Payroll software vendors may develop payroll software for employers on the Auto-Inclusion Scheme (AIS) for Employment Income to prepare and submit their employees' income records.
NEW!
One-Stop Payroll
The One-Stop Payroll initiative is a joint effort by IRAS, CPFB, MOM, and GovTech, aiming to simplify payroll and employment-related regulatory requirements by allowing businesses/employers to seamlessly submit their payroll and employment-related information to multiple Government agencies directly from their payroll software. In addition to annual salary data submission under AIS to IRAS, One-Stop Payroll vendors can also support the seamless submission of monthly CPF contributions (and other data) to CPFB, and responses to MOM surveys. Find out how you can stand out as a payroll solution by integrating One-Stop Payroll.
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Payroll software for AIS submissions
Payroll software that supports AIS submissions must be able to integrate directly with IRAS' server to submit employment income information through Application Programming Interface (API).
How to qualify as an AIS payroll software vendor
To qualify and be listed as an AIS payroll software vendor on IRAS’ website for a particular Year of Assessment (YA), you must fulfil all of the following criteria:
- The payroll software vendor should be the developer of the software. Software distributors, resellers or payroll service providers will not be listed.
- The payroll software vendor must complete an annual validation test conducted by IRAS, typically between Sep-Nov of the preceding YA. Note: For YA 2026, the validation test will commence earlier in Jul 2025 to facilitate the testing and transition of existing payroll software vendors to AIS-API 2.0.
- The payroll software must be able to support AIS submissions via API, in accordance with the technical format/ specifications requirements. Refer to the technical format/specifications to assess whether your payroll software meets the requirements for API integration. If so, proceed to register your interest with IRAS via the form by 30 Sep each year.
We publish the list of AIS payroll software vendors and recommended controls for payroll software in the submit employment income records webpage.
Do note that IRAS does not endorse your payroll software. Qualifying as an AIS payroll software vendor means that the AIS submissions made through your software can be accepted by IRAS’ system.
Timeline to qualify as an AIS payroll software vendor for YA 2026 submission:
| Validation test period | Website listing period | Qualifying period |
|---|---|---|
| Jul - Nov 2025 | Until Dec 2026 | YA 2025 (4Q 2025)1, and YA 2026 |
1Qualifying period depends on when you have successfully passed the validation test.
Annual validation test
The validation test ensures that AIS submissions made through your software meets IRAS’ technical format/ specifications requirements.
IRAS will notify you of the details for the validation test by Sep via email (Note: For YA 2026, you will be notified by Jul 2025, in conjunction with the earlier commencement of the validation test and API integration). You must perform a self-verification exercise to ensure that your payroll software can generate and output values according to the sample scenarios provided.
The following items must be submitted to IRAS by 30 Nov:
A completed self-verification checklist
Acknowledgement Code after successful submission to APEX Sandbox
IRAS may conduct random checks on your submitted test data to verify that your validation test results meet the expected test outcome. If the submitted test data fails the validation test, you will not qualify as an AIS payroll software vendor.
Year of Assessment (YA) 2026 validation test
You only need to complete the validation test for the scenario that corresponds with the forms supported by your payroll software.
Guide, test scenarios and expected output files for YA2026
| Guides/ test scenarios | Description | Last updated |
|---|---|---|
| Validation Test Guide (for Self-Testing) (PDF, 179KB) | N.A. | Jun 2025 |
| Scenario 1 (ZIP, 48KB) | IR8A | Jun 2025 |
| Scenario 2 (ZIP, 88KB) | IR8A, Appendix 8A | Jun 2025 |
| Scenario 3 (ZIP, 66KB) | IR8A, Appendix 8B | Jun 2025 |
| Scenario 4 (ZIP, 105KB) | IR8A, Appendix 8A, Appendix 8B |
Jun 2025
|
Frequently asked questions
When am I required to participate in the validation test?
Interested payroll vendors must complete the validation test by 30 Nov each year, in order to qualify as an AIS payroll software vendor for the upcoming YA. You will be notified to participate in the validation test if you are an existing AIS software vendor or have submitted a participation request email to IRAS by 30 Sep. (Note: For YA 2026, you will be notified in Jul 2025, in conjunction with the earlier integration and validation test timeline for the enhanced AIS-API 2.0.)
If changes are made to your payroll software after you qualify as an AIS payroll software vendor, you must email to IRAS at [email protected], and complete the validation test again.