The main reason for registering as a public accountant is so that you can be appointed as an auditor of financial statements in Singapore. A public accountant is responsible for the audit opinion and this responsibility includes ensuring that the audit is conducted in accordance with the Singapore Standards on Auditing (SSA) and other requirements.
Registration as a public accountant is also required for other acts that are required by law to be done by a public accountant.
There is no need to register as a public accountant to provide other accountancy services in Singapore, such as accounting, tax and corporate advisory work, unless the law says that a public accountant must perform the task.
New Application to be Approved Liquidators or Public Accountants for the purpose of becoming Judicial Managers following commencement of IRDA
The Insolvency, Restructuring and Dissolution Act (IRDA) came into effect on 30 Jul 2020.
Under the IRDA, individuals who wish to act as a liquidator, judicial manager (JM) or Trustee in Bankruptcy (TIB) are required to be registered as Insolvency Practitioners with the Ministry of Law for the purpose of undertaking new winding up, JM or TIB cases that are commenced on / after the IRDA comes into effect. Accordingly, ACRA will no longer be accepting new applications to be approved liquidators or Public Accountants for the purpose of becoming Judicial Managers. More information on the new regime for insolvency practitioners can be found at https://lripd.mlaw.gov.sg