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Ministry of Digital Development and Information
Press releases

Responsible Use of NRIC Numbers Across Public and Private Sectors

3 February 2026

  1. Since January 2025, the Government has been working to ensure the responsible use of NRIC numbers across the public and private sectors. This includes:

    1. Working with organisations to stop the use of NRIC numbers for authentication (i.e. to prove an individual is who they claim to be) in the private sector.

    2. Moving away from using partial NRIC numbers for identification (i.e. tell people apart) in the public sector.

 Stopping the Use of NRIC Numbers for Authentication in the Private Sector

  1. The Government is working with the private sector to stop the use of NRIC numbers for authentication. In June 2025, the Personal Data Protection Commission (PDPC) and Cybersecurity Agency of Singapore (CSA) issued a joint advisory urging organisations to stop using NRIC numbers as passwords or to authenticate individuals. This includes using NRIC numbers (whether in full or part) as default passwords, whether on their own or together with other easily obtainable personal data such as names and birthdates (e.g. "567A01Jan80"). Such passwords should not be used to access digital documents or to allow access to an individual’s account. Government agencies have already stopped using NRIC numbers for authentication. 

  2. The Infocomm Media Development Authority (IMDA), Monetary Authority of Singapore (MAS) and the Ministry of Health (MOH) have also issued guidance to the telecommunications, finance and insurance, and healthcare sectors on ceasing the use of NRIC numbers for authentication within their sectors.

  3. Private organisations will have until 31 December 2026 to phase out the use of NRIC numbers for authentication. From 1 January 2027, the PDPC will step up enforcement action against private organisations for such misuse of NRIC numbers. Members of public may report any misuse of NRIC numbers for authentication to the PDPC here: https://go.gov.sg/reportnric.

Stopping the Use of Partial NRIC Numbers in the Public Sector

  1. The Government is moving away from using partial NRIC numbers in progressive stages, as they are not reliable for identifying individuals accurately. Some individuals may share the same partial NRIC numbers, and there are instances where two individuals share both the same name and partial NRIC number.

  2. Moving away from the use of partial NRIC numbers does not mean that full NRIC numbers will automatically be used in all cases. Where there is no need to accurately identify someone, there will not be a need for NRIC numbers to be used at all.

  3. When there is a need to identify individuals accurately, such as in licences and employment letters, public agencies will progressively move to using full NRIC numbers instead.  

  4. The Government remains committed to working closely with public agencies and private sector organisations to ensure the safe and responsible handling of citizens' NRIC numbers. For the private sector, the Government will continue to hold consultations and review public feedback before adjusting guidelines on the use of partial NRIC numbers.

Public Education Efforts on the Proper Use of NRIC Numbers

  1. Since June 2025, the Ministry of Digital Development and Information (MDDI) has been conducting public education on the proper use of NRIC numbers. These efforts will continue across multiple channels such as out-of-home media, social and mainstream media, and community touchpoints in our official languages. More details on the public education efforts can be found at the Annex.

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