Introduction of contact address to replace alternate address by end-2024: Allen & Gledhill

30 August 2024

With the passing of the ACRA (Registry and Regulatory Enhancements) Act 2024 (“Act”) on 2 July 2024 by Parliament, the Accounting and Corporate Regulatory Authority (“ACRA”) has on 23 August 2024 published details of the contact address regime and the steps to take to prepare for the transition to the new contact address regime.

ACRA will be introducing the use of contact addresses which will be publicly displayed in ACRA’s registers (public records) in place of residential addresses by the end of 2024. The aim is to enhance the protection of residential addresses filed with the Registrar.

As the national business registry, ACRA maintains and makes publicly available information about business entities and associated individuals, including their residential addresses, to facilitate regulatory and enforcement actions.

The Act will come into operation on a date to be appointed by the Minister.

Transitioning to the new contact address regime

For individuals who are position holders (e.g. company directors, business owners) and public accountants

Currently, there is the option to provide an alternate address at a fee of S$40 which will be displayed in ACRA’s public records in place of the residential address. The contact address regime will replace the existing alternate address regime by the end of 2024.

To facilitate the transition to the new contact address regime, all existing alternate addresses filed with ACRA will be automatically converted to contact addresses by the end of 2024.

ACRA strongly encourages individuals who have not previously opted for an alternate address to consider providing one to ACRA before the contact address regime commences by the end of 2024. Their residential address will continue to be publicly displayed as their contact address until a different address is provided to ACRA. The S$40 fee for filing an alternate address will be waived from 23 August 2024 onwards. No action is needed for individuals who prefer to use their residential address as their contact address.

For individuals who are solely shareholders

ACRA states that these individuals may wish to engage their company secretaries or corporate service providers to check the address currently registered with ACRA. If it is a residential address, they can choose to provide another address to ACRA that they would like to be reflected as the contact address when the regime takes effect by the end of 2024.

Corporate service providers

As a corporate service provider, our Firm will be checking our clients’ preferred addresses and will update ACRA accordingly.

Updating alternate address for individuals who are position holders or public accountants

Individuals who are existing position holders or public accountants can provide an alternate address through the various eServices in BizFile+. New position holders and public accountants should provide an alternate address at the point of registration.

Entity type/ Professional	Who can provide alternate address	eServices to provide alternate address
Local company	Director Alternate director Managing director CEO Public accountant employee Director under section 17(3)(d) of Accountants Act 2004 (“AA”) Secretary	Application for New Company Name Incorporation of Local Company Registration of Amalgamation Transfer of Registration (Re-Domiciliation) Change in Company Information including Appointment / Cessation of Company Officers / Auditors Change in Personal Particulars of Company Officers
Foreign company	Authorised representative Director	Application for New Foreign Company Name Registration of Branch of Foreign Company Change in Foreign Company Information including Appointment / Cessation of Directors / Authorised Representatives Change in Personal Particulars of Authorised Representative or Directors
Business	Owner Nominee / Trustee Authorised representative	Application for a New Business Name Application to Register Person(s) and Business Name Change in Business Information including Appointment / Cessation of Business Owner / Authorised Representative Change in Personal Particulars of Business Owners or Authorised Representatives Notice of Death
Limited liability partnership	Partner Manager Public accountant employee Partner under section 18A(3)(e) of AA	Application for a New LLP Name Application to Register a New LLP Change in LLP Information including Appointment / Cessation of Partners / Manager Change in Personal Particulars of Partners or Managers Conversion from LLP to ALLP Conversion from PAC to ALLP Conversion from PAF to ALLP Conversion of Business to LLP Conversion of Company to LLP
Limited partnership	General partner General partner as nominee/ trustee Limited partner Manager	Application for a New LP Name Application to Register a New LP Change in LP Information including Appointment / Cessation of Partners / Manager Changes in Personal Particulars of Partners or Managers
Public accounting firm	Partner Public accountant employee Partner under section 18A(3)(c) of AA	Name Application for Public Accounting Firm Application for Approval of Public Accounting Firm Change in Particulars of Officer in a Public Accounting Firm Change of Public Accounting Firm Details
Public accountant	Public accountant	Application for Registration as a Public Accountant Change in Particulars of a Public Accountant Change in Particulars of Approved Liquidator

(Source: ACRA website www.acra.gov.sg)

Updating alternate addresses for individuals who are both position holders and shareholders

Individuals who are both position holders and shareholders can only provide or update their alternate addresses as position holders through the eServices set out in the table above, when they are filing changes to their personal particulars.

Updating contact address for individuals who hold no other positions in an entity and are only shareholders

Individuals who are solely shareholders are not eligible to file an alternate address. However, they are eligible for the contact address regime. A shareholder’s address that is currently displayed in ACRA’s public records will be automatically converted to a contact address upon the commencement of the contact address regime by the end of 2024. Shareholders who wish to update their addresses can do so by engaging their company secretaries or corporate service providers to file the update via ACRA’s “Change in Particulars of Shareholders” eService.

Reference materials

The following materials are available at the ACRA website www.acra.gov.sg: