ACRA lets owners renew a sole proprietorship or partnership up to 60 days before expiry. A one-year renewal costs S$30 and a three-year renewal S$90, but every owner must first clear or arrange qualifying MediSave obligations. The controlling references checked for this guide are ACRA business-registration renewal and ACRA managing a business.
Choose the branch that matches your case
| Situation | Action |
|---|---|
| Live and within 60 days of expiry | Renew through Bizfile |
| Expired by no more than 30 days | Renew immediately and check penalties |
| Cancelled for non-renewal | Use the restoration route before renewal |
| No longer operating | Close the business instead of renewing |
Find the exact expiry date
ACRA provides the date through Bizfile search and the entity dashboard. Reminder delivery is a convenience, not the legal control. ACRA business-registration renewal.
Put the expiry date and a 60-day alert in the owner calendar. This matters because the decision is not complete until the evidence, timing and responsible person agree.
Only an owner or CSP files
ACRA limits the application to business owners or an engaged corporate service provider. Corppass roles must expose the relevant ACRA service. ACRA managing a business.
Verify authority before the renewal window opens. This matters because the decision is not complete until the evidence, timing and responsible person agree.
MediSave is a hard gate
All registered owners must have paid MediSave in full or have an active GIRO arrangement for outstanding contributions. ACRA business-registration renewal.
Check every partner, because one unresolved owner can stop the entity renewal. This matters because the decision is not complete until the evidence, timing and responsible person agree.
Three years has a stricter test
The three-year option requires no outstanding MediSave, a qualifying active GIRO record, or owner status outside self-employment. ACRA managing a business.
Choose three years for administration efficiency only after the option appears in Bizfile. This matters because the decision is not complete until the evidence, timing and responsible person agree.
Price is linear, risk is not
The fees are S$30 for one year and S$90 for three years, both non-refundable. The longer term reduces annual filing friction but can be wasteful if closure is likely. ACRA business-registration renewal.
Write down the intended operating horizon before paying. This matters because the decision is not complete until the evidence, timing and responsible person agree.
Do not trade after expiry
ACRA states it is an offence to run the business after registration expires. ACRA managing a business.
If access or payment fails, stop assuming submission succeeded and inspect the transaction status. This matters because the decision is not complete until the evidence, timing and responsible person agree.
Use a multi-owner medisave blocker table
Turn the rule into a working aid with columns for the controlling fact, the evidence you hold, the result and the date checked. For this task, the decisive question is to renew the correct entity on time and resolve the MediSave gate before it blocks filing. A blank evidence cell is a stop sign, not permission to use a remembered number or a marketing summary.
Test at least two plausible branches from the table above. That comparison shows which fact changes the answer and prevents the most convenient scenario from being treated as the only possible one. Label every arithmetic step as an LBRD calculation and keep the official figure beside it.
Add a one-year versus three-year operating-horizon comparison
The second aid should expose what the first one can hide: a deadline, cost, handover, alternative route or follow-up duty. Write the downside of being wrong beside each branch. Where the consequence is legal, financial, medical or safety-related, the competent authority and case-specific professional decision remain controlling.
Recheck the live source immediately before the irreversible step. Save only the minimum evidence needed, protect personal details, and note any limitation. Record who will act, the last safe date and the evidence that closes the task.
Stop when the evidence no longer matches
Pause the decision if you encounter renewing the wrong entity dashboard, assuming the reminder is the deadline control, checking only one partner’s medisave. Those are not small drafting errors; each can change the eligibility, cost, route or safety outcome described above. Return to ACRA business-registration renewal for the controlling rule and use ACRA managing a business to check the second part of the decision.
If the authority page, account record, booking screen or case document disagrees with this guide, use the live record. Escalate to the named organisation or an appropriately qualified professional when a deadline is running, a child or adult is unwell, a licence or tax position is uncertain, or an irreversible payment is due. Keep the question narrow and provide the facts needed for a case-specific answer.
Work through a realistic example
A two-owner partnership is ready to renew for three years, but one partner has overdue MediSave without GIRO. The S$90 fee is not the immediate problem. The partnership must first resolve that owner’s MediSave position, then verify that the three-year option is available.
Before you act
- Confirm the UEN and expiry date
- Check owner and Corppass authority
- Review every owner’s MediSave status
- Choose one or three years
- Verify entity status
- Pay through Bizfile
- Download the renewed profile
Mistakes that change the answer
- Renewing the wrong entity dashboard
- Assuming the reminder is the deadline control
- Checking only one partner’s MediSave
- Retrying a pending payment blindly
- Continuing to trade after expiry
Related LBRD guides
Next, compare company annual-return duties. You can also find the right public business service.
Questions readers ask
How early can I renew?
ACRA says up to 60 days before expiry.
What does renewal cost?
S$30 for one year or S$90 for three years.
Can an employee renew for the owner?
Only an owner or engaged CSP may apply, with the correct Corppass access.
