All legally registered companies in Singapore will have a Unique Entity Number (UEN), which is a convenient way for business operators to submit various documents without having to memorize a lot of business-related codes, just one UEN. TASSURE ASIA Group is here to provide you with a detailed list of UEN tips so that you can understand what this “magic number” can do for you. Of course, if you have any further questions, you can always contact our professional service team to answer them.
What is a UEN?
UEN is a standard identification number for an entity. UEN applies to registered entities, just like NRIC applies to Singapore citizens, and is a unique identifier for business entities in Singapore.
What is the use of UEN?
With the UEN, you can easily interact with government agencies. Whether you are filing a company tax return or applying for an import/export license, you will no longer need to use different numbers to interact with different government agencies. You will only need one UEN, which is very convenient.
Who will get UEN?
UEN will be issued to entities (such as businesses, local companies, LLPs, societies and representative offices) that:
- have multiple interactions with government agencies
- are recognised by a UEN Issuance Agency (e.g. ACRA, ROS)
UEN will NOT be issued to:
- Individuals
They will interact with government agencies using their NRIC numbers - Entities that have no or only one-off interactions with just one government agency
E.g. overseas company that sells products to government agencies on a one-off basis - Sub-entities such as branches and divisions of an entity
However, some government agencies may choose to add sub-entity codes to UEN in their systems if they need to identify and interact with branches and divisions.
Who will issue UEN to me?
Businesses and local companies currently registered with ACRA will retain their ACRA Registration Number as their UEN. Other than business and local registered companies, all other registered entities will be issued with a new UEN.
The table below describes the three UEN formats.
* Resource: Singapore Government Agency Website
1 No change from existing ACRA Registration Number
2 E.g. ‘LL’= ‘Limited Liability Partnership’
3 ‘T’ represents ’20’, ‘S’ represents ’19’ and ‘R’ represents ’18’. E.g. T08 means year 2008, S99 means year 1999 and R00 means year 1800
The following agencies will issue UENs to the entity-types listed below.
* Resource: Singapore Government Agency Website
