Ordinary secretaries and the group exception
The direction says secretaries and directors could use their own CPF PAL PIN when issued. A secretary did not need a Professional Number except for new charges or new-company incorporation. RCB would consider a group number for an in-house secretarial division serving subsidiaries and associates, including incorporation. The number did not convert every staff member into a prescribed professional.
Delegation and prior secretary consent
An authorised person could authorise employees or agents for all or selected group entities. Transactions reserved to prescribed persons remained restricted, including incorporation by authorised lawyers, accountants or prescribed persons. A company employee other than its secretary had to obtain the secretary’s prior consent to a filing; that consent did not need filing with RCB.
The authorisation letter: six requirements
Apply online through Bizfile with a scanned Singapore holding-company letterhead letter signed by a named director. It authorises the applicant and at most two authorised persons, identifies the relevant section 171(1A) secretary qualification and professional membership number if any, explains why a number is sought, lists all group companies covered, and accompanies the undertaking.
Undertaking identity and permitted users
The undertaking is on the Singapore holding company’s letterhead and signed by authorised persons. It identifies holding-company name, registration number, registered address, telephone/fax, email and activities. Its first commitments limit use to authorised persons and employee agents for authorised group companies; RCB may object to a non-prescribed user by notice.
Competence, secrecy and professional reservations
Ensure non-prescribed users are trained and competent and submissions retain integrity, correctness, authenticity and accuracy. Keep the number secret and solely for its issued purpose. Reserved transactions, including local/foreign incorporation for clients and new charges, are performed only by qualified/prescribed persons. Non-prescribed users may not prepare incorporation instruments unless authorised under Legal Profession Act section 34.
System safety, misuse and withdrawal
Software/documents must be virus-free and not damage Bizfile; suspected problems require immediate cessation and notification. Applications used must be compatible and RCB-approved. Misuse requires reporting and correction of filed records. Accept further RCB conditions; any undertaking breach may cause immediate withdrawal. The deposit-payment note limits all transactions to one deposit account.
Historical scope
Practice Direction 6 of 2002 took immediate effect on 11 November 2002. CPF PAL PIN, Professional Number and the RCB tutorial references are the source’s historical mechanisms; this article does not present them as a current Corppass registration procedure.
Official source
This article independently explains the substantive contents of the official PDF, including the relevant conditions, procedures and annexes. The linked document remains the authoritative source for its original wording, and later changes should be checked separately.
Read the official PDF ↗