Companies Act 1967
Governs companies in Singapore, from incorporation, management, operations, director duties, to winding up procedures.
Last updated 29 January 2026
Background
The Companies Act 1967 came into effect on 29 December 1967. This Act was based on the Companies Act 1965 of Malaysia, which in turn was based on the Companies Act 1961 of Victoria, Australia.
View subsidiary legislation under the Companies Act
Companies Act: Evolution and reform
Since its enactment in 1967, the Companies Act has undergone several reviews to ensure that our corporate regulatory regime is robust and supports Singapore’s growth as a global hub for businesses and investors.
2020 to present
Details of key milestones
Period | Milestones |
|---|---|
28 June 2023 | From 28 June 2023, certain entities will be exempted from maintaining various registers under the Companies Act. More details: |
17 December 2021 | ACRA regularly reviews and seeks public feedback on legislation to foster a trusted and vibrant business environment. Following our public consultation on proposed amendments to the Companies Act (CA) in 2020, we are holding a public consultation from 17 December 2021 to 28 January 2022 to seek feedback on additional amendments to the CA as well as other ACRA-administered legislations. The additional proposed amendments are to improve filing inconvenience and data accuracy; strengthen corporate transparency and personal data privacy; and encourage digitalisation and sustainability. |
July 2020 | Public Consultation on Proposed Amendments to the Companies Act ACRA launched a public consultation exercise on 20 July 2020 to invite the public to provide feedback on the proposed amendments to the Companies Act. |
Companies (Amendment) Act 2017
To ensure that our corporate regulatory regime continues to stay robust and supports Singapore’s growth as a global hub for businesses and investors, the Ministry of Finance (MOF), and ACRA conducted a review of the Companies Act in 2016.
This review culminated in the Companies (Amendment) Bill 2017 and Limited Liability Partnerships (Amendment) Bill which were passed in Parliament on 10 March 2017.
Summary of key changes
Aim | Key change |
|---|---|
Reduce compliance costs and administrative burden |
More details: Changes on statutory requirements for AGM and filing of AR [PDF, 300 KB] |
Make the ownership and control of business entities more transparent |
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Boost Singapore’s competitiveness as a business hub |
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Singapore Statutes Online: Companies (Amendment) Act 2017
Related resources
For more details on the Companies (Amendment) Act 2017 [PDF, 169 KB], please refer to the table below.
Amendment act resources
Topic | Description |
|---|---|
Details of key changes: Companies Amendment Act 2017 | Download details on: |
Public Consultation on amendments to the Companies Act, LLPs Act and Accountants Act | On 26 October and 27 December 2016, the Ministry of Finance (MOF) and ACRA launched two rounds of public consultation on proposed amendments to the Companies Act:
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Commencement notifications and subsidiary legislation: Companies Amendment Act 2017 | Download details on:
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Second Reading speech on the Companies (Amendment) Bill 2017 [PDF, 61 KB] | Senior Minister of State for Law and Finance, Ms Indranee Rajah delivered the Second Reading speech on the Companies (Amendment) Bill 2017, on 10 March 2017 at the Parliament. |
Companies (Amendment) Act 2014
On 8 October 2014, the Companies (Amendment) Act 2014 was passed in Parliament, containing the largest number of changes to the Companies Act since it was enacted in 1967. It was assented to by the President on 18 November 2014.
The changes aim to reduce the regulatory burden on companies, provide for greater business flexibility and improve the corporate governance landscape in Singapore. Stakeholders from the industry, professional bodies, societies, and academia provided feedback through various public consultation exercises held during the review of the Act.
Reforms to the Companies Act saw key changes in five broad areas:
Directors' duties
Shareholders' rights and meetings
Capital maintenance (including amalgamations and takeovers)
Accounts and audit
Administration of companies.
Singapore Statutes Online: Companies (Amendment) Act 2014
Related resources
For more details on the Companies (Amendment) Act 2014 [PDF, 139 KB], please refer to the table below.
Amendment act resources
2014 to 2007
Details of key milestones
Period | Milestones |
|---|---|
September 2014 | Response to Feedback received on Draft Companies Amendment Bill The Ministry of Finance completed its review of feedback received during the two rounds of public consultation on the draft Companies (Amendment) Bill. |
October 2013 | Public Consultation on Additional Proposed Amendments to the Companies Act The Ministry of Finance and ACRA invited the public to provide feedback on the second part of the draft Companies (Amendment) Bill, which covers legislative amendments relating to:
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May 2013 | Public Consultation on Draft Companies Amendment Bill 2013 The Ministry of Finance and ACRA launched a public consultation on 2 May 2013 to invite public feedback on the draft Companies (Amendment) Bill 2013 implementing recommendations by the Steering Committee for the Review of the Companies Act. |
2012 | Response to Feedback received on Draft Companies Amendment Bill The Ministry of Finance completed its review of the Companies Act. |
2011 | Public Consultation on the Review of the Companies Act and Regulatory Framework for Foreign Entities The Steering Committee completed its review and submitted the "Report of the Steering Committee to Review the Companies Act" on 29 April 2011. ACRA and the Ministry of Finance launched a public consultation on 20 June 2011 to invite the public to provide feedback on the report. |
April 2011 | Ministry of Finance Completes Review of the Companies Act [PDF, 131 KB] The Ministry of Finance (MOF) accepted 192 and modified 17 recommendations of the Steering Committee for the Review of the Companies Act. This comprehensive review marks a major step forward in Singapore’s corporate regulatory framework |
2007 | The Minister for Finance appointed a Steering Committee to review the Companies Act to build on an efficient and transparent corporate regulatory framework that supports Singapore’s growth as a global hub for businesses and investors. The Steering Committee was chaired by former Attorney-General Professor Walter Woon, and supported by a joint secretariat comprising the Ministry of Finance, Attorney-General’s Chambers, and ACRA. The Steering Committee formed five working groups to look into the following five broad areas of reform, namely, directors' duties; shareholders' rights and meetings; capital maintenance (including amalgamations and takeovers); accounts and audit; and the administration of companies. |