Step 5 of 6 ยท Your company setup guide
What do you need to send ACRA each year?
Your annual return and your tax return are different. Let's put the company dates in order.
Your company is registered. What happens next year? Keep two separate filing tracks in mind: company reporting to ACRA and tax reporting to IRAS.
1. Confirm your year end
Your financial year end is the last day of the company's accounting year. Write it down and work with your company secretary to build a calendar. Don't assume every company uses 31 December.
2. Check meetings and accounts early
Ask whether you need an annual general meeting (AGM), whether an exemption applies and when accounts must be sent to shareholders. An AGM exemption does not automatically remove accounting or annual-return duties. Use ACRA's post-registration guide.
3. Prepare the annual return
For non-listed companies, it is generally due within seven months after year end. A different deadline applies to companies with share capital and an overseas branch register. Companies still listed as live must file even if inactive or dormant. ACRA: deadlines and requirements.
Check officers, ownership, address and the applicable financial-statement filing requirements. A company officer or engaged registered CSP can submit. ACRA: filing steps.
Your next move: agree who prepares each item and who submits it. Save the acknowledgement. Changes during the year may also need reporting; don't leave everything until the annual return.
Written by JM Atelier. Published 02 Oct 2026. General information, not advice for your specific situation. Verify anything time-sensitive against the relevant authority before you act on it.