Why Your Corporate Secretary Might Be Operating Illegally (And How to Check)
If you appointed your corporate secretary before mid-2025, there's a decent chance you've never asked the one question that matters most right now: is this firm actually allowed to be doing this job?
Most articles on corporate secretaries in Singapore repeat the same basics, appoint one within six months, they must be a Singapore resident, they handle your ACRA filings. All true, all necessary to know. But there's a bigger shift happening in the background that most business owners have missed entirely, and it changes how you should be vetting whoever holds this role for your company.
The Rule Nobody Told You About
Since 9 June 2025, every firm offering corporate secretary services in Singapore has been legally required to register with ACRA as a Corporate Service Provider (CSP) under the CSP Act 2024. This isn't a minor administrative update — it's a fundamental change to who's allowed to operate in this space at all.
Firms that ignore this requirement face serious consequences: fines of up to S$50,000, imprisonment of up to 2 years, or both. That's not a penalty aimed at business owners like you — it's aimed squarely at unregistered providers still quietly offering services as if nothing changed.
Why This Should Worry You More Than You'd Think
Here's the uncomfortable part: if your corporate secretary firm isn't properly registered, the compliance risk doesn't stay contained to them. Your company's statutory filings, your governance record, and your standing with ACRA all run through this relationship. A provider operating outside the law is not a stable foundation for something as fundamental as your legal compliance.
And unlike the old days, this isn't something you can just take on faith. You can and should verify a provider's registration status directly through ACRA's public register before signing anything.
What This Means If You're Choosing (or Re-Evaluating) a Provider
The silver lining of this regulatory tightening is that it raises the bar across the board. Providers who stick around post-CSP Act generally come with better qualified staff, proper anti-money-laundering compliance frameworks, and more accountability than the loosely regulated landscape that existed before.
That doesn't mean every registered provider is equally good, though. A few things worth digging into before you commit:
Confirm ACRA registration, don't take their word for it; check the public register yourself.
Ask about qualifications, not just credentials on paper, who specifically will be handling your account, and what's their actual experience?
Look past the base fee. Many providers quote a low headline rate, then bill separately for routine tasks like filing amendments or handling director changes. Ask for the full picture upfront.
Test responsiveness before you need it. If a director resigns on a Friday afternoon, will anyone actually pick up? A provider's communication style during the sales process is often a preview of what you'll get after signing.
For regulated industries (fintech, MAS-licensed entities), a generalist secretary may not cut it, look for firms with direct experience in your specific regulatory environment.
The Bigger Picture
The role of a corporate secretary in singapore has always been described as "just compliance paperwork", but that undersells it. This person (or firm) sits at the intersection of your company's legal standing, its relationship with ACRA, and its credibility with banks and investors during due diligence. The CSP Act shift is a reminder that this role deserves more scrutiny than a quick Google search and the cheapest quote.
Make Sure You're Working With a Properly Registered Provider
Choosing a corporate secretary isn't a box-ticking exercise, it's a decision that affects your company's compliance standing for years. Tianlong is a properly registered corporate service provider, offering transparent, full-service corporate secretarial support without the fine print surprises.
Talk to Tianlong today to make sure your company's corporate secretary relationship is built on solid, fully compliant ground.