A company seal custody record should identify who authorised its release, the specific purpose, the recipient and the expected return. Before arranging a courier, ask whether the seal is actually needed for the document and how its use will be controlled. Physical possession is not the same as authority to execute a document.

Hands signing a document at an office desk
Illustrative photograph by Pavel Danilyuk.

Confirm the request and authority

Ask for the document or transaction reference and the proposed signing arrangements. The secretary should check the company’s applicable process and any advice required. Do not assume that a request from a familiar employee authorises the seal to be applied to an unspecified bundle of papers.

This practical custody checklist does not determine how a particular document must be executed. Ask the secretary or appropriate legal adviser about the proposed document and process. Where a bank or counterparty asks for sealing, clarify its request before arranging delivery.

Arrange controlled delivery

Record the recipient’s name, business contact and agreed delivery location. Use a delivery method appropriate to the item and confirm who may accept it. Avoid placing the seal and unrestricted signed blank documents in the same uncontrolled package.

Keep a simple dispatch entry with the approval reference, courier tracking information and planned return date. Verify a change of destination through an authorised contact rather than relying on an unexpected message.

Example: a courier instruction changes

A request initially names the company’s solicitor’s office, then a message asks for delivery to a different address. Pause the delivery change and confirm it with the authorised requester. Preserve the clarification instead of assuming the revised address is genuine.

Check use and return

Ask the authorised custodian to record the documents on which the seal was used, where applicable, and confirm its return. Reconcile the return against the dispatch record. A courier delivery acknowledgement proves delivery to a location, not that the intended document was properly executed.

Respond promptly to a missing item

If the seal is unaccounted for, inform the responsible director and secretary, restrict further use and obtain advice on the circumstances. Keep the search and response record factual. Do not backdate a custody entry or recreate a signature to make the paperwork appear complete.

Related practical guidance

For the surrounding records and responsibilities, see maintaining statutory records, the company secretary role, company recordkeeping.

Official guidance: ACRA general company administration guidance.

Help with your company records

For corporate secretarial and company administration support, contact Raffles Corporate Services at [email protected] or WhatsApp +65 8501 7133. Tell us which records or process need attention so we can discuss the relevant next steps.