Singapore registered address and BizFile+ filings — Step-by-step walkthrough

Singapore registered address and bizfile+ filings are two linked obligations every company carries from its first day. The registered address is the official address at which the company can be reached and where its statutory registers are kept, and BizFile+ is the ACRA portal through which the company lodges incorporation, annual returns and every change of particulars.

Raffles Corporate Services works with a panel of corporate and employment law firms; this article is general information, not legal advice.

What a Singapore registered address is

Section 142 of the Companies Act 1967 requires every company to have a registered office within Singapore to which all communications and notices may be addressed, and it requires the office to be open and accessible to the public for at least three hours during ordinary business hours on each business day. The registered address must be a physical Singapore address – a post-office box does not satisfy the requirement. It is the address that appears on the public register and to which the courts, ACRA and IRAS will send official correspondence. For a fuller treatment of the surrounding duties, see our companion Singapore registered address and BizFile+ filings — Complete 2026 guide.

Who this applies to

Every incorporated company needs a registered address from incorporation, which makes this a first-day decision for foreign founders who do not yet have their own premises. Many use a corporate service provider’s address or, where eligible, a residential address under the Home Office Scheme. The choice sits alongside the other foreigner-essentials covered in Singapore Pte Ltd company registration for foreigners.

What BizFile+ filings cover

BizFile+ is ACRA’s electronic register and filing system. The filings a typical private company lodges through it include:

  • Incorporation – the original registration of the company.
  • Annual Return – lodged each year under the Companies Act 1967, confirming the company’s particulars and financial position.
  • Changes of particulars – appointments and resignations of directors, the company secretary, changes of registered office, and updates to shareholding, generally notified within 14 days.
  • Annual General Meeting matters, where the company has not dispensed with the AGM.

The 14-day window for changes matters: a change of registered office or a director appointment is only effective on the public register once lodged, and late lodgement attracts penalties.

Cost and timeline (numerical specifics)

Indicative 2026 figures:

  • Registered office address service: from S$120 to S$240 per year.
  • Annual Return filing fee payable to ACRA: S$60.
  • Change of company particulars via BizFile+: many lodgements are free, while some attract a nominal fee.
  • Company secretary retainer covering BizFile+ lodgements: from S$800 per year.
  • Indicative timeline: most BizFile+ lodgements are processed immediately on submission; the Annual Return is filed within the statutory window after the financial year end and any AGM.

Step-by-step process

  1. Secure a registered address. Use a service provider’s address or an eligible residential address under the Home Office Scheme.
  2. Confirm public-access hours. Ensure the address can meet the three-hours-per-business-day accessibility requirement.
  3. Lodge incorporation on BizFile+. The registered address is captured at this stage.
  4. Keep statutory registers at the address. Including the registers of members, directors and controllers.
  5. File changes within 14 days. Notify appointments, resignations and address changes promptly.
  6. File the Annual Return. Within the statutory window after the financial year end and AGM (or AGM dispensation).

Common mistakes and gotchas

The most common error is using an address that cannot meet the accessibility requirement, or a PO box, neither of which satisfies Section 142 of the Companies Act 1967. A second is missing the 14-day window for changes, which leaves the public register inaccurate and exposes the company to penalties. A third is forgetting that official mail – including tax notices – goes to the registered address, so a neglected address can mean missed deadlines. Founders who plan to work from the company themselves should also confirm their work-pass position; the broader picture is set out by our colleagues in the Complete Singapore S Pass Guide 2026.

Regulatory context

The registered-office requirement and all BizFile+ lodgements are administered by ACRA. Tax correspondence is issued by the Inland Revenue Authority of Singapore, and companies often coordinate their registered address with their holding and tax planning – see Singapore holding company tax optimisation.

FAQs

Can I use a residential address as my registered office? Yes, where eligible under the Home Office Scheme, subject to the relevant approvals. It must still meet the Companies Act 1967 accessibility requirement.

Can a registered address be a PO box? No. Section 142 of the Companies Act 1967 requires a physical Singapore address accessible to the public.

How quickly must I report a change of address? Generally within 14 days, lodged through BizFile+.

What is filed annually through BizFile+? The Annual Return, confirming particulars and financial position, alongside any AGM-related filings.

Who can lodge BizFile+ filings for my company? The company’s officers or its appointed corporate service provider or company secretary acting on its behalf.

Related guides

For the entity-choice decision that precedes all of this, see Sole proprietorship vs LLP vs Pte Ltd, and the Ministry of Manpower for work-pass requirements.

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.