Last updated
A Singapore private company has four yearly deadlines that stack on one another: the AGM, the ACRA annual return, the ECI and the corporate tax return. For a company whose financial year ends on 31 December, those fall on 30 June, 31 July, 31 March and 30 November. This page was checked on .
What are the deadlines in order?
Every date counts from the financial year end (FYE). The table is for a non-listed private company.
| Filing | Body | Deadline | Example for a 31 December FYE |
|---|---|---|---|
| ECI | IRAS | Within 3 months of FYE, unless waived | 31 March |
| AGM | ACRA rules | Within 6 months of FYE, unless exempt | 30 June |
| Annual return | ACRA | Within 7 months of FYE (8 with share capital or an overseas branch register) | 31 July |
| Form C-S, C-S (Lite) or C | IRAS | 30 November each year | 30 November of the following year |
| GST return | IRAS | 1 month after each accounting period | See GST filing |
ACRA's own worked example for a 31 December FYE gives 30 June for the AGM and 31 July for the annual return. ACRA's rule on the 8 month limit is that it applies to non-listed companies that have a share capital or an overseas branch register. Most private companies have share capital, so check which limit applies to yours on Bizfile.
When is the AGM due, and can you skip it?
Non-listed companies must hold an AGM within six months after FYE. Private companies can skip it in three situations: the company sends financial statements to all members within five months of FYE; it is dormant, unlisted, and has total assets of S$500,000 or less; or all members pass a resolution to dispense with the AGM. You still declare your AGM details when you file the annual return, whether you held it, were exempt or dispensed with it.
Members keep a safeguard. A member can ask for an AGM up to 14 days before the sixth month deadline. See annual return and AGM for more.
What goes in the annual return?
The annual return is an online form filed on Bizfile. It carries the company name and number, type, business activities, registered office, directors, secretary, members, share information and financial statements where required. Whether financial statements must be filed depends on the company size and exemptions; see audit exemption and XBRL filing.
ACRA says all companies on the register as live must file, including dormant ones and those with an IRAS tax waiver. See dormant company.
What are the IRAS deadlines?
- ECI: due within 3 months from FYE. A company does not have to file if annual revenue is S$5 million or below and the ECI is nil. You must work out that waiver yourself and need not tell IRAS. See estimated chargeable income.
- Form C-S: for Singapore-incorporated companies with annual revenue of S$5 million or below and only income taxed at the normal rate. A company with revenue of S$200,000 or below can use the shorter Form C-S (Lite). The date is 30 November each year. See Form C-S and corporate tax.
- GST: one month after each accounting period, for registered businesses only.
A company must file the tax return even when it made no income or a loss.
What does missing a deadline cost?
| Breach | Consequence |
|---|---|
| Annual return filed up to 3 months late | S$300 |
| Annual return filed more than 3 months late | S$600 |
| Late AGM and annual return, composition offer | ACRA's example is at least S$500 for each breach |
| Court prosecution | Fine up to S$10,000 per charge, plus a default penalty |
| Repeated or serious default | Director disqualification and ACRA-initiated striking off |
| Late tax return | Estimated assessment, composition up to S$5,000 per offence, or summons |
ACRA collects the late lodgement fee automatically when you file the late return on Bizfile. If an officer fails to attend court, a warrant can be issued. A company that does not file annual returns can be struck off by ACRA, which is a different thing from the voluntary route in our strike off guide.
How do you keep the dates under control?
Pick an FYE that suits your staffing; the next page, accounting year end, covers that. Put the five dates in a shared calendar and set a reminder two weeks ahead. Ask your company secretary or accountant who is responsible for each date, in writing. Dates move with the FYE, so any change of FYE needs the whole calendar redone.
You cannot change your FYE after a deadline has passed, so a missed AGM or annual return also locks the year end.
Independent guide
SingaporeCompanySetupGuide.com is not ACRA or IRAS and sends no reminders. These dates come from the official pages listed below, and rules do change, so confirm the dates for your own company on Bizfile and myTax Portal. If you want a firm to run the calendar, use the form here and we pass the request to providers who do it.
Sources
- ACRA, Deadline and requirements for annual returns, https://www.acra.gov.sg/manage/companies/legal-requirements-common-offences/filing-annual-returns-companies/deadline-requirements/ (7 and 8 month limits, dormant companies)
- ACRA, Penalties and enforcement action: late annual return filing, https://www.acra.gov.sg/manage/companies/legal-requirements-common-offences/filing-annual-returns-companies/penalties-enforcement-late-annual-return-filing/ (S$300, S$600, composition, prosecution)
- ACRA, Due dates and requirements for AGMs, https://www.acra.gov.sg/how-to-guides/annual-general-meetings/timeline-for-holding-agms (six months, exemptions)
- ACRA, Choosing a company's financial year end, https://www.acra.gov.sg/how-to-guides/setting-up-a-local-company/deciding-on-a-financial-year-end (worked examples)
- IRAS, Basic guide to corporate income tax for companies, https://www.iras.gov.sg/taxes/corporate-income-tax/basics-of-corporate-income-tax/basic-guide-to-corporate-income-tax-for-companies (ECI and Form C-S dates)
- IRAS, Estimated chargeable income filing, https://www.iras.gov.sg/taxes/corporate-income-tax/estimated-chargeable-income-(eci)-filing/ (waiver)
- IRAS, Form C-S, Form C-S (Lite) and Form C filing, https://www.iras.gov.sg/taxes/corporate-income-tax/form-c-s-form-c-s-(lite)-form-c-filing/ (who qualifies)
