Setting Up a Company in Singapore: What Changed in 2026

Incorporating a Singapore private limited company remains fast — often within one to two business days once documents are in order — but the compliance environment around incorporation has continued to tighten through 2026.

All corporate service providers handling incorporations and corporate secretarial work must now be licensed, and client due-diligence requirements at onboarding are more detailed than in prior years. Foreign founders should expect to provide certified identity documents, proof of address and a clear description of intended business activities.

Every Singapore company still requires at least one locally resident director, a local registered address and a qualified corporate secretary appointed within six months. Foreign founders typically satisfy the resident-director requirement through a nominee arrangement while their own Employment Pass application is in progress.

The corporate tax framework remains highly competitive, with a 17 percent headline rate, substantial start-up exemptions in the first three years of assessment, and no tax on capital gains or foreign-sourced dividends received under qualifying conditions.