Company Secretary Fees in Singapore: Market Prices, ACRA Charges and Extras

Company secretary fees in Singapore usually run at about $300 to $600 a year for a simple company, and about $600 to $900 once annual general meeting (AGM) papers and routine changes are included, before any registered address. These are market prices on provider websites, as read in November 2026, not government rates. ACRA's own charge for the annual return is only $60.

This guide is for directors of small private companies comparing quotes. It separates what goes to the government from what a provider charges, then adds up the year for three hypothetical companies.

Amounts are in Singapore dollars (SGD), and ACRA's fees and rules are stated as at 1 November 2026.

Key takeaways

• Published market prices suggest $300 to $600 a year for a simple company and $600 to $900 with AGM papers and routine changes, excluding a registered address.
• ACRA charges $60 for the annual return. Appointing or withdrawing a director or secretary is free at ACRA, so a change fee is entirely the provider's labour.
• A hypothetical $199 package can cost $259 to $3,159 over a year before any stamp duty, depending on the company's changes and whether it needs a registered address.
• You must have a secretary within six months of registration, according to ACRA, but the role does not have to be paid. A sole director cannot fill it.
• From 20 October 2026, the annual return requires confirmation that the particulars ACRA holds are accurate, from officers to the registered office address and shareholdings, so ask who checks them.

Table of Contents

1. How much are company secretary fees in Singapore?
2. The three parts of the bill: ACRA charges, retainer and extras
3. What ACRA itself charges (and what is free)
4. What a cheap company secretary package may leave out
5. What you would pay in a year: three worked examples
6. Do you legally need to pay for a secretary at all?
7. New from 20 October 2026: what the annual return now asks
8. How to compare company secretary quotes
9. 10 questions to ask before you accept a quote
10. How to check the provider is registered with ACRA
11. Frequently Asked Questions
12. Official Sources

How much are company secretary fees in Singapore?

Published corporate secretary fees for small companies depend on what is bundled. The figures below come from provider websites, as read in November 2026. They are marketing prices, not surveys or government rates, and they can change.

Together, these prices suggest about $300 to $600 for a simple company and about $600 to $900 once AGM papers and routine changes are in the price. A quote above that band may reflect extra work, such as a fuller scope of routine work or advisory, so ask what it covers. A quote below it needs its exclusions added back before you compare it.

The three parts of the bill: ACRA charges, retainer and extras

1. ACRA charges. These are the government's fees, such as the $60 for filing an annual return. You pay them whichever provider you use, and even if you do the work yourself.
2. The annual retainer. This pays for a named secretary and the routine work, which ACRA describes as maintaining registers, organising meetings and taking notes, reminding directors of filing deadlines, and updating them on new rules.
3. Per-transaction extras. These are the provider's charges for one-off work, such as changing a director or transferring shares.

When you compare corporate secretarial services on price, separate the three, because a low retainer with high extras can cost more than a higher retainer that includes the work you need.

What ACRA itself charges (and what is free)

ACRA's fee table, marked last updated on 29 January 2026, has no line for officer changes, address changes or share transfers. For those items, our table below relies on ACRA's Bizfile guides and transaction pages, including the guide to appointing or withdrawing position holders.

What a cheap company secretary package may leave out

In this guide, $199 is an illustration of a low headline price, not any one provider's offer. Before you choose the cheapest company secretary in Singapore, check each item below. The "usually in the retainer" column and the ranges are Statrys's published figures for retainers in general, as read in November 2026, so a low-priced package may include less.

Provider C publishes $200 a year for a registered office, available only with its annual package, and $100 per directors' resolution and $350 per share allotment or transfer for existing clients ($200 and $500 for non-clients).

Share transfers carry a cost outside the provider's fee. Stamp duty goes to IRAS at 0.2% of the higher of the purchase price or the value of the shares, which IRAS works out for a private company from its net asset value or the allotment price. Unless the document says otherwise, the Stamp Duties Act makes the buyer liable. To avoid a penalty, the document must be stamped within 14 days after signing in Singapore, or within 30 days after it is received in Singapore if signed overseas.

Hypothetical example. A buyer pays $50,000 for shares valued at $80,000 under IRAS's method:

• Stamp duty: $80,000 x 0.2% = $160
• Provider's published fee range: $300 to $800
• Total cost of the transfer: $460 to $960

The cost of leaving. Statrys advises checking your current agreement for notice periods and handover charges before you change secretary, so read those terms before you sign.

What you would pay in a year: three worked examples

These companies are hypothetical. Each assumes a $199 package that names the secretary, keeps the registers and prepares the annual return, but excludes ACRA's $60 and every extra. If your package includes an item, remove that line. The extras use Statrys's published ranges, as read in November 2026. The totals leave out financial statements, XBRL and tax work: see what an accountant costs.

Company A: one director, dormant. A dormant company must still file its annual return. Company A is private, is not listed or a subsidiary of a listed company, and its total assets do not exceed $500,000 at any time in the financial year, so it need not hold an AGM and has no AGM papers line. It still declares its AGM details in the annual return. Its sole director still needs a separate secretary. See the dormant company filing requirements.

• Package: $199
• ACRA annual return fee: $60
• Total without a registered address: $259
• Registered address: $200 to $600
• Total payable with an address: $459 to $859

Company B: two directors, trading, one change in the year.

• Package: $199
• ACRA annual return fee: $60
• AGM papers: $100 to $300
• One director or address change: $150 to $400
• Total without a registered address: $509 to $959
• Registered address: $200 to $600
• Total payable with an address: $709 to $1,559

Company C: several changes in the year.

• Package: $199
• ACRA annual return fee: $60
• AGM papers: $100 to $300
• Three changes: $450 to $1,200
• One share transfer: $300 to $800
• Total without a registered address: $1,109 to $2,559
• Registered address: $200 to $600
• Total payable with an address: $1,309 to $3,159, plus stamp duty

The $199 package suits Company A. Company B's range already reaches the $600 published for more inclusive packages, so it should compare both. Company C should ask about a package covering routine changes, and check what falls outside its scope.

A missed filing can erase the saving. A late annual return costs $300 if filed up to three months late and $600 if later. For due dates from 9 December 2024, ACRA's late lodgement penalty for other company filings is $50 if within three months late, or $200 if more than three months late, for each change: ACRA's own example of two director changes about six months late comes to $400. Outsourcing does not remove the exposure: failing to lodge an annual return is an offence for the company and every officer in default, with a fine of up to $10,000 plus a default penalty (section 197(6)).

Do you legally need to pay for a secretary at all?

You must have a company secretary, but you do not have to pay one. The legal minimum under section 171 of the Companies Act 1967 is:

• A natural person. The secretary must be an individual with his or her principal or only place of residence in Singapore, and must not be debarred under section 155B (section 171(1)).
• Not the sole director. A sole director must not act or be appointed as the company's secretary (section 171(1E)).
• On time. ACRA says a secretary must be appointed within six months of successful registration, and the office must not be left vacant for more than six months at any one time (section 171(4A)). Otherwise the director may face a fine of up to $1,000.
• Appointed properly. The directors appoint the secretary (section 171(3)), and the person files a declaration of consent (section 171(1B)).
• Suitable. For a private company, directors must take all reasonable steps to ensure the secretary appears to have the requisite knowledge and experience (section 171(1A)).

So a company with two directors who live in Singapore and are willing to do the work can pay only ACRA's charges. A director or the secretary can file the annual return on Bizfile for $60, and our guide on being your own company secretary covers the steps.

When paying a provider is worth it

Paying makes sense when nobody eligible is willing to take the role, as with a sole director who has no suitable resident contact. It also helps when you expect share transactions, when a foreigner must be appointed or withdrawn, or when nobody wants to track the compliance calendar. With few changes and a careful resident director, doing it yourself may be better value.

New from 20 October 2026: what the annual return now asks

The Corporate and Accounting Laws (Amendment) Act 2025 changes that began on 20 October 2026 add work to consider when you compare company secretary costs:

• Confirming particulars. A company filing its annual return must confirm that the latest particulars given to ACRA are accurate for its directors, CEOs, secretaries, auditors and relevant members. ACRA lists names, identification details, nationality, contact addresses, appointment dates, the registered office address and shareholding details, where applicable.
• The CEO question. The annual return e-form now asks whether any individual performs the role of CEO. If the answer is yes, that person must be appointed and shown as a position holder.

Settle who does the checking, and whether correcting an out-of-date record is billed as a change.

How to compare company secretary quotes

1. List your expected changes. Pull your company's Business Profile from Bizfile ($5.50) and list the changes you expect in the next 12 months.
2. Ask for a written fee schedule. Ask each provider for a written fee schedule, not only the headline package price.
3. Add up the 12-month total. Add the retainer, the $60 annual return fee if it is excluded, the registered address and each expected change.
4. Check the registration. Check that the provider is registered as a corporate service provider using Bizfile's entity search.
5. Compare and appoint. Compare the 12-month total and the cost of leaving, then appoint your choice and file the change with ACRA within 14 days.

10 questions to ask before you accept a quote

1. Is the $60 ACRA annual return fee included, and do you add GST?
2. Who is the named secretary, and is that person resident in Singapore?
3. Are AGM papers, or the papers for skipping the AGM, included?
4. How many resolutions are included, and what does each further one cost?
5. What does a director, secretary or address change cost?
6. What does a share transfer or allotment cost, and who handles stamp duty?
7. Is the registered address included, and is it available without the package?
8. Who keeps the Register of Registrable Controllers and sends the annual notices?
9. Who checks the particulars ACRA holds and the CEO question before the annual return is filed?
10. Is there a handover or resignation fee if we move to another provider?

How to check the provider is registered with ACRA

Under the Corporate Service Providers Act 2024, which took effect on 9 June 2025, acting or arranging for others to act as company secretaries is a role service that requires registration with ACRA. Providers had to register by 9 December 2025.

To check, use Bizfile's entity search for the provider and its people search for a qualified individual. ACRA warns that an unregistered provider cannot legally provide corporate services and may face a fine of up to $50,000 if convicted.

A director or secretary filing for his or her own company does not need to register.

Frequently Asked Questions

How much does a company secretary cost per year in Singapore?

Expect about $300 to $900 a year in prices on provider websites, as read in November 2026, depending on whether annual general meeting papers and routine changes are bundled. Add ACRA's $60 if it is excluded, and a registered address if you need one. A company with few changes can sit at the lower end, while one with share transactions can pay well above that range.

Is the $60 annual return fee included in company secretary packages?

Sometimes. Two of the packages compared in this guide (Providers B and C) say they include it, but not every package does. It is ACRA's charge for filing the annual return, so someone must pay it each year. Ask the question directly and get the answer in writing, because a low headline price with the fee billed on top is not comparable with an inclusive one.

Does ACRA charge a fee to change a director or company secretary?

No. ACRA's Bizfile guide lists appointing or withdrawing a director, secretary, chief executive officer or auditor as free. The change must be reported within 14 days. Any charge you see for this is the provider's own fee, which Statrys publishes as typically $150 to $400 per change. Filing late brings a separate late lodgement penalty.

Is a $199 company secretary package enough?

It can be, for a company with few changes and its own registered office, if the package names a secretary, keeps the registers and prepares the annual return. It stops being cheap when changes, share transfers or meeting papers are charged separately. Compare the 12-month total for your expected changes, and check what it costs to leave.

Can I avoid paying by being my own company secretary?

Yes, if the company has at least one other director, your principal or only place of residence is in Singapore and you are not debarred from acting as a secretary. A sole director cannot act as secretary, but another eligible person can do so unpaid. You still pay ACRA's charges, and the directors must take all reasonable steps to ensure the secretary appears to have the requisite knowledge and experience.

Can I change company secretary midway through the year?

Yes. The directors appoint the new secretary and the change is reported to ACRA within 14 days, with no ACRA charge. The outgoing secretary cannot withdraw himself or herself, so another authorised position holder must file the withdrawal. Check your agreement first for a notice period or handover fee, and appoint the replacement before the old secretary leaves.

Official Sources

• ACRA: Service and transaction fees
• ACRA: Appointing or withdrawing position holders
• ACRA: Choosing company directors and other key officers
• ACRA: Commencement of key changes under the Corporate and Accounting Laws (Amendment) Act 2025
• ACRA: Penalties and enforcement for late annual return filing
• ACRA: Checking if you must register as a corporate service provider
• IRAS: When to pay stamp duty on shares
• Singapore Statutes Online: Companies Act 1967, section 171

About Tax Filing SG — We are a Singapore accounting practice run by ex-Big 4 Singapore Chartered Accountants (ISCA). We handle accounting, corporate tax, GST and company secretarial work for Singapore SMEs, including overdue and late filings.

Last updated: 9 November 2026. This article is general information based on IRAS and ACRA guidance as at November 2026, not advice for your specific situation. Rules, rates and deadlines change, so check the official sources above or speak to us before acting.