Question 1

How do I check if a company name is available in Singapore?

Accepted Answer

Singapore company names are reserved through ACRA's Bizfile portal. The official name reservation costs S$15 and lasts 120 days. Before paying, use a free pre-check tool (like this one) to validate naming rules and flag prohibited words. Then check the exact match on Bizfile to confirm no identical company already exists.

Question 2

What words are prohibited in a Singapore company name?

Accepted Answer

ACRA flags three types of words: (1) Prohibited - words that cannot be used at all (e.g., 'Temasek', 'Government', misleading terms); (2) Restricted - require referral or approval from another agency (e.g., 'Bank' needs MAS, 'School' needs MOE, 'Law'/'Advocate' need Law Society, 'Medical'/'Hospital' need MOH); (3) Sensitive - require ACRA's discretion (e.g., 'Singapore', 'National', 'ASEAN', 'Royal'). Including any of these slows down or blocks name reservation.

Question 3

What suffix must a Singapore Pte Ltd name end with?

Accepted Answer

A Singapore private company limited by shares must end with 'Private Limited', 'Pte. Ltd.', 'Pte Ltd', or simply 'Limited' or 'Ltd' (without 'Private'/'Pte') if it's a public company. The suffix indicates legal entity type. Limited Liability Partnerships use 'LLP', and Limited Partnerships use 'LP'. Sole proprietorships and partnerships do not require an entity suffix.

Question 4

How long does name reservation take with ACRA?

Accepted Answer

If your name doesn't trigger any review flags (no restricted words, no similar existing names), ACRA's name reservation is typically approved within 15 minutes. If your name contains words requiring referral to another agency (MAS, MOE, MOH, etc.), the review can take 2-8 weeks. Once approved, the name is reserved for 120 days during which you must incorporate.

Question 5

Can I use 'Singapore' in my company name?

Accepted Answer

Yes, but with conditions. 'Singapore' is a sensitive word. ACRA generally accepts it when used descriptively (e.g., 'Singapore Tech Pte Ltd') but may reject usage that implies government affiliation or could mislead the public. Avoid combinations like 'Singapore National', 'Singapore Government', or anything implying state endorsement. Be prepared for ACRA to ask follow-up questions if the name is borderline.

Question 6

What happens if my proposed name is similar to an existing company?

Accepted Answer

ACRA rejects names that are identical to or 'too similar' to existing entities. The 'too similar' test considers spelling, sound, and overall impression - so 'Tech Co Pte Ltd' would likely be rejected if 'Tech Company Pte Ltd' already exists. Differences like punctuation, common suffixes ('Pte Ltd' vs 'Limited'), or articles ('The', 'A') typically don't count as meaningfully different. Use Bizfile's directory to search before applying.

Singapore company name checker

What ACRA looks for when reviewing names

Entity suffix required

Uniqueness test

Restricted & prohibited words

Approval timeline

Singapore company name checker

What ACRA looks for when reviewing names

Entity suffix required

Uniqueness test

Restricted & prohibited words

Approval timeline

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