Company secretary
in Singapore.
Every Singapore entity must appoint a qualified, locally resident company secretary within six months of incorporation. We act as your named secretary and manage all statutory obligations with ACRA on your behalf.
Run your business smoothly with
a dedicated company secretary.
Qualified and accountable
We assign a named, Singapore-resident company secretary to your entity, fully responsible for your statutory compliance obligations with ACRA as your business grows.
Deadline management
We track your compliance requirements and file ahead of all deadlines. Your team is notified only when action or sign-off is required on your end.
Your documents online
Our service is entirely online. Documents are signed electronically via DocuSign and stored securely, accessible to your team at any time.
Company secretarial services
Providing and acting as your company secretary.
The Singapore Companies Act requires that all companies in Singapore must appoint at least one local company secretary within six months of incorporation. The secretary is responsible for handling on-going statutory compliance matters and ensuring the company is compliant with all regulatory requirements.
Essential company secretary service.
Provision of a named company secretary
This includes all mandatory annual procedures. As your named company secretary, we will:
- Hold the company’s books, records and seal or chop in safe custody
- File statutory forms annually with ACRA, with all fees submitted correctly and on time
- Arrange the Annual General Meeting and send required notices to shareholders
- Prepare the minutes and resolutions passed at the AGM
Additional ad-hoc secretary services.
When your company undergoes changes, you may also need any of the following.
Preparation of board meetings other than the AGM
- Advice on the appropriate type of meeting and preparation of required notices
- Preparation of directors’ resolutions
- Distribution of the company’s financial reports
- Preparation of meeting agendas
- Attendance at meetings and taking of minutes
- Communication with shareholders
Filing of company changes and other statutory returns with ACRA
- Appointment or resignation of company officers
- Updates to the particulars of company officers and shareholders
- Amendments to the company constitution
- Share allotments, transfers, capital reduction, subdivision or consolidation
- Due diligence on new shareholders
- Changes in company name or principal activities
- Notification of any charges over company assets
- Issuance of redeemable preference shares
- For branches: notification to ACRA of changes to the Head Office name and directors, and to the local agent or registered office
- Monitoring of filing deadlines for statutory returns
Maintenance and upkeep of statutory registers
- Filing of signed board resolutions
- Maintenance of minute books (AGMs and EGMs) and statutory registers, including the registers of directors and secretaries, members, transfers and charges
- Issue of share certificates
- Creation and maintenance of the Register of Registrable Controllers (RORC) at the company’s registered office. Since May 2020, the RORC must be lodged with ACRA and any changes updated within two days. It is accessible to Singapore public agencies such as law enforcement, but not to members of the public
- Creation and maintenance of the Register of Nominee Directors, kept at the registered office and available for inspection by ACRA on request
Other roles and services
- Provision of resolutions for corporate actions, such as opening bank accounts, entering supplier and customer contracts, and changing office holders
- Guidance on relevant changes in statutory law
- Certification, notarisation and legalisation of documents
- Liaison with the Registrar of Companies
- Guidance on striking-off applications to ACRA and de-registration of branches
- Advice on business name registration and renewal requirements with ACRA
- Searches at the Registry of Companies
- Advice on conversion of business entities
- Stamping of documents
Overview of requirements for starting a company.
At least 1 shareholder
A resident director
A company secretary
Address in Singapore
At least $1 in capital
FAQs
Common questions and answers.
The company secretary is a statutory officer responsible for ensuring compliance with the Companies Act. Core responsibilities include:
- Maintaining statutory registers including the register of members and directors
- Filing changes to company details with the Accounting and Corporate Regulatory Authority (ACRA)
- Preparing board and shareholder meeting agendas and minutes
- Advising directors on governance and compliance obligations
- Managing share issuances and transfers and updating the constitution
- Maintaining the Register of Registrable Controllers (RORC) and filing updates with ACRA
For a full overview, see our guide to company secretary roles and responsibilities in Singapore.
The company secretary manages all statutory filings with the Accounting and Corporate Regulatory Authority through BizFile+. Key filings include:
- Annual return: filed within seven months of the financial year-end for private companies and five months for listed companies
- Officer and director changes: must be notified to ACRA within 14 days
- Share issuances, transfers and capital changes: all require ACRA notification
- Company constitution amendments: filed following shareholder approval
- AGM documentation: listed companies must hold an AGM within four months of the financial year-end; non-listed companies within six months. Private companies qualifying under Section 175A may send financial statements to members and pass written resolutions in lieu of a physical AGM
Updates to the Register of Registrable Controllers are also lodged with ACRA by the company secretary. For a full filing checklist and deadlines, see our guide to annual filing requirements with ACRA.
Under Section 171 of the Companies Act, every company must appoint a company secretary within six months of incorporation. The secretary must be a natural person who ordinarily resides in Singapore and has sufficient knowledge and experience for the role. The appointment must be confirmed by a board resolution with written consent from the appointee and notified to ACRA within 14 days.
A sole director cannot also act as company secretary. Where a company has only one director, a separate individual must be appointed to the role. If the position becomes vacant, it must be filled within six months. For a full overview of the incorporation process, see our guide to how to register a company in Singapore.
Failing to appoint a company secretary within six months of incorporation, or leaving the role vacant, is a breach of Section 171 of the Companies Act. Both the company and its directors may face substantial fines. A vacancy also increases the risk of missed ACRA filings, as annual returns and statutory updates fall under the secretary’s remit.
It can delay corporate actions such as bank account opening, share transfers and contract execution, which often require certified resolutions prepared and signed by the company secretary. During due diligence, an unfilled or improperly maintained secretarial function is typically treated as a governance concern. For a full overview of ongoing obligations, see our guide to corporate compliance requirements for Singapore companies.
The Register of Registrable Controllers (RORC) is a mandatory register that records a company’s beneficial owners. A controller is any individual or entity holding at least 25% of shares or voting rights or exercising significant control over the company. The RORC has two components: a private register kept at the company’s registered office or its corporate service provider’s office, and a central register lodged with ACRA.
Changes must be updated in the private register within seven days and filed with ACRA within two business days. Companies must also send annual notices to confirm controller details. Information in ACRA’s central RORC is restricted to law enforcement. Failure to maintain accurate records can result in fines of up to SGD 25,000.
