- Remote setup
- Possible
- Visit, notary or lawyer
- Lawyer + notary
- Local director
- No (3 directors min)
- Registered address
- Agent address
- Minimum capital
- No minimum stated
- Yearly upkeep
- $300 a year
- EU member
- No
- IWG business address
- 7 centresfrom $47/mo
What the registry requires
| Company type | Sociedad Anónima (S.A.) under Ley 32 de 1927, used as an onshore operating company |
|---|---|
| Registry | Registro Público de Panamá (Sección Mercantil); RUC and tasa única with the Dirección General de Ingresos (DGI); Aviso de Operación via Panamá Emprende |
| Government filing fee | $60 — Registro Público: calificación B/.10 plus inscripción B/.50 for the first B/.10,000 of capital and B/.0.75 per additional B/.1,000; the first tasa única of B/.300 is paid at registration and an optional 30-day name reservation costs B/.50. Lawyer and notary fees are extra. |
| Registration time | The Registro Público qualification manual publishes no processing time for company registration. |
| Resident director | Ley 32 art. 2: two or more adults of any nationality and domicile may subscribe the pacto social; at least three different directors are required, with no residency stated. A resident agent who is a practising Panamanian lawyer is mandatory. |
| Visit, notary or lawyer | The pacto social is executed as a public deed before a Panamanian notary with a lawyer's endorsement (Ley 9 de 1984) and names the resident agent, who must be a practising lawyer; founders of any domicile may subscribe. The tasa única is declared and paid through the legal representative or resident agent. |
| Registered address | The pacto social must state the company's domicile and the name and domicile of its agent in the Republic, which may be a legal entity. |
| Minimum capital | No minimum stated |
| Corporate tax | Income tax for legal entities is 25% of net taxable income (2011 onward); 30% for companies with over 40% state participation. |
| Every year | Tasa única B/.300 every year, due 15 July or 15 January depending on the half-year of registration; B/.50 surcharge if late and B/.1,000 reinstatement fine after three unpaid years. |
What it costs
- Government filing fee
- $60
Registro Público: calificación B/.10 plus inscripción B/.50 for the first B/.10,000 of capital and B/.0.75 per additional B/.1,000; the first tasa única of B/.300 is paid at registration and an optional 30-day name reservation costs B/.50. Lawyer and notary fees are extra.
- Every year
- $300 a year
Tasa única B/.300 every year, due 15 July or 15 January depending on the half-year of registration; B/.50 surcharge if late and B/.1,000 reinstatement fine after three unpaid years.
- 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 Panama, step by step
- Choose a unique name ending in S.A., Inc. or Corp. (optional 30-day reservation for B/.50).
- Engage a practising Panamanian lawyer to act as resident agent and draft the pacto social.
- Name at least three different directors and state capital, shares, domicile and agent.
- Execute the pacto social as a public deed before a Panamanian notary.
- File in the Registro Público and pay B/.10 calificación, B/.50 plus B/.0.75 per extra B/.1,000 of capital, and the first B/.300 tasa única.
- Obtain the RUC from the DGI and the Aviso de Operación before trading, then pay the tasa única every year.
Corporate tax in Panama
25%. Income tax for legal entities is 25% of net taxable income (2011 onward); 30% for companies with over 40% state participation.
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
- Naming fewer than three directors or the same person twice, which the registry rejects.
- Letting the resident agent resign or go unpaid, since the company cannot stay without one and filings are suspended.
- Missing the annual tasa única, which adds a B/.50 surcharge and, after three years, a B/.1,000 reinstatement fine.
Compare Panama 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
- Registro Público qualification manual: Ley 32 art. 2 requirements, any nationality and domicile, three directors, agent in the Republic; fees calificación B/.10, inscripción B/.50 first B/.10,000 + B/.0.75 per B/.1,000, first tasa única B/.300, name reservation B/.50; lawyer endorsement (Ley 9 de 1984) — registro-publico.gob.pa, checked September 27, 2026
- DGI: income tax for legal entities 25% from 2011 — dgi.mef.gob.pa, checked September 27, 2026
- DGI: tasa única B/.300 per year, due dates, B/.50 surcharge, B/.1,000 reinstatement — dgi.mef.gob.pa, checked September 27, 2026