- Remote setup
- Visit needed
- Visit, notary or lawyer
- Notarise MoA
- Local director
- Not stated
- Registered address
- Commercial address
- Minimum capital
- No minimum (WLL)
- Yearly upkeep
- Annual CR renewal
- EU member
- No
- IWG business address
- 4 centresfrom $50/mo
What the registry requires
| Company type | With Limited Liability company (W.L.L.) |
|---|---|
| Registry | Ministry of Industry and Commerce, via the Sijilat commercial registration system |
| Government filing fee | BHD 50 — BD 50 for issuance of a CR without licence; BD 27 to notarise the memorandum of association; BD 10 municipal site approval; BD 20 to add activities, plus any licence fees. |
| Registration time | Sijilat FAQ: e-CR same day or up to 1 working day; applications with foreign investors (excluding GCC and US nationals) go to the Ministry of Interior for a security check and may take up to 5 working days (elsewhere in the FAQ: up to 10). |
| Resident director | Sijilat pages reached do not state a resident-manager requirement for a WLL. |
| Visit, notary or lawyer | The memorandum of association is notarised by MOICT notary staff (1 working day, BD 27); a foreign signer who cannot sign in Arabic brings a translator or files bilingual documents. |
| Registered address | A commercial address is required (municipal approval, BD 10); only the home-based 'Sijili' registration is exempt, and a professional body's address may be used temporarily for up to 6 months. |
| Minimum capital | No minimum (WLL) |
| Corporate tax | No general corporate income tax; a 15% Domestic Minimum Top-up Tax applies from 2025 to multinational groups with global revenue of EUR 750 million or more (Decree-Law 11/2024). |
| Every year | The CR is renewed through Sijilat; the FAQ notes a fee applies for renewal but does not state the amount for a WLL. |
What it costs
- Government filing fee
- BHD 50
- ≈ $133 at ECB rates
BD 50 for issuance of a CR without licence; BD 27 to notarise the memorandum of association; BD 10 municipal site approval; BD 20 to add activities, plus any licence fees.
- Every year
- Annual CR renewal
The CR is renewed through Sijilat; the FAQ notes a fee applies for renewal but does not state the amount for a WLL.
- Not included
- Provider fees
Registered agent or address, notary fees, accounting and bank onboarding vary by provider — ask for a quote in the request form.
How to register a company in Bahrain, step by step
- Check the activity on Sijilat for licensing needs and any restriction to Bahraini nationals.
- Submit the online CR application on Sijilat.bh with founders' passports and the commercial address.
- Obtain municipal site approval (BD 10) unless the location is pre-approved.
- Notarise the memorandum of association at MOICT notary staff (BD 27), with a translator if needed.
- Pay BD 50 for the CR without licence and any activity licence fees.
- Receive the CR (up to 5 working days with foreign investors) and renew it annually.
Corporate tax in Bahrain
No CIT (DMTT 15%). No general corporate income tax; a 15% Domestic Minimum Top-up Tax applies from 2025 to multinational groups with global revenue of EUR 750 million or more (Decree-Law 11/2024).
Rates are the headline figures published by the tax authority; your effective rate depends on residence, activity and treaties. This is not tax advice.
Common mistakes
- Choosing an activity reserved for Bahraini nationals or requiring a Bahraini majority.
- Arriving to sign Arabic documents without a translator or bilingual versions.
- Starting the activity on a CR without the required licence.
Compare Bahrain with alternatives
| Yearly upkeep | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
 BahrainWLL | BHD 50≈ $133 | 1–5 working days | No CIT (DMTT 15%) | Not stated | Notarise MoA | Commercial address | Annual CR renewal |
 Saudi ArabiaLLC | SAR 1,200≈ $320 | About 10 working days | Not retrieved | No | Not required | Premises in contract | Not stated |
 JordanLLC | JOD 250≈ $353 | Up to 14 working days | Not retrieved | No | Officer/notary/lawyer | Not stated | Not stated |
 QatarLLC | QAR 1,500≈ $412 | Not stated | 10% income tax | No | MOJ notarisation | Lease for licence | Not stated |
4 of 4 · official sources, checked September 27, 2026. Government fees only; agent and address costs are extra.≈ USD at ECB reference rates of September 25, 2026.
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Sources
- Timelines (same day/1 day; foreign investors up to 5 or 10 working days), fees BD 50/10/20/27, no minimum capital for WLL, commercial address rules, notarisation, activities limited to Bahrainis — bahrain.bh, checked September 27, 2026
- Domestic Minimum Top-up Tax 15% for multinationals with revenue of EUR 750 million or more, Decree-Law 11/2024 — nbr.gov.bh, checked September 27, 2026
- Sijilat portal services: register a new business, renew CR — sijilat.bh, checked September 27, 2026