Name approval with ACRA
Company Name Reservation in Singapore
ACRA approves names before incorporation. Most refusals are predictable and avoidable.
GCC business setup specialists
Approval, not just availability
ACRA does not simply check whether a name is taken. Names implying a regulated activity are referred to the relevant authority, and names too similar to existing ones are refused. Both add time if not anticipated.
- Options prepared, not one hopeful submission
- Referral triggers identified before filing
- Trademark implications flagged alongside
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.
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What gets refused
Common reasons a name is rejected
Most refusals fall into one of these.
| Reason | What it means in practice |
|---|---|
| Identical or too similar | An existing name on the register conflicts. |
| Implies a regulated activity | Referred to the relevant authority, adding time. |
| Undesirable or offensive | Refused outright. |
| Suggests government connection | Requires consent that is rarely given. |
| Infringes a trademark | Can be objected to by the rights holder. |
| Misleading as to activity | Queried where the name does not match the SSIC code. |
Name approval rules and referral triggers are set by ACRA and change. We prepare alternatives rather than relying on one submission. 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
Reserving the name
Fast when prepared, slow when it triggers referral unexpectedly.
01
Shortlist and check
Your preferred names checked against the register and the referral triggers, with an honest view on each.
02
Reserve
The preferred name submitted with alternatives ready. Approved names are reserved for a limited period.
03
Carry it through
The reserved name flows into incorporation, your bank account and your invoicing.
- Three proposed names, ranked
- Intended SSIC code and activity
- Any existing brand or trading name
- Any trademark you already hold
- Whether the name must match an overseas parent
- Domain names you have secured
- Whether the name implies a regulated activity
- Any name previously refused anywhere
- Whether the name will appear on signage
- Any abbreviation you intend to use
- Markets where the brand is used
- Shareholder names if used in the name
Scope
What is included, and what is not
Stated plainly, so nothing is added once the engagement starts.
Included in the service fee
- Register check for conflicts
- Referral trigger check
- Guidance where a name is likely refused
- Name application with ACRA
- Alternatives prepared in advance
- Name carried into incorporation
- Advice on trademark implications
- Name change filings where needed
Not included, quoted separately
- ACRA fees, paid at cost
- Regulator referral outcomes
- Trademark searches in other countries
- Trademark registration, quoted separately
- Domain name registration
- Brand or logo design
- Disputes with prior rights holders
- 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
Singapore company names — FAQs
Does name approval protect my brand?
No. It lets you incorporate under that name. Protecting the brand is trademark registration with the intellectual property office, which is separate.
What triggers a referral?
Names implying activities such as finance, education, media or healthcare are referred to the relevant authority before approval, which adds time.
How long is an approved name reserved?
Approved names are reserved for a limited period, within which incorporation must proceed. We tell you the window.
Can a name be challenged later?
Yes, particularly by a trademark holder. A name check is not a trademark clearance search.
Can I change the name later?
Yes, by resolution and filing, with knock-on effects for your bank account, contracts and stationery.
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