Singapore company search: check a name or look up a company
Search the ACRA company register by name or UEN, the company registration number, or check whether a company name is available before you register. We check it against Singapore's naming rules and the register. Free, no login.
How a company name passes ACRA
Singapore's naming rules sit in the Companies Act 1967 and are applied by the Accounting and Corporate Regulatory Authority (ACRA) when you reserve a name through BizFile. Every later step, from incorporation to your bank account, chains off an approved name.
Proper name plus legal suffix
A Singapore company name has a proper name plus the entity suffix: Pte. Ltd. for a private limited company, Ltd. for a public company limited by shares, LLP for a limited liability partnership, or LP for a limited partnership. The proper name uses the Latin alphabet and may include numerals and common punctuation.
Unique and distinct
The name cannot be identical, or too similar, to a company, LLP, or business name already on ACRA's register or reserved. ACRA disregards generic words such as Singapore, International, Holdings, and Group when comparing, so ABC Holdings Pte. Ltd. and ABC Group Pte. Ltd. count as the same.
No prohibited or undesirable words
A name cannot mislead about the company's nature, be offensive, or use government, military, or protected terms. Words like Bank, Insurance, School, or Law need a referral authority's approval, and Temasek is prohibited outright.
Latin script only
Foreign-language words are allowed if written in Latin script; non-Latin characters such as Chinese, Arabic, or Cyrillic are not accepted on the ACRA register. You can also register a shortened or abbreviated form for branding.
Display and usage
The registered name must appear on official documents and business correspondence, including invoices, statements of account, letters, and public notices.
Patterns that get a name held up
From the names we reserve and register with ACRA for clients. Each one is easy to spot once you know the pattern.
ABC Holdings Pte. Ltd. and ABC Group Pte. Ltd. are treated as the same, because ACRA ignores generic words like Holdings, Group, International, and Singapore when comparing names.
A private limited company without Pte. Ltd., or a limited liability partnership without LLP, is held up.
Names with Bank, Finance, Insurance, School, University, or Law are referred to the relevant authority, which adds time; Temasek and similar protected terms are refused.
A name in Chinese, Arabic, or Cyrillic script is not accepted; the register holds Latin-script names only.
Even without a restricted word, a name that closely resembles a well-known brand can be referred for review or refused as misleading.
How to search the ACRA company register
Singapore's company register is maintained by the Accounting and Corporate Regulatory Authority (ACRA). Companies, LLPs, LPs, and business names are registered and searched through ACRA's portal, BizFile. Every entity has a Unique Entity Number (UEN), which serves as its company registration number.
This tool searches the ACRA register. Type a company name, or part of one, or a UEN, and it returns matching entities with their UEN, entity type, status, and registered address. The same search checks a brand-new name against the rules above, so you can run a company name check and an entity search in one place. Once your name is clear, our company registration in Singapore service handles the ACRA incorporation.
Checking a name is free. For due diligence or an acquisition, our Singapore team can obtain a company's official ACRA business profile, the standard record of its directors, shareholders, capital, and filings.
Looking to buy or check a Singapore company? Our team can pull its official ACRA business profile and walk you through what it means. Talk to our team.
What an ACRA business profile includes
Company profile
Registered name and any former names, the Unique Entity Number (UEN), incorporation date, entity type, status, registered address, and business activities.
Ownership and management
Directors and officers with their roles and appointment dates, and shareholders with their respective holdings.
Additional details
The appointed auditor where applicable, any registered charges, and a financial summary of capital, revenue, and profit or loss from the latest filings.
Company suffixes in Singapore
What the suffix tells you about a company you find in the register.
| Suffix | Type | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Pte. Ltd. / Private Limited | Private limited company | Limited liability; the most common form for foreign investors |
| Ltd. / Limited | Public company limited by shares | Can offer shares to the public or list on the Singapore Exchange |
| LLP | Limited liability partnership | Each partner is liable only for their own obligations |
| LP | Limited partnership | Has both general and limited partners |
| No suffix | Branch, representative office, or sole proprietorship | A branch or representative office uses the foreign parent's name; a sole proprietorship uses a personal or approved trading name |
Run another search or name check
Search the register by name or UEN, or check whether a new company name is available in the same step.
The rules behind every Singapore company name check
Companies Act 1967
Sets the rules for company names and suffixes, and the bar on names that are identical or undesirable, administered by ACRA.
ACRA naming guidelines
ACRA's rules on acceptable names, the generic words it disregards, restricted words that need a referral authority, and prohibited terms.
Trade Marks Act
Singapore's Trade Marks Act, with IPOS. The basis for refusing or challenging a name that conflicts with a registered trademark.
Company search questions
What people ask before checking a name or ordering a report.
Is the Singapore company name check free?
Yes. Checking whether a company name is available is free. Obtaining a company's official ACRA business profile is a paid service handled by our team.
How long is a reserved company name valid?
An ACRA name reservation is valid for 120 days from approval. If you do not incorporate within that window, the name is released and you must reapply.
How do I search the ACRA company register?
Type a company name, part of a name, or a UEN into the tool. It searches the ACRA register and returns matching entities with their UEN, type, status, and registered address.
Can I search by company registration number (UEN)?
Yes. You can look up a company by name or by its UEN, the Unique Entity Number ACRA assigns at incorporation, which is the company's registration number.
Should I prepare more than one name option?
It helps. Preparing two or three compliant names means you have a backup if your first choice is treated as too similar to an existing one.
Why was my name rejected even though it sounds different?
ACRA disregards generic words such as Singapore, International, Holdings, and Group when comparing names, so two names that differ only by those words are treated as identical.
Is registering a company name the same as trademarking it?
No. A company name is registered with ACRA, while a trademark is protected separately through IPOS under the Trade Marks Act.
Can I change my company name after registration?
Yes, by reserving the new name and passing a special resolution, filed through BizFile. The UEN stays the same, so existing contracts and filings remain linked to it.
Reviewed by Emerhub's Singapore team. Last updated June 2026. As an ACRA-registered filing agent, we reserve and register company names for clients regularly.
Once you have a name
Talk to our Singapore team
Found the name you want, or a company you need a profile on? As an ACRA-registered filing agent, our Singapore team can reserve and register an available name, or obtain a company's official ACRA business profile for your due diligence.
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Singapore 069534