- Remote setup
- Possible
- Visit, notary or lawyer
- Online (eROC)
- Local director
- Not stated
- Registered address
- Not verified
- Minimum capital
- Not stated
- Yearly upkeep
- Rs 7,900 + VAT a year
- EU member
- No
- IWG business address
- 8 centresfrom $47/mo
What the registry requires
| Company type | Private limited company ((Pvt) Ltd) under the Companies Act No. 07 of 2007 |
|---|---|
| Registry | Department of the Registrar of Companies (eROC online registry) |
| Government filing fee | LKR 5,200 — Companies (Fees) Order of 6 July 2026: Rs 5,200 excluding VAT for registration of a private limited company; name approval Rs 2,600. The DRC web page still shows the earlier schedule (Form 1 Rs 4,000, Form 18 Rs 2,000 per director, Form 19 Rs 2,000, articles Rs 2,000, all plus VAT). |
| Registration time | No processing time is published; the certificate of incorporation can be downloaded from the eROC dashboard immediately after incorporation. |
| Resident director | DRC pages state no residency rule; each director files a consent (Form 18) and a company secretary must consent (Form 19). |
| Visit, notary or lawyer | Application, forms and certificate are handled through eROC; no notarisation requirement is stated. |
| Registered address | The registered-office rule was not readable on the DRC pages reached. |
| Minimum capital | Not stated |
| Corporate tax | Standard company rate 30% for Y/A 2025/2026; 15% on qualifying foreign-currency service income; 45% on betting, gaming, liquor and tobacco. |
| Every year | Annual return registration Rs 7,900 excluding VAT (2026 Fees Order); the DRC guidelines page still lists Rs 6,000 plus VAT for Form 15. |
What it costs
- Government filing fee
- LKR 5,200
Companies (Fees) Order of 6 July 2026: Rs 5,200 excluding VAT for registration of a private limited company; name approval Rs 2,600. The DRC web page still shows the earlier schedule (Form 1 Rs 4,000, Form 18 Rs 2,000 per director, Form 19 Rs 2,000, articles Rs 2,000, all plus VAT).
- Every year
- Rs 7,900 + VAT a year
Annual return registration Rs 7,900 excluding VAT (2026 Fees Order); the DRC guidelines page still lists Rs 6,000 plus VAT for Form 15.
- 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 Sri Lanka, step by step
- Open an eROC account and apply for approval of the company name (Rs 2,600 excluding VAT).
- Draft the articles of association showing the name in English, Sinhala and Tamil on the first page.
- Complete Form 1 (application for incorporation) online.
- Upload Form 18 consent for every director and Form 19 consent of the company secretary.
- Pay the registration fee (Rs 5,200 excluding VAT under the 2026 order) online.
- Download the digital certificate of incorporation from the dashboard and file the annual return each year.
Corporate tax in Sri Lanka
30%. Standard company rate 30% for Y/A 2025/2026; 15% on qualifying foreign-currency service income; 45% on betting, gaming, liquor and tobacco.
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
- Trying to incorporate without a company secretary; Form 19 consent is part of the filing.
- Budgeting from the DRC web page's old fee table instead of the July 2026 Fees Order.
- Expecting a paper certificate; the DRC issues only the QR-coded digital certificate.
Compare Sri Lanka with alternatives
| Yearly upkeep | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
 Sri LankaPvt Ltd | LKR 5,200 | Not stated | 30% | Not stated | Online (eROC) | Not verified | Rs 7,900 + VAT a year |
 BangladeshPvt Ltd | BDT 4,700 | Not stated | 27.5% | Not stated | Depends | Registered office | BDT 200 per filing |
 ChinaWFOE | Varies | Not stated | 25% | Not stated | Depends | Domicile in China | Annual report (NECIPS) |
 GeorgiaLLC | GEL 200 | 1 working day | 15% on distribution | No | Notary or NAPR | Actual GE address | 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
- Revised schedule shown on DRC site: articles Rs 2,000, Form 1 Rs 4,000, Form 18 Rs 2,000 per director, Form 19 Rs 2,000, plus VAT — drc.gov.lk, checked September 27, 2026
- Guidelines: same forms and fees, trilingual name on articles, Form 15 annual return Rs 6,000 plus VAT — drc.gov.lk, checked September 27, 2026
- Companies (Fees) Order, Gazette 2496/03 of 6 July 2026: private company Rs 5,200, name approval Rs 2,600, annual return Rs 7,900 (excluding VAT) — drc.gov.lk, checked September 27, 2026
- Certificates issued online only; downloadable immediately from the eROC dashboard — drc.gov.lk, checked September 27, 2026
- Company income tax 30% for Y/A 2025/2026 — ird.gov.lk, checked September 27, 2026