- Remote setup
- Possible
- Visit, notary or lawyer
- Online (e-signature)
- Local director
- No
- Registered address
- Not stated
- Minimum capital
- No minimum
- Yearly upkeep
- Not stated
- EU member
- No
- IWG business address
- 6 centresfrom $47/mo
What the registry requires
| Company type | Sociedad por Acciones Simplificada (S.A.S.) |
|---|---|
| Registry | Superintendencia de Compañías, Valores y Seguros (SCVS); RUC from the Servicio de Rentas Internas (SRI) |
| Government filing fee | $0 — 'El trámite no tiene costo': electronic constitution of a S.A.S. with the SCVS is free. Electronic-signature certificates are bought separately. |
| Registration time | The gob.ec procedure sheet gives no estimated time; the SCVS notifies completion by e-mail once the registration entries are generated. |
| Resident director | Foreign natural persons may be shareholders and appear as legal representatives using a passport; the procedure sheet states no residency requirement. |
| Visit, notary or lawyer | Fully electronic: shareholders and representatives sign the constitutive contract and appointments with Ecuadorian electronic-signature certificates in file format (tokens not accepted). Identification is by cédula or passport; the RUC is requested from the SRI within 30 days after registration. |
| Registered address | The procedure sheet does not state address requirements. |
| Minimum capital | No minimum |
| Corporate tax | Companies pay 25% on the taxable base (LRTI art. 37); plus 3 points where a tax-haven owner sits in the chain with an Ecuadorian beneficial owner; minus 3 points for new companies and micro/small enterprises. |
| Every year | Within 30 days of registration the company must update its information and file initial financial statements; annual registry fees are not stated on the page. |
What it costs
- Government filing fee
- $0
'El trámite no tiene costo': electronic constitution of a S.A.S. with the SCVS is free. Electronic-signature certificates are bought separately.
- Every year
- Not stated
Within 30 days of registration the company must update its information and file initial financial statements; annual registry fees are not stated on the page.
- 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 Ecuador, step by step
- Obtain an Ecuadorian electronic-signature certificate (file format) for every shareholder and legal representative.
- Reserve the name and access the SCVS electronic constitution portal.
- Complete the S.A.S. questionnaire with company data, shareholders and representatives (passport accepted for foreigners).
- Upload the signed private constitutive contract and the signed appointments.
- The SCVS generates the registration entries and e-mails the company documents.
- Request the RUC from the SRI and file the initial information within 30 days.
Corporate tax in Ecuador
25%. Companies pay 25% on the taxable base (LRTI art. 37); plus 3 points where a tax-haven owner sits in the chain with an Ecuadorian beneficial owner; minus 3 points for new companies and micro/small enterprises.
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
- Buying a token-based signature: the SCVS accepts only file-format certificates.
- Missing the 30-day window for the RUC and initial financial statements.
- Setting share values that are not whole US dollars or multiples.
Compare Ecuador with alternatives
| Yearly upkeep | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
 EcuadorS.A.S. | $0 | Not stated | 25% | No | Online (e-signature) | Not stated | Not stated |
 BrazilLTDA / SLU | R$273.55≈ $53 | About 1 day (avg 23 h) | 34% (IRPJ+CSLL) | Non-resident with POA | Not required | Brazilian address | No registry fee stated |
 PanamaS.A. | $60 | Not stated | 25% | No (3 directors min) | Lawyer + notary | Agent address | $300 a year |
 ArgentinaS.A.S. | Varies | 72 hours (IGJ) | 25-35% progressive | 1 resident admin | Online via TAD + CDI | Sede in Buenos Aires | 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
- gob.ec/SCVS: no cost, no minimum capital, foreigners with passport, electronic signature, RUC within 30 days, steps — gob.ec, checked September 27, 2026
- SCVS user guide: certificates in file format only, PDF of contract and appointments signed electronically, e-mail on completion — appscvsmovil.supercias.gob.ec, checked September 27, 2026 (search extract)
- SRI, LRTI art. 37: 25% for companies; +3 points tax-haven rule; -3 points reductions — sri.gob.ec, checked September 27, 2026 (search extract)