What Is Singapore CorpPass and How To Set Up One?

CorpPass is a company’s or other entity’s corporate digital identification. When dealing with multiple government entities, it facilitates the avoidance of paperwork and ensures cybersecurity. To file corporate taxes, the applicant must apply for work permits for the employees, go forward with payroll schemes, and engage in many other interactions with governmental entities, the company must register for CorpPass.

WHAT LOCAL ENTITIES CAN USE CORPPASS?

• UEN holder enterprises
• GST-registered enterprises (GST stands for Goods and Services Tax)
• ASGD tax reference holding companies (Tax Reference Number Assigned by IRAS)
• ITR holding companies (ITR stands for income tax reference)

The e-filing of GST returns requires the creation of a separate CorpPass account under the GST number if they are a GST-registered sole proprietor or the business is an entity under GST group or Divisional Registration.

WHAT GOVERNMENT AGENCIES WORK WITH CORPPASS?

• IRAS (Inland Revenue Authority of Singapore)
• ACRA (Accounting and Corporate Regulatory Authority)
• Public accountants and corporate service providers,
• Enterprise Singapore (provides grants for startups)
• Accountant General’s Department (curates public property)
• GeBIZ, an e-procurement portal of the Singapore Government
• Singapore Customs

CorpPass works with a total of 200 government agencies

ROLES OF CORPPASS SINGAPORE

When it comes to corppass, there are numerous distinct kinds of roles. The applicant must hire the most qualified person for these positions.

• Registered Officer (RO)  – The RO is the individual who has been formally registered with the specific entity with the Accounting and Corporate Regulatory Authority (ACRA). The RO can then approve the registration request and propose a corppass admin. Unless they decide to assume the Corppass Admin job, ROs are not required to have a Corppass account.
• Corppass administrator (Admin) – The RO has given a Corppass admin the power to create Corppass accounts and control how that particular entity’s users access digital services. A Corppass admin can be anyone. The Corppass admin may be someone who oversees business-to-business transactions on the organization’s behalf.
• Corppass Sub-Administrator (Sub-admin) – A sub-admin is a person who has been given permission by the admin to help manage corppass accounts on the entity’s behalf. There is no need for approval when creating sub-admin accounts, which can only be done by the admin. Additionally, the sub-admin has the ability to make new accounts for users inside of that specific entity.
• Corppass Enquiry User – The admin or sub-admin can both create this account. This account can be used to check the specifics of the corppass configuration for the entity as well as to conduct transactions with digital government services.
• Corppass user – A corppass user can conduct G2B online transactions like payroll and human resources. The Corppass admin of the entity must create a user account for each Corppass user. Each user will have a different ID. Each entity may have an infinite number of Corppass Users. A Corppass Admin can take on the job of a User in small organizations.

HOW TO SET UP SINGAPORE CORPPASS

Registration and approval

For Singapore-registered entities: The RO must approve the registration online using either their Singpass or a Letter of Authorization. The RO will then have the option to register online to become an admin without approval at that point.

For foreign-registered entities: The applicant must present evidence of entity registration and government-issued photo identification. The applicant’s identity document and business registration paperwork must be uploaded. From this point, Corppass will process the online application.

Account creation

The administrator can set up additional Corppass accounts and control how users access online resources from those accounts. Admin-created accounts must be activated before they may begin performing transactions on the entity’s behalf. By creating Corppass IDs and passwords, this is possible. The admin is in charge of operating and maintaining an entity’s Corppass accounts.

WHAT IS NEEDED FOR CORPPASS REGISTRATION?

For regional businesses:

• EN (Unique Entity Number) 
• Personal data of the administrator: SingPass login information, complete name, email, and National Registration Identity Card (NRIC)
• Information about RO (if someone other than RO registers): Full name, NRIC, and email

For international firms:

• documentation proving business registration 
• CorpPass Admin ID

If you wish to know more about the process of establishing a new company in Singapore, refer to the Singapore Company Formation.

G2B DIGITAL SERVICES THAT REQUIRE CORPPASS

When registering for work permits, filing corporate taxes, applying for business grants, and trading, the applicant must use Corppass as their login method.Below is a list of common government-related transactions that require corppass.

• Automatic exchange of information (CRS and FATCA)
• Corporate tax (filing, applications, and payments)
• GST (filing, applications, and payments)
• Partnership (form P filing) PIC cash payout
• Property tax (filing, application, payments, and update property ownership)
• S 45 withholding tax (filing and GIRO deduction details)
• Submission of commission records, donation records, and employment income records
• Tax clearance (form IR21)

HOW DOES CORPPASS IMPACT BUSINESS

Here are some ways that CorpPass impacts business:

• Streamlined Access to Government e-Services – CorpPass provides a single digital identity for businesses to access various government e-services, such as applying for licenses and permits, submitting tax returns, and filing statutory filings. This makes it easier for businesses to transact with the government and reduces the need for multiple logins and passwords.
• Improved Efficiency – With CorpPass, businesses can access government e-services anytime, anywhere, without the need for physical visits or paperwork. This saves time and resources and allows businesses to focus on their core operations.
• Enhanced Security – CorpPass uses advanced security measures, such as two-factor authentication and encryption, to protect the identity and data of businesses accessing government e-services. This reduces the risk of fraud and cyberattacks and gives businesses greater confidence in using digital channels for transactions.
• Compliance with Regulations – Many government e-services in Singapore require businesses to authenticate their identities and authorizations using CorpPass. By using CorpPass, businesses can comply with regulatory requirements and avoid penalties for non-compliance.
• Simplified Management of User Accounts – CorpPass allows businesses to manage their user accounts and access government e-services in a centralized manner. This makes it easier to add or remove users, assign roles and responsibilities, and monitor usage.

CHALLENGES OF USING CORPPASS

• Complexity – The CorpPass system can be complex and require some technical knowledge to use. Businesses may need to invest in training or seek external support to ensure they can navigate the system effectively.
• User Management – Managing user accounts and access to government e-services through CorpPass can be challenging for businesses with large numbers of users. It requires ongoing attention to ensure that user accounts are kept up to date and access is appropriate.
• Technical Issues – Like any digital system, CorpPass can experience technical issues or downtime, which can impact businesses’ ability to access government e-services.

Reach out to us at Relin Consultants for further assistance.