Activate / Update / Terminate Customs Account
Overview of the requirements and steps to activate a Customs Account for TradeNet permit applications, including eligibility, processing time, trader notifications, and account updates.
Last updated 17 February 2026
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Activate Customs Account
Declaring Entities that intend to engage in import and/or export activities in Singapore, or appoint a Declaring Agent to apply for customs import, export and transhipment permits or certificates through TradeNet have to:
Register with the Accounting and Corporate Regulatory Authority (ACRA), or the relevant Unique Entity Number (UEN) Issuance Agency to obtain a UEN; and
A Declaring Entity refers to any importer, exporter, shipping agent, air cargo agent, freight forwarder, common carrier or other person who desires to obtain a customs permit, licence, certificate or any other document or form of approval from Singapore Customs.
Only the Key Personnel (e.g. owner, partner or director) of an entity whose record is registered with ACRA or the relevant UEN Issuance Agency can activate the entity’s Customs Account.
The activation of Customs Account does not require the payment of any fees to Singapore Customs.
Notification of the application outcome is within:
four working hours if supporting documents are not required; or
three working days upon receipt of complete supporting documents.
How to Activate a Customs Account
For Newly Registered Business Entities
Upon your entity’s successful registration with ACRA, you may activate your entity’s Customs Account from the same ACRA portal.
For Existing Business Entities or Non-Business Entities
The Key Personnel can log in to your entity’s Customs Account to check the status of your entity’s Customs Account. Key Personnel refers to an individual whose particulars are registered with:
ACRA for the purpose of registering a business entity; or
The relevant Issuance Agency of the UEN for the purpose of applying for a unique entity number.
If your entity’s Customs Account is not activated or terminated, the status of Customs Activation will be indicated as ‘Not Active’ and ‘Terminated’ respectively. If your entity’s Customs Account is activated, the status of Customs Activation will be indicated as ‘Approved’.
Upon submission of the application to activate your entity’s Customs Account, the Contact Person listed will receive a notification of the application outcome within 4 working hours if supporting documents are not required. The standard processing time of an application is 3 working days upon receipt of complete supporting documents.
After Singapore Customs approves your application to activate your entity’s Customs Account, the Declaring Agent may use your entity’s UEN for permit application.
Trader Notification
You may sign up for the free Trader Notification service to receive notifications on the permit number, name of the Declaring Agent and permit approval date when a permit with your entity’s Unique Entity Number (UEN) is approved, cancelled or amended.
For payment permits, you will also be notified of the total duty and/or GST payable which would enable you to verify it against the amount that you had paid or would pay.
To sign up for the free Trader Notification Service, the Key Personnel (e.g. owner, partner, or director) whose record is registered with the Accounting and Corporate Regulatory Authority (ACRA), relevant UEN Issuance Agency, or the Authorised Personnel in Customs Account can log in to the Activate / Update / Terminate Customs Account e-Service to sign up for the service and provide the details of the designated contact.
In addition, you may also obtain details of your past permit application for reconciliation purposes by Registering as a TradeNet User .
Update of Particulars and Printing of Approval letter
If there are any changes in the particulars of the Declaring Entity, please update the change in your entity’s Customs Account within 7 days of the effective date of change. Such changes include, but are not limited to:
Change in ownership
Change in address
Change in contact details of primary contact, secondary contact and recipient of trader notification
Change in authorised personnel
Termination of business
You need not inform Singapore Customs of a change in your entity’s name if it is still registered under the same UEN.
If there is a change in your entity’s UEN, the Key Personnel or Authorised Personnel will need to log in to your entity’s Customs Account to terminate your previous entity’s Customs Account and activate the new entity’s Customs Account.
The Key Personnel or Authorised Personnel authorised by the Key Personnel can also print a copy of the approval letter from your Customs Account.