Maintaining Company Registers

The Companies Act requires all companies to maintain up-to-date registers of people in the following roles:

• Members, who are often also known as shareholders

• Directors

• Secretaries

• Auditors

• CEOs

• Controllers, also commonly known as beneficial owners

These registers (except for the register of members for public companies) are maintained by ACRA in electronic form. Whenever there are changes in the appointments or particulars of directors, secretaries, auditors and CEOs, you must update this information via Bizfile within 14 days from the date of the change. If there are changes to the company’s shareholders or share capital, you should file the appropriate share-related transactions via Bizfile.

All registers except for the Register of Registrable Controllers (RORC) are accessible to the public. This is to facilitate trade and interactions among businesses and members of the public, enhance transparency and enable the public to conduct due diligence on the business entities and the people who operate them.

Register of Registrable Controllers

All companies incorporated in Singapore, unless exempted, must set up and maintain a register of registrable controllers (RORC) within 30 days from the date of incorporation. A controller, or more commonly known as the beneficial owner, refers to an individual or a legal entity that has significant interest in or significant control over a company. This requirement is to provide transparency over the corporate ownership and control structure within the company.

You may keep your company’s RORC at your registered office address or at the office of your authorised corporate service provider.

Central Register of Registrable Controllers

ACRA also maintains a central Register of Registrable Controllers. Companies are required to lodge the same information on controllers via Bizfile within 2 business days of the date of change.  

The information in the central RORC is only made available to law enforcement agencies. Members of the public will not have access to this information.

Find out more about setting up and maintaining your RORC .

Electronic Register of Members

All companies are required to update ACRA via Bizfile when there are changes to shares ownership and shareholders’ particulars. After you have submitted the relevant transaction, the system will update your company’s electronic register of members (EROM).

The date of filing will be taken as the effective date of entry or date of cessation of a person as a member

Electronic Registers of Directors

All companies are required to update ACRA via Bizfile when a director joins or leaves the company, and when there are changes in the directors’ particulars. After you have submitted the relevant transaction, Bizfile will update your company’s electronic register of directors.

Electronic Register of Secretaries

All companies are required to update ACRA via Bizfile when there is a change of company secretary and when there are changes in the secretary’s particulars. After you have submitted the relevant transaction, Bizfile will update your company’s electronic register of secretaries.

Electronic Register of Auditors

All companies are required to update ACRA via Bizfile when there is a change of auditor (if any) and when there are changes to the auditor’s particulars. After you have submitted the relevant transaction, Bizfile will update your company’s electronic register of auditors.

Electronic Register of Chief Executive Officers (CEOs)

All companies are required to update ACRA via Bizfile when there is a change of CEO (if any) and when there are changes in the CEO’s particulars. After you have submitted the relevant transaction, Bizfile will update your company’s electronic register of auditors.