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Changing a company secretary in Singapore means appointing the new person and withdrawing the old one on Bizfile, within 14 days of the change. ACRA, the Accounting and Corporate Regulatory Authority, charges no fee for it. This guide was checked on .
Who can be a company secretary?
ACRA sets three tests. The secretary must be a real person, not a company. The person must be a Singapore citizen, a permanent resident or someone who meets the local residency rules. And they must not be the same person as the sole director.
ACRA describes the job as administrative work: maintaining the company's information and registers, organising meetings and taking notes, reminding directors of annual filing deadlines and passing on new rules. Read corporate secretary for what a good one does day to day.
How long can the post stay empty?
Every company needs one. ACRA says a secretary must be appointed within six months of registration, and the position cannot be empty for more than six months. If it is, the director may face a fine of up to S$1,000. When your secretary resigns, start the search at once rather than counting on the six months.
What does it cost?
| Filing | ACRA fee | Time |
|---|---|---|
| Appoint or withdraw a secretary | Free | Immediate, or up to 14 days with endorsements |
| Update a secretary's particulars | Free | Immediate |
The costs come from the people involved. A new secretary or provider sets its own fee, and ACRA has no price list for that. Ask whether the quote includes the annual return, registers upkeep and resolutions or charges each separately. The corporate service provider page shows how those firms are organised.
How do you file the change?
The steps above show the order. In practice a director files, because officers cannot withdraw themselves. A secretary who cannot get the company to act has another route, the notice of cessation. It needs the resignation letter, proof the company received it and proof that someone tried to reach the officers. ACRA charges no fee for it and approves it at once, or within 20 working days when it reviews the case.
Appointing a foreigner goes through a corporate service provider, per ACRA. Someone with a FIN should get the pass issuer's consent first, from MOM or ICA.
What deadlines apply?
The clock is 14 days from the day the secretary actually starts or stops, not the day you get around to filing. A filing that misses it costs S$50 if it is under three months late and S$200 after that, based on ACRA's late lodgement table. Use the real date in the records.
When is it time to change?
Common triggers are a resignation, a founder who has been doing the job and wants out, a secretary who misses deadlines, or a business that has outgrown a one-person setup. Compare what each option covers before you move. A provider may bundle the annual return, resolutions and registers into one price, while an individual may charge per task. Ask for the scope in writing and for the notice period if you want to leave again. Providers also differ on whether they file with their own Corppass access or yours, which affects how fast you can switch later.
What should the handover include?
ACRA tells companies to keep registers and records up to date, and the outgoing person usually holds them. Ask for:
- The register of members and the register of directors.
- Minute books, signed resolutions and consents to act.
- The filing calendar for the annual return and AGM. See annual return and AGM.
- Corppass and Bizfile roles. The old secretary should be removed from the company's access.
- Any pending Bizfile drafts or transactions.
Missing records are the usual reason a switch drags on. Write the handover list down, date it and have both sides sign.
What if the secretary also files your annual return?
Many companies rely on the secretary for the annual return and AGM dates. Before the change, check which filings fall due in the next three months and who will do them. ACRA's role list for secretaries includes reminding directors about annual filing deadlines, so a gap in that reminder is where late penalties start. Put the next due dates in the handover note and ask the new secretary to confirm them in writing.
Can a director act as secretary?
Yes, with a condition. ACRA says a secretary cannot be the same person as the sole director. If you have two or more directors, one of them can fill the post as long as they meet the residency test. If you have one director, you need someone else. When a board shrinks, see change a director so you do not break this rule by accident.
Independent guide
SingaporeCompanySetupGuide.com is not ACRA and does not supply secretaries. We earn from partner referrals. Want a firm to step in as your secretary and file the switch? Fill in the form here. Your request goes to providers that offer the service, and each quotes its own price.
Sources
- ACRA, Choosing company directors and other key officers, https://www.acra.gov.sg/how-to-guides/setting-up-a-local-company/appointing-directors-company-secretary-and-other-key-personnel (eligibility, six month rule, fine, role)
- ACRA, Appointing or withdrawing position holders, https://www.acra.gov.sg/resources/guides-forms/appointing-or-withdrawing-position-holders (no fee, timing, who may withdraw, FIN consent)
- ACRA, Filing a notice of cessation, https://www.acra.gov.sg/resources/guides-forms/filing-a-notice-of-cessation-resignation-of-position-holder-/ (evidence needed, review time)
- ACRA, Late lodgement fees, https://www.acra.gov.sg/how-to-guides/offences-prosecutions-and-penalties-for-companies/late-lodgement-fees-other-than-for-late-lodgement-of-annual-return (S$50 and S$200 amounts)
