🔹 Definition
A Unique Entity Number (UEN) is the standard identification number issued by the Singapore government to all entities registered in Singapore. It serves as the official identifier for interactions with government agencies, regulators, banks, and other third parties. The UEN is issued by the Accounting and Corporate Regulatory Authority (ACRA) or other relevant authorities, depending on the type of entity.
The UEN is a critical part of corporate identity and is used in legal documents, tax filings, licensing, banking, compliance checks, and Know Your Business (KYB) processes.
🔹 Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Q1: Who receives a UEN in Singapore?
A UEN is issued to:
- Businesses registered with ACRA (e.g., private limited companies, LLPs, sole proprietorships)
- Non-ACRA entities such as societies, charities, and government bodies
- Foreign companies with branches in Singapore
- Entities required to interact with government systems (e.g., for grant applications or tax filings)
Q2: What does a UEN look like?
The UEN is a string of 9 or 10 alphanumeric characters.
For example:
- ACRA-registered company: 201812345E
- Local business: 53212345A
- Non-ACRA entity: T08LP1234B
The structure encodes the year of registration, entity type, and a check digit.
Q3: Why is UEN important in compliance and due diligence?
The UEN:
- Serves as the official identifier in AML/KYB processes
- Allows easy retrieval of entity records from the BizFile system
- Enables linkage to tax, customs, and regulatory filings
- Ensures clarity when dealing with entities that may have similar names
Q4: How can I look up an entity’s UEN?
You can search for any registered Singapore entity’s UEN using the ACRA BizFile portal or government directories. The UEN is also shown on official documents such as the Business Profile or tax correspondence.
