What a Cyprus company is
A Cyprus private company limited by shares is a separate legal person registered with the Department of Registrar of Companies and Intellectual Property. It can hold property, sign contracts and trade internationally, benefits from Cyprus's EU membership and double-tax treaty network, and is taxed at a corporate rate of 12.5% when it is managed and controlled from Cyprus. One shareholder and one director are enough to incorporate, and neither needs to be a Cyprus resident.
The formation steps
- 1
Choose the company structure and name
Most founders register a private company limited by shares. Propose a name through your service provider — the Registrar rejects names that are identical or confusingly similar to existing entities, overly generic, or that contain restricted words (bank, insurance, university, and similar) without the relevant licence. Check whether your preferred name is already taken with a free registry search before filing.
- 2
Prepare the incorporation package
Your Cyprus lawyer drafts the memorandum and articles of association, signs the HE1 statutory declaration of compliance, and files the HE2 (registered office) and HE3 (directors and secretary) forms together with the approved name.
- 3
File with the Registrar of Companies
The package is submitted to the Department of Registrar of Companies and Intellectual Property with the registration fee and stamp duty. On acceptance, the Registrar issues the certificate of incorporation and the company's HE registration number.
- 4
Complete post-incorporation registrations
Register for a tax identification code, VAT if turnover thresholds or cross-border trade require it, update the register of beneficial owners, and open the business bank account — the step that usually takes longest for non-resident founders.
For the full end-to-end walkthrough, including tax registration, banking and the first year's compliance calendar, read our complete guide to registering a company in Cyprus.
What Cyprus company formation costs
Total cost has two parts: government charges payable to the Registrar and the Stamp Duty Commissioner, and professional fees for the firm that drafts and files your incorporation.
| Cost | What it covers |
|---|---|
| Name approval | A small government fee per name application, paid when the proposed name is submitted to the Registrar. |
| Registration fee | Charged on the authorised share capital at filing, with an expedited option available through the Registrar for urgent incorporations. |
| Stamp duty | 0.6% of the authorised share capital, capped at €20,000, paid on the memorandum at incorporation. |
| Professional services | Legal drafting, registered office, company secretary and filing handled by your provider; fees vary by firm and by the complexity of the share structure. |
| Annual company levy | €350 per year, payable to the Registrar by 30 June. Non-payment leads to penalties and can result in the company being struck off. |
| Accounting, audit and annual return | Every Cyprus company must keep proper books, prepare audited financial statements and file the HE32 annual return. Ongoing compliance cost depends on transaction volume. |
Government fees change from time to time — confirm current amounts with the Registrar of Companies or your service provider before filing. Read more about the annual levy and the HE32 annual return.
Documents you need to prepare
- Certified passport copy for every beneficial owner, director and secretary
- Recent proof of residential address (utility bill or bank statement) for each person
- Memorandum and articles of association drafted for the company's objects and share capital
- HE1 statutory declaration of compliance, sworn by a Cyprus lawyer
- HE2 notice of the registered office address in Cyprus
- HE3 particulars of the directors and company secretary
- Approved company-name application
- Bank-reference or professional-reference letters, usually requested by the bank at account opening
Corporate shareholders additionally provide their certificate of incorporation, registers of directors and shareholders, and good-standing evidence. All foreign-language documents need certified translations, and banks may ask for them apostilled.
Before you file: check the name
The most common reason a formation stalls is a name rejection. Search the live register first to see whether a similar company name already exists, then read the Cyprus name-approval rules covering restricted words and similarity checks.
Frequently asked questions
How much does Cyprus company formation cost?
Government fees are modest: a name-approval fee, a registration fee based on authorised share capital, plus stamp duty of 0.6% on the authorised share capital (capped at €20,000). Professional service fees for drafting the memorandum and articles, registered office and company secretary are separate and vary by provider. Budget for the €350 annual company levy from the first full year onwards.
How long does it take to form a company in Cyprus?
Name approval typically takes a few working days, and incorporation a further few working days once the Registrar accepts the signed incorporation package. Using a pre-approved shelf company can shorten the effective timeline, but you should still update officers, registered office and beneficial-owner details afterwards.
Can a non-resident form a Cyprus company?
Yes. Cyprus company law does not require shareholders or directors to be Cyprus residents. However, tax residency of the company depends on management and control, and most banks and the tax authorities expect at least some local substance. Non-residents usually work through a local professional who provides the registered office and secretary.
What documents do I need to form a Cyprus company?
Certified passport copies and recent proof of address for each beneficial owner, director and secretary; the memorandum and articles of association; the HE1 statutory declaration by a Cyprus lawyer; HE2 (registered office) and HE3 (directors and secretary) forms; and the approved name application. Banks will additionally request business plans and source-of-funds evidence for account opening.
Do I need a company secretary and registered office in Cyprus?
Yes. Every Cyprus company must have a registered office address in Cyprus and a company secretary at all times. These are usually provided as services by the firm handling your incorporation.
What ongoing obligations follow incorporation?
File the HE32 annual return with financial statements each year, pay the €350 annual levy by 30 June, keep the beneficial-owner register up to date, maintain accounting records and audited financial statements, and renew tax and VAT registrations where applicable. Missing filings leads to penalties and ultimately strike-off.
About this guide
This guide is general information, not legal or tax advice. Companies House Cyprus is an independent commercial service operated by Infocredit Group Limited (HE4404) and is not affiliated with the Government of the Republic of Cyprus or the Department of Registrar of Companies and Intellectual Property. Figures were checked against public registrar information at the time of publication; confirm current fees and requirements before filing.