Short answer: If ACRA writes to say it believes your company is not carrying on business, you now have 15 days from the date of the letter, not 30, to show cause. Object through Bizfile with recent evidence that the company is operating and file any overdue annual returns. If no answer arrives in time, ACRA may gazette the company, and 60 days later strike it off.
An ACRA strike off letter is the first formal step in a Registrar-initiated striking off under section 344 of the Companies Act 1967. It is not the end of the company, but since 20 October 2026 the window to answer it is half what it used to be. This guide covers what the letter means, the new 15-day rule, a response plan for those 15 days, who can act when a director is unreachable, and what is still possible after the Gazette notice.
Key facts at a glance
- Section 344(1): where the Registrar has reasonable cause to believe a company is not carrying on business or is not in operation, it may write to the company and its directors, secretaries and members.
- For letters dated on or after 20 October 2026, the answer must be received within 15 days after the date of the letter. Before that date the period was 30 days.
- If no satisfactory answer is received, the Registrar may publish a Gazette notice that the company will be struck off at the end of 60 days after the date of that notice (section 344(2)).
- Objections are lodged free of charge through the Bizfile eService “Submit/Clear objection against striking off”; ACRA states an approval time of up to 20 working days.
- The company is dissolved on the date and at the time the Registrar strikes it off (section 344(5)), but the liability of every officer and member continues (section 344(5B)).
- Directors of three or more companies struck off by ACRA within five years face disqualification (ACRA, citing sections 155 and 155A).
Raffles Corporate Services works with a panel of experienced Singapore law firms who offer cost-effective and efficient legal service and advice. This article is general information only and is not legal advice.
What does an ACRA strike off letter actually say?
It tells the company that the Registrar has reasonable cause to believe it is not carrying on business or is not in operation, and that a Gazette notice will follow unless an answer showing cause to the contrary is received within 15 days after the date of the letter. It is a warning, not a decision, and the company’s status stays “Live” while the window is open.
The power sits in section 344 of the Companies Act 1967. The letter goes to the company and to its directors, secretaries and members. Section 344(6) allows the company’s copy to be addressed to its registered office, which may be a service provider’s address or an office the company no longer uses. That is one reason these letters are missed.
ACRA’s page on penalties and enforcement for late annual return filing names failure to file annual returns as a common reason for an ACRA-initiated striking off. This is different from a voluntary striking off, where the directors apply under section 344A; for that route, see our guide to the striking off timeline in 2026.
What changed on 20 October 2026?
The time to answer the letter fell from 30 days to 15 days. The Corporate and Accounting Laws (Amendment) Act 2025 amended section 344(1) and (2) with effect from 20 October 2026, and ACRA now applies the shorter period to striking off letters dated on or after that day.
| Point | Letters dated before 20 October 2026 | Letters dated on or after 20 October 2026 |
|---|---|---|
| Time to answer the Registrar’s letter | 30 days after the date of the letter | 15 days after the date of the letter |
| When the Registrar may publish the Gazette notice | If no answer within one month from the date of the letter | If no answer within 15 days after the date of the letter |
| Period after the Gazette notice | 60 days | 60 days (unchanged) |
| When the company is dissolved | On publication in the Gazette of the notice of striking off (former section 344(4)) | On the date and at the time the Registrar strikes it off (section 344(5)) |
The clock runs from the date printed on the letter, not the date you open it, so a letter that sat at the registered office for a week has already used half the window. With the 60-day period unchanged, the earliest strike-off is now roughly 75 days after the letter, rather than about 90.
How does a Registrar-initiated strike-off unfold, stage by stage?
There are three stages: the letter, the First Gazette Notification, and the Final Gazette Notification. ACRA confirms you can still object after the first Gazette notice, but each stage leaves less room.
| Stage | What happens | Company status (ACRA) | Can you still stop it? |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1. Striking off letter | Letter to the company, directors, secretaries and members | Live | Yes: answer within 15 days with evidence |
| 2. First Gazette Notification | Published if there is no answer or the objection is disallowed; strike-off at the end of 60 days after the notice | Gazetted to be Struck Off | Yes: object through Bizfile with supporting documents before the date in the notice (section 344C) |
| 3. Final Gazette Notification | Name struck off; notice of the date and time published (section 344(5A)) | Struck off | Not by objection. Restoration only, administratively or by court application |
Section 344(7) also requires the Registrar to send particulars of the company and of its belief to the Inland Revenue Authority of Singapore and the Central Provident Fund Board, so expect those agencies to know about the letter.
How do you stop a Registrar-initiated strike-off inside the 15 days?
Work out the deadline from the date on the letter, decide whether the company should survive, and if it should, file an objection in Bizfile with recent evidence of activity while you clear any overdue filings. Do not wait to finish every overdue filing before you object.
- Note the deadline on day one. Count 15 days from the date printed on the letter and treat the earliest reasonable reading as your deadline. For a letter dated 3 November 2026, aim to object by 18 November 2026.
- Decide whether the company is still operating. If it trades, holds assets, uses its bank account, employs staff or has contracts on foot, keep it alive. If it has truly ceased, consider closing it on your own terms through the voluntary route.
- Check what is outstanding. List any overdue annual returns, AGMs or financial statements. ACRA’s guide to submitting an objection against striking off encourages companies to bring annual returns up to date before objecting.
- Update the company’s email address. ACRA says an outdated corporate email address is the most common cause of a “This field is required” error on the objection form.
- Gather recent supporting documents. ACRA’s examples include invoices, bank statements, a lease or utility bill, proof of asset ownership, IRAS notices of assessment, CPF contribution records, approved licences and contracts for ongoing projects. Upload up to two PDF files of 3MB each.
- Lodge the objection through the Bizfile eService “Submit/Clear objection against striking off”, via Corppass for the company or Singpass as an individual. State that the company is carrying on business and explain briefly why filings fell behind.
- File overdue annual returns as soon as possible. ACRA says prompt filing may help produce a favourable outcome. Late lodgment penalties apply automatically: S$300 for up to three months late and S$600 for more than three months late (filing due dates on or after 14 January 2022).
- Watch the Bizfile inbox and answer any ACRA request for documents or clarification promptly.
If ACRA has also offered a composition sum for a late AGM or annual return, deal with it separately. ACRA’s worked example shows composition sums of at least S$500 per breach, and it may prosecute if a composition is not accepted; see what directors should expect from an ACRA summons.
Who can answer the ACRA strike off letter if a director is absent?
Any person may object under section 344C, and ACRA’s guide says any interested person can submit an objection through Bizfile. The company does not need every director to sign, and a remaining director, the company secretary, a shareholder or the corporate service provider can act.
The ACRA objection form lets the objector identify themselves as an individual objecting for themselves or for another person, a business, a corporate service provider objecting for itself or for a client, or a government agency. In practice:
- A local director with Corppass access can object on behalf of the company as a business user.
- The company’s corporate service provider can object through its CSP profile for the client, which is often the quickest route when the directors are overseas.
- A shareholder or director without Corppass access can object as an individual through Singpass.
Overdue annual returns still need the officers to sign off the records, so contact an unreachable director at once. If the company went quiet because of a shareholder or board dispute, objecting may only buy time; our comparison of objecting to striking off versus a court winding up discusses when the court route fits better.
What if the Gazette notice has already been published?
You can still object while the company’s status is “Gazetted to be Struck Off”. The objection must reach ACRA by the date specified in the notice, and if the objection says the company is still carrying on business, ACRA asks for supporting documents.
The process is the same Bizfile eService, but with less margin: ACRA’s stated approval time is up to 20 working days, so lodge early in the 60 days, not at the end. Our earlier guide on how to object to a striking off walks through the Bizfile screens, and the RCS explainer on what ACRA’s striking off Gazette dates mean helps if you are reading a notice and need to work out the dates.
Once the Registrar strikes the company off, an objection is no longer possible. Two restoration routes remain. A former director or former member may apply to the Registrar for administrative restoration under section 344D, within six years after dissolution. Any person aggrieved may apply to the court under section 344CA, also within six years. The Registrar and the court must refuse restoration where the company is likely to be used for an unlawful purpose or restoration would be contrary to national security or interest. Our guide to restoring a struck-off company after the 2025 amendments explains the choice between the two.
What happens if you ignore the letter?
The company can be struck off and dissolved with its affairs unresolved, and the directors carry the consequences. Dissolution does not end personal exposure: section 344(5B) keeps the liability of every officer and member alive as if the company had not been dissolved.
- Section 344(5C) preserves the court’s power to wind up a company that has been struck off.
- ACRA states that directors of three or more companies struck off by ACRA within five years are disqualified for three years on a first occasion and five years for a repeat.
- ACRA also says a director can be debarred for failing to lodge required documents for a continuous period of three months or more.
For more on what survives, see the RCS article on directors’ personal liability after a company is struck off.
Should you let it happen if the company is dormant anyway?
Usually not. A company you want closed is better closed by your own application, after you have settled taxes, bank accounts and any assets, than by an ACRA-initiated strike-off that counts towards the disqualification threshold ACRA describes.
If the company has finished, answer the letter, bring filings up to date, then apply to strike off under section 344A or consider a members’ voluntary winding up if there are assets to distribute. If you want to keep a dormant company, keep annual returns current; our annual return filing guide for 2026 sets out the deadlines and fees. The RCS free tools can help you map your filing dates so a second letter does not arrive.
Frequently asked questions
Does the 15-day period run from when I receive the letter?
No. Section 344(1) and (2) refer to 15 days after the date of the letter. Use the date printed on it, not the date it reached you.
Is there a fee to object to an ACRA-initiated striking off?
No. ACRA lists the objection as free, with an approval time of up to 20 working days. Late lodgment penalties on any overdue annual returns are separate.
My letter is dated before 20 October 2026. Which period applies?
ACRA’s page states that for letters dated before 20 October 2026 the objection period is 30 days from the date of the letter, and 15 days for letters dated on or after that day.
Can a shareholder object if the directors do nothing?
Yes. Section 344C allows any person to object, and ACRA’s Bizfile form accepts objections from individuals. The shareholder will need recent documents showing the company is still operating or has unresolved matters.
Can we still restore the company if we miss everything?
Possibly. A former director or member can apply for administrative restoration under section 344D within six years after dissolution, or an aggrieved person can apply to court under section 344CA within six years. Restoration is not automatic and can be refused.
Need help with this? Call, SMS or WhatsApp +65 8501 7133, or email [email protected]. Raffles Corporate Services works with a panel of corporate and employment law firms; this article is general information, not legal advice.
Last reviewed: 5 November 2026. The Editorial Team, Raffles Corporate Services.
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