# What is a Nominee Director in Singapore? (2026)

> A nominee director is a locally resident director appointed to satisfy the section 145 residency requirement, often used by foreign-owned companies.

_Updated 2026-07-09_

Source: /resources/glossary/nominee-director

**In short:** A nominee director is a locally resident director appointed — often through a corporate service provider — so that a Singapore company meets the requirement to have at least one director ordinarily resident in Singapore (section 145). A nominee director still owes the full statutory duties of a director.

## Why do companies use a nominee director?

Foreign-owned companies that do not yet have a local resident director commonly appoint a nominee director to satisfy the section 145 requirement while they set up operations or obtain a local pass holder. The nominee is a real, resident individual who is properly appointed and filed with ACRA.

## Does a nominee director have real responsibilities?

Yes. A nominee director is a director in law and owes the same fiduciary and statutory duties as any other director — including duties to act in the company’s interests and to comply with the Companies Act. A nominee arrangement does not reduce those duties, and providers must still conduct due diligence on the customer. Confirm the current regulatory expectations for nominee director arrangements with ACRA, as they are set under the CSP framework.

## Sources

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

## Related

- [How to appoint a director](/resources/appoint-director-singapore)
- [How to file a director resignation](/resources/director-resignation-singapore)
- [CDD (glossary)](/resources/glossary/cdd)