Home FAQ Corporate Service Singapore Singapore Companies Applying for Strike off/ to Cease Registration
Singapore Companies Applying for Strike off/ to Cease Registration
Q: |
To successfully apply to ACRA to be struck off, the company must not have any outstanding tax liabilities with IRAS. Otherwise, IRAS may object to the application to strike off. |
A: |
In this regard, companies should ensure that:
|
Q: |
How to check for outstanding filing and tax liabilities? |
A: |
You may check if your company has any outstanding tax issues via:
IRAS will not issue a tax clearance letter for the purpose of applying for strike off. The company can rely on the following documents from IRAS to determine that there is no outstanding tax matter or tax liability:
|
Q: |
Should I close my company’s bank accounts? |
A: |
Please do not close the company's bank accounts until all outstanding matters are settled. Once the company's bank account is closed and there is a tax credit owing to the company, IRAS will not be able to pay over the tax credit to a third party (e.g. director, shareholder). When the company is dissolved, the tax credit due to the company will be paid over to the Insolvency Office. The shareholders of the defunct company may approach the Insolvency Office if they wish to claim the tax credit. Charges will be imposed by the Insolvency Office for the processing of the claim. |
Q: |
What are the obligations after a Company has been Struck Off? |
A: |
Where a company has been struck off and dissolved, a person who was an officer of the company immediately before the company was dissolved must ensure that all books and papers of the company are retained for a period of at least five years after the date on which the company was dissolved. A company can be restored within 6 years after the company's name has been struck off, by a Court Order. The Court Order must be lodged via BizFile+ and the status of the company will be updated to “live”. |
Q: |
How to cease registration by Singapore branches of foreign companies? |
A: |
A foreign branch has to cease its operations in Singapore if its head office has been dissolved or is in liquidation. The authorised representative of the foreign branch is required to lodge “Notice by Authorised Representative of Foreign Company of Liquidation or Dissolution of Company” via BizFile+. If the foreign company’s local branch in Singapore has ceased business, the authorised representative is required to lodge “Notification by Foreign Company of Cessation of Business” via BizFile+. The branch should also inform IRAS in writing at the same time that it informs ACRA so that the tax matters and tax liabilities of the Singapore branch can be settled. The written notification to IRAS should include:
|