What the UEN is
The Unique Entity Number is the standard identity an entity uses across Singapore government agencies, issued automatically at registration, in most cases by ACRA (the Accounting and Corporate Regulatory Authority). Its format reveals its vintage: businesses registered before 2009 carry a nine or ten character UEN ending in a check letter, while entities registered since carry a ten-character code in the form TyyPQnnnnX, where yy is the registration year, the next characters encode the entity type, and the final letter is a check.
One entity, one UEN, used on invoices, contracts and filings alike; a Singapore counterparty unable to quote one is either very new or worth a careful look.
How to check a UEN free
ACRA's BizFile portal offers a free search by name or UEN, returning the entity's registered name, UEN and status (live, struck off, and so on). The paid business profile adds registered address, officers, shareholders and capital: inexpensive and worth buying when the decision matters.
For routine vetting, confirm the UEN resolves to the exact legal name on your paperwork and that the status is live. The wider sources are on our Singapore company credit report page and in the registry directory.
What a UEN check proves, and what it doesn't
A live UEN confirms registration, identity and status, and Singapore's register is well maintained. It still says nothing about payment behaviour or group exposure, and small-company financials are limited in the public record. For a commercial business decision, a full company report adds the financial standing, payment behaviour and adverse history that the number itself says nothing about.
Common questions
Is the UEN the same as a tax number?
The UEN is the entity's standard identifier across government agencies, including tax dealings; GST-registered businesses also have a GST registration that is usually the UEN itself or derived from it.
How do I check a Singapore company for free?
Search the name or UEN on ACRA's BizFile portal. Name, UEN and status are free; the detailed profile with officers and shareholders is a small paid document.
What does the UEN format tell me?
For post-2009 registrations, the code embeds the registration year and entity type, so the number itself offers a first consistency check against what the counterparty has told you.
Need more than the number can tell you?
A Singapore company credit report adds financial standing, payment behaviour and adverse history to the registry facts. Delivered in plain English.