for Review

Some names may be referred to relevant departments for review. For example, names containing "school" need approval from the Ministry of Education, with processing times typically ranging from 14 to 60 days.

Please ensure you follow the relevant rules before registration to ensure your company name meets the requirements.

Common Questions When Applying for Names

When submitting a company name application, here are some common questions and considerations:

Processing Time: Typically, company name applications are processed within a few hours to 1 working day. However, if the name contains regulated words, processing time may extend to 14 days or longer.
Name Reservation Period: Once your company name is approved, the reservation period is typically 120 days. During this period, you must complete the company registration, otherwise the reservation will expire.
Government Reserved Names: Certain names, such as those related to government or of significant historical importance, may be specially reserved or restricted from use.

Want to quickly confirm if your company name is available? Contact our experts. We will check name availability for you on the same day and provide professional advice. We can provide free naming services.