Short answer: At Raffles Corporate Services, nominee director services start from S$2,000 a year, plus a S$3,000 refundable deposit returned within 7 working days after the service ends. The price reflects the company’s risk profile and the nominee’s role. Since 9 June 2025, only a registered corporate service provider may arrange a nominee director by way of business.
Nominee director cost in Singapore is mostly a price for risk. The person who lends their name to your board takes on the full legal duties of a director, so the annual fee, the security deposit and their conditions reflect that exposure. This guide explains what you pay for, why a deposit is asked for, which renewal terms to check before you sign, and how the Corporate Service Providers Act 2024 (the CSP Act) changed who may offer the service. The legal duties of a nominee director are covered in our separate guide to nominee director legal requirements and risks; this article focuses on cost and what you get for it.
Key facts at a glance
- Every Singapore company must have at least one director who is ordinarily resident in Singapore (Companies Act 1967, section 145(1)).
- Since 9 June 2025, a person must not act as a nominee director by way of business unless the appointment is arranged by a registered corporate service provider (CSP) (Companies Act 1967, section 145A). The maximum fine is S$10,000, plus up to S$1,000 a day for a continuing offence.
- A registered CSP must be satisfied that the nominee is fit and proper before arranging the appointment (CSP Act 2024, section 16). The maximum fine for a CSP that fails to do so is S$100,000.
- A resident director cannot resign if that would leave the company with no director ordinarily resident in Singapore (Companies Act 1967, section 145(5)).
- A nominee director must tell the company they are a nominee, and give the nominator’s particulars, within the statutory time limits; the maximum fine for failing to do so is S$25,000 (Companies Act 1967, section 386AL).
- Raffles Corporate Services’ published fee: from S$2,000 a year, with a S$3,000 refundable deposit.
Raffles Corporate Services works with a panel of experienced Singapore law firms who offer cost-effective and efficient legal service and advice. This article is general information only and is not legal advice.
How much does a nominee director cost in Singapore?
There is no fixed market rate. Each provider sets its own fee, reflecting the nominee’s risk and the work of supervising your company.
Our own fees are published on our packages page. Most companies using a nominee director also need the secretarial and registered office packages.
| Item | Published amount | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Nominee director service | From S$2,000 per annum | Annual fee |
| Refundable deposit | S$3,000 | Held by Raffles Corporate Services; refunded within 7 working days after the service ends. A reduced deposit is accepted if the accounts are done in-house by Raffles Corporate Services. |
| Compliance check fee (where required) | S$80 / S$250 / S$400 | Work pass holders / non-resident entities / non-resident individuals |
| Incorporation of Company Package | S$450 one time | Private company limited by shares |
| Annual Corporate Package | S$600 annually | Includes a named company secretary and the annual return filing |
| Registered Office Package | S$200 annually | Not offered as a standalone service |
Our packages page also notes that, because of the extra compliance work under the CSP Act, additional fees may be charged for foreign individuals, particularly where the transaction is carried out remotely. For a wider view of secretarial pricing, see how much a company secretary costs in Singapore.
Why do you need a local resident director at all?
Section 145(1) of the Companies Act 1967 requires every company to have at least one director who is ordinarily resident in Singapore. Foreign owners with no Singaporean, permanent resident or locally based pass holder on the board usually meet this rule by appointing a nominee.
The Registrar can direct the members to appoint a resident director (section 145(7)), and members who fail to comply face a fine of up to S$2,000 plus S$1,000 a day. If a company carries on business for more than 6 months without a resident director, any member who knows this can be personally liable for the company’s debts incurred during that period (section 145(10)). Our guide to the resident director requirement under section 145 sets out the options in more detail.
What drives the nominee director fee up or down?
The fee rises with the nominee’s exposure. A nominee is a full director in law, so anything that makes the company harder to supervise, or more likely to attract regulatory attention, increases the price or the conditions.
| Cost driver | Why it matters to the nominee |
|---|---|
| Risk profile of owners and controllers | Customer due diligence is heavier for higher-risk customers, such as politically exposed persons, complex ownership chains or remote onboarding. |
| Industry and business model | Sectors with higher money laundering or sanctions exposure need more monitoring and carry more risk for the director. |
| Who keeps the accounts | If the books are kept by the same provider, the nominee can see what the company is doing. Our published terms accept a reduced deposit in that case. |
| Scope of the role | A passive role that only meets section 145 costs less to support than one where the nominee signs contracts, resolutions or tax filings regularly. |
| Bank account signatory or not | Being a signatory, or approving payments, exposes the nominee to the company’s transactions directly. Many providers decline this or price it separately. |
| Indemnity and deposit terms | A strong written indemnity from the owners, backed by a deposit, reduces the nominee’s personal risk. |
When comparing quotes, ask exactly what the annual fee covers. A low headline fee that excludes document signing or compliance work can cost more over a year.
Why is a nominee director deposit required?
The deposit is a cash buffer that protects the nominee if the company leaves them with costs to pay. It is not a fee, and under our published terms it is refundable.
Our packages page states that the S$3,000 deposit is held by Raffles Corporate Services, that the appointed nominee director is not an employee of Raffles Corporate Services, and that the deposit may be released to the nominee director if the company runs into legal or administrative matters that require the nominee to incur disbursements. Otherwise it is refunded to the client within 7 working days after the nominee director service ends.
Examples include late filing penalties, replying to regulators when the owners cannot be reached, and arranging an exit when foreign owners go silent, discussed in our article on the trapped nominee director’s exit.
What did the Corporate Service Providers Act 2024 change for nominee directors?
The CSP Act took effect on 9 June 2025. From that date, nominee directors provided by way of business must be arranged by a registered CSP, and the CSP must first assess the person as fit and proper.
The rules sit in two places. Section 145A of the Companies Act 1967, inserted by the CSP Act, prohibits a person from acting as a nominee director of a company by way of business unless that person is a registered CSP for that service, or the appointment is arranged by one. Section 145A does not apply to a person acting as nominee director of an affiliated company (broadly, the company that employs them or a related company), or to an appointment that began before 9 June 2025.
Section 16 of the Corporate Service Providers Act 2024 requires the registered CSP to be satisfied that the person is fit and proper before arranging the appointment. The CSP must take all reasonable steps to confirm the person is not disqualified from being a director and must consider the factors listed in regulation 11 of the Corporate Service Providers Regulations 2025:
- whether the person has been convicted, in Singapore or elsewhere, of an offence involving fraud or dishonesty, or of any other relevant offence;
- whether the person is an undischarged bankrupt, in Singapore or elsewhere;
- whether the compliance history of companies where the person has been a director is satisfactory; and
- whether the person has the competency, capacity and capability to carry out the role, taking into account their experience and existing commitments, including how many directorships they already hold.
The registration duty falls on the CSP, not the individual nominee. Check that your provider is a registered CSP; ACRA’s Corporate Service Providers Act page summarises what registered CSPs must do.
What are the penalties, and who bears them?
Penalties fall on the nominee and the CSP, which is why reputable providers charge for proper supervision rather than competing on price alone.
| Breach | Provision | Maximum penalty |
|---|---|---|
| Acting as a nominee director by way of business without a registered CSP arranging it | Companies Act 1967, s 145A(3) | Fine of S$10,000, plus S$1,000 a day for a continuing offence |
| Registered CSP arranging a nominee who is not fit and proper | CSP Act 2024, s 16(3) | Fine of S$100,000 |
| Carrying on a corporate services business without registering as a CSP | CSP Act 2024 (per ACRA) | Fine of S$50,000, or up to 2 years’ imprisonment, or both |
| Nominee failing to tell the company of nominee status or nominator’s particulars | Companies Act 1967, s 386AL(6) | Fine of S$25,000 |
Our article on Public Prosecutor v Zheng Jia explains the sentencing framework for nominee directors.
What renewal and exit terms should you check before signing?
Most surprises come at renewal or exit, not at the start, so read the terms for the second year as well as the first.
- Renewal pricing. Check what triggers a higher fee later, such as a change of business activity or new shareholders.
- Deposit top-ups. Find out whether the provider can ask you to top up the deposit after it has been used to pay penalties or other costs.
- Information duties. Our published terms require monthly bank statements to be sent to our mailing address, and reserve the nominee’s right to resign if the company does not comply with regulations.
- Replacement before exit. Section 145(5) of the Companies Act 1967 says a director cannot resign if that would leave the company with no resident director. You will need a replacement in place before the nominee can leave.
- Bundled services. Ask whether the nominee service requires you to also use the provider’s secretarial, accounting or registered office services, and price the whole bundle.
How do you appoint a nominee director with Raffles Corporate Services?
The nominee is appointed only after customer checks and the fit and proper assessment are complete.
- Tell us about the company, its owners, its controllers and its planned business activity.
- Provide identity and address documents for shareholders, directors and controllers so we can complete customer due diligence. For remote incorporations or transfers of a shelf company, our published terms require a video call with the relevant parties.
- We assess the proposed nominee as fit and proper under section 16 of the CSP Act and regulation 11 of the CSP Regulations 2025.
- You sign the nominee director agreement and indemnity, and pay the annual fee and the refundable deposit.
- The nominee consents to act, and we lodge the appointment with ACRA.
- The nominee informs the company of the nominee arrangement, and the company records it in its register of nominee directors. See our guide to the register of nominee directors.
If you are still choosing your structure, the Company Set-Up Cost Calculator among our free compliance tools estimates first-year costs to incorporate and run a Singapore company. Our sister site Singapore Secretary Services covers secretarial questions.
Frequently asked questions
Is the nominee director deposit refundable?
At Raffles Corporate Services, yes. The S$3,000 deposit is refunded within 7 working days after the nominee director service ends, unless part of it has been used for disbursements the nominee incurred because of legal or administrative matters affecting the company.
Can a friend act as my local resident director instead?
Yes, if they are ordinarily resident in Singapore. Section 145A applies only to people acting as nominee directors by way of business, but a friend still carries full director duties.
Does a nominee director sign on the company bank account?
Not necessarily. It depends on the agreement and the bank. Being a signatory increases the nominee’s exposure, so expect it to affect the fee and conditions.
My nominee was appointed before 9 June 2025. Do I need to change anything?
Section 145A does not apply to an appointment that began before 9 June 2025. The company must still keep its register of nominee directors up to date, and the nominee must still meet the disclosure duties in section 386AL.
Need help with this?
Raffles Corporate Services can handle the ACRA filings, compliance documentation and records for you, and where court proceedings or legal advice are needed, we work with a panel of experienced Singapore law firms who offer cost-effective and efficient legal service and advice.
Email: [email protected]
Call, SMS or WhatsApp: +65 8501 7133
Last reviewed: 11 October 2026. The Editorial Team, Raffles Corporate Services.