Myths about NRIC numbers that still persist today

It’s 2026, AKA 60 years since the very first National Registration Identity Card (NRIC) number in Singapore was issued on 9th May 1966 to our first president, the late Mr Yusof Ishak. If you still think that your NRIC number is something you should never share with anyone, here are some NRIC misconceptions that you need to know.

1. You should never share your NRIC number with anyone

False – you have to share your NRIC number when needed to accurately tell you apart.

Poll: Is it true that you should never share your NRIC number with anyone?

Image adapted from: answers.sg

We recently published a poll on answers.sg, asking if it’s true that you should never share your NRIC number with anyone. It attracted more than 700 responses, of which 68% of respondents believe their NRIC numbers shouldn’t be shared with anyone. We’re here to tell you that this is, in fact, not true.

On the contrary, there are situations in which you have to share your NRIC number to accurately tell you apart from others, such as at banks, hospitals, and clinics.

2. Your NRIC number alone is enough to prove who you say you are

False – your physical NRIC or Singpass proves who you say you are.

Simply citing your NRIC number is not enough to prove you’re who you claim to be.

Anyone can cite your NRIC number. But only you have your SingPass or physical NRIC which can prove who you are, because they are packed with anti-fraud and biometric features.

These include your matching photograph, your thumbprint, and other security features such as face verification.

3. If someone can quote my NRIC number, they must be an official authority

False – just because a caller can cite your NRIC number doesn’t mean they’re from an official authority.

Don’t assume that a caller who can cite your NRIC number is from a legitimate organisation.

The reason is simple: others may know your NRIC number, since you have to share it in some situations.

If you’re unsure about the authenticity of a caller, call the organisation’s official hotline, or the ScamShield Helpline at 1799 to check.

4. Anyone who knows your NRIC number can access your online accounts

False – unless you use your NRIC number as your password.

Passwords should not contain easily obtainable information, such as your full or partial NRIC number, or your birthday.

That’s why the Government is working with organisations to stop the use of NRIC numbers as default passwords for accounts and e-documents.

Safeguard your online accounts by setting strong passwords that only you know, and enabling two-factor authentication.

5. Your partial NRIC number is enough to tell you apart from others accurately

False – many people share the same last four characters of your NRIC number.

Did you know that many people share the same partial NRIC number as you? Some people even share the same name and partial NRIC number.

While your full NRIC number is unique, your partial NRIC number is shared by many others. That means partial NRIC numbers are not reliable in telling you apart from other accurately.

This is why the Government will stop using partial NRIC numbers. Full NRIC numbers will be used where needed to accurately tell people apart.  But when it is not necessary to do so, NRIC numbers will not be used at all.

Bonus: The ‘S’ in your NRIC number stands for ‘Singapore’.

False – ‘S’ is the 19th letter of the alphabet, used to denote those born in the 1900s.

Rounding out this list of common misconceptions is this last one: that the ‘S’ in your NRIC number (if you were born before 2000) stands for ‘Singapore’.

Why, then, does everyone born from the year 2000 have the letter ‘T’ in front?

That’s because ‘S’ is the 19th letter in the alphabet – those born in the 1900s thus have NRIC numbers starting with ‘S’. Accordingly, the next gen, born in and after 2000, all have NRIC numbers starting with ‘T’, the 20th letter in the alphabet.

And a bonus fun fact: Singapore Citizens or Permanent Residents born before 31st December 1967 have NRIC numbers beginning with 0 or 1. Your NRIC number would only have started with your birth year if you were born on or after 1st January 1968.

What you need to know about your NRIC number

So, should you never share your NRIC number with anyone? We hope that you’re not still answering ‘yes’ at this point.

To sum up: Unlike your partial NRIC number, your full NRIC number is unique and is used when necessary to accurately tell you apart from others. Also, if you’re still using your NRIC number as your password, you should definitely change it immediately.

Find out more about the use of NRIC numbers

This post was brought to you by the Ministry of Digital Development and Information (MDDI).