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A nominee director is a director who acts on the instructions of another person, the nominator. In Singapore this usually means a resident professional who sits on your board so the company meets ACRA's local resident director rule. The nominee holds the seat. You, as the owner, keep making the decisions.
SingaporeCompanySetupGuide.com is an independent guide. We are not ACRA, a bank or a corporate service provider. When you ask for quotes on this page we pass the request to providers that fit, and some of them pay us a referral fee if you become a client.
Do I need a nominee director in Singapore?
You need a local resident director. You do not need a nominee as such. ACRA states that every Singapore company must have at least one local resident director, and that a director must be 18 or older and ordinarily resident (checked ).
That leaves three ways to meet the rule:
- One of the owners is a Singapore citizen or permanent resident and becomes a director.
- A foreign owner moves to Singapore on a work pass. Our page on an Employment Pass for a company director covers that route, and Piloto Asia's guide lists Employment Pass holders as eligible.
- You hire a nominee director from a provider.
If you live abroad and know nobody suitable in Singapore, the third route is the common one. It is also the one with the most risk, covered below.
How much does a nominee director cost?
ACRA does not publish or regulate the fee, so every provider sets its own. One published data point: Piloto Asia states on its guide page that nominee director fees generally run S$1,000 to S$5,000 per year and that its local resident director service starts at S$2,800 per year. We read that page in .
| Item | Published figure | Source |
|---|---|---|
| General fee range, per year | S$1,000 to S$5,000 | Piloto Asia guide page |
| Piloto Asia service, from, per year | S$2,800 | Piloto Asia guide page |
| Leftright Corporate nominee director | Quoted on request | Leftright secretary page |
Treat these as a spread, not a price list. The cheapest quote often leaves out the things that matter: how the provider vets you, what happens if the bank or ACRA asks questions, and the cost of resigning.
What does ACRA require of a nominee director?
ACRA requires the nominee to inform the company that they are a nominee and to give the nominator's details. The company then keeps a register of nominee directors (ROND) at its registered office or at its corporate service provider's office.
Timing, as listed on ACRA's company registers page:
- Companies registered from give ROND details during registration on Bizfile.
- Later changes go into the company's own register within 7 days.
- The central register held by ACRA is updated within 2 business days after that.
Providers are regulated as well. The Corporate Service Providers Act took effect on . Firms that sell nominee services must be registered with ACRA and follow anti-money laundering rules. Our guide to choosing a corporate service provider shows what to check.
What are the risks of using a nominee director?
The nominee is a real director in law. The law treats the name on the register as responsible, even when someone else gives the orders.
- Your control is indirect. Banks and ACRA deal with the nominee as a director. Expect the provider to want to see documents before it signs anything.
- Offences fall on the director. ACRA lists fines up to S$5,000, up to two years in jail and a five-year ban for director offences. Giving false information to ACRA can bring a fine up to S$50,000, jail up to two years, or both.
- You lose the seat if the provider stops. If the nominee resigns, the company has a gap in the board. Officer changes must be filed within 14 days.
- Banks look closer. A company with a nominee director and foreign owners goes through more checks. Our business bank account guide covers what banks ask for.
A cheaper route for some owners is to relocate one director on an Employment Pass, which gives you a resident director of your own. The pass is a separate application, so compare the cost and the timing before you decide.
How do I appoint a nominee director?
- Pick a provider that is registered with ACRA as a corporate service provider and read the nominee agreement.
- The provider sends you its client onboarding forms and asks for ID and proof of address.
- The nominee consents to act, and the company records the nominee status and the nominator's details.
- The appointment is filed through Bizfile. If the company is new, it goes in with the incorporation. If it already exists, file within 14 days of the change.
- The company updates its registers, including ROND, and keeps them at its registered office.
You will also need a registered address and a company secretary, since the secretary cannot be the same person as a sole director.
Can a nominee director be replaced?
Yes. Appoint the new local resident director first, file the change through Bizfile within 14 days, then let the old director resign. Do not let the seat sit empty. Ask in your nominee agreement how much notice each side must give and whether there is an exit fee.
Want a provider to line this up for you? Fill in the quote form on this page and say where you live, who the owners are and when you want to start.
Where can I see the prices side by side?
Published nominee director fees and foreigner bundles sit in the nominee director price comparison, next to each firm's Google rating.
Sources
- ACRA: choosing company directors and other key officers: local resident director rule, age, nominee disclosure, 14-day filing, penalties.
- ACRA: company registers: register of nominee directors, deadlines.
- ACRA: common offences: fine for false statements.
- ACRA: corporate service providers: date the CSP rules took effect.
- Piloto Asia: nominee director guide: published fee range and starting price, read .
- Leftright Corporate: company secretary services: nominee director quoted on request.
