Companies Act 1967 · 2020 Revised Edition · Part 4 · Shares, Debentures and Charges
61. Restrictions on commencement of business in certain circumstances
Last amended by an amending law of 2014.
Official textFrom Singapore Statutes Online, unchanged
Where a company having a share capital has issued a prospectus inviting the public to subscribe for its shares, the company must not commence any business or exercise any borrowing power —
company having a share capital
“company having a share capital” includes an unlimited company with a share capital;
if any money is or may become liable to be repaid to applicants for any shares or debentures offered for public subscription by reason of any failure to apply for or obtain permission for listing for quotation on any securities exchange; or
unless —
shares held subject to the payment of the whole amount thereof in cash have been allotted to an amount not less in the whole than the minimum subscription;
every director has paid to the company on each of the shares taken or contracted to be taken by him or her, and for which he or she is liable to pay in cash, a proportion equal to the proportion payable on application and allotment on the shares offered for public subscription; and
there has been lodged with the Registrar a declaration in the prescribed form by —
the secretary or one of the directors of the company; or
a registered qualified individual authorised by the company,verifying that sub‑paragraphs (i) and (ii) have been complied with.
Where a public company having a share capital has not issued a prospectus inviting the public to subscribe for its shares, the company must not commence any business or exercise any borrowing power unless —
there has been lodged with the Registrar a statement in lieu of prospectus which complies with the provisions of this Act;
every director of the company has paid to the company on each of the shares taken or contracted to be taken by him or her, and for which he or she is liable to pay in cash, a proportion equal to the proportion payable on application and allotment on the shares payable in cash; and
there has been lodged with the Registrar a declaration in the prescribed form by —
the secretary or one of the directors of the company; or
a registered qualified individual authorised by the company,verifying that paragraph (b) has been complied with.
The Registrar must, on the lodgment of the declaration under subsection (1)(b)(iii) or (2)(c) (as the case may be), issue a notice in the prescribed form that the company is entitled to commence business and to exercise its borrowing powers; and that notice is conclusive evidence of the matters stated in it.
Registrar
“Registrar” means the Registrar of Companies appointed under this Act and includes any Deputy or Assistant Registrar of Companies;
Any contract made by a company before the date on which it is entitled to commence business is provisional only and is not binding on the company until that date, and on that date it becomes binding.
company
“company” means a company incorporated under this Act or under any corresponding previous written law;
Where shares and debentures are offered simultaneously by a company for subscription, nothing in this section prevents the receipt by the company of any money payable on application for the debentures.
If any company commences business or exercises borrowing powers in contravention of this section, every person who is responsible for the contravention shall be guilty of an offence and shall be liable on conviction to a fine not exceeding $4,000 and to a default penalty of $250.
default penalty
“default penalty” means a default penalty within the meaning of section 408;
Upon the application of a company which has received a notice under subsection (3) and payment of the prescribed fee, the Registrar must issue to the company a certificate confirming that the company is entitled to commence business and to exercise its borrowing powers, and that certificate is conclusive evidence of the matters stated in it.
Terms defined in s 4
company
Defined · s 4“company” means a company incorporated under this Act or under any corresponding previous written law;
company having a share capital
Defined · s 4“company having a share capital” includes an unlimited company with a share capital;
default penalty
Defined · s 4“default penalty” means a default penalty within the meaning of section 408;
director
Defined · s 4“director” includes any person occupying the position of director of a corporation by whatever name called and includes a person in accordance with whose directions or instructions the directors or the majority of the directors of a corporation are accustomed to act and an alternate or substitute director;
lodged
Defined · s 4“lodged” means lodged under this Act or any corresponding previous written law;
minimum subscription
Defined · s 4“minimum subscription”, in relation to any shares offered to the public for subscription, means the amount stated in the prospectus relating to the offer as the minimum amount which in the opinion of the directors must be raised by the issue of the shares so offered;
prospectus
Defined · s 4“prospectus” means any prospectus, notice, circular, material, advertisement, publication or other document —(a)inviting applications or offers from the public to subscribe for or purchase; or(b)offering to the public for subscription or purchase,any shares in or debentures of, or any units of shares in or debentures of, a corporation or proposed corporation, and includes any document deemed to be a prospectus under section 257 of the Securities and Futures Act 2001, but does not include —(c)a profile statement; or(d)any material, advertisement or publication which is authorised by section 251 (other than subsection (5)) of that Act;
registered qualified individual
Defined · s 4“registered corporate service provider” and “registered qualified individual” have the meanings given by section 2(1) of the Corporate Service Providers Act 2024;
Registrar
Defined · s 4“Registrar” means the Registrar of Companies appointed under this Act and includes any Deputy or Assistant Registrar of Companies;
share
Defined · s 4“share” means share in the share capital of a corporation and includes stock except where a distinction between stocks and shares is expressed or implied;
Part 5
Management and Administration
Part 6
Financial Statements and Audit
Part 7
Arrangements, Reconstructions and Amalgamations
Part 8
Part 8A
Part 9
Investigations
Part 10
Dissolution
Part 10A
Transfer of Registration
Part 11
Various Types of Companies, Etc.
Part 11A
Register of Controllers, Nominee Directors and Nominee Shareholders of Companies
Part 12