What are the features of a Singapore private company (Pte. Ltd.)?

A private company is a private limited company with 50 or fewer shareholders. Pte. Ltd. is added to the end of the company name, and its shares cannot be offered to the general public. It is the form generally chosen by Korean companies and individual founders.

Shareholders can be both individuals and corporate entities, and the company is a legal entity separate from its shareholders. In general, shareholders' liability is limited to the amount they have invested.

• If all shareholders are individuals and there are fewer than 20: The company is generally classified as an Exempt Private Company (EPC), and different rules may apply, for example to how financial statements are filed.
• If there is a corporate shareholder, such as a Korean parent company: The company is generally classified as an ordinary private company, not an EPC.
• Audit: Audit exemption is assessed not by EPC status but by the small company criteria based on revenue, assets and number of employees.

Tax treatment can differ depending on the company's revenue, shareholder structure and transactions, so please consult an accounting professional before applying it.

The Lee Kim Alliance accounting team provides accounting and tax consultation.

As of November 2026, source: ACRA, ACRA