Annual Filing
Annual Filing
Submit your annual returns online through the BizFile+ Entity Filing Portal.
Filing Deadlines
Non-listed companies: Within 7 months after your financial year-end (FYE).
Listed companies: Within 5 months after your FYE.
LLPs / Declarations: Once every calendar year, within 15 months of registration or previous filing.
Filing Fees
Annual return filing: S$60
Annual declarations: S$30
Financial statements filing: S$0 (online upload)
Required Steps
Log in to ACRA's portal using your SingPass or CorpPass.
Check and update your registered office address, officers, and shareholders.
Upload your financial statements in XBRL format (if required).
Pay the filing fee to complete the submission.
Late Penalties
S$300 if filed within 3 months after the due date.
S$600 if filed more than 3 months late.
If you want, tell us your company's Financial Year End date and whether it is listed or private, and we can calculate your exact filing deadline.
How Bestar Singapore Can Help with Your Annual Filing Commitments
For businesses operating in Singapore, complying with the Accounting and Corporate Regulatory Authority (ACRA) and the Inland Revenue Authority of Singapore (IRAS) is a strict legal requirement. Navigating statutory deadlines, converting statements into XBRL format, and managing corporate tax computations can quickly overwhelm business owners.
Bestar is a premium, full-service corporate service provider in Singapore. As licensed ACRA Registered Filing Agents and members of the Institute of Singapore Chartered Accountants (ISCA), Bestar streamlines your yearly compliance so you avoid heavy penalties.
Core Statutory Filing Requirements in Singapore
Every Singapore company must satisfy two primary compliance bodies every year:
Regulatory Body | Key Requirement | Due Date / Timeline |
ACRA | Annual Return (AR) Filing | Within 7 months of Financial Year-End (FYE) for unlisted companies. |
ACRA | Financial Statements (XBRL) | Required for most companies alongside the AR submission. |
IRAS | Estimated Chargeable Income (ECI) | Within 3 months of the company’s FYE. |
IRAS | Corporate Income Tax Return (Form C-S/C) | By 30 November of the following assessment year. |
How Bestar Singapore Simplifies Your Annual Filing
Partnering with an outsourced compliance specialist eliminates administrative friction. Bestar Services manages your lifecycle requirements end-to-end:
1. End-to-End Corporate Secretarial Services
Under Chapter 50 of the Companies Act, every Singapore company must appoint a qualified corporate secretary. Bestar handles the statutory heavy lifting by:
Preparing board and AGM resolutions.
Maintaining statutory registers (directors, members, controllers).
Submitting Annual Returns on the BizFile+ Portal securely.
2. Financial Statement Compilation & XBRL Uploads
Filing financial statements in eXtensible Business Reporting Language (XBRL) is mandatory for many firms. Errors in data mapping lead to ACRA rejections. Bestar's accounting experts format, validate, and upload your financial charts without technical errors.
3. Strategic Tax Advisory & Computations
Maximizing tax exemptions requires proactive preparation. Bestar handles your corporate tax returns, files your ECI, and reviews eligibility for standard startup tax exemptions or corporate tax rebates to safeguard your working capital.
Frequently Asked Questions About Annual Filing
What happens if I file my Annual Return late in Singapore?
ACRA imposes fixed late lodgement penalties starting at S$300 if filed within 3 months after the due date, escalating to S$600 for longer delays. Persistent failure can lead to court summonses or director disqualifications.
Can foreigners handle their own ACRA filings?
Foreign directors without a SingPass or CorpPass cannot access the BizFile+ system directly. They must legally appoint an authorized ACRA Registered Filing Agent, such as Bestar Services, to file returns on their behalf. [4]
Do dormant companies need to file annual returns?
Yes. Even if your company has no business transactions, it is still classified as a live legal entity and must file an Annual Return with ACRA, though it may qualify for exemptions from filing financial statements.
Secure Your Company Compliance with Bestar
Avoid last-minute rushes and costly compliance penalties. Contact the corporate support experts directly through the official Bestar Corporate Portal to set up a consultation, or review their tailored service profiles on the InCorporate SG Bestar Directory.
To give you the most accurate advice, could you tell us:
What is your company's Financial Year End (FYE) date?
Is your company currently active, dormant, or a fresh startup?
Do you require specialized XBRL financial statement formatting?
With these details, we can map out an exact compliance timeline for your business.
Company currently Active, Dormant, or a Fresh Startup
To help you determine your company's exact classification and compliance timeline, you can look at how ACRA and IRAS define these business stages:
1. Active Company
Your company is considered active if it is carrying out business and has routine accounting transactions running through its books.
Compliance Duties: You must file a full set of financial statements, file your Estimated Chargeable Income (ECI) within 3 months of your Financial Year End (FYE), and lodge your Annual Return.
2. Dormant Company
Your company is legally dormant if no accounting transactions have occurred during the financial period. ACRA and IRAS have slightly different criteria for exemptions:
ACRA Criteria: No transactions that affect the financial statements (excluding minor expenses like secretarial fees or ACRA filing fees). You can enjoy an exemption from preparing financial statements if you meet the total asset thresholds.
IRAS Criteria: The company must not have generated any income or revenue, and must not have any investments (like shares or property) yielding income. You can apply for a waiver to stop filing corporate tax returns until you resume business.
3. Fresh Startup
Your company is a fresh startup if it was recently incorporated and is currently operating within its first 3 Years of Assessment (YA).
Tax Benefit: Fresh startups can leverage the IRAS Tax Exemption Scheme for New Start-Up Companies. This grants a 75% tax exemption on the first S$100,000 of normal chargeable income, and a 50% exemption on the next S$100,000, provided you have no more than 20 shareholders and at least one individual shareholder holds at least 10% of the equity.
Direct Comparison of Filing Exemptions
Company Status | Must File ACRA Annual Return? | Must File Financial Statements / XBRL? | Must File IRAS Tax Returns? |
Active | Yes | Yes (unless micro-exempt) | Yes (ECI & Form C-S/C) |
Dormant | Yes | No (if qualifying criteria met) | No (if IRAS Waiver is approved) |
Fresh Startup | Yes | Yes (for the first FYE) | Yes (to claim startup tax perks) |
To calculate your exact compliance calendar, please tell us:
Which of the three states (Active, Dormant, or Fresh Startup) best describes your business right now?
What is your chosen Financial Year End (FYE) month (e.g., December 31)?
Let’s map out your definitive corporate timeline. The exact regulatory calendar for any company in Singapore is reverse-engineered from a single anchor point: your Financial Year End (FYE).
Because compliance timelines are strictly calculated based on your company's operational lifecycle, choosing the right filing strategy protects your startup or business from unnecessary ACRA late lodgement penalties (which start at S$300) or IRAS tax compliance audits.
Step-by-Step Compliance Deadlines by Company Status
1. For Active Companies
If your business is fully trading, your statutory countdown begins immediately from your FYE:
Within 3 Months of FYE: File your Estimated Chargeable Income (ECI) with IRAS (unless you qualify for a mini-revenue waiver of under S$5 million and nil income).
Within 6 Months of FYE: Hold your Annual General Meeting (AGM) to present financial statements to your shareholders.
Within 7 Months of FYE: Lodge your Annual Return (AR) on the ACRA BizFile+ System, complete with your mapped XBRL Financial Statements.
By 30 November (Fixed): File your corporate tax declaration using Form C-S / Form C via the IRAS myTax Portal.
2. For Dormant Companies
If your entity has zero accounting transactions running through its books:
ACRA Track: You must still file an Annual Return, but you are typically exempt from preparing and uploading financial charts or XBRL data.
IRAS Track: You can formally file a Dormant Income Tax Waiver. Once approved by IRAS, your rolling ECI and annual Form C-S requirements are frozen until your business resumes activities.
3. For Fresh Startups
If you are operating inside your first 3 Years of Assessment (YA):
The 18-Month Rule: ACRA allows new companies up to 18 months from their date of incorporation to hold their very first AGM and file their initial accounts. [2, 8]
Claiming Your Tax Perks: To tap into the IRAS Tax Exemption Scheme for New Start-Up Companies (which grants a 75% exemption on your first S$100,000 of normal chargeable income), your books must be filed properly within this structural window.
Optimize Your Compliance Calendar Today
Don't let complex data mapping or strict regulatory timelines disrupt your operations. Outsourcing your statutory workload to a certified firm ensures everything is calculated flawlessly.
You can review customized compliance services through the Bestar Services Corporate Page or evaluate vetted administrative options via the InCorporate SG Bestar Directory Review to find an authorized ACRA Registered Filing Agent who will handle your BizFile+ submissions securely.
To calculate your precise, calendar-mapped filing deadlines, please share:
What is your exact chosen Financial Year End (FYE) date (e.g., 31 December, 31 March)?
Which status best defines you right now: Active, Dormant, or a Fresh Startup?
Are you a foreign director who requires an authorized local agent to handle the digital SingPass submission?
Comments