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How to incorporate a company
Getting started
Starting a new company is an exciting venture. Whether you're a local entrepreneur taking your first steps or a corporate service provider managing multiple clients, navigating the incorporation process can involve several important steps. This page is here to guide you through the process and make it as straightforward as possible.
Here, you'll find a clear overview of the key milestones in the incorporation process, including essential legal requirements and regulatory obligations. To help you prepare, we’ve also included a practical Pre-submission checklist, ensuring you have everything in place before submitting your application online.
Our goal is to make the process as smooth and efficient as possible, helping you avoid common pitfalls and delays.
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What is a company? |
A company is a separate legal person, meaning it can act in its own name and can be party to legal proceedings. A company is governed by directors who make decisions on behalf of the company. It is owned by its members (shareholders), these are the individuals or entities that hold shares in the company. A company can be either public or private, although a company can only be private if it has less than thirty members. For more information on companies, please visit About companies. If you are unsure of the legal entity type you require, seek independent professional guidance. Additional information can be found on these external websites: Types of trading entity | Jersey Business |
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How to set up a company? |
All limited companies must be set up or ‘incorporated’ using our myRegistry portal. Each submission undergoes a review and approval process in line with relevant laws and policies. On this webpage you will find:
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Who can set up a company? |
For more information, read the following guidance: Register as a nominated person |
Key milestones
Below are the key milestones in the process of incorporating a company.
Before you begin
- have all your documentation ready before you start
- we highly recommend you read the pre-submission checklist
- the incorporation approval process can take between 2 hours and 5 days depending on the risk factors, the service level selected and paid for and whether you have pre-reserved a name (optional)
1 Pre-submission checklist
This checklist is designed to guide you through everything you need to review and prepare before submitting your company incorporation application. It mirrors the structure of the application form, making it easier to follow along and ensure nothing is missed.
Use this checklist to:
- confirm you have all the required information and documents
- understand each step of the application process
- avoid common mistakes that could delay your submission
Taking a few minutes to go through this checklist can help make your application smoother and faster.
Print our pre-submission checklist.
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Submission requirement |
Details |
Additional support |
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Company name |
You can check to see if your proposed company name is available by Searching the existing Companies Registry. Refer to the ACCEPT brochure for naming guidance. Your requested name will be reviewed. We cannot guarantee that it will be accepted. You may reserve a name for a company in advance of submitting an incorporation submission but this is not mandatory as you can propose a name at the same time as you complete the Incorporation request. Note: if your name is not written using the English alphabet, you will be asked to provide a translation. If your name is similar to an existing entity within a group structure, provide the name, place of registration and connection. Your name may be rejected if we are unaware of a connection. |
Refer to guidance: |
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Company type |
Options available:
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Seek professional independent advice if required. For more information refer to: Companies (Jersey) Law 1991 A summary can be found at: About companies |
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Naming convention - legal ending |
Options available:
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“PLC” and “Public Limited Company” are restricted to companies that will be publicly owned. For more information refer to: Companies (Jersey) Law 1991 |
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Registered office address |
The law requires that a company shall have a registered office in Jersey at all times. In order to comply with this requirement, the occupier of the registered office premises must authorise their use for that purpose. |
For more information refer to: Companies (Jersey) Law 1991 |
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Nature of business code and activity |
You will be asked to select the Nature of business code that best reflects your business. Refer to the table in the About companies page for further details on which Nature of business to select. Options 4, 5 and 6 are for local resident individuals submitting their own application. |
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In addition, you will also be asked to confirm details of the Activity your company will be undertaking. You must be a familiar with the Sound Business Policy (SBP) to determine if your company activity will be sensitive or non-sensitive. In all cases you must provide details of any subsidiaries, affiliates or associated vehicles of the proposed company that conduct, or will conduct, activities which conflict with the SBP. |
Refer to SBP for table 1 or 2 of sensitive activities: Sound Business Policy. |
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Share capital structure, authorised capital and class of shares |
You will need to decide if the company will be authorised to issues shares. This must match the company’s memorandum. Options available: Selecting ‘Preset’ will auto-populate 10000 ordinary shares of £1
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Seek professional independent advice if required.
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Articles of Association and Memorandum |
Decide whether you intend to adopt the standard table of Articles of Association, or not. Options available: If adopting the standard table - check all the Articles apply to your company. If not you must provide details of replacements in your Articles (and select "part only"). Have your documents ready for uploading in this order:
Note: if you select the standard table of Articles - there is no need to upload a copy (just attach the memorandum and subscribers page). |
Refer to Jersey Law website to find the standard table of Articles of Association: Companies (Standard Table) (Jersey) Order 1992 Jersey Business provide a template for the Memorandum: Setting up a limited company in Jersey
For more information refer to: Companies (Jersey) Law 1991 |
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Associated parties |
Details are required for all Associated Parties; To avoid a submission being returned, please read the Guidance so you understand the 3 Tier Test. If an individual reported as a beneficial owner but not a controller, a detailed explanation is required.
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Refer to guidance: Beneficial Ownership & Controller Guidance for Trust Company Service Providers |
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Structure chart |
You must upload a structure chart if the beneficial owner is not the same as the subscriber(s) or the entity is part of a group. A structure chart will also be requested if the activity is deemed sensitive (as per SBP). Structure charts should include:
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Limited life companies |
A company can be given a limited life by specifying in its Memorandum or Articles of Association that it is to be wound up and dissolved at the end of a fixed period of time or after another event. |
For more information refer to: Companies (Jersey) Law 1991 |
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Nominated person |
By law, every entity must have at least one nominated person. The nominated person is the main contact between the company and the Registry and is authorised to provide information and make submissions. You will need to confirm if you (the submitter) are to be the nominated person. If you are not going be to the nominated person, please add details of who will be, in the further information field. The nominated person must then make an application following the incorporation of the company. |
Guidance on eligibility and process to follow: Register as a nominated person |
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Risks |
(TSCPs only) You will be asked to confirm due regard has been given to:
Details of any high-risk factors must be provided, including those identified in the customer due diligence process of a TCSP. These include: D2 countries, politically exposed persons, adverse media, sensitive activities etc. If relevant, include risk mitigation details and details of how you will manage that risk in the further information fields. |
More information on these subjects can be found here: |
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Date to which first Accounts will be produced |
(Public companies only) Please record the date to which the first accounts will be produced. Directors of a company must prepare accounts for a period of not more than 18 months. A public company's accounts are required to be available to the public and filed with the Registry. For private companies it is sufficient that accounts are available to shareholders. |
For more information refer to: |
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Fees |
A fee will be payable based on the service level agreement (SLA - time to process) selected at the start of the application. There is an initial incorporation fee and, following the year of incorporation, an annual confirmation fee, payable to the JFSC. |
Online payments are made via the myRegistry at the time of submission. |
2 myRegistry access
myRegistry is the online portal used for all company registrations and changes to information. To access myRegistry, you must first register to receive your login details (username and password). For step-by-step instructions, visit: myRegistry help.
Trust company service providers can find additional help here: Registering for myRegistry - regulated service providers
3 Making your submission
Once you have prepared all required information and supporting documentation for your submission, you should access myRegistry and select the option to ‘Incorporate a Company’.
To ensure your submission is accepted without delays, refer to the pre-submission checklist above and consider any elements that may trigger a return or rejection.
Trust Company Service Providers (TCSPs) can also refer to our helpful tips to avoid common pitfalls: TCSP submissions: how to avoid common pitfalls.
Service level agreement (SLA)
As part of your application, you’ll need to choose a Service Level Agreement (SLA) that best suits your needs. We offer the following processing time options:
- Priority services: 2-hour and 1-day turn around
- Standard services: 2-day, 3-day, and 5-day options
Each SLA type has a different fee, which must be paid online at the time of submission. Please note that all fees are non-refundable. For full details, refer to our fee schedule.
Further information on our processing policy can be found here in the Registry processing statement.
Important:
If your application falls within the scope of the Sound Business Policy, the Registry cannot guarantee fast-track processing, even if a priority SLA is selected. In such cases, we strongly recommend contacting the Registry before submitting your application. This will help clarify any additional information required and provide a better understanding of the likely processing timeframe.
What to do if your submission is returned or rejected
Registry may request further information or amendments to your submission or any attached documents. If this happens, your submission will be returned with specific action points.
The submitter will receive notification for returned submissions via email with the subject:
Action Needed SRXXXXXXX: [COMPANY NAME] - Company Incorporation
- You can access the submission via the Action Needed area in myRegistry, make the necessary edits or upload additional documents, and resubmit without an additional charge.
- If you have any queries on the return reason, the Registry Officer reviewing your submission will be happy to assist you. Please refer to the contact details under Additional support.
If your submission is rejected, it cannot be re-submitted.
4 Registrar approval
Following the registration of the memorandum and articles of association of the company, the Registrar will issue a certificate of incorporation. From the issue date on the certificate, the company comes into existence as a legal person.
Until the certificate of incorporation has been issued, if you enter into any contracts in the name of the company, you will be personally liable under the contract.
5 Your future commitments
Once a company has been incorporated there are several commitments placed by law on the significant persons of the company. More information can be found here: Companies (Jersey) Law 1991 and Financial Services (Disclosure and Provision of Information) (Jersey) Law 2020.
The Registry has the following mandatory requirements:
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Obligations post incorporation |
Every company on the Register, which is not in any winding up process, must submit an annual confirmation statement every year between Jan 1st to the last day of February. |
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Every company must appoint a nominated person to act as the main contact with the Registry and provide information. Our guidance explains who is eligible to be a nominated person. |
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A company must have a registered office in Jersey at all times. Every company must follow the registered office requirements under the Companies (Jersey) Law 1991 (CJL). |
Registered office requirements Companies (Jersey) Law 1991Policy for Jersey companies where the registered office is not at a trust company service provider |
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Public companies and companies deemed public are required to submit financial accounts annually within seven months of the year end. |
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Changes after incorporation |
Every company must provide the Registry with up-to-date information on associated parties. Associated parties include beneficial owners, controllers and significant persons. All changes to beneficial owner and controller details must be submitted within 21 days of the date of knowledge of the change. Changes to a Jersey company, may require you to submit a copy of a special resolution passed by its shareholders. This must be done no more than 21 days after the resolution is passed to avoid late filing penalties. |
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Fees |
Some services and changes may incur a fee. Refer to our fee pages for more information. |
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Relevant laws and policies |
There are several laws applicable to the incorporation of a company and the Registrars responsibilities. Find more information in the links provided. |
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Additional support
If you are unsure about any of the requirements, please contact the Registry on email: [email protected] or call: 01534 822030.
The team are unable to offer legal advice but can support you with any questions you have on how to make a submission.