The Goods and Services Tax registration in Singapore is simple, fast, and straightforward. All you need is to prepare all necessary documents and submit them to the tax authorities. This includes the GST F1 form along with the details of all partners if your company is a partnership, a letter from the local agent appointed by the foreign registrant if you are an overseas-based business, and the supporting documents as detailed in this article.

Once the IRAS approves your application, you can begin charging output GST to your customers from the official effective date of your registration. Remember to print your GST number on all invoices, credit notes, and receipts you issue to your customers.

Liability to Register

If your business’s annual taxable turnover has already exceeded S$1 million or you expect it to do so in the next 12 months, you will have to register for GST, which is also known as compulsory registration. However, you may choose to register for GST voluntarily if you are able to fulfill the responsibilities and conditions of being a GST-registered business, including the requirement to monitor taxable turnover, declare and remit GST output tax, claim input tax on goods and services, and keep records.

Certain types of supplies are zero-rated and therefore attract 0% GST, such as exports of goods, supply of international services as described in Section 21(3), sale and lease of bare residential properties, and most financial services provided to overseas persons. Other supplies are subject to GST at the standard rate of 9%, such as sales to consumers in Singapore and imports of low-value goods.