Singapore UEN validator
How the UEN format works
- Format
- 9 characters (businesses: 8 digits + check letter) or 10 characters (local companies: year + 5 digits + check letter; other entities: T/S/R + 2-digit year + 2-letter entity type + 4 digits + check letter)
- Example
- 197200078R
Things to watch for
- Three different check-letter schemes apply depending on the UEN's shape — business (ROB), local company (ROC) and other entities each use their own weights and letter table
- For local companies the first 4 digits are the year of incorporation; for other entities T, S or R marks the century (20xx, 19xx, 18xx) and the 2-letter code gives the entity type (for example LL for a limited liability partnership)
- Checksum only — a pass doesn't confirm the entity is currently registered or live
^([0-9]{8}[A-Z]|[0-9]{9}[A-Z]|[RST][0-9]{2}[A-Z]{2}[0-9]{4}[A-Z])$A Unique Entity Number (UEN) is the standard identification number that ACRA and Singapore’s other UEN-issuing agencies give to businesses, companies and other registered entities, which use it in their dealings with government agencies. Every UEN is 9 or 10 characters long and ends in a check letter. The characters before that letter follow one of three schemes, and each scheme calculates its check letter differently.
Three formats, three check-letter tables
- Businesses registered with ACRA: 8 digits and a check letter. The digits are weighted 10, 4, 9, 3, 8, 2, 7, 1, and the remainder of the sum divided by 11 selects a letter from an 11-letter table.
- Local companies: the 4-digit year of incorporation, 5 digits and a check letter, with weights 10, 8, 6, 4, 9, 7, 5, 3, 1 and a different 11-letter table. For the example 197200078R, the weighted sum is 161 and the remainder is 7, which maps to R.
- All other entities: a century letter, two year digits, a 2-letter entity-type code, four digits and a check letter. Here the letters and the digits are both converted to values and weighted before the remainder picks the check letter.
Extra checks beyond the letter
The tool also rejects three kinds of impossible number: a local-company UEN whose year is in the future, a T-prefixed UEN whose two year digits haven’t been reached yet, and an “other entity” UEN whose 2-letter code isn’t a recognised entity-type code (the list includes VC, used by variable capital companies). Lowercase input is converted to uppercase automatically.
What a pass doesn’t tell you
A pass confirms the structure and the check letter are consistent. It doesn’t tell you whether the entity is live, struck off or still trading. Check current status with ACRA’s Bizfile entity search, which also covers entities from the other UEN-issuing agencies.
Scope: Singapore UEN format and check-letter validation only. It doesn’t cover registration status.
Content last reviewed 2026-10-11.
UEN FAQ
Why does my UEN start with T, S or R?
That's the 'other entities' format. The first letter marks the century of registration: T for 20xx, S for 19xx, R for 18xx. Next come two year digits, a 2-letter entity-type code (for example LL for a limited liability partnership), four digits and the check letter.
Which UEN format does a sole proprietorship use?
Businesses registered with ACRA, such as sole proprietorships and partnerships, use the 9-character format: 8 digits followed by a check letter. Locally incorporated companies use a 10-character format that starts with their 4-digit year of incorporation. Each format uses its own check-letter table.
Does a valid check letter mean the entity is still registered?
No. The check letter only proves the characters are internally consistent. A company that was struck off, or a business whose registration lapsed, still has a UEN that passes the checksum. Confirm live status with ACRA's Bizfile entity search before relying on it.