Short answer: For voluntary strike-off applications made on or after 20 October 2026, ACRA says the process takes at least 2 months after approval, down from at least 3 months. The First Gazette notice now starts a 60-day objection period, and the company is dissolved on the exact date and time the Registrar strikes its name off the register.
Key facts at a glance
- Voluntary strike-off (Companies Act 1967, section 344A): the directors, or a majority of them, apply; the Registrar cannot strike off until 60 days after the Gazette notice is published (section 344A(4)).
- Registrar-initiated strike-off (section 344): a letter gives 15 days to show cause, then a Gazette notice and registered post give 60 days before the name is struck off.
- The company is dissolved on the date and at the time the Registrar strikes the name off, and the Gazette notice must state that date and time (sections 344A(6) and (6A), 344(5) and (5A)).
- ACRA’s guide says striking off takes at least 2 months after approval for applications made on or after 20 October 2026, and at least 3 months before that date.
- Officers’ and members’ liability continues after dissolution (sections 344A(7) and 344(5B)), and former officers must keep the company’s books and papers for at least 5 years (section 344H).
- A struck-off company can be restored within 6 years through the routes in sections 344D and 344CA.
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.
If you plan to close a dormant company, the striking off timeline in Singapore changed on 20 October 2026. This guide, rebuilt that day to replace an earlier version, compares the old and new processes, explains why the exact time of dissolution now matters, and sets out what to finish before you apply. It covers voluntary strike-offs, where the directors apply, and the Registrar-initiated route, where ACRA starts the process.
How does striking off work after 20 October 2026?
A company that meets ACRA’s criteria applies through Bizfile. After approval, ACRA sends a First Gazette notice to the registered office and the officers’ residential addresses and publishes the company’s name. The company’s status changes to “Gazetted to be Struck Off” and a 60-day objection period runs from the date of that notice.
If nobody objects, ACRA publishes a Final Gazette notification and the company is struck off on the stated date and time. ACRA’s announcement of 6 October 2026 says Gazette notices for voluntary strike-off can be published as early as the same day the notice is sent. The application is free. Approval is immediate, or up to 14 days if other directors must endorse, and the application lapses if a majority of directors do not endorse within 14 days.
What is the legal basis?
Section 344A of the Companies Act 1967 governs a strike-off on the company’s own application, and section 344 governs a strike-off started by the Registrar. Both were amended by the Corporate and Accounting Laws (Amendment) Act 2025 with effect from 20 October 2026.
| Point | Voluntary (section 344A) | Registrar-initiated (section 344) |
|---|---|---|
| Who starts it | Directors, or a majority of them, on the company’s behalf (subsection (2)) | The Registrar, where it has reasonable cause to believe the company is not carrying on business or not in operation |
| First step | Gazette notice and notice to company, directors, secretaries and members (subsection (3)) | Letter giving 15 days after its date to show cause (subsection (1)) |
| Waiting period | Not until 60 days after Gazette publication (subsection (4)) | 60 days after the later notice published in the Gazette and sent by registered post (subsection (2)) |
| Dissolution | On the date and at the time the name is struck off (subsection (6)) | On the date and at the time the name is struck off (subsection (5)) |
| Public notice | Gazette notice stating the date and time (subsection (6A)) | Gazette notice stating the date and time (subsection (5A)) |
Anyone may object, not later than the date in the notice, on the ground that there is reasonable cause why the name should not be struck off (section 344C). The Registrar also sends particulars to the Inland Revenue Authority of Singapore and the Central Provident Fund Board (sections 344(7) and 344A(8)).
What changed from the old timeline?
ACRA’s guide sets out both processes. The new one removes the separate objection window that came before the Gazette notice and brings the notice forward.
| Stage | Applications before 20 October 2026 | Applications on or after 20 October 2026 |
|---|---|---|
| After ACRA approval | Striking-off letter sent; company remains live | First Gazette notice sent and published; status “Gazetted to be Struck Off” |
| Early objection window | 30 days from the date of the letter | None separate; objections run in the 60-day period |
| First Gazette notice | Within 30 days of approval | On approval |
| Waiting period | 60 days | 60 days from the First Gazette notice |
| Overall time after approval | At least 3 months | At least 2 months |
If an objection is accepted, ACRA sends the company a letter naming the objector and the reason, and the company has two months to resolve the issue. If it is not resolved, the process lapses and the company can apply again only after the objection is cleared. Our guide to objecting to a strike-off covers the other side of that step.
Why does the exact time of dissolution matter?
Under the amended Act, the company is dissolved on the date and at the time the Registrar strikes the name off, not at the end of the day. The Registrar must publish the date and time in the Gazette and must ensure that anyone looking up the company on the electronic system is informed from that moment that it has been struck off (sections 344A(6A) and 344(5A)).
In practice, that makes the time stamp the reference point for anything that depends on the company still existing: signing a final contract, receiving a payment, closing a bank account or settling a tax matter. ACRA says a struck-off company has been removed from the register and no longer legally exists. Complete everything before the notice period ends, because the Registrar strikes the name off on the stated date and time without waiting for your readiness. Section 344A(7) also preserves officers’ and members’ liability, and the court keeps its power to wind up a company whose name has been struck off.
What must you finish before applying?
ACRA’s guide lists the criteria and preparatory steps. A false declaration can lead to investigation, so check each one honestly.
- The company has stopped trading or never started business since incorporation.
- It has no unpaid debts or unresolved issues with any government agency, and no charges in the charge register.
- It is not involved in legal cases in Singapore or overseas, and no regulatory action or disciplinary proceedings are ongoing or pending.
- It owns nothing and owes nothing, including potential future claims.
- All directors, or a majority, agree to strike it off. A corporate service provider must make sure a majority of directors have consented before it applies.
- No ongoing court summons: resolve any before you apply.
- No outstanding tax credits: on dissolution they transfer to the Insolvency and Public Trustee’s Office, and shareholders may have to pay processing fees to claim them.
- The registered office address and company email are up to date, because ACRA sends the notices there.
For the tax side, see our guide to tax obligations before striking off. Outstanding annual returns do not by themselves block an application where all the criteria are met, but ACRA advises you to monitor the process until the company is struck off, and if it fails the company must keep meeting its compliance requirements.
What does the Registrar-initiated route look like?
Where ACRA believes a company is not carrying on business, it may write to the company and its directors, secretaries and members. If no answer showing the company is operating arrives within 15 days after the date of the letter, the Registrar may publish a Gazette notice and send it by registered post, giving 60 days before the name is struck off unless cause is shown (section 344(1) and (2)).
Letters and notices may be sent to the company at its registered office (section 344(6)), so a neglected address can mean missing the 15 days entirely. If you receive such a letter, act at once: see our guide to objecting to ACRA striking off. Older guidance that quotes 30 days for a Registrar letter predates the amended section 344(1), which now says 15 days.
What happens after the company is struck off?
The company is dissolved, but nothing about the aftermath is free of duty. Officers keep their liability, and the books must be kept.
- A person who was an officer immediately before dissolution must ensure all books and papers are retained for at least 5 years after dissolution; failure is an offence with a fine of up to $2,000 (section 344H).
- If the company was struck off wrongly or later needs to exist again, restoration is possible within 6 years: see our guide to restoring a struck-off company.
- If you applied and then changed your mind, you can withdraw the application at any time before the name is struck off, free of charge (section 344B(1); ACRA guide).
What are the common mistakes?
- Applying while a charge, a court summons or a tax matter is still open.
- Leaving the registered address or email out of date, so the First Gazette notice or a Registrar letter goes unseen.
- Closing the bank account before the dissolution date and time, then discovering a late payment or refund.
- Treating dissolution as ending the directors’ liability, which section 344A(7) preserves.
- Throwing away records before the 5-year retention period ends.
- Using the pre-20 October timeline in plans and contracts.
For ACRA’s own description, see striking off a local company and the commencement announcement. The statutory text is at section 344A and section 344. For a wider summary, see the Raffles Corporate Services guides to striking off Gazette dates and the cost to close a company, and our summary of what commenced on 20 October 2026.
Frequently asked questions
How long does it take to strike off a company in Singapore now?
ACRA says at least 2 months after approval for applications made on or after 20 October 2026, depending on whether anyone objects.
Does it cost anything to apply?
ACRA lists the striking off application as free.
Can I strike off a company with outstanding annual returns?
ACRA says you may apply if all the striking off criteria are met and there is no court summons, but you should monitor the process.
What happens if someone objects?
If ACRA accepts the objection, the company has two months to resolve it. If it does not, the process lapses.
Can I withdraw a striking off application?
Yes, at any time before the name is struck off, through Bizfile, at no cost.
Can a struck-off company come back?
Yes, within 6 years, by administrative restoration or a court order. Directors’ liability continues in the meantime.
Need help with this?
Our team at Raffles Corporate Services can prepare the resolutions, registers and ACRA filings, and where court proceedings or legal advice are needed, we work with a panel of experienced Singapore law firms who offer cost-effective and efficient legal service and advice.
Email: [email protected]
Call, SMS or WhatsApp: +65 8501 7133
Last reviewed: 27 October 2026. The Editorial Team, Raffles Corporate Services.
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