How to Check a Company in Malaysia Before You Sign: SSM e-Search, Company Profile, Financial Comparison and Particulars Reports, What Each Shows, the RM10–RM100 SSM Fees, and Eight Red Flags (2026)

A new supplier wants a 30% deposit. A prospective joint-venture partner says it has "RM5 million in capital". A landlord's agent asks you to sign a tenancy with a company you have never heard of. Before any of that, you can check the counterparty against Malaysia's official companies register in about ten minutes and for less than the price of lunch. This guide explains what the Companies Commission of Malaysia (SSM) will sell you, what each report actually shows, what it cannot show, and the red flags that should make you stop and ask more questions.

Quick answer (as at October 2026): To check a company in Malaysia, first run the free SSM e-Search on ssm.com.my to confirm that the registration number, name and status match. Then buy a Company Profile (SSM fee RM10, plus the portal's service charge and 8% service tax on that charge) from one of SSM's four authorised portals: SSM e-Info, MYDATA-SSM, SSM Search or SSM SAFEDATA. The profile lists status, registered and business address, nature of business, share capital, directors, shareholders, charges and the latest financial figures lodged. Add a Financial Comparison (RM20 for 2 years up to RM100 for 10 years) if money is at stake. Beneficial-ownership data is not publicly searchable. Only the owners themselves, people they authorise in writing, and regulated bodies can get it.

What the SSM register can and cannot tell you

Every Sdn. Bhd., Berhad and registered foreign company in Malaysia is on the SSM register, as is every sole proprietorship or partnership ("Enterprise") in Peninsular Malaysia and the Federal Territories (in Sabah and Sarawak, businesses of that kind register with the state authorities instead). Companies must notify SSM of most changes within fixed time limits under the Companies Act 2016. A change of directors or secretary is due within 14 days (s.58), a change in the register of members within 14 days (s.51), and a change of registered address within 14 days (s.46). The annual return under Section 68 is due within 30 days of each anniversary of incorporation. SSM packages those lodgements into paid reports.

That tells you three things about the data before you buy it:

• It is self-declared. SSM records what the company lodged. It does not audit whether the shareholder list reflects a side agreement, or whether the business address is a real office.
• It can lag. A director who resigned last week may still appear, because the company has 14 days to tell SSM. A profile is a snapshot of the last lodgement, not of today.
• It covers the legal entity, not the people behind it. Shareholders shown can be holding companies or nominees. The individuals who ultimately own or control 20% or more (the beneficial owners under s.60A, in force since 1 April 2024) are recorded with SSM but are not sold to the public.

Those limits are not a reason to skip the search. They are a reason to read it carefully and cross-check the things that matter for your deal.

The SSM information products and their fees

SSM publishes a fixed fee for each product. The authorised portals add their own service charge, and 8% service tax applies to that charge only. So what you pay on screen is always a little more than the SSM fee below. As a guide, e-Info shows a Company Profile at about RM15.

Source: SSM product pages for Company Information and Business Information. Fees exclude the portal service charge and the 8% service tax on it.

Which report do you actually need?

Most people either buy too little (the free e-Search only) or too much (every particulars report). Start from the risk in your deal.

Step by step: running the search yourself

1. Get the exact registration number. Ask for it in writing, or read it from the counterparty's invoice or letterhead. Malaysian companies show the registration number next to the name on invoices and letterheads. Since the new format was introduced, the number has 12 digits, for example 202501038061. The first four digits are the year of registration, and the next two show the entity type (01 for a local company, 03 for a business registered under ROBA). The old format, such as 1234567-X, still works in most searches.
2. Run the free e-Search on ssm.com.my. Confirm that the number, the name and the status match what you were told. If the name on the invoice differs from the registered name, ask why before going further.
3. Register on one authorised portal. SSM lists four: SSM e-Info (ssm-einfo.my), MYDATA-SSM (mydata-ssm.com.my), SSM Search (ssmsearch.com) and SSM SAFEDATA (safedata-ssm.com). The data comes from the same SSM database, and only the service charge and interface differ. Avoid third-party "free SSM check" websites that resell scraped data. Their records may be months old.
4. Search by number, not by name. Similar names are common, and a name search can return a dissolved company with almost the same name.
5. Buy and download. Reports arrive as PDF immediately. Choose the digital certified true copy option only if a bank, court or foreign authority needs it. For your own due diligence the ordinary copy is enough.

If you would rather not register and pay on a portal yourself, you can order an SSM company search (MyData / e-Info) through us. We pull the profile and the reports that fit your transaction and point out anything that needs explaining.

How to read a Company Profile, field by field

Status. You want "Existing". Anything showing winding up, struck off or dissolved means the entity cannot validly contract in the ordinary way, or is about to stop existing. A company that is being struck off under Section 550 can still appear for months, so read the status line before anything else. If the status mentions 308/550, see what SSM status 308/550 means.

Incorporation date. A company incorporated six weeks ago claiming "ten years of experience" may be a new vehicle for an older business. That can be legitimate, but ask which entity holds the track record, licences and staff.

Registered address and business address. The registered address is often the company secretary's office, which is normal. The business address is where the company says it trades. If it is a residential unit while the company claims a factory, ask for photos or visit.

Nature of business. This is the MSIC code description. A company registered for "general trading" bidding for construction work also needs a CIDB grade. A company importing food needs the relevant permits. The code does not prove a licence, but a mismatch is a question.

Share capital. Look at issued capital and how much is paid up. "RM5 million capital" in a pitch deck can mean RM5 million issued with RM100 paid. Since the Companies Act 2016 abolished par value, issued capital is simply the money the shareholders put in. It is a better signal than authorised capital ever was.

Directors and shareholders. Check that the person negotiating with you is actually a director or is authorised by one. A single director holding 100% of a company that is signing a seven-figure contract is not wrong, but your contract should then name that person's authority clearly.

Charges. A charge means a lender has security over the company's assets. A recent, large charge in favour of a bank is ordinary financing. Several charges to private lenders in a short period can signal cash-flow pressure.

Financial information. The profile shows summary figures from the latest financial statements lodged. Financial statements must be circulated within 6 months of the financial year-end and lodged within 30 days after that, so the latest figures can be up to about 19 months old. If the most recent year shown is far older than that, the company is behind on filings.

Eight red flags in an SSM search

Beyond SSM: who owns it, and is it in trouble?

Beneficial ownership. Since the Companies (Amendment) Act 2024 came into force on 1 April 2024, every company must identify and report its beneficial owners, meaning individuals who ultimately own or control 20% or more. The data is held by SSM but is not sold through e-Info or MyData. SSM releases it only to the beneficial owner, a person they authorise in writing, Bank Negara Malaysia, enforcement agencies, reporting institutions under the AMLA (banks, lawyers, company secretaries and similar), and the Ministry of Finance for procurement. The fee is RM20 per company, all beneficial owners must consent (except for authorities and reporting institutions), and the PDF is emailed within three working days. In a commercial deal, ask the counterparty to provide its own beneficial-ownership declaration, or to authorise you in writing to obtain it. Our guide to bank due diligence and beneficial owners explains why banks ask the same question.

Good standing. The ACGS (RM100) is SSM's own confirmation. SSM will only issue it if the company has existed for at least 18 months, has lodged its latest annual return and financial statements (or EPC certificate), is "existing" and not being wound up or struck off, is not dormant, has a registered address, and neither the company nor its directors have an outstanding SSM compound or pending SSM prosecution. If a counterparty cannot get an ACGS, one of those conditions fails, and that tells you something.

Insolvency, litigation and credit. SSM does not show bankruptcy of individuals or court claims against the company. For a material contract, add a search with the Malaysian Department of Insolvency on each director and a credit bureau report on the company. Also check that any licence the counterparty relies on is current with the issuing agency (CIDB, KPDN, a local council).

Checking a Malaysian company from China or abroad

Chinese companies often need to verify a Malaysian buyer or partner before an export credit insurer, a bank or the board will approve the deal. SSM reports are in English and can be bought from overseas with a card. The issue is usually what the recipient needs. An internal credit committee will accept the plain PDF. A Chinese court, a notary office or a government filing (for example ODI) usually needs a certified copy that is then notarised and legalised. A digital CTC from SSM alone is not enough, because Malaysia is not a party to the Apostille Convention. Our guide on who can certify a true copy in Malaysia sets out the notary, Wisma Putra and embassy chain.

What to do with the results

A clean profile does not guarantee the other side will perform. It means nothing on the public record contradicts what you were told. Use what you find to set the deal terms:

• Thin capital or no filed accounts: reduce the deposit, pay against delivery, or ask for a director's personal guarantee.
• Recent change of directors or shareholders: ask who now controls the company, and get the board resolution that authorises the signatory.
• Joint venture or share purchase: the SSM search is only the first layer. The shareholders' agreement and constitution need to deal with what the register cannot show. See our guide to joint-venture shareholders' agreements.
• Anything unexplained: put the question in writing before signing. A legitimate counterparty will answer it.

Your own company is also being searched by banks, landlords and customers. If your profile shows overdue filings, an old address or a director who left two years ago, fix it before it costs you a deal. As your company secretary we keep the SSM record current. For one-off checks on someone else, our SSM company search service delivers the official profile with a short written note on anything that needs following up. Contact us or WhatsApp +60 12-321 1349.

This article is general information only, not legal, tax or immigration advice. Policies, thresholds and official fees are set by the relevant Malaysian authorities and may change. Talk to our consultants about your specific situation.