Virtual Office vs Registered Address in Singapore: Which Do You Need?

What is a registered address service?

A registered address service gives you a compliant Singapore address to use as your ACRA registered office, business mailing address and directors' contact address, and receives, notifies, scans or forwards your mail. It solves two problems: your company legally needs a local address, and someone needs to deal with the mail.

MySGAddress is this type of service. The address is at Paya Lebar Square and plans start at S$69/year. There are no desks or meeting rooms included, which is why the price is low.

What is a virtual office?

A virtual office usually builds on a registered address and mail handling with services that make it feel like you have an office. Common extras include:

• A local phone number with reception answering and call forwarding
• Meeting rooms booked by the hour
• A monthly allowance of coworking hours
• An address in a Grade A or landmark building
• A reception desk to greet visitors

How prices compare

Because the services differ, so do the prices. A pure registered address and mail service is usually billed annually, from a few dozen to a couple of hundred dollars a year. Virtual offices with phone, meeting rooms and workspace at large business centres are usually billed monthly, often well over a hundred dollars a month, which adds up to ten times or more the cost of a registered address service over a year.

If you rarely meet clients in Singapore and don't need a local phone line, paying for meeting rooms and reception is often money spent on things you won't use.

How to choose

Use these scenarios as a guide:

• You just need to incorporate and receive government and bank mail: a registered address service
• You're overseas and need to see mail quickly: a registered address with scanning
• You meet clients in Singapore often: a virtual office, or book meeting rooms as needed
• You need a local phone line and reception: a virtual office with phone services
• Your team needs fixed desks: coworking or a serviced office

Compliance: choose a licensed provider either way

Whether you choose a registered address or a virtual office, whoever provides your registered office address should be registered with ACRA as a corporate service provider and should verify your identity (KYC) before you start. MySGAddress addresses are provided by our licensed partner, Excellent Accounting & Management Services Pte. Ltd., and you'll need your passport and proof of address to sign up.

Questions to ask before you sign up

Whichever type of service you choose, ask a few questions before signing. Is the provider registered with ACRA, and can they give you their registration number? Does the price include mail scanning and forwarding, or are those charged separately? Is the contract monthly or annual, and is there a penalty for ending it early? How quickly will you be notified when mail arrives, and how quickly will it be scanned? And what happens to mail that arrives after you stop renewing?

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