Incorporating a company in Singapore is just the beginning. The real work starts the moment ACRA issues your business registration number. The first 90 days after incorporation set the foundation for how well — or poorly — your company operates for years to come. Miss a step early and you may face penalties, compliance gaps, or operational delays that are costly to fix later.

This checklist covers the essential actions every newly incorporated Singapore private limited company should complete within the first 90 days. Whether you incorporated last week or last month, use this as your running guide.

Week 1–2: Administrative Foundations

1. Confirm Your Registered Office Address

Every Singapore company must maintain a registered office address that is open and accessible to the public during business hours. This address appears on ACRA’s BizFile+ and on all official company documents. If you used a corporate service provider’s address for incorporation, confirm the arrangement is formalised in writing and that you understand how correspondence will be handled.

2. Appoint a Company Secretary

Under Section 171 of the Companies Act, every Singapore company must appoint a company secretary within six months of incorporation. The secretary must be a natural person ordinarily resident in Singapore. Do not leave this to month five. A qualified company secretary will set up your statutory registers, maintain your register of members and directors, and ensure your company files correctly with ACRA.

3. Issue Share Certificates

Once shares are allotted, the company must issue share certificates to each shareholder. These are legal instruments evidencing ownership. Your company secretary should prepare these promptly after incorporation. Ensure each certificate shows the shareholder’s name, the number of shares held, the class of shares, and the consideration paid.

4. Set Up Your Statutory Registers

The Companies Act requires every company to maintain several statutory registers, including the Register of Members, Register of Directors, Register of Registrable Controllers, and Register of Nominee Directors (if applicable). These registers must be kept at your registered office or at a registered filing agent’s office, and certain information must be lodged with ACRA. Your company secretary should set these up and populate them from day one.

Week 2–4: Banking and Financial Setup

5. Open a Corporate Bank Account

Opening a corporate bank account is one of the most important early steps — and often one of the most time-consuming. Singapore banks require KYC documentation for all directors and shareholders, company incorporation documents, and sometimes a site visit or video call. Start this process as early as possible. Common choices include DBS, OCBC, UOB, HSBC, and various digital banks like Aspire and Airwallex that cater to startups.

You will need: your Certificate of Incorporation, Constitution (M&A), latest business profile from BizFile+, identity documents for all directors and beneficial owners, and — in some cases — a description of your business activities and expected transaction volume.

6. Determine Your Financial Year End

Your financial year end (FYE) determines your Annual Return filing deadlines. Companies must file their Annual Return with ACRA within five months of the FYE (for listed companies) or seven months (for others). Common choices are 31 December, 31 March, or 30 June. Choose a FYE that aligns with your business cycles and gives you adequate time to prepare financial statements. Once set, changing your FYE requires ACRA approval and has procedural implications.

7. Set Up Your Accounting System

Singapore companies are legally required to keep proper accounting records from the moment they begin operations. These records must be sufficient to explain all transactions and enable the preparation of true and fair financial statements. Start your accounting system early — whether cloud-based software or through a professional bookkeeping service. Good records from day one prevent costly clean-up work later.

Month 2: Tax and Regulatory Registrations

8. Assess Your GST Obligations

Goods and Services Tax (GST) registration becomes mandatory when your taxable turnover exceeds S$1 million in the past 12 months or is expected to exceed S$1 million in the next 12 months. However, voluntary registration is available even for smaller businesses and can be advantageous if you have significant GST-claimable expenses. If you expect to cross the threshold, plan your registration early — IRAS allows you to backdate to when you first met the criteria, which means you could owe GST on past supplies if you register late.

9. Register for CorpPass

CorpPass is Singapore’s corporate digital identity system used to access government digital services, including ACRA’s BizFile+, IRAS’s myTax Portal, and the CPF portal. At least one director or authorised person must be registered as the CorpPass Administrator. This registration is essential to file returns, access tax assessments, and conduct government transactions online.

10. Apply for Required Business Licences

Depending on your business activity, you may need sector-specific licences before you begin operations. Examples include a Food Shop Licence (for F&B businesses), a Money-Changer’s Licence, a Financial Adviser’s Licence, or a Private Education Institution Registration. Check the GoBusiness Singapore portal for the licences relevant to your SSIC code. Operating without a required licence can result in fines and forced cessation of business.

11. Set Up CPF and Payroll (If Hiring)

If you intend to hire Singapore citizens or permanent residents, you must register with the Central Provident Fund Board and contribute CPF for each eligible employee from their first paycheck. Employer contributions range from 17% (for employees aged 55 and below) and must be submitted by the 14th of the following month. Set up your payroll system and CPF submission process before your first employee starts work.

Month 3: Governance and Compliance Planning

12. Pass the First Directors’ Resolutions

After incorporation, the Board should pass a set of First Directors’ Resolutions covering: appointment of company officers, opening of bank accounts, adoption of the company seal (if used), issue of share certificates, and authorisation of signatories. These resolutions form part of your company’s statutory records and may be required by banks and third parties as proof of authority.

13. Review and Execute Key Commercial Agreements

Identify the contracts your company will need and put them in place early: customer terms and conditions, supplier agreements, employee contracts, and non-disclosure agreements. Ensure all agreements are signed by an authorised signatory (typically a director) and filed securely. Contracts signed by a person without authority may be unenforceable.

14. Understand Annual Compliance Obligations

Every Singapore company has ongoing annual obligations it must meet. These include holding an Annual General Meeting (unless dispensed by unanimous resolution of all members), filing an Annual Return with ACRA, and filing a corporate tax return with IRAS. Companies with a 31 December FYE face an Annual Return filing deadline of 31 July 2026 — make sure you are tracking these dates on your annual filing calendar.

15. Register Beneficial Ownership with ACRA

Under the Registrable Controllers framework, Singapore companies must maintain a Register of Registrable Controllers (RORC) and lodge this information with ACRA. A registrable controller is any person who holds more than 25% of shares or voting rights, or who otherwise has significant control. This register must be set up promptly after incorporation and updated whenever ownership changes.

What Happens If You Miss These Steps?

Failing to comply with incorporation formalities carries real consequences. ACRA can impose fines on the company and its directors for late filing of Annual Returns, failure to maintain statutory registers, or failure to appoint a company secretary within six months. Tax penalties can arise from late GST registration. Banks may freeze accounts if KYC documentation is incomplete. And contracts signed by unauthorised persons may expose the company and its directors to personal liability.

The first 90 days are the window to get everything right without it costing you. After that, fixing compliance gaps typically involves additional filings, late fees, and in some cases, professional rectification work.

Getting Help With Post-Incorporation Setup

Many entrepreneurs incorporate a company themselves through ACRA’s online portal — but then struggle with the administrative steps that follow. A corporate services provider can handle most of the post-incorporation work on your behalf: appointing a qualified company secretary, preparing statutory registers and directors’ resolutions, advising on FYE selection, and setting up your compliance calendar.

If you have recently incorporated and are unsure where to start, Raffles Corporate Services offers a full post-incorporation setup service covering company secretarial, accounting, and compliance needs. The earlier you put the right foundations in place, the smoother your company’s first year will be.