A company secretary plays an important role in the administration and compliance of a Singapore company. However, there is often confusion about exactly what qualifications someone needs before he or she can become a corporate secretary.

Do you need an accounting degree?

Must you be a chartered secretary?

Can an ordinary Singapore citizen become the company secretary of a private limited company?

Are the requirements different for public companies?

And if you want to provide corporate secretarial services professionally to multiple clients, are there additional regulatory requirements?

The answers depend considerably on the type of company involved and what the individual intends to do.

For an ordinary private company in Singapore, there is generally no requirement that the company secretary hold one of the specific professional qualifications prescribed for secretaries of public companies. Nevertheless, directors are expected to ensure that the person appointed has the requisite knowledge and experience to discharge the functions of a company secretary.

For a public company, additional qualification requirements apply.

Furthermore, people providing corporate services professionally through a Corporate Service Provider (CSP) may need to consider the separate Registered Qualified Individual (RQI) regime.

Understanding these distinctions is essential for anyone considering a career in corporate secretarial services in Singapore.

What Is a Corporate Secretary in Singapore?

A corporate or company secretary is an officer responsible for supporting a company’s corporate administration and compliance obligations.

This is very different from the conventional meaning of a secretary performing general administrative duties.

A company secretary may be involved in matters such as:

• Maintaining corporate records
• Preparing directors’ resolutions
• Preparing shareholders’ resolutions
• Supporting annual return filings
• Recording changes to directors and officers
• Assisting with share allotments
• Assisting with share transfers
• Maintaining statutory registers
• Supporting annual general meeting requirements where applicable
• Recording changes in company particulars
• Maintaining appropriate corporate documentation
• Assisting with corporate restructuring exercises

The company secretary therefore operates at the intersection of corporate administration, governance and regulatory compliance.

This is why knowledge and experience can be important even when a formal professional qualification is not legally prescribed for a particular appointment.

Basic Eligibility Requirements for a Company Secretary in Singapore

ACRA states that every company must have at least one company secretary and that the secretary must be appointed within six months of successful registration.

According to ACRA, a company secretary must:

Be an individual

The secretary must be a real person rather than a company.

Satisfy the local residency requirements

The person must be a Singapore citizen, Singapore permanent resident or another individual who satisfies the applicable local residency requirements.

Not be the same person as the company’s sole director

A company with only one director cannot appoint that same individual as its company secretary.

These are fundamental eligibility requirements applicable when appointing a secretary.

However, when discussing “qualifications”, an important distinction must be made between a private company and a public company.

Qualifications for a Private Company Secretary in Singapore

This is where many business owners become confused.

For a typical Singapore private limited company, the company secretary does not necessarily need to possess a specific professional qualification such as being a lawyer, public accountant or chartered secretary.

Singapore’s framework deliberately distinguishes between secretaries of private and public companies.

Official Ministry of Finance material explaining the Companies Act framework states that professional qualification requirements do not apply in the same way to private-company secretaries. Nevertheless, directors of private companies are required to take reasonable steps to ensure the secretary they appoint possesses the requisite knowledge and experience.

Therefore, there is an important difference between:

being legally eligible for appointment

and

being suitably knowledgeable and experienced to perform the job properly.

Someone does not automatically become a competent company secretary simply because he or she satisfies the residency requirement.

Do You Need a Degree to Become a Corporate Secretary?

Not necessarily.

There is no general rule saying that every secretary of a Singapore private limited company must possess a university degree.

This means a person does not automatically need a:

• Law degree
• Accounting degree
• Business degree
• Finance degree
• Corporate governance degree

to be appointed secretary of an ordinary private company.

However, relevant education can clearly be valuable for someone intending to pursue corporate secretarial work professionally.

Useful fields of study could include:

• Accounting
• Business administration
• Corporate law
• Finance
• Corporate governance
• Compliance
• Business management

The important point is that academic education and legal eligibility are not necessarily the same thing.

A person without a university degree could potentially possess extensive practical corporate secretarial experience.

Conversely, someone with a business degree but no understanding of Singapore company administration may not be well prepared to perform the role.

Do You Need Accounting Qualifications?

Again, not necessarily for the secretary of an ordinary private company.

Company secretarial work and accounting are related but distinct professional functions.

An accountant generally focuses on matters such as:

• Bookkeeping
• Financial statements
• Financial reporting
• Taxation
• Management accounts
• Financial controls

A company secretary focuses more heavily on:

• Corporate administration
• Company records
• Resolutions
• Shareholding changes
• Directors and officers
• Statutory registers
• Corporate filings
• Governance procedures

However, knowledge of accounting can be extremely useful.

Consider a company declaring dividends.

There are corporate, accounting and potentially tax considerations.

Similarly, issuing new shares affects both the company’s corporate records and its accounting records.

This is one reason accounting firms and integrated corporate services providers frequently offer corporate secretarial services alongside accounting and tax services.

What Knowledge Should a Corporate Secretary Have?

Even where professional qualifications are not mandatory, a competent corporate secretary should understand the fundamentals of Singapore company administration.

Important areas of knowledge can include:

The Companies Act

A company secretary should have a working understanding of Singapore’s Companies Act and how it affects the administration of companies.

This does not mean that every company secretary must be a lawyer.

However, secretaries should understand the provisions relevant to their work and recognise situations where specialist legal advice may be necessary.

ACRA Requirements

A substantial part of corporate administration involves interacting with the Accounting and Corporate Regulatory Authority.

A secretary should therefore understand common ACRA requirements and filing procedures.

Annual Returns

Companies generally have annual return filing obligations.

The secretary should understand the company’s compliance calendar and the information required for relevant filings.

Directors and Company Officers

Corporate secretaries should understand the procedures surrounding appointments, resignations and changes involving company officers.

Shares and Shareholders

Knowledge concerning share capital is particularly important.

A corporate secretary may encounter matters involving:

• Ordinary shares
• Different classes of shares
• Share allotments
• Share transfers
• New investors
• Changes in ownership

These transactions need to be properly documented and reflected in the appropriate records.

Corporate Resolutions

Company secretaries frequently prepare or maintain directors’ and shareholders’ resolutions.

Understanding the difference between different forms of corporate approval is therefore an important practical skill.

Meetings

Depending on the company and circumstances, secretaries may need to understand procedures relating to directors’ meetings and shareholders’ meetings.

Corporate Governance

The company secretary should understand the respective roles of directors, shareholders and company officers.

Professional Qualifications for Public Company Secretaries

The requirements become more specific when dealing with public companies.

ACRA’s current Form 45B, Consent to Act as Secretary, identifies the routes through which an individual may qualify under section 171(1AA) of the Companies Act.

These include being:

• A secretary of a company for at least three of the five years immediately preceding the appointment
• A qualified person under the Legal Profession Act
• A public accountant
• A member of the Institute of Singapore Chartered Accountants
• A member of the Chartered Secretaries Institute of Singapore
• A member of the Association of International Accountants (Singapore Branch)
• A member of the Institute of Company Accountants, Singapore

The relevant declaration in Form 45B applies to secretaries of public companies and certain private-company appointments falling within the applicable statutory provision.

This demonstrates why it is inaccurate to say simply that “a corporate secretary must be a chartered secretary.”

That statement is too broad.

The qualification requirements depend on the circumstances and the type of company.

Private Company vs Public Company Secretary

The easiest way to understand the difference is as follows.

Private Company

There is generally no requirement for the secretary to possess the same prescribed professional qualifications applicable to public-company secretaries.

However, the directors should take reasonable steps to ensure that the person has the requisite knowledge and experience.

Public Company

More specific qualification requirements apply under the Companies Act.

This distinction has been deliberately maintained in Singapore’s company law framework. Ministry of Finance materials explain that mandatory professional qualifications for private-company secretaries were removed in 2003 while the distinction between private and public companies was retained.

What Is a Registered Qualified Individual?

There is another concept that people entering the corporate secretarial profession should understand: the Registered Qualified Individual, commonly known as an RQI.

This is not exactly the same question as whether somebody can be appointed secretary of a particular private company.

RQI registration relates to the regulated Corporate Service Provider framework.

ACRA states that Corporate Service Providers need to provide corporate services through RQIs, and a CSP must appoint at least one RQI before it can perform transactions for clients.

This distinction is especially important after the introduction of Singapore’s Corporate Service Providers regulatory framework.

If your intention is simply to serve as secretary of your own organisation, the situation can be different from establishing or working within a business providing corporate secretarial and filing services to outside clients.

Who Can Qualify as an RQI?

ACRA sets out various qualification pathways and documentary requirements for people seeking registration as an RQI.

For example, ACRA identifies recognised professional membership routes as well as experience-based routes for qualifying corporate secretarial agents.

An owner, partner or director of a corporate secretarial agent can potentially qualify through experience where the individual has both provided corporate secretarial services and served as a company secretary for at least three years during the previous five years, subject to the applicable requirements and evidence.

An employee seeking to qualify through this route similarly needs to demonstrate the required service period and provide supporting documentation.

ACRA also recognises specified professional membership routes, including certain memberships in bodies such as the Chartered Secretaries Institute of Singapore and other recognised professional organisations.

RQI applicants must also meet ACRA’s applicable fit-and-proper requirements.

Corporate Service Providers and Corporate Secretarial Firms

The regulatory environment for professional corporate services in Singapore changed significantly with the introduction of the Corporate Service Providers Act 2024.

The CSP regime took effect on 9 June 2025.

ACRA explains that businesses providing specified corporate services—including certain company formation and ACRA filing services—must register as Corporate Service Providers where the legislation applies.

ACRA specifically identifies accounting firms, law firms and corporate secretarial firms as examples of businesses that can fall within the CSP framework.

A registered CSP must also satisfy requirements concerning Registered Qualified Individuals.

ACRA states that a CSP must either:

• Be an RQI itself where applicable
• Have at least one partner who is an RQI
• Employ or engage at least one RQI

The CSP regime also includes fit-and-proper, training and proficiency requirements.

This means someone who wants to build a professional corporate secretarial services business in Singapore needs to look beyond the minimum requirements for simply being appointed secretary of one private company.

What Skills Make a Good Corporate Secretary?

Legal eligibility is only one part of becoming a capable corporate secretary.

Practical skills are equally important.

Attention to Detail

Corporate documentation requires accuracy.

A small error involving a shareholder’s details, number of shares, effective date or corporate resolution can create unnecessary complications.

Organisation

A corporate secretary may be responsible for multiple deadlines and corporate actions.

Strong organisation is therefore essential.

Understanding of Compliance

Good corporate secretaries should understand not only how to make filings but why particular requirements exist.

Communication

Company directors are not necessarily experts in company law.

A good secretary should be able to explain requirements clearly and practically.

Documentation Skills

Corporate secretarial work involves substantial documentation.

Professionals should be comfortable preparing resolutions, minutes and other corporate records.

Ability to Keep Up With Regulatory Changes

Singapore’s regulatory environment evolves.

The implementation of the CSP Act is a good example.

Professionals therefore need to continually update their knowledge.

How Can Someone Learn Corporate Secretarial Practice?

Someone interested in entering the profession can build knowledge through a combination of formal study, professional courses and practical experience.

ACRA Academy, for example, offers a Fundamentals of Corporate Secretarial Practice programme aimed at aspiring and existing corporate secretarial staff.

The programme covers areas including:

• Company structures
• Company incorporation
• Statutory registers
• Directors and secretaries
• Shares
• Allotments and transfers
• AGMs and annual returns
• Financial statements
• Dividends
• Corporate resolutions

This illustrates the breadth of knowledge involved in professional company secretarial work.

Practical experience within an established corporate services or accounting firm can also be valuable because corporate secretarial work involves applying regulatory knowledge to real business situations.

Can Someone Without Experience Become a Company Secretary?

For an ordinary private company, the absence of a prescribed professional qualification does not mean experience and knowledge are irrelevant.

Directors still need to consider whether the individual has the requisite knowledge and experience to perform the secretary’s functions.

From a career perspective, someone new to the industry could start in a junior corporate secretarial position and develop experience under more experienced professionals.

Over time, that person could learn how to handle:

• Incorporations
• Annual returns
• Officer changes
• Share allotments
• Share transfers
• Corporate resolutions
• Statutory registers
• Company restructuring
• More complicated corporate transactions

This practical exposure can be extremely valuable.

Frequently Asked Questions

Do I Need a Degree to Become a Corporate Secretary in Singapore?

Not necessarily. There is no universal requirement that every secretary of a Singapore private company possess a university degree.

Do I Need to Be an Accountant?

No. Being an accountant is not a universal requirement for serving as company secretary.

However, accounting knowledge can be useful, and being a public accountant is one of the recognised qualification routes for the relevant public-company secretary requirements.

Do I Need to Be a Lawyer?

No. You do not generally need to be a lawyer to serve as secretary of a private company.

Being a qualified person under the Legal Profession Act is, however, one of the recognised routes for satisfying the relevant public-company secretary qualification requirement.

Do I Need to Be a Chartered Secretary?

Not for every Singapore private company.

Membership of the Chartered Secretaries Institute of Singapore is one of the recognised qualification routes under the statutory framework applicable to public-company secretaries, but it is incorrect to say that every private-company secretary must hold this qualification.

Must a Company Secretary Be Based in Singapore?

The secretary must meet the applicable local residency requirement. ACRA states that the secretary must be a Singapore citizen, Singapore permanent resident or someone who otherwise meets the local residency rules.

Can the Owner of a Company Be Its Corporate Secretary?

Potentially, depending on the company’s structure and whether the individual meets the applicable requirements.

However, the sole director of a company cannot simultaneously be that company’s secretary.

Becoming a Corporate Secretary in Singapore

The qualifications required to become a corporate secretary in Singapore ultimately depend on what you mean by “becoming a corporate secretary.”

If you are being appointed secretary of an ordinary private limited company, there is generally no requirement to hold the same prescribed professional qualifications required of public-company secretaries. Nevertheless, the directors should ensure that the appointed individual has the necessary knowledge and experience.

If you want to become the secretary of a public company, more specific statutory qualification requirements apply.

And if your objective is to provide corporate secretarial and filing services professionally to clients, you also need to understand Singapore’s CSP and RQI regulatory framework.

The profession therefore extends well beyond simply knowing how to submit forms through ACRA.

A capable corporate secretary should understand company administration, statutory compliance, corporate documentation, share transactions, directors’ responsibilities and Singapore’s evolving regulatory environment.

For businesses, this is also why choosing an experienced corporate secretarial services provider in Singapore can be preferable to appointing someone simply because that person meets the minimum eligibility requirements.

An experienced corporate services firm can assist not only with routine company secretarial administration but also with accounting, tax, incorporation and other corporate requirements as the business develops.

Koh Management Pte Ltd provides corporate secretarial services to Singapore businesses alongside accounting, bookkeeping, taxation and company incorporation support. For SMEs seeking ongoing assistance with their corporate administration and compliance requirements, working with an established corporate services provider can provide continuity as the business grows and its corporate structure becomes more complex.