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ACRA is the Singapore government regulator that registers every local company and business. It also oversees public accountants and corporate service providers and sets the rules for financial reporting. Registering a local company with ACRA costs S$300 through Bizfile, ACRA's online portal.
Checked against ACRA's own pages.
What does ACRA do in Singapore?
ACRA, the Accounting and Corporate Regulatory Authority, describes itself as the national regulator of business registration, financial reporting, public accountants and corporate service providers. In plain terms, it is the office that decides whether your company legally exists and keeps the public record of it.
Its remit covers four groups:
- Business entities: companies, sole proprietorships, partnerships, limited liability partnerships and foreign companies registered in Singapore.
- Financial reporting: the accounting standards and the filing duties of companies, charities, co-operative societies and societies.
- Public accountants: the people who sign off statutory audits.
- Corporate service providers (CSPs): firms that incorporate companies, act as company secretary or provide registered addresses on behalf of clients.
The body started on , when the Registry of Companies and Businesses merged with the Public Accountants Board. It took on the Singapore Accountancy Commission and the Accounting Standards Council on .
How is ACRA different from IRAS and MOM?
Each agency owns one part of running a company. Mixing them up is the most common source of wasted time.
| Agency | What it handles | Where it comes up |
|---|---|---|
| ACRA | Company registration, the register, annual returns, changes to officers and activities | Bizfile |
| IRAS | Tax, including GST and corporate tax | Your tax filings |
| MOM | Work passes such as the Employment Pass | EP applications, see our Employment Pass guide |
ACRA does not collect your tax and does not issue work passes. This site is an independent guide. It is not ACRA, and it does not speak for ACRA.
What does ACRA charge?
ACRA publishes a fee for each service. These are the ones people search for most.
| Item | ACRA fee | Source page |
|---|---|---|
| Register a local company via Bizfile | S$300 | Registering a local company |
| Business Profile | S$5.50 | Buying a Business Profile |
| Corporate Compliance and Financial Profile | S$50 | Types of information products |
| People Profile | S$33 | Types of information products |
| Extracts, certificates, registers | from S$11 each | Types of information products |
Most company registrations are approved soon after payment. Complex ones can take up to 15 working days, and those that need approval from another government agency can take 14 to 60 days. Your UEN, the company's identity number, arrives in the Notice of Successful Incorporation. The UEN guide explains what it is.
The S$300 is only the ACRA part. Corporate secretary fees, a registered address, bank setup and accounting are separate. For the full cost picture, read company formation cost in Singapore.
Where do you file with ACRA?
Bizfile is the answer. ACRA calls it its digital service portal for business registration, filing and information, and the updated version went live on . You can buy business information, register new entities, manage registrations and file annual returns or declarations there. Our Bizfile guide covers logins and the main tasks.
To act for a company on Bizfile you normally log in with Singpass. Corporate access is set up through Corppass, covered in the Corppass guide.
What do you have to report to ACRA after registration?
Changes to company information must be reported, not left for the annual return. If you change your business activity, for example, ACRA expects the update within 14 days through the Update entity information service in Bizfile. Late reports can attract late-lodgement penalties, and ACRA does not list a single standard amount on that page, so check the current figure before you file late.
Other regular duties include the annual return and the annual general meeting rules. Both have their own page: annual return and AGM. When a company stops operating, the route is a strike off.
Can you search ACRA records for free?
Yes. Bizfile has four search functions, none of which needs a login:
- Entity search: status, registered address and whether the entity is a registered corporate service provider.
- Industry search: live businesses by activity or SSIC code. See the SSIC code guide.
- People search: a person's involvement in business entities.
- Reserved names search: whether a name is free. A reserved name is held for 120 days.
Anything beyond the free view, such as the list of officers and shareholders in a Business Profile, is bought per document. The business profile guide compares the free and paid versions.
Do you need a provider to deal with ACRA?
No. A director with a Singpass can register a company alone. A company registered through a corporate service provider has someone handling endorsement and later filings, and many foreign founders choose that route because Singpass is hard to get before arriving. That is a choice, not a rule. If you want a provider to take the filing off your hands, use the quote form on this page. We pass your request to suitable providers, and we may earn a referral fee if you become a client. Fees and rules shown on this page come from ACRA, not from any provider.
Sources
- ACRA, about us and roles: https://www.acra.gov.sg/about-us/overview (what ACRA regulates, founding and merger dates).
- ACRA, Bizfile overview: https://www.acra.gov.sg/resources/eservice-tools-portals/bizfile/ (portal functions, launch date).
- ACRA, registering a local company via Bizfile: https://www.acra.gov.sg/register/business/registering-different-business-structures/local-company/registering-via-bizfile/ (S$300 fee, processing times).
- ACRA, types of information products: https://www.acra.gov.sg/resources/buying-business-information/types-of-acra-information-products/ (profile, people profile and extract fees).
- ACRA, buying a Business Profile: https://www.acra.gov.sg/resources/guides-forms/buying-a-business-profile/ (S$5.50).
- ACRA, using Bizfile's search functions: https://www.acra.gov.sg/resources/guides-forms/using-bizfiles-search-functions/ (four free searches, 120-day name reservation).
- ACRA, changing company details: https://www.acra.gov.sg/how-to-guides/updating-information-of-companies-and-company-officers/change-in-company-s-name-business-activity-registered-office-address-or-company-officers (14-day reporting rule).
