Registering - Vanuatu Financial Services Commission (VFSC)

Registering a Company

Incorporating a Company

This information sets out how to incorporate a company. It covers:

general information about companies (including community companies)
choosing a company name
deciding how you would like to run your company
understanding legal obligations for directors and shareholders
registering your company, and
keeping your details up to date.

Step One: Review General Information About Companies

There are a number of reasons why you may wish to incorporate a company. It is important that you understand what incorporating a company means and what this will mean for your business.

Is a company the right choice for me?

If you are thinking of setting up a business, find out more information about what kind of business structure to choose here.

Click here to find out more.

Specific information on the new community company is available here.

Step Two: Choosing a Company Name

Choosing a company name is an important step in incorporating your company. Click here to find out more.

Step Three: Deciding How You Would Like to Run Your Company

Under the Companies Act you can choose to run your company in accordance with standardized rules or come up with your own. Click here to find out more.

Step Four: Understanding Legal Obligations for Directors and Shareholders

It is very important for directors and shareholders to understand their rights and responsibilities under the law. Click here to find out about directors’ duties and here to find out more.

Step Five: Registering Your Company

To register your company, you have two options:

register online via the registry services link above or at a computer kiosk at a VFSC office
if you are unable to access a computer, then using the paper form under the ‘laws’ tab.

It costs less to incorporate your company online. More information on fees is available here.

Step Six: Keeping Your Details Up To Date

Companies are required to file annual returns. This is important to keep your details up to date as well as enable VFSC to continue to provide services to businesses. For more information on the annual return process, please click here.If you or your company’s details change before the annual return period you may easily update your details through the registry services tab above, attending the VFSC kiosk or using a paper form if necessary. Please note that there may be a cost to change details. More information on fees is available here.

How to register a Business Name

This information sets out how to register a business name. It covers:

Step One: Review General Information About Business Names

Operating a business under a name other than your own is a common practice in Vanuatu. It is important that you understand what business names are and the obligations of persons using business names. For more information click here.

Step Two: Choose Your Business Name

Most business names can be used in Vanuatu. Click here to find out more.

Step Three: Reserve Your Business Name

You are able to put a business name on hold for six months ahead of applying to register the business name. After this time, you must either give up the name or reserve the name again. However, you should not that you may only reserve a proposed business name twice over a five year period.

Reservation is easily done online through the registry services tab above.

There is a fee to reserve a business name. More information about fees is available here. Please note that if you go on to register the business name an additional fee will be payable.

Step Four: Register Your Business Name

Registering a business name is simple and can be done easily online through the registry services tab above, through the computer kiosk at the VFSC offices, or if necessary, by paper.

There is a fee to register a business name. More information about fees is available here. It costs less to register the business name online.

Step Five: Keeping Your Details Up To Date

Renewing your business name is important so that your details are up to date and VFSC knows that you are still trading under a business name. For more information on the renewal process click here.

There is a fee for annual renewals.

There is an understanding between the Vanuatu Financial Services Commission and the Department of Customs and Inland Revenue that any person applying for a business licence must first register his or her business name.

Incorporating a Committee of Charitable Association

Incorporate a Charitable Association Committee

This information sets out how to incorporate the committee of a charitable association. It covers:

Step One: Review General Information About Charitable Associations

Incorporating the committee of a charitable association can be of use in furthering the goals of your charitable association. It is important that you understand what incorporating the committee of your charitable association will mean for you. For more information, click here.

Step Two: How to Incorporate a Charitable Association

Incorporating a committee of a charitable association is simple and can be done easily only through the registry services tab above, through a computer kiosk at VFSC or using a paper form.

More detail on the information that you must provide to incorporate a charitable association committee is available here.

There is a fee to to incorporate a committee of a charitable association. More information on fees is available here.

Step Three: Keep Your Details Up To Date

Incorporated committees are required to provide an annual report on the activities of the charity. More information on the annual report is available here.

There is a fee to to file an annual report. More information on fees is available here.

Additional Information

Any person in doubt should seek information from Miss. Alima Garae of the Vanuatu Financial Services Commission, Bougainville Street, Port Vila.

Miss. Alima Garae

Senior Registration Officer

Approved Auditors

List of Approved Auditors.

Barrett & Partners

1st Floor B&P House, Kumul Highway. P.O Box 240, Port Vila, Vanuatu
Phone: +678 22280
Fax: +678 22317
Email: service@bap.com.vu

AJC Chartered Professional Accountants & Business Advisors

Govant Building
P.O Box 1276,Port Vila,Vanuatu
Phone (+678) 24404|Fax (+678) 23693
Email: contact@ajc-vanuatu.com | website: https://ajc-vanuatu.com/

Icount – Chartered Accountants & Business Consultants

John D. Warmington T/A The Bottom Line

P.O Box 290, Port Vila, Vanuatu
Mobile: +678 7743239
Email: john@tblvanuatu.com

Kathryn Nako Kokona & Co

Chartered Accountant,Carnot Street (Next door to the VAT office),Port Vila,Vanuatu
Phone: +678 5926976 or 5344116
Email kokona@vanuatu.com.vu

Law Partners

2nd Floor Law Partners House, P.O Box 212, Port Vila, Vanuatu
Phone: +678 22091
Fax: +678 23665
Email: mail@lawpartnersvanuatu.com

Martin Saint-Hilaire

1st Floor Govant Building, CBD, Port Vila, Vanuatu
Phone: +678 24404
Mobile: +678 7742976
Fax: +678 23692
Email: sainthilaire@vanuatu.com.vu

Moores Rowland Vanuatu

2nd Floor Transpacific Haus, P.O Box 257, Port Vila, Vanuatu
Phone: +678 22291
Fax: +678 23836
Email: mooresrowland@vanuatu.com.vu

Kerry Sanders T/A Sanders & Co.

3rd Floor Ex Bank of Hawii Building, P.O Box 1444, Port Vila, Vanuatu
Phone: +678 24595
Fax: +678 25332
Email: kerry@vanuatu.com.vu

Lewis Fleming T/A Pacific Partners

P.O Box1703, Port Vila, Vanuatu
Mobilie: +678 7763156
Email: pacificpartnerslaw@outlook.com

Roger D. Jenkins T/A Business Management

P.O Box 1069, Port Vila, Vanuatu
Phone: +678 24268
Fax: +678 22817
Email: jenks@vanuatu.com.vu

Steve Adams T/A Adams & Company – Chartered Accountants and Business Advisors

1st Floor Law Partners House, Kumul Highway, Port Vila, Vanuatu
Phone: +678 22732
Email: steve@adamsandcompany.com.vu

Maxwell MACGILL-CPA(Australia/BBus

MMAS|MAXWELL MACGILL ACCOUNTING SERVICES
Certified Practising Accountants
P.O Box 577
Port Vila,VANUATU
M: +678 5910328
E: maxwell@macgillaccounting.com

Ernst & Young

International Building , No.5 Wharf Road, Port Vila,Vanuatu
Tel: + (678) 23410
Fax: + (678) 23405
Email:security@vila.net

KPMG Vanuatu Branch

M +678 775 1451 | + 67824 404
1276 Kumul Hwy,1st Flr Govant Bldg,Port Vila,Vanuatu
Email: contact@ajc-vanuatu.com