In this guide · 8 sections
Short answer
Any organisation sending SMS to Singapore numbers with an alphanumeric Sender ID must register it in SGNIC's SSIR portal. You need a UEN, Corppass and an IMDA-licensed participating aggregator. Fees are S$545 once plus S$218 a year per Sender ID, including GST. Allow about 19 days.
What the SSIR is and why 'Likely-SCAM' appears
The SSIR was set up in March 2022 and is run by SGNIC, a subsidiary of IMDA. According to SGNIC's SSIR overview, from 31 January 2023 all organisations using alpha, numeric or alphanumeric Sender IDs in SMS to Singapore mobile users must register them first. Unregistered Sender IDs are marked 'Likely-SCAM'.
The point is to stop scammers spoofing a real organisation's name. Once your Sender ID is registered, participating aggregators only deliver messages carrying it from your accounts. Scam messages that copy your name through other routes are blocked or flagged.
It also means the registry only helps SMS. Scammers have moved to iMessage and other chat apps, which the SSIR does not cover. Our guide for sellers on courier impersonation scams explains how to word customer messages so fakes stand out.
Who needs to register an SMS Sender ID
You need to register if your SMS show a name or a short code instead of an ordinary mobile number. Typical examples for SMEs: appointment reminders from a clinic or salon, OTPs from your app, delivery updates from your shop, and payment reminders.
- Singapore businesses: register with your UEN.
- Foreign businesses: SGNIC's SSIR FAQ says you need a UEN, so register a local subsidiary or branch with ACRA first. Overseas affiliates can then send under a Letter of Authorisation.
- Charities, societies and other bodies: can register using the UEN issued by the relevant agency.
- If a vendor sends for you: the vendor's platform may send under its own registered ID. If it uses your name, you register it and give the vendor a Letter of Authorisation.
Sending from a normal SIM mobile number is not a Sender ID registration case; SIM numbers cannot be registered. Long virtual numbers from the 8 and 9 series issued by a mobile operator to your aggregator can be.
How to register: the SSIR steps
Before you start, gather your registered name, address and UEN as shown in ACRA records, an admin user's name, phone and email, your Corppass for verification, the list of Sender IDs, and the name of your participating aggregator.
Create an account on the SSIR portal
Sign up at smsregistry.sg, verify with Corppass and choose your participating aggregator from the list.
Pay the account set-up fee
When SGNIC accepts the account, the admin gets an email. Pay S$545 in the portal within 30 calendar days or the application lapses.
Register each Sender ID
Submit the names you want. If a name is not clearly unique to your brand, SGNIC asks for supporting documents such as your website or brochures.
Pay the listing fee per Sender ID
After acceptance, pay S$218 per whitelisted Sender ID within 30 days. Unpaid IDs are released for others to register.
Wait for whitelisting, then test
Approved IDs are sent to aggregators weekly. Send a test SMS before any campaign; sending early turns messages into Likely-SCAM.
SSIR fees and timeline
The fees are fixed by SGNIC and are the same for every organisation. Your SMS aggregator charges separately for the messages themselves.
- Account set-up (one time, per organisation)Including GSTS$545
- Whitelisted Sender ID listingIncluding GST, renewable yearlyS$218 a year each
- Blacklisted (defensive) Sender IDBlocks others using a variant of your nameS$54.50 a year each
First year with one Sender IDS$763
Fees from SGNIC's SSIR overview and the SSIR User Agreement fee annex, as of October 2026. Payments are non-refundable.
SGNIC's FAQ says the whole process from account registration to protection typically takes about 19 calendar days, if documents are complete and payments are prompt. Build that into any launch plan. Renewal reminders come before each Sender ID's yearly expiry; an unpaid ID is removed and must be re-registered on a first-come basis.
Choosing Sender IDs and blacklist variants
Each Sender ID can be up to 11 characters including spaces, underscores and hyphens. It cannot use Chinese or Cyrillic characters and should not be generic. Sender IDs are case-sensitive: SGNIC's example is that 'PineApple' and 'PineAPPLE' are different IDs, and sending with the wrong case gets the message blocked or labelled Likely-SCAM.
Think about the variants a scammer might use, such as 'YourShopSG', 'YourShop-Info' or 'YourShopPay'. SGNIC lets you register those as blacklist Sender IDs, which mobile operators and aggregators then block outright. At S$54.50 a year each, two or three defensive variants cost less than one whitelisted ID.
Why registered SMS still show as Likely-SCAM
SGNIC's FAQ lists the usual causes when registered messages still fail. Work through them with your aggregator.
Sender ID troubleshooting checklist
Protect the aggregator account as well. SGNIC recommends rotating API keys, removing unused keys, 2FA on admin access, IP whitelisting where supported, and daily volume caps or alerts. A stolen API key lets a scammer send from your genuine, registered name.
If you also call or message customers for marketing, the Do Not Call rules apply separately; see our guide to checking the DNC Registry.
Do it yourself or get help?
The SSIR portal is straightforward for anyone with Corppass access. Most delays come from the aggregator side: finding a participating one, completing its onboarding and matching the Sender ID format in your booking or store system.
If you want reminders and notifications set up end to end, our WhatsApp Notifications package (S$590) connects your booking or order system to WhatsApp Business messages, an alternative channel to SMS. If you need SMS too, we can set up the aggregator connection alongside it; SSIR fees are paid by you directly to SGNIC.
Frequently asked questions
Yes, if you send SMS to Singapore mobile numbers using a name, short code or virtual number as the sender. Since 31 January 2023, SGNIC's Full SSIR Regime marks unregistered Sender IDs as Likely-SCAM. Messages sent from an ordinary SIM mobile number are not Sender IDs and cannot be registered.
SGNIC charges a one-time account set-up fee of S$545 and an annual listing fee of S$218 for each whitelisted Sender ID, both including GST. Defensive blacklist Sender IDs cost S$54.50 a year each. Payments are made in the SSIR portal and are non-refundable. SMS sending fees are charged separately by your aggregator.
SGNIC says the full process from account registration to protection typically takes about 19 calendar days, provided supporting documents are complete and payments are made promptly. Do not send with the new Sender ID until whitelisting is confirmed, or messages will be labelled Likely-SCAM.
Only with a Singapore UEN. SGNIC's FAQ says foreign businesses can register a local subsidiary or a foreign branch office with ACRA to get a UEN, then register Sender IDs. Overseas affiliates can send using the registered ID under a Letter of Authorisation given to the participating aggregator.
Common causes are sending before whitelisting took effect, a mismatch in upper and lower case, using an unregistered variant of the name, or sending through an aggregator that does not participate in the SSIR. Check each with your aggregator and send a test message before a full campaign.