Corporate Secretary FAQs

For an existing company, a written Directors' Resolution should document the designation of the new corporate secretary and the departure of the former secretary. To formally appoint the corporate secretary, the company is required to submit the appointment details to ACRA through BizFile, the online company filing system in Singapore.

If you're considering transitioning to our corporate secretary services, we'll manage the entire switching process for you. For new businesses, our company incorporation services can include the appointment of a company secretary.

Absolutely! Every business in Singapore thrives with a corporate secretary by their side. Companies must appoint a company secretary within 6 months from the date of incorporation. This position cannot be left vacant for more than 6 months or the directors may face a penalty of up to $1,000. With us, you get the expertise and support that turns compliance into a breeze.

Sure, if you’re not the only director and know the rules well, you can. But, if you’d rather not worry about it, we at Grof are here to help keep everything in check for you. Such requirements include handling Annual General Meetings (AGM), ACRA Annual Return, IRAS Estimated Chargeable Income (ECI), and Form C-S.

Company secretaries play a crucial role in ensuring legal compliance and the proper functioning of companies in Singapore. They possess extensive knowledge about internal governance and associated regulations in Singapore. People often seek advice and solutions from company secretaries. This is especially so in cases of internal conflicts between stakeholders and directors, where company secretaries frequently help to mediate. The primary responsibility of a company secretary is to ensure that the company adheres to all legal requirements.

Every company in Singapore is required by law to appoint a corporate secretary. Furthermore, the role may also involve responsibilities and obligations related to taxes and maintaining accounting records. If you have any questions, feel free to reach out to us. We are here to assist you with a wide range of corporate secretarial matters, including general queries and the transfer of your existing company secretary to our services.

Choosing the right company secretary is a crucial step for your business, and understanding the requirements is key. In Singapore, according to the Companies Act, your corporate secretary should be a resident (either a permanent resident or citizen) and equipped with the necessary experience and knowledge to fulfill their duties. Remember, you’ll need to appoint a company secretary within six months of your company’s incorporation.

If you’re looking for a corporate secretarial services provider that brings a breath of fresh air, let’s embark on this exciting journey together!

Some criteria to keep note of are:

The terms company secretary and corporate secretary are interchangeable and mean the same thing in Singapore. Whatever the title, they play an integral role in the efficient management of a company through compliance with the law.

No. ACRA mandates that every Singapore business must hire a corporate secretary within the first six months after incorporation. This position cannot be vacant for more than six months. Your company secretary must be a Singapore resident.

To switch your company secretary in Singapore, you must engage the services of a corporate secretarial provider. This entails selecting a new company secretary who fulfils the required criteria and informing pertinent authorities like ACRA about the change. Furthermore, you may need to update your company's records and inform shareholders and other stakeholders of the change.

It's essential to follow the proper procedures and documentation requirements outlined by ACRA to ensure a smooth transition. Reach out to us, and we can handle it all for you!

Your AGM is a mandatory yearly requirement for all Singapore companies where you share the company's financial health and address key matters with shareholders. After your AGM, you'll file an Annual Return (AR) to confirm you've met all statutory requirements for the year.

In ACRA’s definition, registered office address is where all communications and notices to the company are addressed to, and where the company’s registers and records are kept.

A registered office address must be provided during your application to incorporate a company.

A registered address must also be accessible to the public during normal office hours, but need not be where the company conducts its activities.

The registered office must be an address in Singapore, but it need not be the place of operation. For instance, your company’s registered office address may be in Raffles Place but your factory could be located in Tuas.

We offer Registered Address as an add-on to our Corporate Secretary packages! Reach out to us to know more.

The Constitution is a legal document that:

The Singapore Standard Industrial Classification (SSIC) is the national standard for classifying economic activities undertaken by economic units and is used for censuses of population, household and establishment surveys and, increasingly, in administrative databases.

During the name application, you are required to specify the primary and secondary (optional) activities of your business by choosing the SSIC codes that best describe your business.

We can help you with this, if you avail our Incorporation package!

With so many good options out there, selecting a company name is often a daunting task! After all, you would want nothing but the best for your company. It's natural to believe that your company name should align perfectly with your brand image and offerings.
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However, here's a little secret: your company name doesn't have to be identical to your business name! But fear not! If you have your heart set on a particular name, we are here to help. Just give us a shout, and we will investigate its availability and even reserve it for you! It is also worth checking if your dream domain name is up for grabs, should you be thinking about having an online presence.

The main types of business structures in Singapore fall under these categories:

The best business structure depends on your personal preference, skill set, and the kind of business you want to run.

Contact us today if you want to start a business in Singapore so that we can assist you in all your company administrative tasks.

With Grof, the process has never been easier. Once completed, incorporating a company typically takes 1-2 working days. If ACRA decides to take a closer peek, it might take a tad longer, but we'll be with you every step of the way.

Setting up a company in Singapore is quite straightforward!

We will require documents for all of the directors, shareholders and any authorised persons designated by corporate parents to incorporate a company.

For individuals, we will require

For corporates, we will require

You can find them here.