Bizfile System Issues: Temporary Relief Measures Announced for Affected Users

AinvestFriday, Dec 20, 2024 12:50 pm ET
1min read

ACRA has experienced system issues with Bizfile, affecting annual return and transaction filings. Reliefs have been provided: extended deadline to file until 27 December 2024, no late penalties for filings made by 27 December, and assistance via the ACRA Helpdesk.

The Accounting and Corporate Regulatory Authority (ACRA) of Singapore is undergoing a significant system upgrade, which involves the migration of its current BizFile+ online system to a new Bizfile portal launching on December 9, 2024 [1]. This transition necessitates a temporary suspension of all online services from December 4, 2024, at 8 pm, to December 9, 2024, at 8 am [1]. Consequently, several filing deadlines and penalties have been extended to accommodate the disruption.

During the system upgrade, various eServices and transactions will be unavailable. These include registration of business entities, updating of particulars, and filing for annual returns [1]. Some services will be unavailable earlier, starting on November 20, 2024, and November 27, 2024, respectively [1]. To mitigate the impact of these unavailability periods, ACRA has requested that companies pay close attention to the affected details [1].

To provide relief to companies during the system upgrade, ACRA has extended the filing deadline to December 16, 2024, and will not impose any late filing penalties for annual returns and other types of filings due between December 4 and December 9, 2024 [1]. Moreover, companies can still purchase business information from authorized Information Service Providers (ISPs) during the downtime [1].

The new Bizfile portal will offer a seamless user experience, with access to various eServices for business registration, information updates, annual filings, and business data retrieval [1]. Companies are encouraged to familiarize themselves with the new system and its features before the migration to ensure a smooth transition.

References:
[1] Allen & Gledhill. (2024, November 8). Bizfileplus system migration from 4 to 9 December 2024 for ACRA's new Bizfile portal launching on 9 December 2024 to replace BizFileplus. https://www.allenandgledhill.com/sg/publication/articles/29314/bizfileplus-system-migration-from-4-to-9-december-2024-for-acras-new-bizfile-portal-launching-on-9-december-2024-to-replace-bizfileplus