How to verify a Singapore contractor's licence in 2026 (3-minute guide)
Singapore's Building and Construction Authority (BCA) publishes every registered contractor's workhead and financial grade on a free public directory. For HDB resale flats, a separate HDB Registered Renovation Contractor register applies. For major A&A work, URA Accredited Checker approval is required. This guide walks all three — the same tri-register check our free contractor-check tool runs against BCA live.
The source of truth: Building and Construction Authority (BCA)
BCA is the statutory authority for contractor registration under the Building Control Act and the Workplace Safety and Health Act. Every BCA-registered contractor — active, suspended, or lapsed — is on bca.gov.sg/BCADirectory. HDB's RRC scheme and URA's Accredited Checker register are separate, complementary registers for flat renovation and structural A&A respectively.
Six steps to verify
- Step 1
Get the BCA registration number or company UEN
Singapore's Building and Construction Authority (BCA) is the statutory regulator for all construction and specialist works. Every BCA-registered contractor has a registration number (format: letter + digits, e.g. L5-CW01, G6-ME01) and a Unique Entity Number (UEN) — the 9-or-10-character business identifier. Ask the contractor for both. For any public-sector work, HDB works, or BCA-gazetted construction activity, BCA registration is mandatory.
- Step 2
Open the BCA Directory of Registered Contractors
Navigate to bca.gov.sg/BCADirectory. The directory is free, public, and searchable by registration number, company name, or UEN. Enter what you have and submit. The portal returns the registered workheads (the scope of work the contractor is licensed for), the financial grade (project-value ceiling), and the validity period.
- Step 3
Read the workhead and confirm scope match
BCA classifies contractor work into workheads under two main registers — Contractors Registration System (CRS) for construction work and Specialist Trade Contractors Registration (STCR) for specialist trades. Common workheads: CW01 (general building — new construction and A&A), CW02 (civil engineering), ME01 (mechanical engineering including M&E), ME02 (electrical), ME05 (plumbing and sanitary). A CW01 contractor is qualified for building work; an ME01 is M&E only. Mismatched workhead is the single most common reason a BCA-registered contractor is actually not licensed for the specific job they're quoting.
- Step 4
Read the financial grade (project-value ceiling)
BCA assigns financial grades — L1 through L6 for Construction Workheads (CW) and G1 through G8 for General Building / M&E workheads. L1 is capped at S$1.5 million per project; L6 has no cap. G1 is capped at S$650,000; G8 is unlimited. A contractor with G3 (capped at S$4 million) cannot bid a S$10 million condo refurbishment. For a typical residential A&A of S$100,000–S$300,000, you want at least G4 for general building or equivalent ME grade for M&E. Public-sector tenders have additional grade-to-tender-value matching rules.
- Step 5
HDB resale flat works — check HDB Registered Renovation Contractor (RRC)
For any renovation work inside an HDB resale flat, the contractor must be an HDB Registered Renovation Contractor (RRC) — a separate register from BCA. HDB RRC status is required for hacking, floor-and-wall tiling, ceiling works, and any work that touches HDB's structural or statutory elements. Check at services2.hdb.gov.sg/web/fi10/emap.html (HDB's e-RRC directory). A BCA-registered CW01 contractor who is NOT an HDB RRC cannot legally perform HDB renovation work. For private condos, HDB RRC is not required — BCA registration is.
- Step 6
Major A&A — check URA Accredited Checker for structural approval
For major Addition & Alteration (A&A) work that touches structural elements — removing load-bearing walls, extending balconies, roof additions — the Urban Redevelopment Authority (URA) requires a Qualified Person (QP) sign-off. The contractor's structural engineer must be an URA Accredited Checker. Verify at ura.gov.sg/Corporate/Professional-Services/Accredited-Checker. For cosmetic renovation (paint, flooring, kitchen fittings without structural change), URA approval is not required. Always confirm with the contractor whether your scope requires URA filing.
Red flags — walk away if you see any of these
- BCA workhead is Suspended, Lapsed, or Terminated
- Workhead scope doesn't cover the work (ME01 bidding a full condo renovation)
- Financial grade too low for project value (L1 bidding S$5 million)
- HDB resale flat work and the contractor is not on the HDB RRC list
- Major structural A&A planned and no URA Accredited Checker named
- UEN on the quote is “Cancelled” or doesn't match BCA record
- Deposit request above 20% of contract value before work starts
Want this automated? Use AskBaily's free tool.
Our /tools/contractor-check queries the BCA Directory live for Singapore. Pick “Singapore — BCA Workhead”, enter the BCA registration number, and we'll return a green / yellow / red scorecard with workhead scope, financial grade, and validity period. HDB RRC and URA overlays are a separate manual check — follow steps 5 and 6 above.
Source of truth is always the regulator. If AskBaily's read contradicts BCA's live portal, trust BCA.
Frequently asked questions
Why does Singapore have three registers (BCA + HDB + URA) instead of one?
Each register serves a different statutory function. BCA registers contractors for general construction competence (workhead, financial grade, safety record) — applicable to all construction work in Singapore. HDB RRC is specific to Housing & Development Board resale-flat renovation, and exists because HDB flats are leasehold public housing with specific structural and statutory rules that private condos don't have. URA regulates land-use and development — Accredited Checkers sign off on structural integrity for major A&A. A full residential renovation of a resale HDB flat typically needs all three: BCA for the CW01 contractor, HDB RRC for the renovation firm, URA for any structural changes.
My contractor has BCA CW01 but isn't an HDB RRC. Can they do my HDB flat?
No. HDB's Registered Renovation Contractor scheme is a separate qualification and HDB enforces it strictly. A BCA CW01 contractor who isn't on the HDB RRC list cannot legally touch your HDB resale flat renovation — not even floor tiling. HDB conducts spot inspections, levies fines, and can order remedial works. Always confirm HDB RRC status before signing for HDB flat work. For private condos, only BCA CW01 registration matters.
What does 'Financial Grade L5-CW01' mean in practice?
It means the contractor is registered under Construction Workhead 01 (General Building) with financial grade L5. L5 caps them at S$30 million per project for public-sector BCA-registered tenders. For private-sector residential work there's no BCA-enforced project cap, but the financial grade still signals the contractor's bonding capacity, track record, and operational scale. A contractor with L1 or G1 is small-scale and shouldn't be bidding S$500,000+ condo renovations — the financial grade is a honest indicator of capacity.
The contractor is listed on the BCA Directory but their workhead says 'Suspended'. What now?
Stop. A suspended workhead means BCA has taken disciplinary action — safety violations, non-compliance with CRS requirements, or consumer complaints upheld by the Singapore Contractors Association Limited (SCAL) or Consumers Association of Singapore (CASE). Suspended status means the contractor cannot accept new BCA-gazetted work until reinstated. Do not sign. Request the reinstatement date in writing and verify on BCA Directory before signing anything. File a report with CASE if you've already paid a deposit and the contractor didn't disclose the suspension.
Does BCA registration cover defects after handover?
BCA registration is about entry and operational competence. Post-handover defect recourse runs through the contract's Defects Liability Period (typically 12 months for residential), the builder's public liability and workmanship warranties, and — for BCA-registered work — CaseTrust accreditation for renovation contractors (a voluntary consumer-protection scheme administered by CASE). For serious cases involving structural defects, the Building Control Act gives you a 6-year window to claim against the builder and a 10-year window for the QP's structural design.
Can I use AskBaily's tool instead of checking BCA myself?
Yes. Our /tools/contractor-check queries the BCA Directory — pick 'Singapore — BCA Workhead', enter the BCA registration number (e.g. L5-CW01), and we return a green / yellow / red scorecard with workhead, financial grade, and validity period. For HDB and URA overlays you'll still need to manually confirm — those are separate registers with different public-search patterns. AskBaily is free; BCA is the source of truth.