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ACRA, the Accounting and Corporate Regulatory Authority, says most company registrations are approved soon after payment. Complex applications may take up to 15 working days, and ones that need a referral authority take 14 to 60 days. Checked . The sections below split the process into its clocks.
What are the clocks in the process?
| Stage | Time | Who controls it |
|---|---|---|
| Collect details and documents | Days, varies | You and your officers |
| Name application | Most approved soon after payment, complex cases longer | ACRA |
| Name hold after approval | 120 days | ACRA rule |
| Endorsement by other position holders | Up to 60 days | Each officer |
| Registration approval | Soon after payment; complex up to 15 working days | ACRA |
| Referral authority cases | 14 to 60 days | Another agency |
| Company secretary appointed | Within 6 months of registration | The company |
The 60 day and 120 day figures are limits, not usual waiting times. They are what you should plan around when a step stalls.
Why does the preparation take longer than the filing?
The filing on Bizfile asks for the approved name, financial year end, company email, a Singapore registered office, share details and a constitution. Each person also gives an identity number or FIN, date of birth, residential address, contact address, mobile number and email. If one director is abroad or slow to reply, everything waits. The documents checklist lists what to prepare so the filing can happen in one sitting.
What is the endorsement step?
After the application is submitted, every other position holder must endorse it within 60 days. You will see a payment notification in the Bizfile inbox only once all endorsements are in. When a corporate service provider files, this step is not needed. That is one real reason a provider can be faster. For the steps themselves, see company registration and Bizfile.
What makes a case slow?
ACRA names these situations:
- Complex applications needing further checks, up to 15 working days.
- Applications needing approval from referral authorities, 14 to 60 days. Regulated activities are the usual cause. See business licence.
- A name that is unavailable. ACRA lets you submit a name review request if you have a good reason, and the S$15 fee is not refunded if the name fails. See company name availability.
What happens after approval?
The company gets its UEN and certificate. The secretary must be appointed within six months. Also set up Corppass for government logins, and start the annual filings. The tax and accounting clocks begin from the financial year end you chose. For deadlines, see annual filing deadlines.
How long for a foreign branch?
A branch also follows ACRA's approval periods, and has a longer wait before filing. The certificate of incorporation and the constitution must be certified at least four months before you apply, unless ACRA approves otherwise. See register a foreign company branch.
Should you plan a launch date around it?
Plan in layers. Allow for the filing, then the 15 working days a complex case can take, then a longer buffer if your activity may be referred to another agency. If you need a date you can defend, ask your provider for the timeline in writing, and ask what they do when ACRA raises a question.
Want a provider to run it? Use the quote form on the next page, and suitable providers will reply.
Sources
- Registering a local company via Bizfile from ACRA, used for approval times, the 60 day endorsement and filing contents.
- Reserving a business name on Bizfile from ACRA, used for the 120 day hold and name review.
- Registering as a foreign company branch from ACRA, used for the four month certification rule.
- Service and transaction fees for companies from ACRA, used for the S$15 name fee.
