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Choosing a Singapore Company Name

2024-06-28
Choosing the right company name is important. The name of your company will define its image, and will also be what your customers identify your business and company with. Marketing considerations aside, you also have to ensure that your chosen company name will be approved for registration by the Accounting and Corporate Regulatory Authority of Singapore (“ACRA”) in the first place.

Q： Is there any restriction when choosing a company name?
A： Following section 17 of the Business Names Registration Act, ACRA will refuse to register a name that is:

  • Undesirable. For example, the name is vulgar, obscene or offensive.
  • Identical to an already reserved name or existing business name.
  • Prohibited by order of the Minister for Finance.

Q：
 How can I check whether the company name is available for registration?
A：
 To check whether your proposed company name is already in use by another company, you can do online search for it using search engines such as google. On top of that, you can appoint a corporate services provider like Kaizen to perform a name search through the ACRA Bizfile website on your behalf.

Q：
 How long is the name application process?
A：
 ACRA will take 1 to 2 working days to process the name application. If the name application is referred to the Referral Authorities for comments and approval (e.g. if your company name has the word “school” in it, it may be referred to the Ministry of Education for review and approval), then it will take 14 days to 2 months to process.
Q：
 How long can the name be reserved for?
A：
 After the name application is approved, the name will be reserved for 120 days. If you do not incorporate the company within this 120 days, the name will no longer be reserved and will be made available to public.
Q：
 When can a Company register identical names?
A：
 ACRA may allow you to register a company name identical to the name of a business that has already dissolved or ceased to carry on business in Singapore if a certain period of time has passed. Depending on the type of legal entity the other business was, the relevant time periods are as follows:

The other business was a:

That business name will be available after the passing of at least:

Business name whose reservation and registration was cancelled, or where the business has ceased

1 year after the date of cancellation or cessation

Company which was wound up

2 years after the date of dissolution

Company struck off the register

6 years after the date of dissolution

Limited partnership whose registration was cancelled

1 year after the date of cancellation

Limited partnership which gave notice of its dissolution to ACRA

1 year after the date of dissolution

Limited liability partnership which was wound up

2 years after the date of dissolution

Limited liability partnership struck off the register

6 years after the date of dissolution

Foreign company which gave notice that it has ceased to have a place of business in Singapore, or ceased to carry on business in Singapore

3 months after the date of cessation

Foreign company which gave notice of its dissolution to ACRA

2 years after the date of dissolution

Foreign company whose name was struck off the register

6 years after the date of its name being struck off

Disclaimer

All information in this article is only for the purpose of information sharing, instead of professional suggestion. Kaizen will not assume any responsibility for loss or damage.

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