Certificate of Incorporation (COI)

A Certificate of Incorporation (COI) is a formal document that verifies the legal registration of a company. Typically issued by the company registrar or the Accounting and Corporate Regulatory Authority (ACRA), it becomes available for acquisition immediately upon the incorporation of a new company.

Raffles Corporate Services works with a panel of experienced Singapore law firms who offer cost-effective and efficient legal service and advice. This article is general information only and is not legal advice.

The COI includes essential details such as:

• The name of the company.
• The company’s Unique Entity Number (UEN) or Registration Number.
• The date the company was incorporated.
• The corporate structure of the company.
• Any previous names of the company, if applicable.

While the company’s business profile provided at incorporation is often sufficient for operational purposes, there are specific scenarios where the COI is indispensable, including:

• Establishing corporate banking relationships.
• Executing formal business contracts.
• Verifying the legal status of the company.
• Securing loans and other forms of business financing.
• Facilitating the sale of the company to third parties.

It is more likely that foreign entities will request the COI of Singapore companies. Within Singapore, entities dealing with each other would rely on the business profile to determine the identity