Companies (Amendment and Validation) Act, 2024
An Act amending the [[companies-act-2025]] to introduce name reservation, clarify reinstatement procedures, and establish new administrative and express fee structures.
Companies_(Amendment_and_Validation)_Act, _2024.pdf
2026-04-27
Key Provisions
Name Reservation
Introduces Section 29A to the principal Act, allowing an applicant to reserve a specified name for a company (source: Companies_(Amendment_and_Validation)_Act,_2024.pdf, Section 2).
- Duration: Names can be reserved for an initial period of up to four months.
- Successive Applications: Applicants may make further successive applications to reserve the name before the expiry of the current period.
- Fees:
- 1 week: $40
- 1 month: $60
- 2 months: $80
- 3 months: $120
- 4 months: $160
Company Reinstatement
Amends Section 159 regarding the process for a company, member, or creditor to apply to the Court to have a struck-off company restored to the register (source: Companies_(Amendment_and_Validation)_Act,_2024.pdf, Section 3).
- Time Limits: Applications must generally be made within two years of the strike-off date.
- Extensions: The Cabinet may allow for applications up to ten years after the strike-off date.
- Requirements: The company must have been carrying on business or in operation at the time of strike-off.
- Fee: Reinstatement fee is equivalent to two times the original incorporation or registration fee.
Administrative and Express Fees
The Act formalizes and validates various administrative fees and introduces a schedule for "express" processing (source: Companies_(Amendment_and_Validation)_Act,_2024.pdf, Sections 4, 5, 7).
Administrative Services (Part 8)
- Refund processing fee: $50
- Merger/Consolidation pre-clearance: $400
- Error correction in filed documents: $125
- Customized certificate/letter: $500
- Certification: $150
Express Fees (Part 9)
Express processing targets a 12-noon turnaround if submitted by 9:00 AM, or end-of-day if submitted by 12-noon (source: Companies_(Amendment_and_Validation)_Act,_2024.pdf, Section 5).
- Registration/Re-registration/Merger: $500
- Deregistration: $500
- Name change/Certifications/Customized letters: $150
Validation of Fees
The Act retroactively validates the payment and collection of fees previously charged by the Registrar without explicit statutory authority, treating them as if they had been lawfully collected under the amended Act (source: Companies_(Amendment_and_Validation)_Act,_2024.pdf, Section 8).