Company Incorporation in any country is complicated and challenging, as it involves multiple paperwork, collection of several documents, buying & obtaining numerous certificates, and more tasks.

If you are starting your business in Singapore, there are a couple of essential Certificates you need to buy, which serve as tangible proof and evidence of your company development with Singapore Government approval.

Registering for these necessary documents during the Company Incorporation stage is highly recommended to save time. Certificate of Incorporation, also known as Articles of Incorporation, states that Singapore Governing Bodies have granted you a company formation license enabling you to plan business establishment.

The certificates of confirmation for Company Incorporation can either be electronic or printed. In this blog, we will walk you through must-haves Company Incorporation Certificates that you can buy from ACRA (Singapore Accounting and Corporate Regulatory Authority).

Essential Company Incorporation Certificates that You Can Purchase from ACRA

Certificate of Incorporation of Business Entities/Confirming Registration

It is a vital certificate that every business entity registered in Singapore must purchase from ACRA. Confirming Registration Certificates give Singapore-registered business firms and entities an accreditation that their company structure is approved and registration is filed under Singapore Governing Bodies.

The following are the certificates you should buy from ACRA that contain your business’s crucial information, such as the company incorporation date (date when the company came into effect) and termination date.

• Company Incorporation
• Registration of Foreign Company
• Registration of Limited Partnership
• Registration of Limited Liability Partnership (LLB)
• Registration of your Business Name

You can buy the Certificate of Registration according to your business structure. For additional clarification, feel free to contact us, and our Business Advisory Consultants will assist you.

Certificate Affirming Registration of Charge

It is another vital certificate that you must buy from ACRA to confirm business registration with ACRA. It accredits that a statement is addressed following your business entity/firm registration, including business profile, authentication number, signature, and charged identification.

It primarily certifies that a charge is made after your entity has registered a charge with ACRA. It also covers debentures created on your entity by corporations. You can read more about Registering a Charge for Companies on the ACRA website or contact us, and our Business Incorporation Experts will guide you through the process.

Certificate of Good Standing

Another crucial certificate for business entities and companies registered in Singapore is the Certificate of Good Standing, which you can purchase from the ACRA website.

This certificate certifies the live status of your entity in Singapore and holds the scanned signature of ACRA’s Assistant Registrar. It encompasses your entity’s number, description & business activities, and date of incorporation and receipt.

Note: The Certificate of Good Standing is subject to availability and can be purchased by the public.

Certificate of Affirming Approval to Hold Land in Singapore under Section 23 (5)

It is a paramount certificate of approval in holding land that states the successful lodgement of Hold Land in Singapore under Section 23 (2), encompassing property of business entity establishments and land appurtenant to it possess as stock-in-trade assets.

Certificate of Conversion

These certificates are only necessary for business entities and companies that confirm the conversion of change in their structure. In this, there are two categories: Entity type and Company type. Let us walk you through both of them.

Entity Type

Certificate of Conversion for Entity type states:

• Change from Business to Limited Liability Partnership (LLB)
• Change from Company to Limited Liability Partnership (LLB)

Company Type

These certificates state that your company has been converted from or to the following types:

• From Private Company to Public Company
• From Public Company to Private Company
• From Limited Company to Unlimited Company
• From Unlimited Company to Company Limited by Shares
• From Unlimited Company to Company Limited by Guarantee

Certificate of Confirmation of Incorporation in Adherence with Alteration of Constitution under Section 26 (7)

It is another crucial certificate you can buy from ACRA, which states that your company/entity is incorporated in adherence with the Alteration made to the Constitution. You must first lodge a Notice of Resolution to purchase this certificate, an Alteration of the Constitution under S26 (2) under ACRA e-services.

Certificate of Affirming your Company/Entity is Entitled to Commence its Operations and Exercise its Borrowing Powers under Section 61 (7)

It is a critical certificate that states your company/entity is accredited to commence its operations & exercise its authority to borrow finances and funds when it has yet to issue its prospectus. You must first register a Notice of Compliance by the Company/Entity that has not released a prospectus under ACRA e-services.

Certificate of Confirmation of Amalgamation

It is another essential must-have certificate you can buy from ACRA. It states that your company/entity is amalgamated.

Certificate Affirming Registration of Transfer by Company

If you are a Foreign Company commencing its operations in Singapore, you should buy this certificate from ACRA, which certifies that your Company/Entity is registered in Singapore after transferring its registration from your host or another country.

Who is Authorised to Purchase Statutory Certificates?

After carefully comprehending all certificates, let us walk you through the individuals authorised to purchase these statutory certificates. The following professionals are entitled to buy the certificates on behalf of the entity:

• Business Owners
• Company Officers
• Authorised Representatives & Corporate Service Providers
• Company Group Secretary
• LLP and LP Partners & Managers

Note: Only a Certificate of Good Standing can be purchased by public members (subject to availability), and the rest of the statutory certificates can be bought by the professionals mentioned above.

How to Buy Statutory Certificates?

To purchase Statutory Certificates, including Certificate of Good Standing, you must log in at Bizfile+ and navigate to “Buy Information” Upon successful payment, you will receive an email within 15 minutes comprising a guide for downloading Certificates.

However, if you have purchased via Singpass, you must log in to the ACRA Bizfile+ portal, go to “Messages”, and access the email containing the download guide.

Note: You must download bought certificates within 7 days from the date of purchase, as they will expire after that, and no extension will be made.

Steps to Verify ACRA’s Company/Entity Certificates

The following are three ways to verify Statutory Certificates, and you can choose any of them:

• Scan the QR Code on the PDF Document received by you via email upon purchase.
• Access the Verification URL on the PDF Document emailed upon successful payment.
• Upload an OA (OpenAttestation) file at ACRA trustBar portal (it is an ACRA’s verification service to verify if the received document is issued by ACRA)

Note: From 4th March 2023, professionals purchasing Company/Entity Certificate of Incorporation/Registration will receive documents in two formats: PDF and OA (OpenAttestation) for document (certificate) verification. Kindly use ACRA Product Authentication Facility to confirm Certificates bought before 4th March 2023.

Conclusion

After reading the blog, you will have a firm comprehension of 9 must-have essential certificates you can purchase from ACRA for Company Incorporation and Structure change in Singapore. Also, you will be familiar with the steps to verify purchased certificates and who can buy them. However, if you have questions or need clarification, please contact us.

At Bestar Services, we provide comprehensive Company Incorporation Services in Singapore to all scales and sizes of businesses and entities. We aim to simplify your Incorporation and Registration process by guiding you through the entire process, including paperwork, documentation, certificates, and more.

We cater to Singapore-based and foreign companies planning to commence their business in Singapore. As one of the leading Business Advisory Service Providers, we offer customised packages to fulfil clients’ different requirements and needs.

Contact us today for a consultation with our Business Advisory Consultant and get sound clarification on all aspects of Company Incorporation in Singapore. We are available via call at +65 62994730 or email at admin@bestar.asia.