Striking off is for a company that has ceased business and satisfies ACRA’s criteria, including no assets, liabilities or outstanding matters. It is not a shortcut around creditors, taxes, litigation, employee claims or incomplete records.
This guide is for a director of a solvent local company that has stopped trading. Its job is specific: decide if striking off is appropriate and complete the closure sequence without abandoning liabilities. Use the table first, then the worked example and checklist; keep any calculation as a labelled estimate until the controlling body or live service confirms it.
strike off Singapore company: the decision table
| Situation | Practical next step |
|---|---|
| Company meets every ACRA criterion | Prepare the free Bizfile application and evidence file |
| Officer endorsement is requested | Secure endorsement within the 14-day window |
| Creditor or stakeholder has an unresolved claim | Resolve it before applying or expect an objection |
| Company cannot pay its debts | Obtain insolvency advice; striking off may be unsuitable |
The table separates the common branches that lead to different outcomes. It is not a substitute for reading the current source: re-open the cited authority on the day the decision is made, especially where a deadline, rate, eligibility rule, opening condition or safety instruction is involved.
Start with the controlling rule
Run the criteria as a signed director checklist: no business, no assets or liabilities, no outstanding tax or CPF matters, no litigation and no enforcement proceeding. Evidence should support each answer. ACRA striking-off guide.
ACRA’s application has no filing fee. Depending on the case, it may be approved immediately or sent to company officers for endorsement within 14 days. ACRA objection guide.
These two checks define the reader’s starting position. Record the date and the facts used, because a later application, booking or dispute is easier to resolve when the original basis is visible.
Apply the rule to the real decision
After approval, ACRA gives officers 30 days to object before the first Gazette notification. The process then includes a further Gazette stage and takes at least three months overall. ACRA striking-off guide.
After the first Gazette notice, a 60-day period runs before final striking off if no objection remains. Do not announce completion based on the initial approval screen. ACRA objection guide.
Do not compress separate conditions into a single yes-or-no answer. Work through the eligibility, timing, amount and evidence questions in that order, and stop if a live record does not match the assumption.
Build the evidence trail
An unresolved objection can cause the application to lapse after the prescribed period. Track who raised it, the amount or issue, the response and documentary settlement. ACRA striking-off guide.
Close bank accounts only after payments, refunds and obligations are reconciled. A “zero balance” must include deposits, tax receivables, director loans and contingent items. ACRA objection guide.
Save the relevant confirmation, receipt, official result or case reference. This is not administrative decoration: it is the record that allows the authority, provider or household to reconstruct what happened.
Know the limit of the answer
Preserve accounting and corporate records for the required periods even after the entity is struck off. Closure of the register does not erase evidence duties. ACRA striking-off guide.
A company may be restored to the register within six years in the circumstances allowed by law. Directors should therefore keep the closure file accessible. ACRA objection guide.
This guide resolves the general task for a Singapore reader. It does not replace an individual notice, contract, clinical assessment, legal advice or an officer’s direction at the point of service.
Worked Singapore example
A company stopped trading in March but still has a S$2,400 customer deposit and an unresolved tax credit. It does not yet meet the no-assets-and-liabilities test. The directors refund or document the deposit, resolve the tax position, close the bank account last and only then start the ACRA timeline.
The example shows the method, not a promised outcome. Replace its dates, balances, prices, route conditions or personal facts with the reader’s own information. Where the example performs arithmetic, it is an editorial calculation and should be reconciled against the live statement, bill or official calculator.
Action checklist
- Minute the decision to cease business
- Reconcile assets, liabilities and contingent items
- Clear tax, CPF, employee and licence matters
- Confirm no litigation or enforcement action
- Submit through Bizfile
- Track endorsements, notices and objections
- Preserve the final closure and records file
Work through the list in sequence. If one item cannot be verified, record the gap and use the official contact route rather than guessing. Keep screenshots only as supporting evidence; the live authority page and issued document remain controlling.
Two original tools in this guide
A seven-criterion director evidence matrix. This converts the source material into a reusable decision aid. Copy it into a note or spreadsheet and enter only verified personal inputs.
A worked closure calendar covering 14-day, 30-day and 60-day stages. This is the final control before an irreversible payment, submission, booking, journey or household decision. It is an editorial framework derived from the sources, not an official form.
Primary-source ledger
| Official or primary source | Material claims checked |
|---|---|
| ACRA striking-off guide | Eligibility criteria, application process, objections and Gazette sequence. |
| ACRA objection guide | Who may object, evidence and handling of unresolved objections. |
Each inline link sits beside the claim it is intended to support. Both source pages were opened during the evidence pass. If a page is revised after publication, use the latest controlling text and treat this article’s worked examples as historical calculations rather than fresh official advice.
Errors that change the outcome
- Applying while a bank balance remains
- Ignoring a director loan or customer deposit
- Missing an officer endorsement request
- Calling the company closed before final Gazette action
- Destroying records after strike-off
The recurring failure is to act on a familiar label without checking its definition. Preserve the original notice, policy wording, booking terms, eligibility record or authority response so that a later review starts from evidence rather than memory.
Continue with the next useful step
For the adjacent task, read the company secretary’s role before closure. If the decision moves into another stage, continue with keeping the registered office reachable during the process. These links were selected for reader progression, not as mechanical category links.
Questions readers ask
What is ACRA’s application fee?
ACRA states that the striking-off application is free. ACRA striking-off guide.
How long does the process take?
ACRA says at least three months; objections and incomplete matters can extend or derail it. ACRA objection guide.
Can a creditor object?
Yes. A stakeholder may object and should provide supporting evidence. ACRA striking-off guide.
Accuracy note: This article was checked against the linked primary sources on 2026-07-21. Individual facts and live services can change. No interview, first-hand use, first-hand meal, price check or field observation is claimed unless expressly stated.
