UEN Number in Singapore: 10 Things You Need To Know
UEN number in Singapore is not an unsolvable mystery. A UEN is convenient for interacting with government agencies to ensure your company’s compliance. It streamlines your online statutory filings like tax filing, annual filing, Etc.
10 Facts About UEN Number in Singapore
1 What is a Unique Entity Number (UEN)?
Singapore UEN numbers are unique identifiers that ACRA assigns to companies. It helps avoid any confusion in the minds of investors. You can also apply for a Special Unique Entity Number (SUN) that will be easy to remember and identify at a glance.
UEN tells them the type of business you are running:
- A private limited company or
- A limited liability partnership or
- A sole proprietorship
When you register a business with ACRA, you will get a 9-digit UEN. And for a local company, you will get a 10-digit UEN. As a newbie business owner, you must know how it enables you to move through the corporate environment in Singapore.
Using it, you can communicate with regulatory and private agencies in Singapore.
2 Applying for a UEN
Commonly, business owners hire a provider of accounting services in Singapore to incorporate their companies. The process includes the application for a UEN. So you do not have to apply for it separately.
However, if you need a Special Unique Entity Number (SUN), you must ask your provider to apply for it to fulfil your operational needs. The process differs for local and foreign business owners.
3 How To Use Your UEN
Singapore UEN is more than just an identifier. It provides you with various benefits, especially when it comes to executing processes. UEN simplifies your interactions with government authorities by reducing the administrative efforts that go into identifying you with them.
Interact with Government Agencies Using UEN
UEN gives your company an identity. It is the most essential identifier for communicating with various government departments and agencies.
With it, you do not have to maintain and produce multiple numbers or codes to identify your company to the agencies. The use of the UEN number emphasises your company’s Singaporean origin to these entities. This identifier reduces your extra administrative work.
Using the UEN, you can easily access and register for various web portals (Ex. BizFile+) the Singapore government runs. You can even sit in your office and complete the company’s statutory compliance online.
Once the portal verifies your UEN, you can execute various compliance-related tasks such as filing corporate tax, applying for import and export permits, Etc.
On the other hand, UEN enables government officials and agencies to communicate with companies with similar names without making any mistakes. The unique entity numbers negate the drawbacks of dealing with similar company names.
Using UEN with PayNow Corporate System
UEN simplifies your online financial transactions. All you have to do is register your UEN for the PayNow Corporate system. Doing so links all your Singaporean bank accounts and makes instant payments possible.
Depending on your needs, you can use the system for solitary or bulk transfers. You do not have to share any of your bank details. It saves time and effort.
4 Searching for a Particular Company Using its UEN
If you want to know more about a particular company for investment or collaboration purposes, log in to the Singapore Online Search Directory. Enter its name and relevant details.
Doing so gets you information like:
- Company’s name
- Company’s UEN status
- Issuance agency
- Type of entity you are searching
- Partial office address
You get all this information online without having to talk to anyone. UEN truly helps you navigate the Singaporean business marketplace effortlessly.
5 Verifying Entity Status of a UEN Number
If you have a UEN, you can easily know the type of business hiding behind it. Go to the Singapore Online Search Directory and enter the UEN.
Upon successful verification, this directory search spits out the entity status of the UEN number you entered into the system. You get the business’ current status, business entity type, name and registration details.
The system may even provide you with the agency that issued that particular UEN. You can contact the agency for further insights into the entity’s registration history.
6 Are You Required to Display UEN?
Yes! You must display your company’s UEN number in Singapore on official documents. You must include UEN on your:
- Company letterheads
- Invoices
- Receipts
- Company envelops
- Bills of exchange
- Official letters to regulatory agencies
Make sure to add it to order forms, publicaly visible business signs, brochures, leaflets, and published notices or adverts. If you manage a digital platform, publish your UEN on websites and include it in company emails.
7 Updating UEN Details
Companies need to move and change their address or business activities. In such cases, you are responsible for updating company’s UEN information with the agency that issued UEN to you.
Before you change company’s business activities, it will be a good idea to provide the relevant documents to the agency. It may take up to 2 weeks to process them. Update your UEN info whenever there is any change.
8 Is it Possible to Change My UEN?
No! It is not possible to change your company’s UEN. It is a permanent identifier allocated to your company. However, you can change your business name without affecting UEN.
9 UEN Exemptions
Do all the business entities need a UEN number in Singapore? No! Though most of them need it. The UEN exemption depends on the nature of their business activities.
There are a few special cases in which non-commercial or the unique nature of business activities gets you the exemption.
Entities that Get UEN Exemption
Singapore grants UEN exemption to certain entities that have:
- Minimal or rare transactions and interactions with Singaporean agencies
- Offshore companies that do not interact with Singaporean agencies
- Engaged government agencies only once
- Branches of Singaporean companies
10 Benefits of UEN Number
Your UEN provides you with many benefits. They are as follows:
- Simplifies communications with government regulating agencies
- Simplifies corporate tax return filing
- Streamlines process for the import and export permit applications
- Special Unique Entity Number (SUN) is easy to remember
Who Issues UEN Numbers?
Accounting and Corporate Regulatory Authority (ACRA) is Company Registrar of Singapore. Commonly, ACRA issues the UEN number after registering a company. However, many other Singaporean agencies issue UEN numbers. These are as follows:
- Accounting & Corporate Regulatory Authority
- Ministry of Communications & Information
- Ministry of Culture, Community & Youth
- Ministry of Defense
- Ministry of Education
- Ministry of Finance
- Ministry of Foreign Affairs
- Ministry of Health
- Ministry of Law
- Ministry of Manpower (MoM)
- Ministry of National Development
- Monetary Authority
- People’s Association
- Registry of Societies
- Singapore Land Authority
- Smart Nation & Digital Government Office
- International Enterprise Singapore
- Islamic Religious Council of Singapore
UEN number in Singapore streamlines communication between government agencies and the business community. It enables these agencies to address and covey compliance-related info to the intended entities without any confusion about their identities.
Using UEN, companies also get access to government web portals to fulfil their needs and execute essential tasks without any hassle. If you are starting a new company, our company secretary can proficiently help you with it.
We are a reliable accounting services in Singapore and also provide services for company incorporation. Contact us at +65-6536 0036 or email us at info@sbsgroup.com.sg to talk to our experts.
Also Read: Common Mistakes to Avoid in Outsourcing Accounting Services
