Certificate of Incumbency in Singapore: What to Give a Bank

In short: Singapore does not issue an official “certificate of incumbency”. When a foreign bank, investor or registry asks for one, the usual answer is the ACRA Business Profile, which lists the company’s UEN, status, registered address, directors, company secretary and shareholders. If the receiver insists on an officer-signed certificate, your company secretary or a director prepares one, a notary public witnesses it, and the Singapore Academy of Law (SAL) apostilles it for use in Apostille Convention countries.

What is a certificate of incumbency?

It is a document confirming who currently holds office in a company: its directors, secretary, shareholders and authorised signatories. The term comes from offshore jurisdictions, where a registered agent issues it. Banks and counterparties abroad use it for KYC and to confirm who can sign for the company.

Does Singapore issue certificates of incumbency?

No government agency in Singapore issues a document under that name. The closest official equivalent is the ACRA Business Profile, bought on Bizfile. It shows entity name, UEN, incorporation date, business activities, registered address, position holders and shareholders.

Where a receiver wants a signed certificate (often with specimen signatures), the company produces its own certificate of incumbency, signed by a director or the company secretary. This is a private document, not an ACRA product.

Certificate of incumbency vs certificate of incorporation

How do I get one apostilled for use overseas?

Singapore joined the Hague Apostille Convention in September 2021, and SAL issues apostilles.

1. ACRA Business Profile or Business Certificate: these are public documents, so SAL can apostille them without a notary. Digital copies issued from 4 March 2023 can get an e-Apostille through the SAL Legalisation Portal.
2. Company-signed certificate of incumbency: sign it before a Singapore notary public first, then take it to SAL for the apostille.
3. Non-Apostille countries: the document goes through legalisation by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and then the destination country’s embassy.

Always check the receiver’s template and how recent the document must be before you order.

How Paul Hype Page helps

As your corporate secretary (S$600 a year), we keep the company’s registers current, so the Business Profile and any incumbency certificate match. We can prepare the certificate, the supporting resolutions and certified true copies for your bank. Directors can sign documents remotely. Opening a corporate account? See our bank account opening service (S$1,500).

FAQ

Is an ACRA Business Profile the same as a certificate of incumbency?

Not by name, but it is the official Singapore record of a company’s current officers and shareholders, and most banks and counterparties accept it as incumbency evidence.

Who signs a certificate of incumbency for a Singapore company?

A director or the company secretary signs a company-issued certificate. If it will be used abroad, it is usually signed before a notary public and then apostilled by the Singapore Academy of Law.

Can I get an e-Apostille on an ACRA Business Profile?

Yes. SAL offers e-Apostilles for ACRA Business Profiles and Business Certificates issued from 4 March 2023, through its Legalisation Portal.

How recent does a certificate of incumbency need to be?

That is set by the receiver, not by Singapore law. Many banks ask for a document issued within the last few months, so check before ordering.

Questions about your company? WhatsApp us or contact us. Free EP eligibility check, and you can sign documents remotely.