What documents should I get when switching accountants or bookkeepers?
Ask the outgoing provider for your ledgers, trial balance, financial statements, working papers that belong to you, tax computations, filing acknowledgements, payroll records and all your original documents. Request an export from the software, then confirm the new provider can open it.
The records are the company's, not the accountant's. Ask in writing for:
Accounting
- General ledger, trial balance and software export or backup
- Latest signed financial statements and prior years
- Fixed asset register, loan schedules, ageing reports
- Bank reconciliations and supporting schedules
Tax and compliance
- Tax computations and e-Filing submissions for recent years
- SST, payroll (EPF, SOCSO, EIS, PCB, HRD Corp) submissions
- SSM filings and registers if they were handled by the provider
Originals
- Invoices, receipts, contracts, bank statements
Access
- Transfer of software admin rights, bank feeds, tax agent authorisations
- Cancel the old provider's authority with LHDN and other agencies once the handover ends
Process
- Give notice according to the engagement letter
- Settle fees; unpaid fees may delay release, but a firm should not refuse access to your own records for an unreasonable time (this is a matter of professional conduct and contract, so ask a lawyer if there is a dispute)
- Ask the incoming firm to send a professional clearance letter to the outgoing one
- Check opening balances against the last financial statements
Keep a copy of everything you hand over.
Legal basis
- Companies Act 2016, s.245
- MIA By-Laws (Professional Ethics, Conduct and Practice)
Sources
Applies to 2026 · Last reviewed 29 October 2026
General information for business owners, not legal, tax or professional advice. Rules change, so check the sources or ask a licensed professional before you act.
Related questions
- What is the difference between bookkeeping and accounting in Malaysia?Bookkeeping is the day-to-day recording of transactions: sales, purchases, payments and receipts. Accounting uses those records to prepare financial statements, interpret results and support decisions and tax filing. Good bookkeeping comes first, because accounts can only be as reliable as the entries beneath them.
- Is a Sdn Bhd legally required to keep accounting records?Yes. Section 245 of the Companies Act 2016 requires every company, including its directors and managers, to keep accounting and other records that explain its transactions and financial position. This applies even to a new, dormant or loss-making company.
- How long must a Malaysian company keep its accounting records?A company must keep accounting records for seven years after the transactions they record were completed. For tax, documents must be kept for seven years from the end of the relevant year of assessment. Use whichever period ends later.
- What documents should a Malaysian company keep for bookkeeping?Keep every document that proves a transaction: sales and purchase invoices, receipts, bank statements, contracts, payroll records, and records of assets and loans. If a transaction is not supported by a document, it is hard to defend in an audit or tax review.
- Can I keep accounting records and receipts in digital form only?Electronic records are accepted if they are complete, readable, accessible and can be converted into writing. Documents issued electronically, such as e-Invoices, can stay electronic. If you scan a paper original, the Income Tax Act says to keep the paper original as well.