Company Status on Bizfile: Live, Struck Off or in Liquidation?

Short answer: Search the company’s name or UEN on the Entity tab of Bizfile, free and without logging in. “Live” means it is on the register. “Gazetted to be Struck Off” means the First Gazette notice is out and a 60-day objection period is running. “Struck Off” means it is off the register until a restoration returns it to “Live”.

Reading a company status on Bizfile takes a minute, but the labels carry real consequences for anyone signing a contract, lending money, hiring or buying shares. Since 20 October 2026 the strike-off sequence has also changed, so a status you read today can mean something different from the same label last year. This guide explains where to look, what each label means, how a company moves between statuses, and what to check before you rely on a search result.

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.

How do you check a company’s status on Bizfile?

Open Bizfile, choose the Entity tab, type the company name or its unique entity number (UEN) and click Search. Open “More information” on the right result to see the entity profile, including its status and registered address.

ACRA’s guide on using Bizfile’s search functions says you can check these basics without logging in. Two practical points from that guide help avoid mistakes:

• Search by UEN where you have it. Select “UEN (including previous UEN)” under the keyword match type, then apply the filter. Names can be similar, and a UEN removes the guesswork.
• If a name search returns more than 250 results, narrow it with the pre-search filters, such as entity type or status.

The free search shows status and address only. For officers, shareholders and filed documents you need a paid product, covered in the table below.

Prices are from ACRA’s page on types of ACRA information products. Our sister site has a longer walkthrough of Bizfile’s search functions for due diligence.

What does each company status on Bizfile mean?

“Live” means the company is on ACRA’s register. “Gazetted to be Struck Off” means ACRA has published the First Gazette notice and the company is in the objection period. “Struck Off” means the name has been removed from the register. ACRA’s guidance is clear on these three labels, and less specific on the others.

One caution on the winding-up row. ACRA’s pages I reviewed describe the four ways to wind up a local company and the liquidator notices that follow, but I did not find an ACRA page defining the exact status wording for a company in liquidation. Read what Bizfile displays on the day, and do not assume it matches a label you saw in an older guide.

What changed on 20 October 2026 for strike-off and restoration status?

For voluntary strike-off applications made on or after 20 October 2026, ACRA no longer sends a striking-off letter and then waits. It sends a First Gazette notice to the registered office and officers’ residential addresses, publishes the name, and changes the status to “Gazetted to be Struck Off” at that point.

The table is drawn from ACRA’s page on striking off a local company, last updated by ACRA in October 2026 and showing both processes side by side. The practical effect is that the “Gazetted to be Struck Off” label now appears earlier in the sequence. For the Registrar-initiated route, see our guide to the ACRA strike off letter and the 15-day answer window.

How does a company move from Live to Struck Off, and back?

A voluntary strike-off runs through six stages from application to Final Gazette, and a restoration reverses it. The ordered steps below follow ACRA’s current guidance for applications made on or after 20 October 2026.

1. The directors or a corporate service provider apply on Bizfile. Where other position holders exist, all or most directors must endorse within 14 days or the application lapses.
2. ACRA approves the application. The company remains “Live” while ACRA processes it.
3. ACRA sends the First Gazette notice and publishes the name. The status changes to “Gazetted to be Struck Off”.
4. A 60-day period runs from the date of that notice. Officers and interested parties may object. If an objection is accepted, the company has two months to resolve it or the process lapses.
5. If there is no objection, ACRA publishes the Final Gazette notice. The company is struck off on the stated date and time and the status becomes “Struck Off”.
6. If the company is later restored, the status returns to “Live” once ACRA processes the restoration.

A struck-off company is not necessarily gone for good. Our guide to restoring a struck-off company and the new refusal grounds covers what can block it.

Can a struck-off company be restored to Live?

Yes, in many cases. ACRA says you can restore a struck-off company within six years by getting a court order, and, for entities struck off by ACRA-initiated striking off, administrative restoration is available to former directors and members.

The fee on Bizfile is S$0 for both, per ACRA’s guide to applying to restore a business entity. A court application is conducted by a Singapore Advocate and Solicitor; a Singapore law firm can advise on whether the court route fits your facts. ACRA also publishes monthly lists of entities that have been restored, which is useful when a “Live” company has a gap in its history. Our RCS guide to restoring a struck-off company covers the practical side.

What does “in liquidation” mean for a company’s status?

It means the company is being wound up and a liquidator, not the directors, controls its affairs. ACRA lists four ways to wind up a local company: members’ voluntary winding up, the Simplified Winding Up Programme, creditors’ voluntary winding up and court-ordered compulsory winding up.

In each case the liquidator files notices through Bizfile’s “Manage winding up” eService, including the notice of appointment, the liquidator’s accounts and the return relating to the final meeting. A general lodgement is used for dissolution of the company. If you are dealing with a company in liquidation, the safest check is to ask the liquidator for the appointment details, then compare them with the notices on the company’s record. Our explainer on final dissolution after liquidation is completed shows how the process ends, and our guide to members’ voluntary liquidation in 2026 covers the solvent route.

What should you check before signing with or paying a company?

Check the status on the day you sign, not the day you first received the company’s details. A status can change within weeks, and the “Live” label alone does not tell you whether a strike-off or winding-up step has started.

1. Search by UEN and confirm the name and status match what the company told you.
2. Look at ACRA’s Gazette pages (First Gazette and Final Gazette lists) for the company’s name.
3. Buy a Business Profile (S$5.50) if you need the current position holders, or a certificate if you need certified status evidence.
4. Ask the company in writing whether it has applied to strike off, received an ACRA letter or appointed a liquidator.
5. Repeat the status check just before a large payment or completion, and keep a dated screenshot or certificate on file.

If your own company is the one at risk, keep its registered address and email current, because ACRA sends strike-off notices there. Our guide to registered address and Bizfile filings sets out what to update.

Frequently asked questions

Is checking a company’s status on Bizfile free?

Yes. ACRA says Bizfile’s free search functions show basic information such as status and registered address, and you do not need to log in. Paid products such as a Business Profile cost S$5.50.

Does “Live” mean the company is trading?

No. “Live” means the company is registered. ACRA says an entity stays “Live” while it processes an approved strike-off application, so a company that has stopped trading can still show “Live”.

How long does a company stay “Gazetted to be Struck Off”?

For applications made on or after 20 October 2026, officers and interested parties have 60 days from the First Gazette notice to object. If no objection succeeds, ACRA publishes the Final Gazette notice and the status becomes “Struck Off”.

Can I still sign a contract with a struck-off company?

ACRA says a struck-off company has been removed from the register and no longer legally exists. Do not sign or pay until you have taken legal advice on whether restoration is possible and what it would mean for your contract.

Last reviewed: 6 November 2026. The Editorial Team, Raffles Corporate Services.