A Singapore company needs at least one director who meets the residency rules. Where the owners live overseas, some companies appoint a local resident director. Where that director acts on behalf of someone else, ACRA treats them as a nominee director and requires the arrangement to be recorded and filed.
Last reviewed 17 October 2026. Source: ACRA.
What ACRA means by “nominee director”
ACRA defines a nominee director as an individual who acts as a director on behalf of another person or entity, the “nominator”. A nominee director is still a director, with a director’s duties under the Companies Act. A private agreement does not remove statutory duties, and we do not claim that it limits them.
What the rules require
| Step | Requirement | Timing |
|---|---|---|
| Nominee discloses | Tells the company that they are a nominee, and who the nominator is | On the incorporation date if already a nominee; otherwise within 30 days of becoming one |
| Company records it | Enters the nominee and the nominator’s particulars in its private Register of Nominee Directors (ROND) | Within 7 days of a change; set up on the day of registration |
| Company files with ACRA | Files the changes to the central ROND | Within 2 business days of updating the private register |
| Extension | Not available for ROND and RONS filings | — |
| Penalty | Late or missed filing may lead to prosecution and fines of up to $25,000 | — |
| What is public | Only the nominee status (“ND”) is shown on the Business Profile | — |
The register is kept at the registered office or the corporate service provider’s office.
What our service covers
- Provide a resident individual to act as director where you need a local resident director
- Document the arrangement and the nominator’s details
- Keep the company’s ROND up to date and file with the central register
- File director appointments and resignations with ACRA (changes to the electronic register of directors are due within 14 days of the change)
- Arrange a replacement when you appoint a local director yourself
What our service does not do
The nominee does not take instructions that break the law, and does not replace the owners’ responsibility for the company. Decisions on the business remain with the nominator and the board, and the nominee remains subject to a director’s duties.
Who this suits
- Overseas owners starting a Singapore company who have no local resident to appoint
- Companies whose only resident director is leaving
- Founders waiting for their own residency status
See company incorporation services for setting up the company, nominee shareholder if shares are also held on someone’s behalf, and company secretarial services.
Questions we get asked
Does the company need a resident director? Yes. A local company needs at least one director who meets the local residency rules.
Is the nominee involved in day-to-day operations? That is agreed in the engagement terms. The nominee’s duties as a director remain.
What if we later appoint a local director? We arrange the handover and file the changes.
Is the nominator’s name public? ACRA says only the nominee status is public (“ND”); the nominator’s details are private.
Sources
- ACRA: Setting up and maintaining ROND and RONS
- ACRA: Filing with the Central ROND and RONS
- ACRA: Company registers, requirements and deadlines
General information, not legal advice. Take legal advice on a director’s duties and exposure.
Need a resident director?
Tell us who the owners are and where they are based, and we will explain what the arrangement involves. Ask about a nominee director.