Central Registers of Nominee Directors and Nominee Shareholders

What are the Central Registers of Nominee Directors and Nominee Shareholders?

Since 2017, companies have been required to maintain a Register of Nominee Directors containing details on nominators of nominee directors. This requirement is extended to foreign companies through the Companies and Limited Liability Partnerships (Miscellaneous Amendments) Act 2024 (CLLPMA). Additionally, since 2022, both companies and foreign companies have been required to maintain a Register of Nominee Shareholders with details of nominators of nominee shareholders. These Registers must be kept privately at either the company's registered office or their appointed Corporate Service Provider's registered office.

Companies exempted from maintaining the Registers of Nominee Directors and Nominee Shareholders

Some companies are exempted from maintaining Registers of Nominee Directors and Nominee Shareholders (see below for exemption criteria).

Exempted companies may notify ACRA that they are exempted via the “Update Registers of Nominee Directors and Nominee Shareholders” eService on Bizfile.

Exemption Criteria

Companies exempted from the requirement to maintain the Registers of Nominee Directors and Nominee Shareholders are:  

1. a public company which shares are listed for quotation on an approved exchange in Singapore;  

2. a company that is a Singapore financial institution;  

3. a company that is wholly owned by the Government;

4. a company that is wholly owned by a statutory body established by or under a public Act for a public purpose;  

5. a company that is a wholly-owned subsidiary of a company mentioned in sub-paragraph (1), (2), (3) or (4);   

6. a company which shares are listed on a securities exchange in a country or territory outside Singapore and which is subject to — 

(i)           regulatory disclosure requirements; and

(ii)          requirements relating to adequate transparency in respect of its beneficial owners,

imposed through stock exchange rules, law or other enforceable means.

Foreign companies that are exempted to maintain the Registers of Nominee Directors and Nominee Shareholders are:

1. a foreign company that is a Singapore financial institution;

2. a foreign company that is a wholly-owned subsidiary of a foreign company that is a Singapore financial institution;

3. a foreign company which shares are listed on a securities exchange in a country or territory outside Singapore and which is subject to —

(i)           regulatory disclosure requirements; and

(ii)          requirements relating to adequate transparency in respect of its beneficial owners,

imposed through stock exchange rules, law or other enforceable means.

4. A foreign company which shares are listed for quotation on an approved exchange in Singapore, such listing being a primary listing.

What information must be filed with ACRA?

Companies and foreign companies must file information in the private Registers of Nominee Directors and Nominee Shareholders with the ACRA Central Registers of Nominee Directors and Nominee Shareholders. 

For nominators who are individuals:

1. Full name;
2. Aliases, if any;
3. Residential address;
4. Email address;
5. Contact number;
6. Nationality;
7. Identity card number or passport number;
8. Date of birth;
9. Date on which the director/ shareholder became the nominee; and
10. Date on which the director/ shareholder ceased to be the nominee, if applicable.
    

For nominators that are corporate entities:

1. Name;
2. Unique entity number, if any;
3. Address of registered office;
4. Email address;
5. Contact number;
6. Legal form of the legal entity;
7. Jurisdiction where, and statute under which, the legal entity is formed or incorporated;
8. Name of the corporate entity register of the jurisdiction where the legal entity is formed or incorporated, if applicable;
9. Identification number or registration number of the legal entity on the corporate entity register of the jurisdiction where the legal entity is formed or incorporated, if applicable;
10. Date on which the director/ shareholder became the nominee; and
11. Date on which the director/ shareholder ceased to be the nominee, if applicable.

Lodging information to the Central Registers of Nominee Directors and Nominee Shareholders

There are no fees payable for lodging information in your private Registers of Nominee Directors and Nominee Shareholders with ACRA.

Self-submission