INCORPORATION GUIDE · SINGAPORE
After incorporating a company in Singapore: first-year checklist
Incorporation creates the company. This checklist helps you build the records, appointments and financial routines that keep it ready to operate—and ready for its first filings.
FIRST-YEAR TIMELINE
What to do, and when.
Immediately
Download and secure your company records
Every companySave the Business Profile, constitution, incorporation documents and initial resolutions in one controlled location. ACRA’s complimentary Business Profile download expires 60 days after registration.
From incorporation
Keep the registered office operational
Every companyYour Singapore registered office must remain accessible to the public during its required normal office hours and be kept current with ACRA.
First few days
Set up Corppass access
Every operating companyAssign a Corppass administrator and authorise the people or service providers who need to transact with government agencies for the company.
First 30 days
Confirm ownership and controller records
Unless exemptIdentify the company’s registrable controllers and maintain the required private and central records. Review nominee director or nominee shareholder requirements if either arrangement applies.
Before trading
Check licences and permits
If applicableConfirm whether your activity, premises, staff, imports or regulated services require approval before operations begin.
Within 3 months
Appoint an auditor
Unless audit-exemptAppoint an auditor within three months of incorporation unless the company is exempt from audit requirements.
Within 6 months
Appoint a company secretary
Every companyEvery company must appoint a locally resident company secretary within six months. A sole director cannot also act as that company’s secretary.
From the first transaction
Run proper bookkeeping
Every companySeparate company and personal money, record sales and expenses, reconcile the bank, and retain source documents. Tax records generally need to be retained for at least five years from the relevant Year of Assessment.
OPERATING FOUNDATIONS
Set these up before the admin starts multiplying.
Open a corporate bank account
Keep business receipts and payments separate from the founders’ personal finances. Decide who can initiate and approve payments.
Confirm the financial year end
Your FYE controls the timing of ECI, financial statements, the AGM and annual return. Choose it deliberately and record it consistently.
Choose the accounting workflow
Set the chart of accounts, invoice process, expense capture, monthly close and responsibility for reconciliations before records begin to drift.
Prepare for your first hire
Set up employment records, payroll, CPF and employee tax reporting before the first salary run rather than reconstructing them later.
Monitor GST registration
Track taxable turnover. Compulsory registration can arise when calendar-year taxable turnover exceeds $1 million or when you reasonably expect more than $1 million in the next 12 months.
Document company decisions
Keep the resolutions, contracts, share records and officer changes that support what the company has approved and done.
AFTER YOUR FIRST FYE
Your first annual filing cycle.
Close the accounts
Reconcile all accounts, resolve director balances, capture accruals and prepare financial statements for the first accounting period.
File Estimated Chargeable Income
ECI is generally due within three months after FYE unless the company qualifies for a filing waiver. A new company may still need to file even if no reminder has arrived.
Hold or dispense with the AGM correctly
A non-listed company generally holds its AGM within six months after FYE unless it qualifies for an exemption or has validly dispensed with the requirement.
File the ACRA annual return
A non-listed company generally files its annual return within seven months after FYE. This filing is separate from the company’s tax return.
File the corporate income tax return
File the applicable Form C-S, Form C-S (Lite), Form C or dormant-company return with IRAS by the relevant annual deadline.
Details founders commonly miss.
- A dormant company still has corporate and filing obligations.
- ACRA’s annual return and IRAS’s corporate income tax return are separate filings.
- Not receiving a reminder does not necessarily remove an ECI filing obligation.
- Changes to directors, officers, addresses and company information must be filed on time.
- Director-paid expenses and money moving between the company and founders need proper records.
- GST registration is based on taxable turnover, not simply cash received or profit.
- A longer first accounting period can cross more than one Year of Assessment for tax purposes.
Common questions.
What must I do immediately after incorporating a Singapore company?
Secure the incorporation records, keep the registered office operational, arrange Corppass access, open a company bank account, confirm the financial year end and establish bookkeeping. Also check controller-register and licensing requirements.
When must I appoint a company secretary?
A Singapore company must appoint a locally resident company secretary within six months after registration. The sole director cannot also serve as the company secretary.
Does every new Singapore company need an auditor?
No. A company must appoint an auditor within three months after incorporation unless it qualifies for an audit exemption. Confirm the exemption rather than assuming it applies.
When is the first annual return due?
For a typical non-listed company, the annual return is due within seven months after its financial year end. The exact date therefore depends on the company’s chosen FYE.
Does a new company need to file ECI?
Generally, ECI is due within three months after the company’s FYE unless a filing waiver or specific exemption applies. A newly incorporated company that closes its first accounts in the incorporation year may need to file even without receiving a reminder.
When does a new company need to register for GST?
Compulsory registration can arise when taxable turnover for a calendar year exceeds $1 million or when the company reasonably expects taxable turnover to exceed $1 million in the next 12 months. Other registration rules can also apply.
Official sources
Guidance can change. These primary sources were checked on 27 June 2026.
Turn your FYE into actual dates.
Our 2026 compliance calendar maps the recurring IRAS, ACRA, GST, payroll and CPF obligations that follow setup.
View the compliance calendarThis checklist provides general information, not tax or legal advice. Requirements vary with company type, ownership, activity, financial year end and notices issued by the authorities.