One of the biggest problems with business-facing bureaucracies everywhere is duplication of information. What if you had one platform that could share your signatures and corporate identity to different government agencies without you having to refill cumbersome forms every time? That’s what the Singapore CorpPass does for you.
Setting up a digital identifier like the CorpPass, can help you breeze through payment of taxes, filing reports to the Registrar, and much more. Moreover, once you’ve registered for a CorpPass, you can singularly concentrate on doing the business activity you love best. This article will tell you all you need to know about registering, configuring, and using the CorpPass to streamline corporate compliances.
CorpPass Essentials
The CorpPass is the Singapore government’s virtual identity management software that exclusively authenticates and authorizes transactions between businesses and the government.
Ideally, such transactions are handled by specialists such as accountants, cashiers, etc. For the purpose of delegating a company owner’s signing authority, the CorpPass allows you to assign CorpPass administrators and CorpPass users with access to completing those transactions.
CorpPass Uses
You can use a CorpPass to:
- Pay Taxes, Get Permits, Licenses & more
- 200+ Digital Services
- All G2B Transactions
CorpPass Registration Quick View
Collect all documents needed for registration.
- Visit the CorpPass website and navigate to ‘Register as a CorpPass Admin’.
- Set CorpPass logins, fill-in details of admins, sub-admins, and users.
- Select the online services your company needs for its business.
- Link those online services with the user accounts for your organization.
Documents Required for CorpPass Registration
For Local Entities:
- Your entity UEN
- Personal Details of CorpPass Admins: complete names, email addresses, NRIC, PR, SingPass login
- Personal Details of CorpPass Registered Officers (ROs): complete
names, email addresses, NRIC, PR, SingPass login For Foreign Entities:
- Registered Business Particulars
- Admin login details for your CorpPass
CorpPass Registration: Step-by-Step
● Step 1
The RO must first login with a SingPass
Currently, foreign and local users both need UENs. Local entities who are without UEN’s are not eligible for CorpPass registration. You can apply for a UEN with the corresponding government agency. Of course, if you are a Registered Officer, you can become the CorpPass admin yourself.
● Step 2
At Most 2 CorpPass Admins
The present limit for CorpPas admins is 2 per UEN.
● Step 3
CorpPass Admin creates further user accounts
CorpPass admins can set up numerous CorpPass accounts based on available functions. Note that the CorpPass Sub-Admin role has a restriction of 10 people at the most, who will be authorised by the CorpPass Admin. There is no maximum number of CorpPass Users.
You can further choose the rights you want to assign to each user.
● Step 4
CorpPass for Sole Proprietors, GST-Registered Businesses, and Grouped Applicants
Sole proprietors, group registered companies, and companies with IRAS divisional registration who come under the ambit of the GST must set up a different GST CorpPass Admin Account linked with their GST registration numbers.
Security and maintenance of accounts is the responsibility of the Admin.
What is a CorpPass administrator?
A CorpPass admin or administrator is the person whom the owner, partner,
Director, or Corporate Secretary may assign to conduct any corporate
transaction with a government agency. An organization with a Unique Entity
Number (UEN) may have at most 2 CorpPass admins.
Then, how does an owner of a company control government-to-business transactions for his organization?
An owner, partner, Director, or a Corporate Secretary of a company can
manage, approve, reject, or remove CorpPass admins. Smaller companies
may appoint the owner as a CorpPass admin.
What if the CorpPass Registered Officer (RO) of a company is unavailable?
The owner or the person registering the company may, while registering for
a CorpPass, issue a Letter of Authorization with the details of an alternate
approver. Include a valid ID document of the alternate approver. It usually
takes 5 days for the CorpPass Central Administrator to go through and
authorize the approver.
What is a UEN?
A Unique Entity Number is an identifier associated with and issued to
companies, LLPs, Representative Offices, or societies in Singapore. Only
UEN-issuance agencies (ACRA, ROS) are authorized to grant UENs.
GST Registration with the CorpPass
● Step 1
Set up Account for GST CorpPass admin
Download and fill up the suitable IRAS forms to assign the admin for the type of business entity you have. Save the document as a PDF, and mail this to the IRAS with the correct option on the myTax website. The mail must be delivered to the IRAS at least five days before applying.
● Step 2
Set up GST CorpPass Users
Set up CorpPass user accounts by logging in as the Admin. The previously used EASY accounts stopped being updated after 2018. You will receive new a link to modify authentication details on your email.
● Step 3
Select your GST e-Services and Delegate them to CorpPass users
You can designate different users to different e-services on the myTax portal so that account security is maintained.
CorpPass User Categories
There are five types of CorpPass account roles for employees who are active in conducting transactions with the government on behalf of their business entity:
1. Registered Officer (RO): The person whose name appears as the ultimate beneficiary or owner in the ACRA company register and the corresponding UEN identifier. The RO can assign rights to the Corppass users including the Admin. You may also express to be a Corppass Admin to transact on condition of your commodity, without expecting any permissions. The private whose phrase is officially enrolled with ACRA and Associated/ enrolled to the commodity he/she is incorporated will be accountable for nominating 2 Admins and ratifying the CorpPass Admin charge.
2. CorpPass Administrator: This is someone that the RO designates to create CorpPass Accounts and manages their permissions, including their access to specific digital services. For micro-entities, RO’s can allocate themselves as a CorpPass if necessary.
3. CorpPass Sub-Administrator account (CorpPass Sub-Admin): used by the CorpPass Admin to assist manage CorpPass summaries and their admission to online services on structure of their being the Sub-Admins are merely appointed by the CorpPass Administrator. Appointing someone to be a Sub-Admin does not expect the permission of RO.
4. CorpPass Enquiry Database account: A CorpPass summary assembled by the CorpPass Admin or Sub-Admin of the being Also borrowed to administer marketings with the Government’s digital employment and impression elements of their CorpPass format.
5. CorpPass User account: A CorpPass article established by the CorpPass Admin to deal with government digital employment and its agreements. CorpPass User Accounts will have a unique CorpPass ID from the others,There is currently no limit for the CorpPass Users for every entity.
CorpPass Advantages
A CorpPass can be used by authorized employees to
- assign roles & responsibilities to employees conducting business with
the Singapore government, - pay corporate taxes,
- register for the GST,
- obtain tax reference number for holding companies,
- obtain income tax reference numbers,
- apply for permits,
- pay license fees,
- obtain government grants for startups (eg. from Enterprise
Singapore), - deal with the Singapore Accountant General’s office to curate public
buildings, etc., - authorize your accountants & service providers to conduct
government transactions on your behalf (thus adding an extra layer of
security to your SingPass – which is needed for non-corporate
services with the government), - pay customs duties,
- sell goods or services to the Singapore government via the GeBIZ
portal, - perform G2B transactions.
How is the SingPass Different from a CorpPass?
While a SingPass allows you to authenticate user logins to various
government services, a CorpPass allows you to authorize other
users/employees to conduct G2B transactions on behalf of the company or
other entity. In this manner, the CorpPass adds a layer of corporate security
for all your digital transactions.
Is the CorpPass mandatory for local companies operating in Singapore?
All Singapore registered businesses must obtain a CorpPass to pay employee taxes,
corporate taxes, license fees, stamp duties, and so on.
Is the CorpPass mandatory for foreign companies operating in Singapore?
Yes, Branch & Representative Offices of Foreign firms in Singapore must
also apply for and obtain a CorpPass.