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Entity Search

What does it cost?

All online searches are FREE and you don’t need to log on (or even be a registered user) to search the register, though we do recommend that you log on before starting your search if you intend to update the register.

How do you get a certificate of incorporation or registration?

When you search the register for a company, business name or charitable association, you can see and even download or email a copy of the certificate of incorporation/registration for free.

The quick steps:

  • Begin by searching for the relevant entity (eg in registry services, choose “Companies” and then ” Register Search” and enter the name of the entity) and clicking on the search section
  • Click on the link to the relevant entity and  select the Certificate of incorporation/registration option (near the top of the screen).
  • You can print or email a copy of the certificate of incorporation and it’s all FREE.
Searching for a company, business name or charitable association

Using the search the register option you can find details of companies – both Vanuatu companies and overseas companies registered in Vanuatu, as well as business names and charitable associations.

See Below for more information

Understanding your search results

To further understand your search results, See below.

Searching for a director, shareholder, owner or committee member

Using the Register Role Search tool you can determine whether an individual is, or has been, a director or shareholder of a company, owner of a business name or committee member of a charitable association.

See Below for more information

Does the business have loans or borrowings secured by its assets?

This section explains how to check if the company or person you are searching for has any borrowings and has promised some of its assets as collateral for the loan. It also explains how to check if a director or shareholder has also promised some of their assets under a loan.

See Below for more information

Searching for a company, business name or charitable association

Using the search function under “Registry Services” you can find details of companies (both Vanuatu companies and overseas companies registered in Vanuatu), as well as business names and charitable associations.

There are two search options available.

Quick search
  • Click on Register Services in the registry  menu section of the website, select the entity type, then click ‘Register Search’.
  • In the ‘Entity Name or Identifier’ box, enter the details you are using to search e.g. for a company search this might be the company’s name (either the current name or a previous name) or the company’s incorporation number.
  • Select the register it applies to (or choose ‘All Registers’)
  • Click on Search to display results
  • A list of possible matches will be displayed on screen and you can click on any one of these results to view the details of that company.
Advanced Search
  • Click on Register Services in the registry  menu section of the website, select the entity type, then click ‘Register Search’.
  • Click on Advanced
  • Now you can customise your search in several ways. Only fields with an * are compulsory.

Some examples of how to customise your search include:

  • Entity type – eg local or overseas, for a company
  • Entity status – eg registered, removed, in liquidation
  • Registered date – refine your search to only include entities registered between certain dates
  • Business Activity – choose a specific business activity of interest.
Make a Register Search Now

Understanding your search results

Once you have completed a search of the register there is a range of options available to you from the ‘Search Results’ screen.

At the top of the screen you will see the search criteria you used for this search. If you need to you can modify that criteria and search again.

In the Search Results section you can view company details as follows:

  • Preview basic details of each company (Name, company number, status, registered address and date of incorporation)
  • Click through to the company details screen for more details about a company.
What information is available online?
  • The VFSC website contains useful information on entities that was previously only available through inspection of paper files. It also contains information on individuals and other bodies related to those entities (for example, for companies information is held about directors and shareholders).
What does company status mean?
  • The company status indicates whether, for example, a company is recorded as registered, amalgamated, removed or in receivership/liquidation
What documents can you see?
  • Many documents filed with the VFSC can be conveniently viewed online as PDF files.  Any documents filed before 31 August are available only through the paper file at the VFSC office.  Over time, the paper files will become less relevant, and the amount of information stored through the online registry will grow.

Searching for a director, shareholder, owner or committee member

Using the ‘Register Role Search’ tool, you can determine whether an individual is, or has been, a director or shareholder of a company, owner of a business name or on the committee of a charitable association.

There are two search options available.

Quick search
  1. Click on ‘Registry Services’, select the entity type, then click ‘Register Role Search’
  2. In the ‘Search For’ field, type in the name of the individual you are searching for (or company, in the case of a corporate entity director)
  3. Select the register it applies to (or select ‘All Registers’)
  4. Click on the ‘Search’ button to display the complete search results for your search criteria.
  5. A list of possible matches will be displayed on screen – you can click on any of these results to view the details of that company.
Advanced Search
  1. Click on ‘Registry Services’, select the entity type, then click ‘Register Role Search’
  2. Click on ‘Advanced’

Now you can customise your search in several ways. Only the fields marked with ‘*’ are compulsory.

Some examples of how to customise your search include:

  • Role type – you can specify if you want to search for just directors, just shareholders, or both
  • Role status – you can specify if you want to search for roles that are ceased, active, or both
  • Entity type – choose specific types of interest e.g. local or overseas
  • Entity status – choose specific statuses of interest e.g. removed or dissolved companies
  • Province or municipality – you can also refine results by location
Make a Role Search Now

Does the business have loans or borrowings secured by its assets?

This section explains how to check if the business or person you are searching for has any borrowings and has promised some of their assets as collateral for the loan. It also explains how to check if a director or shareholder of a company has also promised some of their assets under a loan.

Checking if the business has promised its assets to a lender

Businesses often take out loans with banks or other kinds of financial institutions or lenders. In return, the business has to pledge some form of collateral as security, which would be forfeited if they default on the loan.  The collateral may be real property (land and buildings), or moveable property (such as equipment, vehicles, accounts receivable etc.).

If you are planning to lend money to a business, or planning to do business with a company, or looking to purchase a company, you should first check if the business has pledged any of its assets as collateral to somebody else, because if they have, the first lender will have priority over those assets if there is a default.  This can be done at www.ppsr.vu.

If the company has pledged its land or buildings, you need to check with the lands registry.

You will need to ensure you have priority over assets you wish to take as security, or if you do not have priority, you are still comfortable making a loan or doing business with the company.

You can search for any notice of a security interest by clicking on this link. The notice is called a “Notice of Prior Security Interest”.

  • Click on Public Search
  • Enter the business name or person’s name in the search box and press submit

If there is a match, details will appear in the results page.

For example, you may find a ‘Notice of Prior Security Interest’ that indicates that eg:

  • a bank called Oceania Bank Limited has made a loan to ABC Company Limited.
  • to secure the loan, the bank has taken current and future accounts receivable, as well as a vehicle as collateral.
  • the Bank will have filed this notice for a fee.  By filing the notice, the bank has priority over other lenders in relation to the collateral it has listed.
  • by checking this, you are now aware that the collateral listed has first been pledged to Oceania Bank.  If the company defaults on their loans, the bank will be able to claim these assets before you.

If the company has mortgaged its land or buildings, you would need to check with the lands registry.

Checking if the Directors or Shareholders also have security interests

You are also able to check if the director or shareholder of the company you are dealing with has pledged any collateral.  Go to this link and click on ‘individual’ for Debtor type, instead of company. Enter part or all of their name, and any notices of security interest will then appear.

  • Go to the same link as above, www.ppsr.vu
  • Click on Public Search
  • Select ‘Individual’ for Debtor type (instead of company)
  • Enter all or part of the name you want to search, and press submit

If there is a match, details will appear in the results page.