Knowledge Highlights 26 November 2024
Introduction of contact address to replace alternate address by end-2024
With the passing of the ACRA (Registry and Regulatory Enhancements) Act 2024 (“Act”) on 2 July 2024 by Parliament, the Accounting and Corporate Regulatory Authority (“ACRA”) has on 23 August 2024 published details of the contact address regime and the steps to take to prepare for the transition to the new contact address regime.
ACRA will be introducing the use of contact addresses which will be publicly displayed in ACRA’s registers (public records) in place of residential addresses by the end of 2024. The aim is to enhance the protection of residential addresses filed with the Registrar.
As the national business registry, ACRA maintains and makes publicly available information about business entities and associated individuals, including their residential addresses, to facilitate regulatory and enforcement actions.
The Act will come into operation on a date to be appointed by the Minister.
Transitioning to the new contact address regime
For individuals who are position holders (e.g. company directors, business owners) and public accountants
Currently, there is the option to provide an alternate address at a fee of S$40 which will be displayed in ACRA’s public records in place of the residential address. The contact address regime will replace the existing alternate address regime by the end of 2024.
To facilitate the transition to the new contact address regime, all existing alternate addresses filed with ACRA will be automatically converted to contact addresses by the end of 2024.
ACRA strongly encourages individuals who have not previously opted for an alternate address to consider providing one to ACRA before the contact address regime commences by the end of 2024. Their residential address will continue to be publicly displayed as their contact address until a different address is provided to ACRA. The S$40 fee for filing an alternate address will be waived from 23 August 2024 onwards. No action is needed for individuals who prefer to use their residential address as their contact address.
For individuals who are solely shareholders
ACRA states that these individuals may wish to engage their company secretaries or corporate service providers to check the address currently registered with ACRA. If it is a residential address, they can choose to provide another address to ACRA that they would like to be reflected as the contact address when the regime takes effect by the end of 2024.
Corporate service providers
As a corporate service provider, our Firm will be checking our clients’ preferred addresses and will update ACRA accordingly.
Updating alternate address for individuals who are position holders or public accountants
Individuals who are existing position holders or public accountants can provide an alternate address through the various eServices in BizFile+. New position holders and public accountants should provide an alternate address at the point of registration.
Entity type/ Professional |
Who can provide alternate address |
eServices to provide alternate address |
Local company |
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Foreign company |
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Business |
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Limited liability partnership |
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Limited partnership |
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Public accounting firm |
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Public accountant |
Public accountant |
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(Source: ACRA website www.acra.gov.sg)
Updating alternate addresses for individuals who are both position holders and shareholders
Individuals who are both position holders and shareholders can only provide or update their alternate addresses as position holders through the eServices set out in the table above, when they are filing changes to their personal particulars.
Updating contact address for individuals who hold no other positions in an entity and are only shareholders
Individuals who are solely shareholders are not eligible to file an alternate address. However, they are eligible for the contact address regime. A shareholder’s address that is currently displayed in ACRA’s public records will be automatically converted to a contact address upon the commencement of the contact address regime by the end of 2024. Shareholders who wish to update their addresses can do so by engaging their company secretaries or corporate service providers to file the update via ACRA’s “Change in Particulars of Shareholders” eService.
Reference materials
The following materials are available at the ACRA website www.acra.gov.sg: