Company Registration in Liberia - Business Starting & Setup

Want to set up a firm in Liberia? We can assist you in starting a business or in buying a shelf company in Liberia with a full package of necessary documents, legal advice and follow-up support. Incorporation of a firm in Liberia includes provision of a registered office (for at least 1 year in any of our service plans), an apostilled set of constitutional documents, secretarial services and assistance with compliance fee and pre-approval for opening an account in banks of Liberia. The total price of company formation in Liberia includes all necessary fees and charges for the first year of operation, as well as full one-year nominee service (package Optimum).

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Service packages
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Standard
Optimum
Company registration
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Legal address per year
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Secretarial services for the first year
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Fees and duties for the first year
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Apostilled bound set of incorporation documents
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Nominee service per year
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Bank Account Pre-approval
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Price
1 430 USD

2 550 USD

3 160 USD

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Corporate Information

Legal System

The judicial system of Liberia is a blend of common law, based on Anglo-American law, and African customary law.

Economic law is aimed at stimulation of private proprietorship and attraction of foreign investment. Liberia has been one of the centers of offshore business for more than 30 years.

Types of entity in Liberia

The principal forms of business organization in Liberia are:

  • Sole proprietorship;
  • Limited liability company;
  • Partnership;
  • Limited partnership;
  • Business corporation;
  • Non-resident corporation;
  • Trust;
  • Foundation.

The most common structure is Non-resident corporation.

Registration

Company name

There is a range of requirements to the company name in Liberia:

  • The word Limited, Corporation, Incorporated, Aktiengesellschaft, Gesellschaft mit beschränkter Haftung, Société ANonyme, Sociedad Anónima or any other suffix indicating that the corporation is Not a natural person, or the relevant abbreviations must be a part of the name of an international business company.
  • A company name should not be identical with that under which a company in existence is already incorporated.
  • The following words and their derivatives may not be used: “Chamber of Commerce”, “Building Society”, “Bank”, “Insurance”.
  • A company name can be in any language using the Latin alphabet. The Registrar may however require an English translation if a foreign language name is used to satisfy him that the proposed name is not restricted.

Procedure of a Company Registration in Liberia

The following steps are required to incorporate a foreign corporation in Liberia:

  1. Reserve a unique company name online – less than one day: The applicant can search the name online or at the Liberian Business Registry (LBR) helpdesk. The reservation of the name lasts for 6 months.
  2. Register at the Liberia Business Registry - 1 day (simultaneous with previous procedure): The entrepreneur submits the company registration application to the Liberia Business Registry (LBR) office. The application must include the following documents: 1. Registration Form (RF – 001); 2. Articles of incorporation; 3. Copy of ID documents as attachments to forms A or B; 4. Additional parts: Empowered person form (A) or Registered agent form (B) in case of a company representative; Incorporator(s) form (E); Shares and shareholder(s) form (F); Information for TAX authority form (Q). LBR officers review the application and request the Tax Identification Number (TIN) from the Ministry of Finance on behalf of the entrepreneur.
  3. Pay fees and obtain proof of payment - 1 day (simultaneous with previous procedure): The entrepreneur proceeds to the bank window in order to pay the associated registration fees. Upon payment of the fee, the Bank officer issues a flag receipt of the Government of Liberia as proof of payment. This receipt has to be returned to the initial officer who accepted the application.
  4. Receive the Business Registration Certificate - 1 day (simultaneous with previous procedure): The entrepreneur returns to the Liberia Business Registry office to submit the proof of fee payment. The officer then journalizes the dossier and provides the entrepreneur with the receipt slip, thereby approving the dossier for processing. The entrepreneur can track the status of the application online; and upon approval, the company receives a Business Registration Certificate. The amount of LRD 4 000 is charged for business registration.

Local registered office and registered agent

Every non-resident Liberian corporation is obligated to maintain a Registered Agent in Liberia. The exclusive Registered Agent for all Liberian non-resident entities is The LISCR Trust Company, which is located at 80 Broad Street, Monrovia, Liberia. The registered address of all non-resident Liberian entities is the address of the Registered Agent in Liberia.

The principal place of business of a non-resident Liberian Corporation is the business address of the Corporation, which can be located anywhere in the world except Liberia.

Seal

There are no compulsory requirements for a company seal.

Restriction of activities

There are a number of restrictions on the activities of Liberian non-resident companies. They cannot:

  • undertaketrade within Liberia;
  • own Liberian real estate;
  • undertake banking or insurance business.

Redomicile

The redomiciliation of companies to or from Liberia is permitted.

Company Structure

Directors

A Liberian corporation must have at least one (1) director. Directors may be of any nationality and may be natural persons, corporations, or other legal entities.

There are no requirements to the meeting of a Board of directors.

Names of directors do not appear on a public file.

Officers

A Liberian corporation operates through its officers, not its director(s). It is the officers that execute the decisions taken by the director(s) and have the power to sign documents that bind the corporation. Therefore, Liberian Corporations are required to have officers: typically a President, Treasurer and Secretary.

The same person may hold two (2) or more “officer” titles. The officers may be individuals or legal persons of any nationality.

Secretary

Non-resident corporations in Liberia may appoint a company secretary but it is not mandatory. Secretary may be a body corporate or an individual. The company secretary may be of any nationality and need not be resident in Liberia.

Shareholders

Each non-resident company in Liberia must have at least one shareholder who can be a natural person or a company, resident and non-resident.

Annual general meetings are not required.

The details of shareholders are not part of the public records.

Beneficiary

In September 2023, Liberia launched the Beneficiary Registry in a test mode. The Registry became fully available on December 1, 2023.

Liberian companies are now required to disclose their beneficiaries in a central registry, including full name, residential address and ownership interests. Some of this information is made publicly available on the Internet.

Public access to information

The Liberian Association Law does not require information about shareholders, directors or officers to be filed in the public registry.

A voluntary filing of directors, officers and/or shareholders is permitted. Once filed, the information will become a part of public record and will be available to any third party.

As an alternative to voluntary filings with the Registrar, the corporation may record the information with the Registered Agent, who will issue the appropriate Certificate of Recordation. The information recorded with the Registered Agent is confidential and is not maintained in the public Registry.

Share capital and shares

The authorized capital of a standard Liberian Corporation is 500 registered and/or bearer shares without par value or up to US$50,000 of the total par value of shares. The authorized share capital may be expressed in any currency.

The minimum issued share capital is either one share of no par value or one share of par value. Issued shares must be fully paid.

Frequently Asked Questions about Company Registration in Liberia

How much does it cost to register a company in Liberia?
The cost of opening a company in Liberia depends on the type of company to be registered and the type of activity you will be engaged in. The minimum package of services costs USD 1430 and includes: registration of the company on a turnkey basis, lease of the registered office for a year and secretarial services, payment of all necessary duties and fees, as well as apostilled translation of the constituent documents.
Why do companies register in Liberia?
Reason why companies register in Liberia is to take advantage of the country's relatively lenient corporate laws and low registration fees. Liberia is known for having a simple and quick registration process for foreign-owned companies, making it an attractive option for those seeking to establish an offshore company.
Is Liberia an offshore?
Yes, Liberia is considered an offshore jurisdiction. It is often used for offshore company registrations due to its favorable tax laws and business regulations.
Can a foreigner own a business in Liberia?
Yes, foreigners are allowed to own a business in Liberia. However, the process of setting up a business in Liberia can be complex and time-consuming, especially for foreign investors. Foreign investors should carefully consider the legal, tax, and regulatory requirements of doing business in Liberia and seek professional advice before starting a business.

Core Services and fees for the formation of a company in Liberia

— Incorporation

Price1 430 USD

including incorporation tax, state registry fee, NOT including Compliance fee

— Annual government fees

PriceIncluded

Business Registry incorporation fee

— Corporate legal services

Price900 USD

including registered address and registered agent, NOT including Compliance fee

—Delivery of documents by courier mail

Price250 USD

DHL or TNT, at cost of a Courier Service

— Apostilled set of Statutory documents

Pricefrom 750 USD

Basic set of documents for setup of a company in Liberia

Certificate of Incorporation

Organization Resolution

Articles of Incorporation

Bylaws

Compare Jurisdictions
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    Nominee Director

    Price640 USD

    Paid-up “nominee director” set includes the following documents

    Nominee Shareholder

    Price480 USD

    Paid-up “nominee shareholder” set includes the following documents

    Compliance fee in Liberia

    Compliance fee is payable in the cases of: incorporation of a company, renewal of a company, liquidation of a company, transfer out of a company, issue of a power of attorney to a new attorney, change of director / shareholder / BO (except the change to a nominee director / shareholder), signing of documents

    Basic

    Price250 USD

    simple company structure with only 1 physical person

    For legal entity in structure under GSL administration

    Price150 USD

    additional compliance fee for legal entity in structure under GSL administration (per 1 entity)

    For legal entity in structure not under GSL administration

    Price200 USD

    additional compliance fee for legal entity in structure NOT under GSL administration (per 1 entity)

    For client with high risk Status

    Price350 USD

    Signing of documents

    Price100 USD

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