Co-operative society
A member-owned co-operative registered with the Registry of Co-operative Societies. It can be a credit or non-credit co-op, and its by-laws take effect only once the Registrar registers them.
- Entiva fee to form
- $279
- Government fees to form
- None listed
- Run plan
- $99 a month
- Steps to form
- 2
- Ongoing filings
- 9
- Ways to close
- 3
Who it suits, and what defines it.
Governed by the Co-operative Societies Act 1979 and Rules.
Who it suits
- Member-owned organisations, credit or non-credit.
- Groups of at least 5 individuals, or 2 institutional members.
Key facts
- Members
- At least 5 individuals, or 2 institutional members
- Member eligibility
- At least 16 (12 for school co-ops); citizens or residents
- Registry
- Registry of Co-operative Societies
- Registration form
- Form 1 (credit) or Form 2 (non-credit)
- First meeting
- Within 3 months of the notice of registration
- Annual meeting (AGM)
- Within 6 months of year end
- Fund contribution
- 5% of the first S$500,000 of surplus, 15% above
- Statute
- Co-operative Societies Act 1979 and Rules
What the law requires.
6 rules, each in plain words.
At least 5 individual members, or 2 institutional members
Members must be at least 16 (12 for school co-ops) and Singapore citizens or residents, and credit co-ops also need an existing common bond.
A founding (pro-tem) committee of at least 3
It prepares a viability statement with a business plan and at least 3 years of financial projections, then drafts by-laws for the Registrar's comments.
A preliminary meeting adopts the by-laws
At least 5 qualified persons attend, and registration is by Form 1 (credit) or Form 2 (non-credit).
A first meeting within 3 months of the notice of registration
An AGM within 6 months of year end
The annual report and audited financial statements must reach members 15 clear days before the AGM.
A yearly contribution to the Central Co-operative Fund or Singapore Labour Foundation
5% of the first S$500,000 of surplus plus 15% above that (previously 20%) for years ending on or after 31 Dec 2025.
How Entiva forms it.
2 steps. Entiva prepares and files each one, and collects every signature the law needs.
The steps
2 steps- 1Register the co-operative society
The founding committee signs and submits Form 1 or Form 2, and Entiva prepares it and tracks the Registrar's comments.
- 2Revise the by-laws after the Registrar's commentsOnly if needed
Only if needed, because registration itself covers the first by-laws.
Documents
7- Form 1 (credit) or Form 2 (non-credit), with Annexes A and B
- Viability statement and business plan
- Three-year financial projections
- Proposed by-laws
- Registrar's comments on the draft by-laws
- Minutes of the preliminary meeting, signed by all present
- Notice of registration
Who takes part
2- Founding committee members give an NRIC or FIN number, and the Registry lists them
- At least 5 qualified individuals are identified as members
What has to be filed, and when.
Entiva tracks every deadline from the day it is formed, and files before each one.
Every year, and as things happen
9 filings- Hold the annual general meeting
Within 6 months after year end; accounts to members 15 clear days before
- Submit the AGM form and officer list
AGM Form and Form A within 14 days of the AGM; minutes endorsed within 60 days
- File the annual report and audited accounts
Within 6 months after the financial year closes
- File Form WD-1 (credit co-ops)
With the annual filings, for credit co-operatives
- File Form WD-1A (credit co-ops)
Within 2 months after mid-year
- Work out the yearly fund contribution
On the prior year's surplus: 5% of the first S$500,000, 15% above
- Choose where the contribution above S$500,000 goes
When choosing the Central Co-operative Fund or the Singapore Labour Foundation
- File the GST (goods and services tax) return
1 month after each accounting period, if registered
- File employees' income records with IRAS, the tax authority
1 March each year, if there are employees
The changes Entiva handles.
Each change is prepared, approved, signed and filed.
The most common changes
8 changes- Update the committee and key officers
- Amend the by-laws
- Amalgamate with another co-operative
- Transfer assets and liabilities to another society
- Correct a filed GST return
- Ask for more time to file a GST return
- Correct employment income records
- Give employees their IR8A forms on paper
How it closes.
3 routes. The right one depends on whether it can pay its debts, and who starts it.
Voluntary winding up
At least 75% of members present and voting at an extraordinary general meeting back it.
- 1
Cancel the GST registration
- 2
File the final GST return
- 3
Apply to the Registry to wind up
Amalgamation
Co-operatives merge into one society.
- 1
Amalgamate the societies into a new one
Transfer of engagements
Assets and liabilities pass to another society.
- 1
Transfer assets and liabilities to the other society
What Entiva does for you.
From the first filing to the last.
Co-operative society
- Prepares the registration application with the viability statement, business plan and by-laws.Formation
- Tracks the Registrar's comments and the 30-working-day review.Formation
- Plans, records and minutes the AGM, with the notice and annual report for members.Governance
- Prepares the AGM form and officer list for the committee to submit within 14 days.Governance
- Prepares the annual report and audited accounts and tracks the 6-month deadline.Governance
- Calculates the yearly Central Co-operative Fund contribution from the surplus.Ongoing
Build it with the API.
Every step on this page is an action in the Entiva API, with its documents, signatures and filing.
What it costs, item by item.
Every Entiva fee and every government fee, from forming it to closing it.
Forming it
$279one-off
- Government fees
- None listed
Steps marked only if needed are not counted.
Closing it
Quoted before it starts
- Entiva fee
- Fixed, quoted first
- Government fees
- At cost
Included in the Run plan
- Hold the annual general meeting
- Submit the AGM form and officer list
- File the annual report and audited accounts
- Work out the yearly fund contribution
- Choose where the contribution above S$500,000 goes
- Routine changes
- Every deadline tracked
Extra, at a fixed fee
- File Form WD-1 (credit co-ops)
- File Form WD-1A (credit co-ops)
- Amalgamate with another co-operative
- Transfer assets and liabilities to another society
Each extra is quoted before it starts, and nothing is done until you approve it.
Forming it
Entiva's formation fee is $279, one-off. Government fees are passed through at cost.
Excludes steps marked only if needed.
Every year
The Run plan costs $99 a month ($1,188 a year).
Changes
Routine changes are included in the Run plan.
Penalties may reach 200% of the tax undercharged, plus a possible fine and imprisonment.
Closing it
Closing is a fixed-fee project, quoted before it starts.
Entiva fees are in US dollars. Government fees are in the currency each authority charges, passed through at cost when the filing is made. Taxes are separate.
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