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Well done — your Singapore company is now live. But don’t relax just yet. The post-incorporation phase is where many new directors slip up. Your duties start the moment ACRA registers your company. Not in a few weeks. Not next month. Right now.
Singapore has over 467,000 active firms. More than 77,000 new ones were formed in 2025 alone. To keep standards high, ACRA has stepped up its checks. Late filing fines now range from S$300 to S$600 per breach. Directors found guilty of three or more late filings in five years face a five-year ban.
This post-incorporation guide walks you through what to do next. Follow these steps to stay on track and avoid fines.
Appoint a Company Secretary Within Six Months
Your first big post-incorporation deadline comes fast. Every Singapore company must hire a company secretary within six months. This is not a choice. It is the law.
Your company secretary must live in Singapore. If you are the sole director, you cannot fill this role yourself. The role also cannot stay empty for more than six months.
Miss this deadline and you break the law. Directors can face fines or even court action.
For most small firms, engaging corporate secretarial services makes good sense. A good provider tracks deadlines, handles filings, and keeps you in line — so you can focus on your business and comply with legal requirements while ensuring proper management of corporate secretarial services.
Set Up Your Registers Right Away
Your company must create and keep several registers from day one. These are not just admin tasks. They are legal duties that ACRA can check at any time.
You need registers for directors, members, company secretaries, RORC, ROND, and RONS. Also keep your company constitution and meeting minutes on file.
Update these registers when something changes — new directors, share transfers, or address changes. File the changes with ACRA by the due date. Stay on top of your filings. Don’t wait until year-end.
Know the RORC
The RORC is one of the most misread rules. Many directors think it does not apply to small or family firms. It does.
Since 30 July 2020, all Singapore firms must keep a RORC and lodge it with ACRA. Firms set up after 16 June 2025 must file their RORC on the date they form.
It applies to all firms. One shareholder? Family-owned? Directors as shareholders? No activity? You still need a RORC. Only some listed firms and banks are exempt.
Not keeping a correct RORC is a crime. Both the firm and its officers can face court action.
Open a Bank Account for Your Company
Keep your own money and business money apart. This is one of the first post-incorporation steps you should take. Open a bank account in your company’s name.
Singapore banks have strict KYC and AML rules. Be ready to gather these papers:
Your ACRA business profile, to prove your company is set up in Singapore.
A board resolution that approves the bank account.
Your company constitution, which sets out the rules for how your company runs.
ID papers for all directors and shareholders — usually passports or NRICs.
A write-up of what your company does, who your clients are, and how you make money.
Banks may ask for more papers based on your field. Your corporate secretarial services provider can help put your papers in order, prepare board resolutions, and work with banks to speed things up.
Know Your AGM and Annual Return Duties
Annual return and AGM duties catch many new directors off guard. Missing these due dates brings fines.
Private firms must hold an AGM unless they get a waiver under the law. The timing depends on your financial year end and whether you use written forms. Plan your AGM within the set deadline. Missing it can mean fines of up to S$5,000 per breach.
File your annual return on time. Late annual return filings bring fines:
| Filing Status | Fine |
|---|---|
| On time | No fine |
| Up to 3 months late | S$300 |
| More than 3 months late | S$600 |
You are on the hook for filing your annual return on time. Hiring a company secretary does not change that.
File Changes with ACRA on Time
File all changes to your company’s details with ACRA by the due date.
Made changes to your directors, secretary, auditor, or office address? You will usually need to tell ACRA within 14 days.
Share allotments, transfers, and changes to share capital each have their own due dates under the law.
ACRA’s systems catch late filings fast. Late or repeat breaches can lead to fines. In serious cases, officers may face a ban from being a director.
Accept Your Duties as a Director
Directors owe duties under the law. You must act in good faith for the company. You cannot pass these duties to someone else.
File on time. Keep good records. Act with care. Put the company first. Stay on top of things.
Here is a key point: relying on advisors or staff does not free you from blame. The law holds directors to account for making sure the company follows the rules — not just for hiring someone to do it.
Get Corporate Secretarial Services Early
Singapore’s rules have grown more complex over time. Corporate secretarial services have gone from basic admin support to full partners in keeping you on track.
Blutrust Corporate Services Pte. Ltd. provides full corporate secretarial services for Singapore companies. We handle hires, registers, ACRA filings, annual return prep, deadlines, and board papers. You focus on your business. We handle the rest.
Modern providers blend deep know-how with smart tools. This gives you more speed and accuracy than doing it all in-house.
Stay Ahead of 2026 Changes
Several big changes are now in full effect.
Better reporting: Stricter XBRL checks now catch errors on their own. Higher standards apply.
Tighter oversight of corporate service providers: All providers must register with ACRA. Stricter AML and counter-terror financing rules apply.
Stronger checks: ACRA enforces due dates strictly. Its systems cross-check corporate, financial, and tax records. Repeat breaches lead to faster court action.
Your Post-Incorporation Checklist
Use this post-incorporation checklist to track what you need to do:
- ☐ Hire a company secretary within six months
- ☐ Set up all required registers
- ☐ Lodge your RORC with ACRA
- ☐ Open a bank account with the right papers
- ☐ Plan your first AGM within the set deadline
- ☐ Track your annual return filing date
- ☐ File all changes with ACRA on time
- ☐ Know your legal duties as a director
- ☐ Engage corporate secretarial services for peace of mind
Start Your Post-Incorporation Journey Right
Your duties begin the moment your company is set up — not at some future date. In 2026, checks are tighter, systems are smarter, and there is no room for repeat breaches.
Know the rules. Watch your due dates. File your annual return on time. This helps you avoid fines, court action, and a ban from being a director.
Blutrust Corporate Services Pte. Ltd. offers corporate secretarial services for Singapore companies. Our team handles company secretary hires, register upkeep, annual return filing, deadline tracking, and expert guidance on the law.
Get in touch today. Let us give you peace of mind.
This article is for general facts only and does not make up legal advice. For guidance on your post-incorporation duties, speak to a qualified expert.