SSIC codes and what they trigger
Selecting Your Business Activities in Singapore
Singapore uses SSIC codes to classify what your company does. The code you pick has consequences beyond classification.
GCC business setup specialists
A code, and a description
Incorporation requires an SSIC code describing your principal activity. Some codes trigger referral to a regulator before approval, and the description is also what a bank reads during onboarding.
- SSIC code matched to what you actually do
- Codes that trigger referral identified first
- Description written for banks as well as ACRA
20+
Mainland, free zone and offshore jurisdictions we file in — so the recommendation is based on your activity, not on which authority we happen to be registered with.
7,000+
Companies successfully established.
Black Swan Business Setup Services•Black Swan Business Setup Services•Black Swan Business Setup Services
What the choice decides
Why your SSIC code matters
Several consequences follow from the code you select.
| It affects | How |
|---|---|
| Regulatory referral | Some codes refer the application to a regulator before approval. |
| Licensing | Certain activities require a permit before trading. |
| Bank onboarding | Banks read the stated activity closely. |
| Pass applications | The activity informs manpower assessments. |
| Tax treatment | Some incentives and reliefs are activity-linked. |
| Statistical reporting | Your classification drives survey and reporting obligations. |
SSIC classifications and the activities that trigger referral change. Yours is checked against the current list before filing. Incorporation and corporate secretarial filings in Singapore are made through a registered filing agent, and a foreign applicant must use one. We co-ordinate your engagement with a registered Singapore agent and manage the process end to end; the regulated filings are made by them.
How it works
From what you do to your SSIC code
Ten minutes here avoids a referred application.
01
Describe the business
What you sell, to whom and how, in plain words.
02
Map to SSIC
We map that to the appropriate code and flag whether it triggers regulatory referral or licensing.
03
Confirm and file
The code and description agreed, and used consistently across incorporation, banking and pass applications.
To get this right
What we will ask you
Specificity helps; vagueness causes referrals and bank queries.
- What exactly you sell
- Goods, services or both
- Who your customers are and where
- Whether you handle client money
- Whether you advise on investments
- Whether you place or recruit workers
- Whether you prepare or sell food
- Whether you import or export
- Whether you teach or train
- Expected transaction volumes
- Any activity refused elsewhere
- Whether you will apply for passes
Scope
What is included, and what is not
Stated plainly, so nothing is added once the engagement starts.
Included in the service fee
- SSIC code mapping
- Identification of codes triggering referral
- Licensing implications flagged
- Description drafted for ACRA and banking
- Consistency across incorporation and onboarding
- Advice where a code will cause difficulty
- Amendments where the business changes
- One adviser co-ordinating it
Not included, quoted separately
- ACRA fees, paid at cost
- Licence application fees
- Regulator referral outcomes
- Market or competitor research
- Business plan writing beyond the description
- Pass application fees
- Bank onboarding decisions
- Regulated filings, made by the registered filing agent
Verify independently
Official Singapore authorities
We file directly with these bodies on your behalf.
Accounting and Corporate Regulatory Authority (ACRA)Inland Revenue Authority of Singapore (IRAS)Ministry of ManpowerCentral Provident Fund BoardSingapore CustomsIntellectual Property Office of Singapore
Questions
Choosing Singapore business activities — FAQs
What is an SSIC code?
The Singapore Standard Industrial Classification code describing your company’s principal activity, selected at incorporation.
Can my application be referred?
Yes. Certain activities are referred to the relevant regulator before ACRA approves the name or incorporation, which adds time.
Can I register more than one activity?
A principal and a secondary activity can generally be recorded. We confirm the current position before filing.
Why does the description matter to banks?
Because they read it during onboarding. Vague or high-risk wording is a common cause of delay or refusal.
Can I change it later?
Yes, by filing. A move into a regulated activity brings that sector’s requirements with it.
Careers
Apply for a role
Tell us which role you are applying for and what you have done that is relevant. If you have UAE or GCC experience, say which jurisdictions and authorities you have worked with.
Connect with us
Request a setup assessment
For founders and business decision-makers considering paid business services. Not for job applications, employment searches or personal visa-only requests.
Talk to a consultant
At Black Swan Business Setup Services, our mission is simple: to empower entrepreneurs and companies of all sizes to establish and expand their presence in the UAE, Oman, Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, and beyond.
© 2026 Black Swan Business Setup Services. All rights reserved.