Companies are free to change their registered address. The company’s registered address may be different from its operating address. For example, a company dealing with supplying raw goods may be operating out of a warehouse or an industrial site. They may not want official letters delivered to that operating address. They may have a headquarters at a more pleasant location. Perhaps the head office is in the central business district of Singapore. In that head office, administrative staff would be dealing with administrative matters. That company may choose to place its registered address at that head office instead. Alternatively, they can also place the registered address of the company at the address of their corporate secretary. At Raffles Corporate Services, we have many of our clients using our office address as their registered office. We will receive letters on their behalf, scan the letters and send them to the clients either through a digital mailbox or via WhatsApp. Clients choose to use this service as they do not want to miss out on important letters. This is especially true for letters from government agencies.

A company can change its registered address as and when it decides to do so. There may be a variety of reasons why it may do so. The issue when a company changes its registered address is informing the necessary parties about the change. Here is a list of entities and organisations a company will have to inform when it changes its registered address.

 

  1. Accounting and Corporate Regulatory Authority (ACRA)
    This has to be the company’s very first port of call. This is because ACRA, being the registrar of companies, is the body that keeps the company’s records. Updating the company’s registered address with ACRA will ensure that the company’s registered address will be updated on the company’s business profile. This should automatically update all other government agencies.
  2. Inland Revenue Authority of Singapore (IRAS)
    It is likely that IRAS would already know of the change if the company made the update with ACRA. However, to be prudent, the company can log into its IRAS portal and update its address manually. This is especially true if the company had given IRAS a mailing address previously. Therefore when the company makes the change with ACRA regarding the registered address, it is unclear to IRAS whether the mailing address is to be changed as well. To be prudent, you can also use the MyTax Mail email channel within the company’s tax portal to inform IRAS of the change in the registered address.
  3. Ministry of Manpower (MOM)
    Similar to IRAS, MOM should know of the change when the company’s Business Profile is updated with ACRA. However, it is prudent to send an email to MOM. This is especially important if the company has foreign workers on various work passes.
  4. Central Provident Fund (CPF) Board
    Similar to IRAS and MOM, you should update CPF board. This is especially important if the company is making CPF contributions. CPF Board should be able to see that the company’s registered address had been changed when the update was done with ACRA. However, to be prudent, the company can update CPF Board directly.
  5. The company’s banks
    You need to inform the banks for obvious reasons. The bank statements are sent to the company’s mailing address with the bank. If your company’s mailing address is the same as your company’s registered address, i.e., the company only has one address, then it is important that you inform the bank. In most cases, you can do so through the bank’s online web portal. In some cases, travelling to the branch to do the change is necessary.
  6. Your company’s business contacts
    This can be the company’s suppliers, creditors, debtors or investors. This should be in the form of a written correspondence. Minimally an email should be followed up by a call or message to the main contact person to ascertain that the party received the change in registered address notice.

Changing a company’s registered address is not a matter to be taken lightly. This is a matter of great significance as the company’s registered address is the address to which all official correspondence should occur in the majority of instances.

If your company wants to change its registered address, it should be by way of a board resolution. i.e., it is a matter for the board to decide. If your company needs assistance in changing its registered address, you may contact the Raffles Corporate Services corporate compliance team at [email protected].

 

Yours sincerely,

The editorial team at Raffles Corporate Services