Change of name

The society’s name is the name that is kept and maintained with the Registry of Societies (ROS) as its registered name.

Under the Societies Act, a registered society must not change its name without the prior permission in writing of ROS.

What you should know

If the society is a registered Institution of Public Character (IPC) or Charity, it is required to seek the support of the Commissioner of Charities or the relevant Sector Administrator and pass the resolution to change its name at a General Meeting of members in accordance with the society’s existing constitution before submitting a Change of Name application to ROS.

The proposed name must not be the same as, or so nearly resemble, the name of an existing registered society or entity that it is likely to deceive or mislead the public or members of either society. You may check existing entity names on the Bizfile website.

Certain words in a proposed name—including “Singapore”, names of government bodies, and names associated with particular districts or landmarks—require a letter of support from the relevant authority. Specific conditions also apply to the use of “Singapore” and “Foundation”. Refer to the FAQ ↗ (opens in new tab) on the guidelines for society names for the full list of words, supporting authorities and applicable conditions.

Upon approval of the Change of Name application, ROS will update the society’s constitution to reflect the new name. A separate Amendment of Rules (AOR) application is not required unless the society also intends to amend other rules in its constitution.

Application for Change of Name user guide [PDF, 1 MB] ↗ (opens in new tab)

What information you need

Before submitting your Change of Name application, please ensure that you have submitted your latest Annual Return to ROS. Your application will only be processed after the latest Annual Return has been filed. You are also encouraged to submit all outstanding Annual Returns to ensure regulatory compliance.

A Change of Name application must be submitted online via ROS eServices ↗ (opens in new tab). The President and Secretary are required to verify and submit the application online. If your society is an Institution of Public Character (IPC) or Charity, please include a support letter from the Commissioner of Charities or the relevant Sector Administrator. Where the proposed name requires the support of a government agency or international parent organisation, attach the relevant letter of support. Other supporting documents should be submitted in .docx, .pdf, .jpg or .png format. The file size of each attachment must not exceed 5MB.  

What to expect

A fee of $70 is payable upon submission of the application.

Upon receipt of the Change of Name application, the Registry of Societies will consider the application and, where necessary, seek further clarification from the applicant.

Applicants can log in to our e-services ↗ (opens in new tab) to check on the status of their application. After the application has been processed and the notice published in the Gazette, the society will receive a system-generated email notifying it of the outcome.