Singapore is a trading hub, and the GST system can be tough on companies that import vastly more than they sell domestically. The standard rule — pay 9% GST on imports, claim it back later as input tax — works for most businesses, but for import-heavy traders it locks up significant working capital for weeks or months at a time. The Major Exporter Scheme (MES) is the Inland Revenue Authority of Singapore’s (IRAS) answer to that cash-flow problem.
If your company qualifies for MES, you can suspend the GST that would otherwise be paid at the point of import. Instead of paying GST upfront and waiting for a refund, the GST is simply not collected — provided the goods are imported in the course of your business and you meet the scheme’s ongoing compliance obligations.
This 2026 guide explains who qualifies for MES, how to apply, what your reporting obligations look like, and the most common reasons IRAS revokes the status.
What Is the Major Exporter Scheme?
The Major Exporter Scheme is a GST suspension scheme administered by IRAS under the GST (General) Regulations. It allows approved businesses to import goods into Singapore without paying GST at the point of import. The scheme is designed for traders whose zero-rated supplies (exports) make up a large portion of their total taxable supplies — companies that would otherwise be net refund claimants every quarter.
For background reading on Singapore’s GST system, see our GST Registration Singapore 2026 Guide, which covers when registration is mandatory and how the input tax recovery mechanism works.
Who Qualifies for MES?
IRAS sets four core conditions. All must be met when you apply, and continued compliance is monitored every year.
1. You must be GST-registered
You must already be a GST-registered business under the Goods and Services Tax Act. If you have not yet registered, you must complete GST registration first.
2. Zero-rated supplies threshold
Your zero-rated supplies (typically exports of goods and international services) must be more than 50% of your total supplies, OR the value of your zero-rated supplies in the past 12 months must exceed S$10 million. Most MES applicants come in through the 50% test rather than the dollar threshold.
3. Good compliance record
IRAS will review your last three years of GST and corporate tax filings. Late submissions, late payments, prior assessments, and any GST penalty record will count against you.
4. ASK Review or sponsor required
Most MES applicants must commission an Assisted Self-Help Kit (ASK) Annual Review, which is a structured GST compliance review performed by an Accredited Tax Practitioner or Advisor. Smaller applicants who are unable to engage an ASK reviewer can instead be sponsored by another MES-approved company in their group — useful for newly incorporated trading subsidiaries of an existing MES holder.
How to Apply
The application is submitted online via myTax Portal using CorpPass. Documents typically required include:
- The completed GST F10 application form (online).
- The ASK Annual Review report (or sponsor confirmation).
- Audited financial statements for the latest financial year.
- A breakdown of zero-rated, standard-rated and exempt supplies for the past 12 months.
- An import-export ledger showing your typical monthly inbound and outbound shipment values.
Processing usually takes three to six months. IRAS may request additional information mid-review, and many applications stall because the applicant cannot evidence the value of zero-rated supplies with sufficient documentation. Keep your sales invoices, bills of lading and export permits well-organised — this is the single biggest practical predictor of approval speed.
What MES Status Gives You
Once you receive your MES approval letter, you are given a unique MES status reference. You quote this in your import permit declarations to Singapore Customs (TradeNet) so that GST is suspended at the time of import. You still report the import value in your quarterly GST return (Box 5 — Total Value of Taxable Purchases), but no upfront GST payment is required. The scheme also covers goods imported on consignment, goods imported for re-export, and certain re-imports after overseas processing.
For companies that previously had S$50,000 to several million dollars tied up in upfront import GST awaiting refund, the working capital release is immediate and substantial.
Renewal, Annual Review and Self-Review
MES approval is granted for three years at a time. Renewal requires a fresh ASK Annual Review and a fresh compliance review by IRAS. Even within the three-year period, you must continue to file a self-review using IRAS’ Assisted Compliance Assurance Programme (ACAP) framework, and you must notify IRAS promptly if:
- Your zero-rated supplies fall below 50% of total supplies for two consecutive quarters.
- You undergo a change in beneficial ownership of 50% or more.
- You receive a GST penalty, a tax investigation notice, or an ACRA penalty for compliance breaches.
- You change your principal business activity in your ACRA records.
For more on keeping your ACRA records aligned with your tax position, read our note on changing your company constitution and on related party transactions governance.
When IRAS Revokes MES Status
Revocation is more common than people think. The usual triggers are:
- Failed ASK Annual Review. Material errors in input tax claims, missed reverse-charge entries on imported services, or failure to apply the GST reverse charge correctly on imported services are common findings.
- Drop below the 50% zero-rated threshold for an extended period without IRAS being informed.
- Late GST returns — even a single late filing within the MES period can prompt a review.
- Director or shareholder change not disclosed to IRAS within 30 days.
- Customs detected irregularities — for example, declaring a TradeNet permit value materially different from the matching commercial invoice.
Revocation is not always permanent — IRAS will typically allow a re-application after one year of clean compliance — but the immediate cash flow impact is severe. Once revoked, the company must pay GST on every import upfront and reclaim it via quarterly returns, exactly as it would without MES.
MES vs Other Schemes
MES is sometimes confused with two related schemes. The Approved Third Party Logistics (3PL) Company Scheme targets logistics providers handling goods on behalf of overseas principals. The Approved Contract Manufacturer and Trader (ACMT) Scheme targets contract manufacturers processing materials owned by overseas customers. If your company touches imported goods that are not legally owned by your company, consider whether 3PL or ACMT is a better fit than MES.
For broader tax planning of import-heavy trading operations, you may also want to read our notes on the Global Trader Programme (GTP) and the Free Trade Zone (FTZ) regime, both of which can stack with MES to produce significant tax and cash-flow advantages.
Practical Checklist Before You Apply
- Are your past 12 months of GST returns clean — no late filings, no penalties?
- Can you evidence that zero-rated supplies exceed 50% of total taxable supplies on a stable basis?
- Have you engaged an ASK reviewer, or do you have a sponsor that is willing to vouch for you?
- Are your import permits, commercial invoices and bills of lading well-organised and easily retrievable?
- Have you reviewed your reverse-charge position on imported services?
- Do you have a person inside the company who owns the compliance — not just outsourced to your tax agent?
If you answered yes to all six, you are well-placed to apply. If not, fix the gap before you submit — applying too early is the single most common reason for rejection.
The Bottom Line
For Singapore companies whose business model is heavily skewed towards export, MES is one of the most valuable cash-flow tools the tax system offers. The eligibility tests are straightforward, the application paperwork is manageable, and the working capital release after approval is real. But IRAS holds approved companies to a high compliance standard, and the revocation risk is genuine. The best outcomes go to companies that treat MES as a long-term compliance posture, not a one-off application.
For statutory references see the Goods and Services Tax Act 1993 and the latest IRAS e-Tax Guide on the Major Exporter Scheme.
— The Editorial Team, Raffles Corporate Services