Registering a Society in Singapore

The 1966 Societies Act is the main law under which it is possible to establish societies in Singapore. According to it, these are corporate or non-corporate entities created for various purposes and not registered under other regulations. They can take the form of clubs, partnerships, associations, or companies with at least 10 members.

Below, our experts in starting companies in Singapore invite you to discover more about them. If you plan on registering a society in Singapore and need support, our local agents can help you.

Short Facts
Applicable law	1966 Societies Act, however, there are also societies that fall under different laws, such as the Company Act.
Types of societies	– clubs, – associations, – other groups of 10 or more persons (trade unions, co-operatives, companies, mutual benefit organisations and insurers are registered under their own laws, not as societies).
Minimum number of members required	A society must have at least 10 members.
Registration methods	– automatic, – ordinary.
Registration authority	Registry of Societies (ROS), Ministry of Home Affairs.
Types of societies that can file for automatic registration	Automatic registration is available for societies that do not fall into any category listed in the Schedule to the Societies Act.
Societies that can be registered ordinarily	Normal registration applies to societies in the categories listed in the Schedule to the Societies Act (e.g. religious, clan/ethnic or human-rights societies).
Documents	– Constitutive Act, – names of the founders, – addresses of the members, – information about the representative of the society.
Activities permitted	Human, environment, healthcare, education promotion.
Possibility for a Singapore society to have foreign members (YES/NO)	Yes, as long as they are not the President, Secretary or Treasurer of the society.
Local address required (YES/NO)	Yes.
Taxation of societies in Singapore	Societies must pay the income tax calculated on their revenue.
Accounting requirements	Societies are required to keep accounts and records of their activities for a minimum period of 5 years.
Registration timeframe for a society in Singapore (approx.)	– around 2 months under the ordinary procedure, – immediate under the automatic one.
Assistance in setting up a society in Singapore (YES/NO)	Yes, you can rely on us for support in creating a society in Singapore.

Characteristics of societies in Singapore

Here are some of the most important features of societies in Singapore:

they are established in accordance with the law governing them;
they can take the form of clubs, associations, partnerships, charities;
they must have at least 10 participants.

Please note that partnerships and charities cannot be created under the specific laws applicable to these entities. Based on this principle, societies must be enrolled with the Register of Societies in Singapore (ROS) through the Ministry of Home Affairs.

With respect to their registration, it is similar to setting up a company in Singapore, except that there are two means of establishment.

Registering a society in Singapore

There are two registration pathways for Singapore societies, namely:

the automatic one;
the normal/ordinary one.

Automatic registration implies enrollment of societies that do not fall into the categories listed in the Schedule to the Societies Act with the Register of Societies in Singapore. Under automatic enrollment, a society can file the registration application, declaration, and proof of fee payment together.

The normal procedure applies to societies in the Schedule categories and requires ROS approval (usually 2 months or more).

Our Singapore company formation agents can assist with both types of registration processes.Moreover, they can help you distinguish between them so that you know which pathway to choose.

Automatic incorporation with the Register of Society in Singapore

The following are not societies under the Societies Act (they are registered under other laws or excluded) and do not register with ROS:

companies that do not fall under the Singapore Companies Act;
associations that are not covered by other written laws;
trade unions that are not governed by specific regulations;
co-operative societies that do not fall under other laws than the Societies Act;
mutual benefit organizations;
associations, partnerships, and companies with a maximum of 20 participants/members, and have the purpose of completing legal undertakings that benefit the respective entities;
insurance companies that are not covered by the Singapore Insurance Law;
schools or school management committees that are not registered under the Education Act.

Automatic registration means that the society must draft the necessary papers, pay the registration fee, and file them with the Register of Society in Singapore.

If you want to open a company in Singapore under the Societies Act, our agents can help you with its registration.

Documents required to register a Singapore society

Here are the documents to file when registering a society in Singapore:

the name;
the legal address;
names of the members;
the addresses of the participants;
other information about the members (nationality, address, qualifications, addresses, etc.);
the Constitutive Act;
endorsement letters of other organizations (if applicable);
details of the society representative.

You can rely on our company formation consultants in Singapore for support in drafting and filing the documents with the Register of Societies.

Residency requirements for the members of a society in Singapore

On some aspects, the registration of a society resembles that of setting up a company in Singapore. For certain types of societies, for example, some of the members must be Singapore citizens or permanent residents. These requirements apply to the President, Treasurer, Secretary, and all deputies of such entities.

The permanent residency requirement applies to:

public societies that are created by ethnic groups;
societies that promote or advocate for specific gender or sexual orientations;
societies that promote various languages;
societies that promote art, except for classic music.

There are also cases where the majority of the members must be Singapore citizens. These are Singapore societies that promote or advocate for:

human rights;
animal rights;
environmental rights.

If you want to set up a society in Singapore and need guidance in respecting these regulations, you can request the help of our company formation agents for compliance support.

Compliance requirements for societies in Singapore

When you open a society in Singapore, you must also meet certain rules related to maintaining and filing various records with the appropriate authorities. According to the Societies Law, such entities must:

keep accounts and records of the activities and transactions of the society for a minimum period of 5 years;
file an Annual Return and an audited statement with the Register of Societies;
informing the Registrar by filing an application for changing its name or registered address;
an application form must also be submitted in case the society plans to use or display a flag, emblem, or any other sign in public.
file an audited statement identifying the income, expenses, and balance sheet within a maximum of 60 days after a fundraising.

Also, in case of voluntary winding up, the members must inform the Registrar. Our Singapore company formation advisors can assist in such cases.

Taxation of societies in Singapore

Societies are subject to special tax treatment in Singapore. Specifically:

if more than 50% of the revenue of the society comes from its members, it will not be subject to the income tax on its operation;
if less than 50% of the revenue comes from members, it will be taxed on the income surplus after all deductions have been applied;
societies will be taxed on other income, such as interests, dividends, or rentals.

Please note that, based on the type of society you operate in Singapore, the tax base may differ.

Our consultants in company formation in Singapore can offer more information on this aspect.

Here is also our video on this subject:

How many societies/co-operatives operate in Singapore?

According to the latest data:

there are about 76 societies and co-operatives operating in the City-State;
54 activate in the consumer services industry;
22 of them are organized as credit institutions.

For support in registering a society in Singapore, do not hesitate to contact us.