To set up a sole proprietorship or partnership, you must:
- Be at least 18 years old
- Be a Singapore Citizen, Singapore Permanent Resident, or an eligible FIN holder
FIN holders are advised to check with the relevant pass-issuing authority (e.g. MOM/ICA) regarding their eligibility before registering or taking on an appointment (e.g. as an authorised representative).
If you are currently self-employed, you must top up your MediSave account with the Central Provident Fund (CPF) Board before you register a business, become a new owner of an existing business, or renew your business registration. For more information regarding MediSave, please visit the CPF Board website.
After registration, business owners are required to keep their MediSave contributions to the CPF Board up to date. Failure to do so may result in early cancellation of the business registration.
Can a foreigner register a sole proprietorship?
Foreigners who are residing overseas and wish to register either a sole proprietorship or a partnership in Singapore must adhere to specific requirements. They are required to appoint at least one locally resident authorised representative, who can be a Singapore citizen, Permanent Resident, or holder of an EntrePass or Employment Pass. The foreign owner(s) must engage a registered filing agent, such as a law firm, accounting firm, or corporate secretarial firm, to submit the application via Bizfile on their behalf.
FIN holders are advised to check with the relevant pass-issuing authority, such as the Ministry of Manpower (MOM) or Immigration and Checkpoints Authority (ICA), regarding their eligibility before registering or taking on an appointment as an authorised representative.
For foreigners who wish to be physically present in Singapore to manage the operations of a sole proprietorship or partnership, there is an additional step. After registering the business entity, they must seek approval from the Ministry of Manpower.
If any of the proposed partners do not have a SingPass account, the applicants must engage the services of a registered filing agent (e.g. a law firm, accounting firm or corporate secretarial firm) to submit the application on their behalf. Only individuals with a SingPass account can submit an application on Bizfile.
Who can be an authorised representative of a sole proprietorship or partnership?
An authorised representative must be:
- A natural person
- At least 18 years old
- Of full legal capacity
- Locally resident in Singapore
Appointment of an authorised representative is required in the following scenarios:
- Sole proprietorship: The sole owner is residing outside of Singapore.
- Partnership: All partners are residing outside of Singapore.
To appoint an authorised representative:
- 1. Go to Bizfile
- 2. Navigate to Manage > Sole proprietorship/Partnership
- 3. Select "Update position holder information" eService
