Formation of companies
17.—(1)  Subject to the provisions of this Act, any person may, whether alone or together with another person, by subscribing the person’s name or their names to a constitution and complying with the requirements as to registration, form an incorporated company.
[36/2014]
(2)  A company may be —
(a)a company limited by shares;
(b)a company limited by guarantee; or
(c)an unlimited company.
(3)  No company, association or partnership consisting of more than 20 persons may be formed for the purpose of carrying on any business that has for its object the acquisition of gain by the company, association or partnership, or by the individual members thereof, unless it is registered as a company under this Act, or is formed pursuant to some other written law in Singapore or letters patent.
(4)  So much of subsection (3) as prohibits the formation of an association or a partnership consisting of more than 20 persons does not apply to an association or a partnership formed solely or mainly for the purpose of carrying on any profession or calling which under the provisions of any written law may be exercised only by persons who possess the qualifications laid down in such written law for the purpose of carrying on that profession or calling.
(5)  As from 15 August 1984, no company limited by guarantee with a share capital may be registered under this Act.
(6)  The prohibition referred to in subsection (5) does not affect a company limited by guarantee which has a share capital and is registered as such before 15 August 1984 and section 38(2) continues to apply to a company so registered; but any such company must, within 2 years of that date, elect to convert and re‑register that company either as a company limited by shares or as a company limited by guarantee.
(7)  The conversion of a company referred to in subsection (6) is effected by lodging with the Registrar a special resolution determining the conversion of the company from a company limited by guarantee with a share capital to a company limited by shares or to a company limited by guarantee (as the case may be) and altering its constitution to the extent that is necessary to bring them into conformity with the requirements of this Act relating to the constitution of a company limited by shares or of a company limited by guarantee, as the case may be.
[36/2014]
(8)  On compliance by a company with subsection (7) and on the issue by the Registrar of a notice of incorporation of the company in accordance with the special resolution, the company becomes a company limited by shares or a company limited by guarantee, as the case may be.
(9)  Upon the application of a company and payment of the prescribed fee, the Registrar must issue to the company a certificate of confirmation of incorporation.
[36/2014]