PSA: You can change your Singpass ID as it doesn't have to be your NRIC

"Singpass allows anyone to change out their user ID to something that is not the NRIC number," said Minister for Communications and Information Josephine Teo during parliament on Jan. 8.

Progress Singapore Party's (PSP) Non-Constituency Member of Parliament (NCMP) Hazel Poa had asked when SingPass would stop using NRIC as a login ID.

Singpass is a digital identity that allows residents to access government and business services online.

The login ID for Singpass is, by default, the citizen or Permanent Resident's NRIC upon account creation.

NRIC number used as "the default identifier"

Teo said the NRIC number " is used as the default identifier" and is not used as a password.

"Although it is the default identifier, Singpass allows anyone to change out their user ID to something that is not the NRIC number," Teo noted, adding that perhaps not everyone was aware of this before the ACRA incident.

"If you do not wish to have your NRIC number as your user ID, you may change it to something else," said Teo.

ACRA incident

The sensitivities of revealing one's NRIC number became a hot topic after a digital portal launched in December 2024 by the Accounting and Corporate Regulatory Authority (ACRA) allowed users to search for citizens' NRIC numbers.

ACRA has since apologised for the mistake, which was caused by a "lapse in coordination" between the staff from government agencies on how this was to be implemented.

Teo apologised for causing the public "much anxiety" over the mistake.

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Top image via MDDI/YouTube, Canva, and Singpass website