Singapore companies should prepare for a change in registered-office access on 20 October 2026, rather than treating the new arrangement as already effective. ACRA has announced the removal of the fixed minimum daily opening-hours requirement from that date, while preserving obligations to make company records available for lawful inspection. The practical task is to replace a routine opening-hours arrangement with a reliable process for receiving requests, arranging access and keeping evidence of what was done.
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Reviewed on 15 October 2026. The forthcoming changes described below commence on 20 October 2026.
What applies before the change?
Until the new provisions take effect, ACRA’s current guidance describes the registered office as being open and publicly accessible for at least three hours during normal office hours on each business day, excluding Saturdays, Sundays and public holidays. A company preparing a new arrangement should therefore keep its existing compliant access arrangements in place during the transition. See ACRA’s current common-offences guidance.
Tell the people responsible for reception, mail and company records which arrangement applies on which date. A board discussion or service-provider email announcing a future change is not itself evidence that an existing legal requirement has ended.
What changes on 20 October 2026?
Under ACRA’s commencement announcement, companies will have greater flexibility over registered-office opening hours. For company-record inspection, a requester must give reasonable notice; after receiving it, the company must arrange access for at least two hours on each relevant business day. An address change must still be filed within 14 days.
This requires an operational response, not simply a revised sign on the office door. Someone needs to receive the request, establish what is being requested and arrange access. Where a request concerns a disputed entitlement, a potentially restricted record or an unusual condition, obtain advice on the specific record and legal provision before responding.
Separate receiving notices from inspecting records
An office can receive correspondence through one team while statutory records are administered by another. The transition is a useful time to document how those teams communicate. Avoid assuming that the person opening envelopes can answer a member’s inspection request, or that a corporate secretary will learn about a request that was sent only to reception.
- Correspondence route: identify who checks incoming mail, scans notices and alerts the responsible officer.
- Inspection route: identify who records a request, checks the relevant register or document and arranges a response.
- Backup route: name an alternative contact when the usual person is absent.
These are practical controls for organising the work. They do not expand a person’s legal right to see records or permit the company to impose additional restrictions without a proper basis.
A preparation checklist for directors and the company secretary
- Check the address and provider arrangement. Confirm that the company’s registered-office details and the service actually being supplied still match. Distinguish a decision about opening hours from a decision to relocate the office.
- List the records and their custodians. Record where each relevant document is held and who can retrieve the current version. A label saying “company records” is too vague for a colleague handling a real request.
- Create a request log. Capture the requester’s name, contact details, record requested, date received and proposed access arrangement. Preserve the original request rather than only a summary.
- Agree an escalation process. Specify who decides questions about entitlement, confidentiality, incomplete requests or disputes. Avoid allowing an unattended shared inbox to make the decision by default.
- Test the handover. Use a fictional request to check whether reception, the secretary and the responsible director can find the same file and identify the next action.
If you use a registered-office service provider
Read the service agreement before assuming the provider will manage inspection requests. The agreement may cover receiving mail while leaving record administration to the company. Ask for a written explanation of the provider’s request-handling process, contact arrangements, retrieval responsibilities and what assistance is included.
For example, a company may use its provider’s address but keep working files with an external accountant. An inspection request reaching the provider will not automatically cause the accountant to release a file. The company needs a clear instruction chain, the correct record and a lawful response, rather than an informal promise that “the agent will deal with it”.
What evidence should you keep?
Retain the original request, the assessment of which records are covered, correspondence arranging access and a factual note of the access supplied. If a request is disputed, preserve the reasons for the response and any professional advice obtained. Keep ordinary appointment administration separate from privileged legal advice and restricted information.
A short, accurate record is more useful than a retrospective note saying the company “complied with everything”. It should show what was requested, who handled it and what actually happened.
Common questions
Can we close the registered office immediately?
Do not apply the forthcoming arrangement early. Confirm the operative date and retain the current access arrangements until the change takes effect.
Does flexible opening mean inspection rights disappear?
No. Opening-hours flexibility and a right to inspect particular company records are separate matters. Check the specific record and the applicable entitlement.
Should we change our registered-office address at the same time?
Only if relocation is independently appropriate. Changing hours does not itself require a new address. If the address changes, manage the filing and correspondence handover as a separate task.
Related guidance
- Background on registered-office requirements
- What the register of members records
- Corporate secretarial guides
Help with your registered-office arrangements
If you would like help reviewing your registered-office arrangements, company records or corporate secretarial procedures, email [email protected] or WhatsApp +65 8501 7133. Raffles Corporate Services can assist with corporate secretarial, accounting and tax matters. Where a disputed inspection request or other legal issue requires advice, advisers from our associated law firms can assist. This article provides general information; advice should address your company’s circumstances.