# How to Appoint a Director in Singapore: The 14-Day Rule (2026)

> Appointing a new director? You must notify ACRA within 14 days, get the director’s written consent, and keep at least one locally resident director.

_Updated 2026-07-09_

Source: /resources/appoint-director-singapore

**In short:** To appoint a director in Singapore, the new director must sign a Consent to Act, and the company must notify ACRA within 14 days of the appointment via Bizfile+. The company must at all times keep at least one director who is ordinarily resident in Singapore (section 145 of the Companies Act).

## How do I appoint a director in Singapore?

A director appointment has three core steps: (1) the person consents in writing to act as a director and confirms they are not disqualified; (2) the company approves the appointment in accordance with its constitution (usually by directors’ or members’ resolution); and (3) the company lodges the change with ACRA.

The person being appointed must be at least 18 years old, of full legal capacity, and not disqualified from acting as a director (for example, by an unspent disqualification order or undischarged bankruptcy).

## What is the 14-day rule for director appointments?

The company must notify ACRA within 14 days of appointing a director. The appointment is lodged electronically through Bizfile+. Historically this was done on the paper Form 45 (Consent to Act as a Director); today the consent is captured and the change is filed online, but the 14-day notification window still applies.

- Obtain the director’s written consent to act and their statement that they are not disqualified.
- Pass the required resolution to appoint the director.
- Lodge the appointment via Bizfile+ within 14 days of the appointment date.
- Ensure the company still meets the local resident director requirement (see below).

## Must a Singapore company always have a local director?

Yes. Under section 145 of the Companies Act 1967, every company must have at least one director who is ordinarily resident in Singapore — that is, a Singapore citizen, permanent resident, or the holder of an eligible pass with a local residential address. You cannot let this fall to zero, even temporarily, so plan appointments and resignations together.

## Frequently asked questions

### How long do I have to notify ACRA of a new director?

You must notify ACRA within 14 days of the appointment, filing online via Bizfile+.

### What is Form 45?

Form 45 is the traditional Consent to Act as a Director — the new director’s written consent and confirmation that they are not disqualified. The consent is required today and captured as part of the online filing.

### Can a foreigner be a director of a Singapore company?

Yes, but the company must still have at least one locally resident director under section 145. Foreign directors are common alongside a local or nominee director.

## Sources

- [ACRA — Appointment and cessation of company officers](https://www.acra.gov.sg/how-to-guides/appointment-and-cessation-of-company-officers)
- [ACRA — Bizfile+ portal](https://www.bizfile.gov.sg)
- [Companies Act 1967, s145 — Singapore Statutes Online](https://sso.agc.gov.sg/Act/CoA1967?ProvIds=pr145-)

## Related

- [How to file a director resignation](/resources/director-resignation-singapore)
- [Nominee Director (glossary)](/resources/glossary/nominee-director)
- [Registered Office (glossary)](/resources/glossary/registered-office)