Singapore Company Strike-Off
ACRA's route is for a company that has stopped trading and owns nothing and owes nothing. Check the criteria, tax matters, consent, and objection process first.
Reviewed:
Who this guide is for
- Foreign founders and directors of an inactive Singapore private company
- Companies checking ACRA's strike-off criteria before using Bizfile
- Owners coordinating director consent, IRAS filings, registered information, and notices
- Businesses that need to distinguish ordinary strike-off from winding-up or a contested closure
The practical problem
Singapore's ACRA strike-off process has a defined eligibility test and a staged notice process. A company should have stopped trading or never started, have no unpaid debts or unresolved government matters, have no charge or loan issues, be free of legal and regulatory proceedings, own nothing and owe nothing, and have the required director agreement. ACRA also tells applicants to check tax credits, keep company information current, resolve court summonses, and complete the Bizfile application. IRAS separately says outstanding tax liabilities and obligations can lead it to object. The company remains live while the application is processed, and an objection can interrupt the route.
Your options
Voluntary ACRA strike-off for an eligible inactive company
Use Bizfile only after checking every ACRA criterion and obtaining the required director consent. The filing is a declaration about the company's real status, not a way to avoid creditors, taxes, claims, or regulatory action.
Prepare the company and IRAS matters first
Stop business, settle liabilities, check charges and tax credits, complete required corporate income-tax filings or the applicable IRAS digital process, resolve summonses, and update the registered office and email so notices reach the company.
Use a corporate service provider with documented consent
ACRA permits a company officer or corporate service provider to file. A provider must ensure that the majority of directors have consented where required. Keep the consent record and authorisation with the company's permanent records.
Choose winding-up or another route when the test fails
Assets, debts, unresolved disputes, employees, regulatory action, or a creditor objection can make strike-off inappropriate. Ask a Singapore insolvency or legal professional whether members' voluntary winding-up, creditors' winding-up, or another process is required.
Documents typically needed
- UEN, legal name, current ACRA business profile, registered office, and company email
- Director, shareholder, company secretary, beneficial-owner, and authorised filer information
- Written consent or approval record from the required directors
- Asset, liability, creditor, bank, contract, employee, licence, and charge-register review
- IRAS filing history, tax correspondence, tax-credit review, and evidence of resolved outstanding matters
- Court summons, regulatory, legal-proceeding, and government-agency status checks
- Bizfile access and the application reference, plus a plan to monitor ACRA notices
- Foreign registrations, payment accounts, domains, data, and records that need separate closure
Common mistakes to avoid
- Filing while the company still owns property, holds cash, owes money, or has a possible future claim
- Assuming a dormant company automatically satisfies every ACRA strike-off criterion
- Ignoring IRAS filings, outstanding tax liabilities, tax credits, or unanswered queries
- Failing to update the registered office or email and missing the strike-off letter
- Treating director consent as optional when a corporate service provider files
- Believing the company has ceased to exist immediately after the Bizfile submission
How Nomadic Go helps
Nomadic Go can review the apparent ACRA route, prepare a standard strike-off application from the information supplied, coordinate director consent, submit through the agreed channel, and track routine status through final evidence. Our professional quote is separate from any official or third-party charge. Tax returns, IRAS correspondence, tax clearance, accounting, debt settlement, insolvency, liquidation, legal disputes, bank closure, and payment-provider closure are not included in the standard service. ACRA and IRAS independently decide whether the application can proceed.
Frequently asked questions
What are ACRA's main strike-off criteria?
ACRA lists conditions including stopped trading or never starting, no unpaid debts or unresolved government issues, no charge or loan issues, no legal or regulatory proceedings, no assets or liabilities, and agreement from all or the required majority of directors.
Can a Singapore company apply with outstanding annual returns?
ACRA's current guide says an application may be possible if all strike-off criteria are met, but outstanding compliance can still require attention and the application can fail. Review the live ACRA guidance and the company's facts rather than treating the answer as automatic.
Does IRAS need to issue a tax clearance letter?
The tax process depends on the company's filing and closure circumstances. IRAS says companies should settle outstanding tax liabilities and obligations before applying and may object when matters remain. Nomadic Go does not provide tax services.
How long does Singapore strike-off take?
ACRA describes review, a first Gazette notification, an objection window, and a final Gazette notification. The company remains live during processing. Do not rely on a guaranteed completion date because queries, objections, missing information, and authority workload can change the path.
What if someone objects to the application?
ACRA can notify the company and the application may lapse if an objection is not resolved. Review the stated reason, address it with the objector or an appropriate professional, and confirm the current ACRA procedure before applying again.
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