Singapore GST Registration: Requirements and Exemptions

Singapore's Goods and Services Tax is a consumption tax charged at 9% on domestic supplies of goods and services, and on imports. The Inland Revenue Authority of Singapore administers it under the Goods and Services Tax Act (Cap. 117A).

GST works on a value-added basis. You collect it from your customers, pay it on your own business costs, and remit only the difference to IRAS. Registered businesses can therefore reclaim the GST they pay on rent, equipment, professional services, and other expenses. This is why some businesses choose to register voluntarily.

This guide covers who has to register, what counts toward the threshold, which supplies are exempt, and what registration commits you to afterwards.

Who needs to register for GST in Singapore?

In Singapore, GST registration becomes compulsory once your taxable turnover crosses S$1 million. You can also register voluntarily below that figure, while separate rules exist for overseas sellers and businesses that import services.

Reverse charge applies to businesses that cannot recover all their input tax, typically financial institutions and residential property developers. Rather than the overseas supplier charging GST, you account for it on your own return, which puts imported services on the same footing as services bought locally.

If you’re unsure which applies to your business, Emerhub can verify your eligibility and handle the registration with IRAS. Book a free consultation with our local experts here.

What Revenue Counts as Taxable Turnover?

How IRAS measures your S$1 million threshold depends entirely on how your revenue is classified. Singapore's GST framework recognizes four supply types, only two of which count toward that figure. The table below breaks down each one.

Standard-rated and zero-rated supplies

Both supply types are taxable in IRAS's assessment of your threshold, even though zero-rated sales carry no tax cost for your customer. A Singapore software firm billing S$1.2 million to clients in Germany, for instance, charges 0% GST on every invoice. Yet, its taxable turnover still exceeds S$1 million, which makes registration compulsory.

Registration gives you the right to reclaim the GST you pay on your own business costs. For standard-rated businesses, you collect 9% GST from customers and pay GST on your own expenses. You remit only the difference to IRAS. For zero-rated businesses, you collect no GST on sales but can still reclaim the GST on your Singapore expenses, which often results in a regular refund from IRAS rather than a payment.

Exempt and out-of-scope supplies

Exempt supplies sit entirely outside the GST system, which means businesses that make them can neither charge GST on their sales nor reclaim it on their costs. For example, a residential property developer selling apartments charges no GST and cannot recover any of the input tax tied to those sales. The same applies to a bank providing mortgage loans.

Out-of-scope supplies reach the same outcome, though for a different reason. Take a Singapore trading company that buys goods from Malaysia and sells them directly to buyers in Japan, without the goods ever entering Singapore. Because the transaction has no Singapore nexus, the revenue falls entirely outside the GST system and does not factor into the company's threshold at all.

When your revenue spans both categories (mixed supplies)

Some businesses earn from both taxable and exempt supplies, and this creates a two-part question: how much of your revenue triggers registration, and how much of your GST costs can you recover? 

For threshold purposes, only the taxable streams count toward S$1 million. For input tax recovery, however, IRAS limits what you can reclaim to the proportion of your revenue that is taxable. The higher that proportion, the more you recover. The table below works through a practical example.

With S$1.1 million in taxable supplies out of S$1.4 million in total revenue, this business can recover approximately 79% of the GST on its shared overheads. The remaining 21%, tied to exempt supplies, becomes a direct cost that cannot be reclaimed.

This is an area IRAS audits closely. Over-claiming input tax on shared overheads is one of the most common triggers for compliance reviews. Therefore, it is advisable to document how you allocate those costs and apply the same method every quarter.

How IRAS Assesses Compulsory Registration

Under Schedule 1 of the GST Act, IRAS uses two tests to determine whether your business has crossed the compulsory registration threshold. One looks at the revenue you have already earned, and the other at the revenue you expect. 

As a business, you only need to meet one of them. Once either test is satisfied, registration becomes compulsory.

1. The Retrospective Test

The retrospective test looks at what your business has already earned. At the end of each calendar year (31 December), you calculate your total taxable turnover for the preceding 12 months. If that figure exceeds S$1 million, registration is compulsory. In this case:

• Submit your GST registration application to IRAS by 30 January of the following year
• Your registration officially takes effect on 1 March

For example, TechConsult Pte Ltd is a Singapore IT consultancy that bills local clients and exports software services to overseas companies. On 31 December 2025, the finance team reviews the full year's revenue:

Both streams are considered taxable supplies. Their combined total exceeds S$1 million, so TechConsult must submit its registration application by 30 January 2026. Registration takes effect on 1 March 2026.

2. The Prospective Test

The prospective test looks at where your business is heading. At any point during the year, if you have reasonable grounds to believe your taxable turnover will exceed S$1 million within the next 12 months, registration becomes compulsory. 

You apply within 30 days of forming that expectation, and registration takes effect two months from the forecast date.

"Reasonable grounds" here means documented, concrete evidence. For instance, if you have signed contracts and accepted purchase orders, you must register. However, your Internal projections, pipeline estimates, and verbal commitments are not considered qualified evidence.

For example, CloudStack Solutions provides cloud infrastructure services to enterprise clients in Singapore. On 15 March 2026, the company signs a major new service agreement:

The signed contract gives CloudStack documented grounds to project that its taxable turnover will exceed S$1 million within 12 months. Therefore, GST obligation is triggered on 15 March 2026, and they must apply by 14 April 2026. Registration takes effect on 15 May 2026.

Which Supplies Are Exempt from GST in Singapore

Certain categories of goods and services are fully exempt from GST under Singapore law. If your business deals exclusively in exempt supplies, you cannot register for GST and charge it on your sales. 

You also cannot recover the GST on your own costs, which makes it a cost rather than a pass-through. Three categories account for most exempt activity.

1. Financial Services

Core banking and financial activities are exempt from GST in Singapore. The exemption covers a defined list of activities under Part I of the Fourth Schedule of the GST Act. 

The exemption is built around transactional financial activities, where there is actual movement, custody, and transfer of money. 

Once you shift from handling money to advising on it, or building software around it, it crosses into standard-rated territory. Here are some examples:

• Financial consulting and tax advisory services
• Accounting and bookkeeping firms
• Fintech companies earning subscription revenue from software products

2. Residential Properties

The sale, lease, and rental of residential real estate is also exempt from GST under Part I of the Fourth Schedule. This covers apartments, condominiums, and landed houses used for residential purposes.

That said, commercial property transactions follow a different set of rules. The sale or lease of office space, retail units, and industrial properties is standard-rated at 9%. So if you have a residential apartment and a commercial shophouse under a portfolio, you will have mixed supply obligations: 

• No GST on the residential rent
• 9% GST on the commercial lease.

To summarize, if you are entering Singapore's real estate market, the structure of your portfolio determines your tax position in a meaningful way:

• A residential rental portfolio generates no GST revenue. Therefore, it allows no input tax recovery on management fees, maintenance, or renovation costs tied to those properties. 
• A commercial property portfolio generates GST revenue and allows input tax recovery on the same types of costs.

3. Investment Precious Metals (IPM)

The import and local supply of investment-grade gold, silver, and platinum is exempt from GST, provided the metals meet specific statutory purity thresholds set out in Part 2 of the Fourth Schedule.

Note that the exemption applies to qualifying bullion bars and certified investment coins. Jewellery, decorative items, and commercial-grade metals below the purity thresholds remain standard-rated at 9%.

How to Register for GST

The registration process is managed entirely online through the IRAS myTax Portal. The procedure varies depending on whether your business is incorporated locally, operating as a foreign entity, or structured as a joint venture. Emerhub can manage the application on your behalf, coordinating directly with IRAS from submission through to approval.

1. If You are a Local Company in Singapore

Local entities follow a direct path through the online portal. Every application starts with the same foundation: your ACRA Business Profile and financial statements covering your past 12 months of revenue. 

Compulsory registrants applying under the prospective test will also need to submit the signed contracts or purchase orders that triggered the registration. IRAS requires these as documented evidence of your projected turnover.

Voluntary registrants have additional requirements before they can submit. At least one company director must complete the IRAS e-Learning course "Overview of GST" and retain the completion certificate unless they possess similar qualifications. An eGIRO arrangement with IRAS must also be in place for automated tax settlements, alongside a commitment to implement Peppol-ready InvoiceNow software.

IRAS typically processes straightforward applications within 10 working days. On approval, IRAS issues a Notice of GST Registration containing your GST Registration Number, which usually matches your business UEN.

2. If you are an Overseas Entity

Even without a physical presence in Singapore, your business may still be required to register for GST. The rules differ depending on whether you sell to other businesses or directly to consumers.

Under Section 33(1) of the GST Act, every non-resident company registering for GST in Singapore must appoint a Singapore-based local tax representative (such as Emerhub). Your representative then assumes responsibility for all IRAS communications, manages filing inquiries, and ensures statutory returns are filed accurately and on time.

If you sell digital services, remote software, or low-value goods valued at S$400 or less directly to consumers in Singapore, you fall under the Overseas Vendor Registration (OVR) regime. OVR registration becomes compulsory once your global annual turnover exceeds S$1 million and your local B2C sales exceed S$100,000 annually. IRAS may also require a security deposit of between S$5,000 and S$100,000 via a banker's guarantee.

3. If You Are a Joint Venture

How your joint venture handles GST depends on how it is legally structured.

If your JV is incorporated as a separate private limited company with ACRA, it is treated as a standalone entity for GST purposes and follows the same registration rules as any other locally incorporated business. Its registration threshold is assessed on its own revenue, independently of what its member companies earn.

On the other hand, if your JV is unincorporated, it exists purely as a contractual arrangement between members with no separate legal identity. IRAS allows it to register as a single entity rather than requiring each member to register individually, but three conditions must be met:

• The venture must have been formed for a specific commercial purpose
• One member must be appointed as the lead to manage all tax administration and filing with IRAS
• All members must sign a joint agreement that binds them to shared GST liabilities.

It is worth noting that any GST liability, penalty, or audit finding applies to all members jointly. This makes getting the joint agreement right before registration a crucial step.

Key Compliance Obligations After GST Registration

Once IRAS approves your application, there are four main compliance requirements that apply for as long as your business remains registered. Staying on top of these prevents penalties that compound quickly and reduces your exposure to IRAS audits:

1. Issue Compliant Tax Invoices: You must issue formal Tax Invoices within 30 days of supply for standard-rated B2B sales. Invoices must feature your GST Registration Number and clearly display the itemized 9% GST amount.
2. Display GST-Inclusive Prices: Public-facing prices, storefront displays, and consumer quotations must state the final price inclusive of 9% GST. Displaying "S$100 + 9% GST" to public consumers is non-compliant.
3. Maintain 5-Year Records: Accounting records, tax invoices, export permits, and bank statements must be retained for at least 5 years.
4. Comply with InvoiceNow Mandate: Voluntary registrants must adopt an InvoiceNow-Ready Solution upon registration (effective 1 April 2026 for all new voluntary registrants). Compulsory registrants and existing businesses will onboard in phases between 1 April 2028 and 1 April 2031 based on annual turnover. Refer to IRAS’s official timeline

Non-compliance carries escalating fiscal penalties. Late return filings, for instance, attract fines of up to S$1,000 per return, and late tax payments incur an immediate 5% penalty followed by additional monthly surcharges. A late registration discovered by IRAS also results in backdated liability to the statutory trigger date, alongside a 10% penalty on all GST that should have been charged from that date.

For step-by-step guidance on managing your filing and quarterly deadlines, read our complete guide on the Singapore GST Filing Process for Businesses.

How Emerhub Simplifies GST Compliance in Singapore

Emerhub provides end-to-end corporate and tax advisory services tailored to foreign investors and growing local businesses. Our local tax experts can conduct threshold audits and act as your official tax representative under Section 33 of the GST Act. We can also manage your registration with IRAS and coordinate eGIRO and e-Learning compliance. 

For international traders, we assist in applying for special schemes like the Major Exporter Scheme (MES) to suspend import GST and optimize your working capital.

Need tailored insights on GST for your business in Singapore? Schedule a free consultation with our local advisors via the form below.