Accountants (Public Accountants) (Amendment No. 2) Rules 2026

These Rules are the Accountants (Public Accountants) (Amendment No. 2) Rules 2026 and come into operation on 20 October 2026.

In the Accountants (Public Accountants) Rules (R 1) (called in these Rules the principal Rules), in rule 2, in the definition of “public practice”, after “a partner”, insert “or an employee”.

In the principal Rules, delete rule 3.

In the principal Rules, in rule 4(3), replace the definitions of “specified period”, “specified public accountant” and “year” with —“ “renewal period”, in relation to a public accountant, means the period in respect of which the current registration of the public accountant was renewed;“specified public accountant” means a public accountant who is —

a director or an employee of an accounting corporation, where none of the directors or employees of the accounting corporation has audited any listed entity in the calendar year preceding the renewal period of the public accountant;

a partner or an employee of an accounting firm, where none of the partners or employees of the accounting firm has audited any listed entity in the calendar year preceding the renewal period of the public accountant; or

a partner or an employee of an accounting LLP, where none of the partners or employees of the accounting LLP has audited any listed entity in the calendar year preceding the renewal period of the public accountant.”.

In the principal Rules, replace rule 5 with —“Requirements for registration

5. For the purposes of section 10(1)(c) of the Act, the requirements for the registration of an individual as a public accountant are —

the requirements set out in the Second Schedule;

the individual intends to carry on the public practice of accountancy in Singapore by placing the individual’s services as a public accountant at the disposal of the community, but not entirely at the disposal of any one individual, firm or corporation, after the individual is registered as such;

the individual is maintaining or is about to maintain an office or place at which the individual’s services as a public accountant may be engaged after the individual is registered as such; and

the applicant is available or is about to make himself or herself available to undertake work on behalf of any member of the public as a public accountant after the individual is registered as such.Exemption from requirement for registration 5A.—

An individual may apply to the Oversight Committee for the Oversight Committee to exercise its power under section 10(3) of the Act to exempt the individual from any of the requirements mentioned in section 10(1)(b) of the Act and rule 5.

An application mentioned in paragraph (1) must —

be made in the form and manner that the Oversight Committee requires; and

be accompanied by the fee specified in item 1A of the First Schedule.Application for registration as public accountant5B.—

For the purposes of section 11(1)(b)(i) of the Act, the fee for an application for the registration of an individual as a public accountant is specified in item 1 of the First Schedule. (2) The Registrar may require an applicant of an application made under section 11(1) of the Act to provide such information, certificate, document or other evidence as the Registrar may require for the purpose of satisfying himself or herself that the applicant satisfies the requirements for the registration of the applicant as a public accountant mentioned in rule 5.Application for renewal of registration5C.—

For the purposes of section 13(1)(b) of the Act, the requirements for the renewal of registration of an applicant as a public accountant are —

the requirements relating to continuing professional education as set out in the Third Schedule; and

the applicant must be a member of the Institute of Singapore Chartered Accountants (formerly known as the Institute of Certified Public Accountants of Singapore).

For the purposes of section 13(9) of the Act, the prescribed longer period is —

the period starting on the date of renewal of registration to 31 December of the year in which the first anniversary of the date of renewal of registration falls; or

the period starting on the date of renewal of registration to 31 December of the year in which the second anniversary of the date of renewal of registration falls, as chosen by the applicant.

The Registrar may require an applicant of an application made under section 13(1) of the Act to provide such information, certificate, document or other evidence as the Registrar may require for the purpose of satisfying himself or herself that the applicant satisfies the requirements for the renewal of registration in paragraph (1).

An applicant must pay the fee for the renewal of the registration of an applicant as a public accountant, as specified in item 2, and item 3, 4 or 4A (whichever may be applicable), of the First Schedule, for the grant of his or her application.Exemption from requirement for renewal of registration5D.—

An individual may apply to the Oversight Committee to exercise its power under section 13(3) of the Act to exempt the individual from any of the requirements mentioned in section 13(1)(a) of the Act and rule 5C(1). (2) An application mentioned in paragraph (1) must —

be made in the form and manner that the Oversight Committee requires; and

where the application is for an exemption from any requirement relating to continuing professional education, be accompanied by the fee specified in item 4B of the First Schedule.Review of applications by Oversight Committee5E.—

Where the Registrar is required under section 11(4) or 13(7) of the Act to refer an application for the registration or renewal of the registration as a public accountant (as the case may be) to the Oversight Committee, the Registrar must ensure that the application is —

circulated to the members of the Oversight Committee; or

placed before a meeting of the Oversight Committee,without undue delay for the Oversight Committee’s decision.

The Registrar must communicate the Oversight Committee’s decision on the application mentioned in paragraph (1) to the applicant in writing.Time of making application for renewal of registration5F.—

An individual may apply to the Registrar for the Registrar to allow the individual under section 13(5)(a) of the Act to make an application for the renewal of his or her registration as a public accountant under section 13(1) of the Act on a date that —

is less than one month before the date on which the individual’s registration as a public accountant expires; or

is after the date on which the individual’s registration as a public accountant expires.

An application mentioned in paragraph (1) must —

be made in the form and manner that the Registrar requires; and

be accompanied by the fee specified in item 4C of the First Schedule.”.

In the principal Rules, replace rules 7 and 8 with —“Replacement certificate of registration7.—

Where a certificate of registration is lost or destroyed, the holder of the certificate (called in this rule the holder) may apply to the Registrar for a replacement certificate.

An application to the Registrar under paragraph (1) must be accompanied by —

a statutory declaration by the holder that the certificate of registration has been lost or destroyed; and

the fee specified in item 4D of the First Schedule.PART IVmanner of practiceManner of public practice of accountancy

In the principal Rules, delete rule 16.

In the principal Rules, in the First Schedule —

replace the Schedule reference with —“Rules 4, 5A(2)(b), 5B(1), 5C(4), 5D(2)(b), 5F(2)(b) and 7(2)(b)”;

before item 1, insert —“1A.For an application to the Oversight Committee for exemption from any requirement for registration as a public accountant$200”;

replace items 2, 3 and 4 with —“2.For the renewal of registration as a public accountant —

where the registration is renewed for the period mentioned in section 13(9) of the Act;$600 (b)where the registration is renewed for the period mentioned in rule 5C(2)(a); or$1,200 (c)where the registration is renewed for the period mentioned in rule 5C(2)(b)$1,8003.In addition to the fee specified in item 2(a), the fee for the renewal of registration as a public accountant for the period mentioned in section 13(9) of the Act, that is payable by a public accountant in respect of each accounting entity in which the public accountant intends to practise or continue practising starting on the date of renewal is as follows: (a)where the accounting entity has not audited any listed corporation from 1 January to 31 December (both dates inclusive) of the year immediately preceding the period for which the registration is sought to be renewed;$150 (b)where the accounting entity has audited the following number of listed corporations from 1 January to 31 December (both dates inclusive) of the year immediately preceding the period for which the registration is sought to be renewed: (i)1 to 10$250 (ii)11 to 100$650 (iii)more than 100$1,0504.In addition to the fee specified in item 2(b), the fee for the renewal of registration as a public accountant for the period mentioned in rule 5C(2)(a), that is payable by a public accountant in respect of each accounting entity in which the public accountant intends to practise or continue practising starting on the date of renewal is as follows: (a)where the accounting entity has not audited any listed corporation from 1 January to 31 December (both dates inclusive) of the year immediately preceding the period for which the registration is sought to be renewed;$300 (b)where the accounting entity has audited the following number of listed corporations from 1 January to 31 December (both dates inclusive) of the year immediately preceding the period for which the registration is sought to be renewed: (i)1 to 10$500 (ii)11 to 100$1,300 (iii)more than 100$2,1004A.In addition to the fee specified in item 2(c), the fee for the renewal of registration as a public accountant for the period mentioned in rule 5C(2)(b), that is payable by a public accountant in respect of each accounting entity in which the public accountant intends to practise or continue practising starting on the date of renewal is as follows: (a)where the accounting entity has not audited any listed corporation from 1 January to 31 December (both dates inclusive) of the year immediately preceding the period for which the registration is sought to be renewed;$450 (b)where the accounting entity has audited the following number of listed corporations from 1 January to 31 December (both dates inclusive) of the year immediately preceding the period for which the registration is sought to be renewed: (i)1 to 10$750 (ii)11 to 100$1,950 (iii)more than 100 $3,1504B.For an application to the Oversight Committee for exemption from any requirement relating to continuing professional education for renewal of registration as a public accountant$504C.For an application to the Registrar for allowance to make application for renewal of registration on a date that does not fall at least one month before the date of expiry of registration$304D.For a replacement certificate of registration$50”; and

delete items 8, 9 and 10.

In the principal Rules, in the Second Schedule —

in paragraph 2(b)(x)(D), replace the comma at the end with a full‑stop; (b)in paragraph 2, delete “and shall have also passed such other examination and have fulfilled such other requirements as may be determined by the Oversight Committee.”;

in paragraph 3(1), replace “The Oversight Committee must not register any person as a public accountant unless the Oversight Committee” with “The Registrar must not register any person as a public accountant unless the Registrar”;

in paragraph 3(1)(a), insert “and” at the end;

in paragraph 3(1)(b), replace “; and” at the end with a full‑stop; (f)in paragraph 3(1), delete sub-paragraph (c);

in paragraph 3, delete sub-paragraph (9);

in paragraph 3B(1), replace “Oversight Committee” with “Registrar”;

in paragraph 4, delete sub-paragraph (3); and

in paragraph 7(1), replace “Oversight Committee” with “Registrar”.

In the principal Rules, in the Third Schedule —

replace the Schedule reference with —“Rule 5C(1)(a)”;

in paragraph 1, replace “the renewal of his certificate of registration” with “the renewal of his or her registration as a public accountant”;

in paragraph 2, delete sub-paragraph (a);

in paragraph 2(b), replace “certificate of registration has been renewed not more than twice since the time of his registration” with “registration as a public accountant has been renewed not more than twice since the time of his or her registration”; and

delete paragraph 4.