The Revenue (Reduction of Business Registration Fees) Order 2009 (the Order) comes into effect on 1 August, 2009.

By the order, the fees payable in respect of business registration certificates and branch registration certificates that with commencement date falling within the period from 1 August 2009 to 31 July 2010 (waiver period) will be reduced by a sum of $2,000 and $73 respectively.

The order only related to the waiver of one-year registration fees for new certificate of renewal certificates with commencement date falling within the waiver period. It does not provide for the refund of fees paid in respect of the waiver period.

The beneficiary are: the businesses holding 3-year certificates with expiry dates on or after 31 July 2010 and whose registration certificates expire between 1 August 2009 and 31 July 2010 but they are not required to renew their registration certificates because of cessation of business.

The Business Registration Office will proportionately refund the amount of business registration fee or branch registration fee paid by reference to the validity period of the certificate held by the business, the number of days in the waiver period and the amount of registration fees paid. The maximum refund amount is $2,000 for a business registration certificate and $73 for a branch registration certificate respectively.

Please note that the application form IRBR188 (6/2009) should be submitted to the Business Registration Office on or before 31 December 2010. And the cheque payment will be refunded within 21 days after day of submission.