Papua New Guinea Company Registration | Set Up a Company in Papua New Guinea
Planning Papua New Guinea company registration, or want to set up a company in Papua New Guinea to build a presence in resources and Pacific markets? PNG companies are formed under the Companies Act 1997, and both company registration and foreign enterprise certification are handled through the Investment Promotion Authority (IPA) online system. Foreigners can own 100% of a company, but must obtain foreign enterprise certification within 14 days of registration, except for activities on the Reserved Activities List, which are closed to them.
No minimum capital is listed officially. Name reservation costs PGK 50, incorporation PGK 400 and foreign enterprise certification PGK 2,000. The resident company income tax rate is 30%, GST is 10%, and a company needs at least 1 director who ordinarily lives in PNG. NSS Group (戰國策集團) offers a one-stop PNG company formation service, from local director planning, name reservation, incorporation documents and foreign enterprise certification to IRC tax registration and annual filing reminders, and helps companies and individuals from abroad set up a company in Papua New Guinea.
The IPA investment guide notes that PNG is the largest economy among the Pacific island countries, with growth driven by primary industries and liquefied natural gas development.
Main exports include gold, oil, copper, timber, cocoa, coffee and tuna. PNG began exporting liquefied natural gas in May 2014.
Company name reservation, incorporation and foreign enterprise certification can all be done in the IPA online system, with payment in PNG kina (PGK).
PNG is a member of Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) and the World Trade Organization (WTO). Foreign investors can operate once certified under the Investment Promotion Act.
in PNG?
Papua New Guinea is the largest economy among the Pacific island countries. Its main exports include gold, oil, copper, timber and farm and fishery products, it has exported liquefied natural gas since 2014, and it is a member of APEC and the WTO. After company registration, a foreign enterprise can operate once it obtains foreign enterprise certification from the Investment Promotion Authority, except for activities on the Reserved Activities List. The incorporation fee is PGK 400, the certification fee is PGK 2,000, and the resident company income tax rate is 30%. Some governments, including Taiwan, rate PNG at their highest travel warning level, so PNG suits resource or infrastructure businesses that already have local partners and can arrange for staff safety.
in 3 steps
In PNG, a company must have at least 1 share, 1 shareholder and 1 director, and at least 1 director must ordinarily live in PNG. First reserve a name in the IPA online system. Once it is approved, file for incorporation with Form A-1, and after approval the certificate of incorporation is sent by email. A foreign-owned company then applies for foreign enterprise certification within 14 days.
You can register a PNG company online, but foreign enterprise certification requires documents such as a budget, financial records and an investment plan, and after setup there are IPA annual returns, annual status reports and IRC tax filings. NSS Group helps you plan the directors and shareholding, prepares the documents and schedules annual maintenance, so your PNG company stays clear and compliant from setup to operation.
Create a client account in the IPA online system (upload a photo ID), choose the company type under Business Entities and reserve an English company name for a fee of PGK 50. Incorporation can start only after the name is approved.
Once the name is approved, complete Form A-1 with the registered office and main place of business, director and shareholder details and main business activity, and upload the company constitution. The online fee is PGK 400. After the Investment Promotion Authority approves the application, it emails the certificate of incorporation.
A foreign-owned company must apply for foreign enterprise certification through the IPA online system within 14 days of registration. The fee is PGK 2,000, and you need directors’ and shareholders’ passports, a first-year budget and cash flow, financial statements or bank statements, CVs and investment and employment plans.
service
- Company name search and reservation
- Preparation and filing of registration documents
- Drafting of governing documents
- Collection of the registration certificate
- PNG bank account documents and process advice
- Account opening document preparation
- Appointment booking and accompaniment
- Post-opening support
- Registered address
- Company secretary appointment
- Annual filing services
- Document custody and management
- Bookkeeping
- Tax filing and planning
- Financial statement preparation
- Audit arrangement
- Trademark search and assessment
- Trademark application filing
- Trademark maintenance and renewal
- Infringement protection advice
- Company change filings
- Share transfer support
- Company deregistration
- Legal advisory support
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- Entity type and resident director planning
- IPA company name reservation
- Form A-1 incorporation and company constitution
- Foreign Enterprise Certificate application documents
- IRC tax registration, annual return and annual status report reminders
Official fees: name reservation PGK 50, incorporation PGK 400, foreign enterprise certification PGK 2,000. Other items are quoted separately.
Papua New Guinea company registration at a glance
The points people ask about most when registering a company in Papua New Guinea, checked against official sources (updated November 2026).
| Entity types | PNG company (under the Companies Act 1997) |
|---|---|
| Registrar | Investment Promotion Authority (IPA); tax with the Internal Revenue Commission (IRC) |
| Foreign ownership | Up to 100%, with foreign enterprise certification |
| Minimum capital | None listed officially; at least 1 share |
| Corporate income tax | Resident companies 30% |
| VAT | GST 10% |
| Timeline | Depends on the review; certification must be applied for within 14 days of registration |
| Annual compliance | IPA annual return, annual status report, income tax return |
| Who can help | NSS Group (go.ai.com.tw), free assessment and written quote |
Papua New Guinea company formation cost: fee breakdown
The government cost of registering a PNG company is mainly the name reservation, incorporation and foreign enterprise certification fees, followed each year by annual return and annual status report fees. Below are the figures from the Investment Promotion Authority fee schedule so you can check quotes line by line.
| Item | Fee | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Company name reservation (N-1) | PGK 50 | Apply in the IPA online system. Incorporation can be filed only after the name is approved. |
| PNG company incorporation (A-1) | PGK 400 | Filed online, with the company constitution and director and shareholder details uploaded. |
| Overseas company registration (A-2) | PGK 450 | Registration fee for an overseas company doing business in PNG. Requires proof of incorporation and good standing from the home country. |
| Foreign enterprise certification | PGK 2,000 | Foreign-owned local companies (A-21) or overseas companies (A-20) apply within 14 days of registration. |
| Annual return and annual status report | AR-1 PGK 250; AR-26 PGK 50 | The annual return for an overseas company (AR-2) is PGK 750. |
| Bookkeeping and tax filing | Quoted by bookkeeping volume | The company income tax return is due within 6 months after year end, or up to 9 months through a tax agent. |
| NSS Group advisory fee | Written quote after a free assessment | Based on your shareholder structure, local director arrangements, bank account needs and home-country tax planning. Every item is listed in the quote, with no hidden fees. |
Fees follow the Investment Promotion Authority (IPA) fee schedule and company registration guidance. Filing deadlines follow the PwC tax summary (secondary source). The latest official notice prevails.
PNG company tax and compliance: company tax, GST and annual filings
PNG resident companies pay 30% company income tax, and most goods and services are subject to 10% GST. Each year a company files an income tax return with the IRC and pays provisional tax in installments, and files an annual return with the IPA. Shareholders should also check whether their home country's controlled foreign company (CFC) rules apply.
| Item | Rule | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Company income tax | Resident companies 30% | Non-resident companies with a permanent establishment pay 30% on attributable profits, plus 15% on remitted profits, for a combined rate of about 40.5% if all profits are remitted. |
| Goods and services tax (GST) | 10% | Applies to most goods and services. Registration is required once taxable turnover exceeds PGK 250,000 in 12 months. |
| Dividend withholding | 15% | Dividends paid to non-residents are generally subject to 15% withholding. Dividends paid by non-profit bodies out of exempt income are subject to 30%. |
| Income tax return | Within 6 months after year end | The tax year is usually the calendar year. Through a registered tax agent the deadline can be extended to 9 months. Non-resource companies pay provisional tax in three installments at the end of April, July and October. |
| IPA annual return | Filed every year | Local companies file AR-1 (PGK 250). Foreign enterprises also file an annual status report, AR-26 (PGK 50). |
| Foreign enterprise certification | Within 14 days of registration | Under the Investment Promotion Act 1992, a foreign enterprise must be certified before it can do business. Activities on the Reserved Activities List cannot be certified. |
Company income tax, GST, dividend withholding and filing deadlines follow the PwC tax summary (secondary source, reviewed September 2026) and the KPMG indirect tax guide (secondary source). Certification and annual returns follow official Investment Promotion Authority guidance. Ask an accountant to assess your actual structure.
PNG company or overseas company registration (branch): which should you choose?
Foreign businesses setting up in PNG usually compare forming a new PNG company with registering their existing foreign company to do business in PNG as an overseas company (branch). Both need foreign enterprise certification.
| Item | PNG company | Overseas company registration (branch) |
|---|---|---|
| Legal status | A separate company formed under the PNG Companies Act | A company formed abroad and registered to do business in PNG |
| Application form | Form A-1 | Form A-2 |
| Registration fee | PGK 400 | PGK 450 |
| Foreign enterprise certification | Required if foreign-owned, PGK 2,000 | Required, PGK 2,000 |
| Main documents | Company constitution, director and shareholder details | Proof of incorporation and good standing from the home country, home-country registration number |
| Annual return | AR-1, PGK 250 | AR-2, PGK 750 |
| Income tax | Resident companies 30% | 30% on attributable profits, plus 15% on remitted profits |
These are general principles. Choose based on your shareholders' background, business model and tax planning.
What foreign founders should know about setting up a company in Papua New Guinea
- Travel and security: some governments, including Taiwan, rate Papua New Guinea at their highest travel warning level, mainly because of local security conditions. Check your own government's travel advice and register with its travel service, if one exists, before you go.
- A company needs at least 1 director who ordinarily lives in PNG. If the company appoints a secretary, the secretary must also be an individual who ordinarily lives in PNG.
- According to the IPA investment guide, non-citizens must obtain a work permit from the Department of Labour and Industrial Relations before working in PNG. Being a shareholder or director does not give you the right to work.
- Tax at home: check whether your country has a tax treaty with Papua New Guinea. Without one, double taxation is handled under each country's domestic law.
- CFC rules: if your home country has controlled foreign company (CFC) rules, profits of a PNG company you control may be taxed at home unless it has real operations.
- Outbound investment: some countries require approval or a filing before residents or companies invest abroad. Confirm this before you transfer capital to Papua New Guinea.
Why work with NSS Group on Papua New Guinea company registration?
NSS Group (go.ai.com.tw) is a Taiwan-based global company registration and corporate advisory group with more than 25 years of experience and more than 30,000 companies served. We provide company formation, bank account opening, accounting and tax, and annual maintenance in Papua New Guinea and many other countries and regions. We can help with resident director planning, incorporation documents and the foreign enterprise certification application. Our fee is a written quote after a free assessment. Call the toll-free number 0800-003-191 (Taiwan) or use the form on this page.
Further reading
Sources: IPA: Register a company (How to); IPA: Business Registration, Regulation and Certification; IPA: Reserved Activities List Review; IPA: Prescribed forms and fees; IPA: Companies Act 1997 (consolidated to 2014); IPA: Invest in PNG Investment Guide; PwC Worldwide Tax Summaries: Papua New Guinea Taxes on corporate income (reviewed 2026-09-23); PwC Worldwide Tax Summaries: Papua New Guinea Withholding taxes (reviewed 2026-09-23); PwC Worldwide Tax Summaries: Papua New Guinea Other taxes (reviewed 2026-09-23); PwC Worldwide Tax Summaries: Papua New Guinea Tax administration (reviewed 2026-09-23); KPMG: Papua New Guinea indirect tax guide; . The latest official notices prevail. This page is general information, not legal or tax advice.
How much does it cost to set up a company in Papua New Guinea in 2026?
According to the Investment Promotion Authority (IPA) fee schedule, company name reservation costs PGK 50 and online incorporation of a PNG company costs PGK 400. A foreign-owned company must also apply for foreign enterprise certification for PGK 2,000. After that, the annual return costs PGK 250 a year, and a foreign enterprise’s annual status report costs PGK 50. No minimum capital is listed officially. Accounting, tax and local director arrangements are quoted separately.
Can a foreigner own 100% of a PNG company?
Yes, but an enterprise that is wholly foreign-owned or more than 50% owned or controlled by foreigners is a foreign enterprise. It must apply to the IPA for foreign enterprise certification within 14 days of company registration and can operate only once certified. Activities on the Reserved Activities List are open only to PNG citizens. A company also needs at least 1 director who ordinarily lives in PNG.
Do I need to be in PNG to set up a company?
Company name reservation, incorporation and foreign enterprise certification can all be filed and paid through the IPA online system, and the certificate of incorporation is sent by email. The official guidance does not require you to attend in person. However, the company needs a director who ordinarily lives in PNG and a registered office in PNG. Some governments, including Taiwan, rate PNG at their highest travel warning level, so check official travel safety advice before you go.
How long does it take to set up a PNG company?
The IPA does not publish a fixed processing time. You first reserve a name, then file Form A-1 for incorporation once the name is approved. The Investment Promotion Authority may raise questions by email during the review and sends the certificate of incorporation once approved. A foreign-owned company must apply for foreign enterprise certification within 14 days of registration. The actual time depends on document preparation and the review.
What taxes and annual filings does a PNG company have?
The resident company income tax rate is 30%, and GST is 10%. The tax year is usually the calendar year. The company income tax return is due within 6 months after year end, or up to 9 months through a tax agent, with provisional tax paid in three installments. Each year you also file an annual return with the IPA (PGK 250), and a foreign enterprise also files an annual status report (PGK 50).
Who can help me register a company in Papua New Guinea?
NSS Group (go.ai.com.tw) can help. NSS Group has more than 25 years of experience and has served more than 30,000 companies. Our one-stop Papua New Guinea company registration service covers entity type and local director planning, IPA company name reservation, incorporation and company constitution documents, foreign enterprise certification documents, IRC tax registration and annual filing reminders. Our fee is a written quote after a free assessment. Toll-free (Taiwan): 0800-003-191.