Quick answer: Company-secretary fees in Malaysia vary because providers include different work. A responsible quotation should separate the annual professional retainer, registered-office service, SSM government fees, incorporation work, event-based resolutions and filings, certified documents and late or urgent work. The lowest monthly figure may not represent the total annual cost.
Why does every Sdn. Bhd. need a company secretary?
SSM requires a company to appoint at least one qualified company secretary within 30 days after incorporation. The secretary must satisfy the Companies Act requirements, including membership of an approved professional body or licensing by SSM, and the applicable practising requirements.
The company secretary supports corporate compliance, but the directors remain responsible for the company and its statutory obligations.
What should an annual company-secretarial package include?
| Service | Common treatment | What to confirm |
|---|---|---|
| Named company-secretary appointment | Core service | Who is appointed and whether the practising status is current |
| Compliance calendar and reminders | Usually included | Annual return, financial statements and recurring review dates |
| Statutory registers and minute records | Core record-keeping support | Format, custody and update responsibilities |
| Annual return preparation and lodgement | May be included or separately charged | Professional fee versus SSM fee |
| Registered-office address | Often optional or separately priced | Mail handling and record access arrangements |
| Routine advice | Scope varies | What questions and document reviews are included |
| Event-based resolutions and filings | Usually separate | Fees for directors, shares, addresses, charges and other changes |
| Beneficial-ownership compliance | Should be addressed | Initial records, changes, notices and lodgements |
Professional fees versus SSM government fees
A professional fee pays for advice, preparation, records, review and lodgement work. SSM government fees are charged under the applicable regulations and are separate unless the quotation expressly states otherwise.
SSM currently lists the annual-return lodgement fee for a private company at RM150. It lists financial-statement lodgement fees of RM50 for audited financial statements and RM20 for non-audited financial statements. These are not the company secretary’s professional fees.
What work is normally charged separately?
- Incorporation and initial post-incorporation documents
- Changes of directors, secretary, registered office or business address
- Share allotments, transfers, reductions or restructuring
- Changes of company name, business activities or constitution
- Opening or registering charges and security documents
- Certified true copies, searches and company profiles
- Beneficial-ownership investigations or overdue updates
- Applications for extensions, relief or rectification
- Late lodgement, compounds and urgent work
- Striking off, restoration, conversion or winding-up support
A package should state its event-based fee schedule or explain how non-routine work is quoted.
What does a company secretary actually do?
A company secretary helps maintain statutory registers, records directors’ and shareholders’ decisions, prepares prescribed resolutions and forms, lodges corporate information and guides the company on procedural requirements under the Companies Act.
SSM states that only the appointed licensed company secretary or company agent can lodge annual documents through the MBRS platform. A secretary also helps the directors maintain current beneficial-ownership information and identify filing consequences when corporate particulars change.
What is not automatically included?
Company-secretarial service is not the same as accounting, tax, payroll, audit, legal advice, business licensing or immigration service. Some firms provide several of these services, but the engagement letter should identify the responsible provider and fee for each scope.
Likewise, a company secretary cannot guarantee approval by SSM, a bank, a licence authority or Immigration.
How to compare two company-secretary quotations
- Compare the full first-year and recurring annual cost
- Separate professional fees from SSM fees and taxes
- Confirm whether registered-office use is included
- Check annual-return preparation and lodgement
- Ask how many routine resolutions or consultations are included
- Review the schedule for event-based transactions
- Check response times and who will handle the account
- Confirm document custody and access
- Ask whether beneficial-ownership compliance is within scope
- Read termination, handover and outstanding-fee terms
Warning signs in a very low-fee package
A low fee is not automatically unsuitable. The risk arises when the quotation is unclear about exclusions, does not identify the appointed qualified secretary, omits annual-return work or relies on repeated add-on charges for basic support. Directors should also avoid arrangements where statutory records cannot be accessed or the provider does not respond before deadlines.
Why integrated support can reduce compliance gaps
Company-secretarial changes often affect accounting and tax. New shares alter ownership records; director remuneration affects payroll and tax; a new activity may change licences or SST; a new related company may create transfer-pricing or e-Invoice consequences.
Coordinated company-secretarial services, accounting and tax support reduce the risk that one team updates a record while another team continues using old information.
How HTL can help
HTL provides licensed company-secretarial support for incorporation and ongoing SSM compliance. We can explain which work is included in the annual scope, identify event-based items and coordinate the company’s accounting, payroll and tax requirements.
View HTL’s incorporation services or request a scope-based quotation.
Frequently asked questions
Is the company secretary fee fixed by SSM?
No. Professional fees are set by the service provider. SSM separately prescribes government lodgement and application fees.
Can the director submit the annual return personally?
SSM states that annual documents are lodged through MBRS by the appointed licensed company secretary or company agent.
Can a company change its secretary?
Yes, subject to the required appointment, resignation, resolutions, records and SSM lodgements. A proper handover of statutory records and outstanding matters is important.
This article provides general information. The exact scope and fee should be confirmed in a written engagement or quotation.
Last updated: 4 September 2026
Official references: SSM — Company Secretary Requirements · SSM — Annual Submission and Fees · SSM — Companies Act 2016 Resources
