# What is ACRA? Singapore’s Registrar of Companies (2026)

> ACRA — the Accounting and Corporate Regulatory Authority — is Singapore’s registrar of companies and the regulator every registered entity answers to.

_Updated 2026-08-02_

Source: /resources/glossary/acra

**In short:** ACRA (Accounting and Corporate Regulatory Authority) is the Singapore government agency that registers and regulates companies and business entities — the national registrar of companies. You incorporate through ACRA, file your annual return with ACRA, and update your company’s particulars with ACRA, all via its online portal Bizfile+. Since the CSP Act 2024 it also registers and supervises corporate service providers.

## What does ACRA do?

ACRA is a statutory board under Singapore’s Ministry of Finance. It is the national registrar and regulator of business entities: it approves company names, incorporates companies, keeps the public register of entities and their officers, and receives statutory filings such as the annual return and changes of directors, shareholders or registered address.

ACRA also regulates public accountants and, under the CSP Act 2024, registers and supervises corporate service providers (CSPs) — the filing agents and corporate secretarial firms that transact with ACRA on behalf of companies.

## ACRA vs IRAS — who gets which filing?

The two are often confused. ACRA handles corporate registration and the Companies Act: incorporation, the annual return, officer and shareholding changes, striking off. IRAS (Inland Revenue Authority of Singapore) handles tax: Estimated Chargeable Income (ECI), the corporate income tax return (Form C/C-S) and GST. A company files with both every year — they are separate obligations with separate deadlines.

## What is Bizfile+?

Bizfile+ is ACRA’s online filing portal. Almost every ACRA transaction — name application (S$15), incorporation (S$300), annual return filing, officer changes, buying business profiles — is lodged through Bizfile+, either by the company’s officers with Singpass or by a registered filing agent acting for the company.

## Which deadlines does ACRA enforce?

The ones that catch companies out most often: holding the AGM within 6 months after the financial year end (unless dispensed with under s175A), and filing the annual return within 7 months after FYE (s197). Late annual returns attract a penalty of S$300, rising to S$600 for longer delays, and persistent breaches can lead to enforcement against the company and its directors.

## Frequently asked questions

### Is ACRA the same as the Registrar of Companies (ROC)?

Yes — ACRA is Singapore’s registrar of companies. It was formed in 2004 by merging the former Registry of Companies and Businesses (RCB) with the Public Accountants’ Board, and the registrar function now sits inside ACRA.

### Do I deal with ACRA directly or through a corporate secretary?

Either. Officers can file on Bizfile+ with Singpass, but most companies appoint a corporate secretary or registered filing agent to prepare and lodge ACRA filings correctly and on time.

### What happens if I miss an ACRA deadline?

Late lodgement penalties apply (S$300 rising to S$600 for an annual return), and ACRA can take enforcement action against the company and its directors. If you know you will miss the AGM or annual-return deadline, you can apply for a 60-day Extension of Time (S$200) — before the deadline passes.

## Sources

- [ACRA — official website](https://www.acra.gov.sg)
- [ACRA — Bizfile+ portal](https://www.bizfile.gov.sg)
- [Companies Act 1967 — Singapore Statutes Online](https://sso.agc.gov.sg/Act/CoA1967)

## Related

- [When is the annual return due?](/resources/annual-return-filing-singapore)
- [ACRA Extension of Time (EOT)](/resources/ar-extension-acra)
- [Documents you need to register with ACRA](/resources/documents-to-register-acra)
- [Bizfile+ (glossary)](/resources/glossary/bizfile-plus)
- [Compliance deadline calculator](/tools/deadline-calculator)