ACRA New Regulatory Changes in 2026

Key Takeaways

• Stricter director liability: Maximum fines quadruple to S$20,000 alongside potential 12-month imprisonment terms for duty breaches.
• Money laundering disqualification: Convictions under money laundering laws now trigger immediate statutory director disqualification.
• Auditor name attribution: Audit reports must explicitly state the full name of the public accountant primarily responsible for the engagement.
• CEO role declarations: Annual return filings now require companies to explicitly declare individuals performing CEO functions.
• Flexible registered office access: Mandatory public opening hours are removed, but records must remain inspectable upon reasonable notice.

Overview of ACRA New Changes in 2026

The table below shows an overview of the all the ACRA changes in 2026:

What Changed Under ACRA on 6 May 2026?

Singapore’s Corporate and Accounting Laws (Amendment) Act 2025 was passed by Parliament on 5 November 2025 and has been implemented in phases.

The first phase started on 6 May 2026 and focused on strengthening transparency, stricter control over corporate structures, and enforcement.

Here is an overview of the changes:

1. Heavier Penalties for Directors

   Directors who breach their duties, such as failing to act with reasonable due diligence, face heavier penalties as ACRA bolsters the regulatory framework for companies.

   This includes raising maximum fines from S$5,000 to S$20,000. For serious offences, company directors can face fines and imprisonment of up to 12 months.

   What Should Companies Do?

   • Establish a Formalised Director Onboarding Protocol: Provide new board members with clear, documented briefings on their fiduciary and statutory duties under Section 157 of the Companies Act, emphasising standard-of-care requirements and personal liability risks.
   • Conduct Bi-annual Governance and Diligence Reviews: Schedule regular board evaluations to ensure all key corporate decisions, major transactions, and statutory filings are thoroughly vetted, documented, and supported by signed directors’ resolutions.
   • Implement Robust Internal Financial and Operational Controls: Set up explicit authorisation limits and dual-approval workflows to verify that directors act with reasonable care and due diligence in managing company assets and records.

2. Ensure Companies Are Used for Lawful Purposes

   Directors convicted of money laundering offences under the Corruption, Drug Trafficking and Other Serious Crimes (Confiscation of Benefits) Act 1992 have been disqualified from acting as directors to enhance Singapore’s anti-money laundering regime.

   The existing list of offences disqualifying individuals from holding director positions was also expanded.

   What Should Companies Do?

   • Review Director Eligibility: Conduct due diligence on existing and prospective directors, including checks for relevant criminal convictions and disqualification status. Reassess eligibility when appointing or retaining directors.
   • Strengthen Anti-money Laundering Controls: Review internal AML policies, customer due diligence, transaction monitoring and escalation procedures to help reduce the risk of money laundering offences involving the business.
   • Keep Governance Records Up to Date: Maintain accurate director records, establish a process to respond to changes in director eligibility, and seek legal advice if a director may be disqualified to ensure the company meets its statutory obligations.

3. Improve Audit Accountability

   Audit reports must identify the public accountant largely responsible for the audit engagement by name in a bid to encourage greater personal accountability for public accountants and transparency in the audit field.

   Audit reports were previously signed off by accounting companies without identifying the exact auditor responsible, even though the auditor’s name was available in ACRA’s register of auditors.

   What Should Companies Do?

   • Update Audit Report Templates: Audit firms should revise their standard report templates to clearly state the full name of the public accountant primarily responsible for each audit engagement
   • Clarify Accountability With the Audit Firm: Companies should confirm with their appointed auditors who is responsible for the audit engagement and ensure the final audit report identifies that individual correctly.
   • Strengthen Audit Documentation and Review Procedures: Audit firms should update internal quality-control checklists and review processes to verify that the responsible accountant’s name is included before reports are issued, reducing the risk of non-compliance.

4. Protect Shareholders’ Interests

   A new two-tier approval process has been implemented for companies that want to buy back shares from certain shareholders instead of all shareholders, such as selective off-market share purchases, with the aim of better safeguarding shareholders’ interests.

   Aside from the existing requirement for 75% approval from all shareholders, and from those selling, businesses must also obtain a separate 75% approval from shareholders who own the same share class as those being bought back, apart from those selling.

   This means that shareholders in the affected class have a stronger voice in the approval process.

   What Should Companies Do?

   • Review the Share Structure and Proposed Buyback: Identify the affected share class and confirm whether the company is buying back only part of that class.
   • Secure Both Levels of Approval Beforehand: Obtain consent from at least 75% of shareholders in the affected class, excluding those whose shares are being acquired and their associated persons, before seeking the company’s special resolution. Eligible class shareholders may provide written consent, so a separate class meeting is not always necessary.
   • Update Internal Procedures and Allow Extra Time: Work with the company secretary or legal adviser to review the proposed buyback, prepare the required resolutions and shareholder communications, and ensure the approval sequence is followed before proceeding with the transaction.

Latest ACRA Changes on 20 October 2026

The second phase started on 20 October 2026 and focused on reducing regulatory requirements, streamlining corporate filing and striking-off processes, and enhancing administrative flexibility for businesses and public accountants.

1. Updated Annual Return Filing Requirements

   Businesses that file annual returns must confirm that the latest particulars provided to ACRA are accurate for their:

   • Company Directors
   • Chief Executive Officers
   • Company Secretaries
   • Company Auditors
   • Other Relevant Members

   These include particulars such as:

   • Names
   • Identification Details
   • Nationality
   • Contact Address
   • Appointment Dates
   • Registered Office Address
   • Shareholding Details

   There will also be an additional question in the annual return e-form. Companies must indicate whether there are individuals serving as the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) in the company.

   What Should Companies Do?

   Before submitting their next annual return, companies are advised to:/p>

   • Cross-verify Registered Particulars: Reconcile all company records in ACRA’s BizFile+ portal against the company’s current internal statutory registers and supporting documents.
   • Audit Officer and Ownership Records: Confirm that all changes involving directors, company secretaries, auditors, registered office addresses, and shareholdings are accurately recorded internally and filed with ACRA.
   • Verify CEO Roles: Identify the individual performing the actual chief executive officer functions and ensure the new CEO declaration accurately reflects the company’s real operational arrangements.
   • Reconcile Membership Totals: For companies limited by guarantee, audit and match the reported member headcount with the company’s official register of members.

   Maintaining accurate underlying corporate records ensures that every detail in your annual return is fully supported. Unrecorded appointments, resignations, or address updates will trigger compliance discrepancies during annual filing with ACRA.

2. Reduction in Filing Regulatory Requirements

   Some filing requirements will be removed to reduce the regulatory load for companies. Specifically, these requirements will be abolished:

   1. Requirement to file a statement in lieu of prospectus under prescribed situations in the Companies Act
   2. Requirement for public limited companies with a share capital to convoke statutory meetings and prepare statutory reports

   What Should Companies Do?

   • Operational Continuity: Private entities do not need to modify their day-to-day internal governance or secretarial procedures solely to comply with the updated rules.
   • Process Retention: Standard corporate maintenance practices remain effective, provided underlying registers and filings are regularly audited.

3. Updated Registered Office and Record Inspection Requirements

   To provide greater flexibility for companies to determine their registered office’s opening hours, the requirement for a company’s registered office to be open and publicly accessible for specified minimum hours during regular business hours on each business day will be abolished.

   However, in accordance with the law, companies must continue to:

   1. Make company records available for inspection for at least 2 hours during each of the applicable business days. Individuals who wish to inspect company records must give the company reasonable notice of their objective to do so.
   2. File any changes in their registered office address within 14 days after the change.

   What Should Companies Do?

   • Define and Document Custom Operating Hours: Transition from rigid public access requirements by establishing clear internal policies for registered office availability, aligning hours with your operational needs.
   • Establish a Formal Record Inspection Protocol: Implement a standardised workflow to handle incoming public inspection requests, ensuring records are accessible for at least two hours on relevant business days upon receiving reasonable notice.

4. Simplified Striking-off and Restoration Processes and Improvement of Regulatory Framework

   Striking-off and restoration processes for companies, LLPs, and VCCs and sub-funds will be simplified. The regulatory framework for restoration will also be improved.

   There are 3 particular aspects to note:

   1. Timeline of Striking-off Processes: The Gazette notice may be published as early as the same day that the notice is sent for voluntary striking-off. For Registrar-initiated striking-off, it may be published 15 days after the letter is sent to companies
   2. Effective Date and Time: When the Registrar strikes off or restores its name on the register, an entity is then legally dissolved or restored on that date and at the time it happens. The name, date, and time will be published by the Registrar in the Government Gazette.
   3. Basis for Refusing Restoration: When there are applications to restore struck-off entities made to the Court or Registrar, they must refuse the application if:
   • The restored entity is likely to be used for an illegal purpose, or for purposes detrimental to public peace, welfare, and order
   • It would contradict national security or interest for the entity to be restored

   What Should Companies Do?

   • Define and Document Custom Operating Hours: Transition from rigid public access requirements by establishing clear internal policies for registered office availability, aligning hours with your operational needs.
   • Establish a Formal Record Inspection Protocol: Implement a standardised workflow to handle incoming public inspection requests, ensuring records are accessible for at least two hours on relevant business days upon receiving reasonable notice.

5. Flexible Public Accountant Registration Renewal Options

   Instead of the former single option of annual renewal, public accountants can now opt from renewal periods of 1, 2, or 3 years instead. This will reduce the administrative effort they need and provide greater flexibility when it comes to managing their registration.

6. Extension of Professional Indemnity Insurance Requirement

   In addition to public accounting businesses and accounting limited liability partnerships, professional indemnity insurance (PII) requirements will also be extended to accounting enterprises functioning as sole proprietorships and partnerships.

   What Should Companies Do?

   1. Assess Enterprise PII Eligibility and Coverage: Evaluate firm operating structures, including sole proprietorships and general partnerships, to secure qualifying Professional Indemnity Insurance policies before registration or renewal.
   2. Align Policy Limits With Statutory Standards: Ensure PII coverage amounts, terms, and deductibles meet or exceed ACRA’s mandatory minimum threshold requirements for accounting practice entities.
   3. Implement Continuous Policy Tracking: Establish an automated insurance management workflow to track policy expiration dates, handle timely renewals, and prevent gaps in mandatory coverage.

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   Navigating ACRA’s enhanced governance framework under the Corporate and Accounting Laws (Amendment) Act 2025 requires precise execution from updating statutory registers and conducting pre-filing audits to managing director liability risks and multi-year accounting renewals.

   As regulatory scrutiny increases and penalty caps quadruple, ensuring that your corporate records, officer declarations, and annual filings align seamlessly with Bizfile data is critical to maintaining total statutory compliance.

   At InCorp, our accounting and corporate secretarial teams help businesses of all sizes adapt effortlessly to evolving statutory requirements. Find out how we can help yours stay compliant and navigate these changes in 2026 and beyond!