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If you are someone who wants to start a business in Singapore, you must come across multiple numbers and registrations. One of the most important is the UEN Singapore number.
If you are registering a company, opening a corporate account, filing taxes, dealing with government agencies or checking another business, the unique entity number plays an important role in identifying the entity.
This guide explains everything you need to know about UEN in 2026.
What is UEN in Singapore?
UEN stands for Unique Entity Number. It is the unique identification number assigned to any entity registered in Singapore. The UEN is used to identify the businesses or other entities that interact with government agencies in Singapore.
UEN identifies the businesses and organisations in Singapore, like how NRIC identifies individuals. But they both are not the same identification system.
This system is introduced to make entities use common identification number though they deal with multiple government agencies. This will reduce the effort to manage multiple identification numbers.
How to Find and Search UEN in Singapore?
To find and search the Unique Entity Number (UEN) in Singapore, use ACRA’s Bizfile Entity Search. On the homepage, select ‘entity’, enter the company name and click ‘search’. The search result will show the relevant entity where you can find the UEN, registered name, business status and ither basic details.
Why is a UEN Important?
Imagine that a company must interact with multiple government agencies. They must deal with tax matters, employment requirements, corporate filings, customs and other regulatory requirements. With UEN, the business will be identified as same by various agencies.
The companies need UEN for certain corporate tax filing processes. So, this becomes one of the important pieces of information to keep readily once the business is registered.
Who gets a UEN in Singapore?
The Unique Entity Number is not just limited to private limited companies. Different registered entities in Singapore including local companies, sole proprietorships, partnerships, trade unions, charities and other registered entities can have UEN.
The organisation responsible for issuing the UEN depends on the type of entity. ACRA is the agency that issues UEN for many businesses and corporate entities.
Read Also: What is ACRA: Complete Guide for Business Owners 2026
What does a UEN Number Look like?
There is no single format that is applicable for all the entities’ UEN. The format can vary depending on the entity and the agency that issues the UEN.
Some of the examples are as follows,
- Businesses – 00192200M
- Local Companies – 199804567M
- LLP – T26LL1234A
- Society/Charity – T12SS1234A
These examples show why it is important not to assume that all UEN will have the same number of characters, and the patterns may vary from one entity to another.
The UEN will have both numbers and characters depending on the type of entity.
What is a Special UEN?
A special UEN is a premium and memorable unique entity number that the businesses can choose when registering in Singapore, instead of accepting the automatically assigned number.
Applicants should pay a fee to choose the available number in certain patterns during the registration payment stage.
As of 2026, ACRA has two SUN tiers. Tier 1 costs S$3,000, while tier 2 costs S$1,000.
What is the Difference Between UEN and GST Registration Number?
In Singapore, the Unique Entity Number (UEN) is an official identification number assigned to businesses or entities for dealing with the government agencies.
GST registration number is used specifically for the goods and services tax related matters with IRAS.
For some businesses, the UEN will be same as the GST number. In simple terms, UEN is used to identify the business itself. Whereas the GST registration number is used to identify the business for GST purposes.
UEN Singapore FAQs
What is an UEN in Singapore?
The Unique Entity Number (UEN) in Singapore is an identification number assigned by the government to the registered businesses, companies, charities and societies.
Where can I check if a company is ACRA-registered in Singapore?
You can check if a company is ACRA-registered in Singapore using the Bizfile portal run by the Accounting and Corporate Regulatory Authority (ACRA).
What does ACRA stand for?
ACRA stands for Accounting and Corporate Regulatory Authority. It is the national regulator of business entities and public accountants in Singapore.
Do we have to pay for a normal UEN?
No, the standard UEN is issued at free of cost when the business is successfully registered.
