What’s the Unique Entity Number (UEN)?

Unique Entity Number (UEN)Think of the Unique Entity Number (UEN) as a special badge of identity given to every Singapore-based entity when they’re incorporated or registered. This number, previously known as the ACRA Registration Number, is the standard identification number used by Singapore entities to communicate with government agencies. To minimize costs and disruption, the former ACRA Registration Number has been preserved as the primary UEN, especially for businesses and companies, since they make up over 85% of all entities registered in Singapore.

Having a UEN means companies can use it to file their corporate tax returns or to request import and export permits, thus eliminating the need to use different numbers for interacting with different agencies.

ACRA wears the hat of the UEN System Administrator. It is responsible for:

  • Overseeing the UEN System’s operations
  • Managing the issuance of UEN
  • Assisting agencies with all UEN-related queries

 

Who Gets a UEN?

A UEN is provided to all business entities like local companies, LLPs, societies, and representative offices that:

  • Frequently interact with government agencies
  • Are acknowledged by a UEN Issuing Agency (e.g., ACRA, ROS)

However, the following parties won’t receive a UEN:

  • Individuals that interact with government bodies using their NRIC or FIN numbers
  • Entities that either don’t interact with or only have one-time dealings with a single government agency: For instance, an overseas company that sells products to government agencies on a one-off basis
  • Sub-entities like branches and divisions of an entity. However, there might be cases where government agencies add sub-entity codes to UEN in their systems to identify and interact with branches and divisions.

There are various UEN Issuance Agencies that allot UENs to entities based on their nature. For instance, ACRA issues it to Limited Partnerships, LLPs, Foreign companies, and public accounting firms. Meanwhile, Enterprise Singapore (ESG) grants it to representative offices of Foreign Companies, Foreign Government Agencies, and Foreign Trade Associations/Chambers/Non-Profit Organisations. You can find the complete list on their website.