GST-Registered Companies Under Liquidation

Overview of a liquidating company’s GST obligations

When a company enters liquidation, certain GST obligations arise for both the company and the liquidator. Upon filing the notice of appointment of a liquidator with Accounting and Corporate Regulatory Authority (ACRA) via BizFile, ACRA updates IRAS automatically. The liquidator must ensure correct filing, payment, cancellation of GST registration and record‑keeping throughout the liquidation process.

Duties of liquidators

The liquidator must:

• File notice of appointment with ACRA. IRAS will be automatically updated.
• Set up Corppass access to manage liquidating company’s digital services. The liquidator must be assigned to the “GST (Payment)” and “GST (Filing and Applications)” digital services in Corppass. Refer to FAQ 3 for more information.
• File GST return(s) after date of liquidation.
• Make full payment of outstanding tax by payment due date.
• Apply for cancellation of GST registration within 30 days after business has ceased.

Upon completion of liquidation, the liquidator must:

• Ensure all GST returns have been filed and taxes paid by logging into myTax Portal to check GST filing status and statement of account.
• Retain records for 5 years from dissolution.

Filing GST returns and accounting for expenses and asset sales

• The company under liquidation is required to file:
  • The return(s) for accounting period(s) up to one day before the date of liquidation
  • Within one month of the liquidation date

• The liquidator is required to file:
  • The return(s) for accounting period(s) from the date of liquidation
  • Within one month after each accounting period

Example

Company A commenced liquidation on 15 Nov 2025. Its GST accounting periods are quarters ending Mar, Jun, Sep and Dec.

Expenses incurred during winding-up process

The liquidator may claim input tax in full on expenses incurred during winding-up (e.g. legal fees, liquidation fees, office rental and utilities) that are directly attributable to taxable supplies. If the expenses are used to make both taxable and exempt supplies, the input tax must be apportioned based on the input tax recovery formula. Please refer to Expenses incurred during winding-up process for more information.

Sale and disposal of business assets

The liquidator must account for GST on the business assets sold, disposed of, transferred or given for free. Please refer to Sale and disposal of business assets for more information.

Sale or rental of assets by third party to recover debts from liquidating company

Where a third party (e.g. mortgagee, financier, auctioneer) of the liquidating company sells or leases the liquidating company’s assets to recover debts, the third party must charge GST. This is regardless of whether the third party is GST-registered or not.

The third party must:

• Prepare a statement to report the sale made in satisfaction of debt
• Submit the completed statement to IRAS via the Selling / Renting Assets to Recover Debts form
• Pay the GST amount to IRAS within 21 days from the date of the sale
• Submit a copy of the statement to the liquidating company and buyer of the asset

The liquidator should not account for the GST charged by the third party in the GST return.

Please refer to Selling or renting assets to recover debts for more information.

GST payments and refunds

• The company under liquidation is required to:
  • Settle all outstanding tax that arose prior to liquidation
  • Terminate GIRO arrangement with IRAS (if any) by getting in touch with the bank directly
• The liquidator is required to:
  • Settle all outstanding tax that arises from the date of liquidation
  • Apply for GIRO* using the GIRO application form or make payment using available payment modes. Please indicate the liquidating company name and tax reference number in the GIRO application form.

*Note: Please ensure that any outstanding tax for accounting period(s) prior to liquidation has been settled before applying for GIRO. Otherwise, the outstanding taxes will be deducted from the liquidator’s bank account.

Cancellation of GST registration

After the completion of liquidation, the liquidator must apply for cancellation of GST registration within 30 days of business cessation. After IRAS approves, the liquidator must file the final GST F8, any outstanding returns, make final payments and account for GST on business assets where input tax was previously claimed.

FAQs