and the Grenadines
Saint Vincent company registration |
Saint Vincent and the Grenadines offshore company
Planning a Saint Vincent company registration or a Saint Vincent and the Grenadines offshore company? The current offshore entities in Saint Vincent are the business company (BC, formerly the international business company or IBC) and the limited liability company (LLC). The application must be filed through a licensed local registered agent with the registry under the Financial Services Authority (FSA) of Saint Vincent and the Grenadines. Shareholders and directors can be of any nationality and live anywhere, and only 1 director and 1 shareholder are needed.
Under the FSA fee schedule, a business company pays a setup fee of US$125 and an annual fee of US$100. Act No. 36 of 2018 turned IBCs into business companies from 1 January 2019 and removed the old blanket income tax exemption. A business company is taxed on income earned in Saint Vincent, must obtain a taxpayer identification number from the Inland Revenue Department, and files an economic substance return each year. NSS Group (戰國策集團) offers one-stop Saint Vincent company registration, from structure assessment, working with a registered agent and document preparation to bank account opening and annual maintenance, helping businesses and individuals set up a compliant Saint Vincent company.
Before incorporation, you give the licensed registered agent due diligence information on the ultimate beneficial owners, shareholders and directors. Only registered shares can be issued, and bearer shares are not allowed.
Act No. 36 of 2018 removed the old blanket IBC income tax exemption. A business company is taxed on income earned in Saint Vincent, at a corporate income tax rate of 28%. The estate and gift tax exemption for shares held by non-residents and some stamp duty exemptions remain.
The FSA lists a business company setup fee of US$125 and an annual fee of US$100, and the registry can complete incorporation within 24 hours of receiving the filing.
You can form a business company, or a single LLC or series LLC under the Limited Liability Companies Act. A business company needs at least 1 director and 1 shareholder, and they can be of any nationality.
Mutual funds, international banking, international insurance and virtual asset businesses need an FSA license or registration first. A business company cannot carry on these businesses before it is licensed.
company registration?
As an offshore structure, a Saint Vincent company’s main features come from FSA rules and the business company regime introduced in 2019:
Saint Vincent company registration must go through a licensed local registered agent, who files with the Registry of Business Companies or the Registry of Limited Liability Companies under the FSA. The FSA states that the registry can complete incorporation within 24 hours of receiving the filing.
NSS Group connects you with a Saint Vincent registered agent, prepares the shareholder, director and ultimate beneficial owner documents, and plans the taxpayer identification number, annual fee, economic substance return and home-country tax filings after setup, so your Saint Vincent offshore company stays clear and compliant from incorporation to annual maintenance.
The FSA requires all business company and LLC applications to be filed through a registered agent licensed in Saint Vincent, and the company must have a registered agent at all times.
The registered agent files a name search with the registry to confirm the name is available.
Before incorporation, give the registered agent due diligence information such as passports and proof of address for the ultimate beneficial owners, shareholders and directors, and describe the business the company plans to carry on.
The registered agent prepares the Articles of Incorporation and the notices of directors and shareholders. Only registered shares can be issued, and regulated businesses need a separate FSA license.
The registered agent files with the Registry of Business Companies and pays the US$125 fee. The FSA states that incorporation can be completed within 24 hours of receiving the filing. After incorporation, the company must obtain a taxpayer identification number (TIN) from the Inland Revenue Department, pay the US$100 annual fee each year and file an economic substance return.
service
- Company name search and reservation
- Preparation and filing of registration documents
- Drafting of governing documents
- Collection of the registration certificate
- Bank and account options for offshore companies
- 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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- Structure assessment and name search
- Introduction to a licensed Saint Vincent registered agent
- Articles and notices of directors and shareholders
- Due diligence documents and incorporation filing
- TIN, annual fee and economic substance return planning
FSA government business company setup fee: US$125, annual fee US$100 (the same for a single LLC). Registered agent and advisory fees are quoted by structure and scope of service. See the fee breakdown below. There are no hidden fees.
Saint Vincent company formation cost: fee breakdown
The total cost of setting up a Saint Vincent company is made up of government fees of the Financial Services Authority (FSA) of Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, the registered agent's service fee and ongoing annual maintenance. The business company and LLC fees published by the FSA are listed below so you can check Saint Vincent offshore company quotes line by line.
| Item | Cost | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Business company (BC) setup fee | US$125 (one-time) | Paid to the Registry of Business Companies under the FSA fee schedule. |
| Business company annual fee | US$100 / year | Under the FSA fee schedule. For the due date and late payment, follow your registered agent's notices. |
| Other applications (changes, certificates, etc.) | US$50 each | "Any Other Application" in the FSA fee schedule. |
| Single LLC setup fee | US$125 (one-time) | Formed under the Limited Liability Companies Act. The FSA fee schedule has applied since 9 June 2010. |
| Single LLC annual fee | US$100 / year | A series LLC costs US$500 to set up, with a fixed annual fee of US$300 plus US$250 per series (capped at US$10,000). |
| Registered agent and registered office | Quoted by service | The FSA requires all applications to be filed through a registered agent licensed in Saint Vincent. This is a fixed yearly maintenance item. |
| NSS Group advisory fee | Written quote after a free assessment | Based on the shareholder structure, number of directors, and whether you need bank account opening, economic substance and home-country tax planning. Every item is listed in the quote, with no hidden fees. |
Government fees come from the FSA fee schedule and the FSA business company and LLC pages. The latest FSA notices prevail.
Saint Vincent company tax and compliance: the old IBC tax exemption has ended
Act No. 36 of 2018 turned the international business company (IBC) into the business company (BC) and removed the old blanket income tax exemption. Shareholders should also check the controlled foreign company (CFC) rules in their home country.
| Item | Rule | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| IBC regime change | From 1 January 2019 | The International Business Companies (Amendment and Consolidation) (Amendment) Act, No. 36 of 2018, renamed IBCs as business companies. Under section 199A, companies registered before 2019 stayed under the old law until 30 June 2021. |
| Corporate income tax | 28% | The Inland Revenue Department (IRD) lists the current corporate income tax rate as 28%. The FSA states that a business company is taxed on income earned in Saint Vincent and must obtain a taxpayer identification number (TIN) from the IRD after incorporation. |
| Value added tax (VAT) | Standard rate 16% | According to the IRD, businesses with annual sales of XCD 300,000 must register. Companies that do not trade locally are usually not affected. |
| Withholding tax | 20% on services | The IRD lists a standard withholding rate of 20% on services provided by non-residents to residents, and 10% on rent. |
| Economic substance return | Filed every year | Under the International Tax Cooperation (Economic Substance) Act, the government states that every company must file an economic substance return with the IRD each year, within 4 months after the end of its accounting period. |
| Shares and beneficial owners | Registered shares only | The FSA does not allow business companies to issue bearer shares. Before incorporation, due diligence information on the ultimate beneficial owners, shareholders and directors must be given to the registered agent. |
| Home-country CFC rules | Depends on the shareholders' home country | If a Saint Vincent company controlled directly or indirectly by companies or individuals in another country pays little tax, its profits may have to be included in their home-country taxable income under CFC rules. |
Tax and filing rules follow Saint Vincent legislation and government notices. For your own case, ask an accountant to review your actual structure.
Saint Vincent business company, Saint Vincent LLC, Anguilla or BVI: which should you choose?
A Saint Vincent offshore company is often compared with other Caribbean offshore companies. The table below compares four common structures on a few key points.
| Item | Saint Vincent business company (BC) | Saint Vincent LLC | Anguilla business company | BVI business company (BC) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Regulator | Registry of Business Companies, Saint Vincent FSA | Registry of Limited Liability Companies, Saint Vincent FSA | Anguilla Financial Services Commission (AFSC) | BVI Financial Services Commission (FSC) |
| Government setup fee | US$125 | US$125 (single LLC) | From US$350 | From US$450 |
| Government annual fee | US$100 | US$100 (single LLC) | From US$350 | From US$450 |
| Governance | At least 1 director and 1 shareholder | Managers and members set in the operating agreement | Private company: at least 1 director | At least 1 director |
| Local income tax | Tax on income earned in Saint Vincent | Per regulator notices | No corporate income tax | Exempt (section 242) |
Anguilla and BVI figures come from each regulator's notices. Choose based on the shareholders' background, where you collect and make payments, and your tax planning.
What foreign founders should know about a Saint Vincent offshore company
- Old claims are out of date: claims often seen online, such as "an IBC gets a 25-year tax exemption guarantee, shareholders and directors never need to be registered, and setup takes 1 to 2 days", no longer apply. New companies since 2019 are business companies, and the transition period for old IBCs ended on 30 June 2021.
- Foreigners can own 100%: the FSA states that shareholders, directors and officers can live anywhere and be of any nationality, and a business company needs only 1 director and 1 shareholder.
- A licensed registered agent is required: the application, document filings and beneficial owner information all go through a licensed Saint Vincent registered agent, and you must describe the planned business at incorporation.
- Regulated businesses need a license: mutual funds, international banking, international insurance and similar businesses need an FSA license first and cannot operate before it is granted.
- Bank account opening is the biggest hurdle: international banks run strict KYC checks on offshore companies. Prepare a business description, contracts or invoices, and source of funds and beneficial ownership documents.
- Home-country CFC rules: if companies or individuals in your home country directly or indirectly control a company in a low-tax jurisdiction, check whether CFC rules there require the company's profits to be included in their taxable income.
Further reading
Sources: Saint Vincent FSA: business companies and fees; Saint Vincent FSA: limited liability companies; FSA fee schedule; International Business Companies (Amendment and Consolidation) (Amendment) Act, No. 36 of 2018 (sections 180 and 199A); Saint Vincent Inland Revenue Department: taxes (corporate income tax, VAT, withholding); Government of Saint Vincent and the Grenadines: filing of economic substance returns. The latest official notices prevail. This page is general information and is not legal or tax advice.
How long does it take to set up a company in Saint Vincent and the Grenadines?
The time to set up a Saint Vincent company depends on the name search, due diligence documents and preparation of the articles. The FSA states that the registry can complete incorporation within 24 hours of receiving the application, but regulated businesses such as mutual funds, international banking or international insurance need a separate license, which takes longer. Before we start, we give you the actual process and timeline for your structure.
What documents do I need to register a company in Saint Vincent and the Grenadines?
To set up a Saint Vincent and the Grenadines company, you usually need to prepare the following first:
- 1. Identity documents for shareholders, directors and ultimate beneficial owners
- 2. Proof of address from the last three months and contact details
- 3. The Saint Vincent and the Grenadines company name, entity type and registered address arrangement
- 4. A description of the business model, main trading regions and source of funds
- 5. Shareholding percentages, director appointments, KYC and required authorization documents
Do I need to be in Saint Vincent and the Grenadines in person to set up a company?
Most steps to set up a Saint Vincent and the Grenadines company can be completed remotely, with documents prepared and signed under authorization and a local agent’s support, so you do not always need to be there in person. However, bank account opening, identity verification, special licenses or certain government procedures may require directors, shareholders or authorized persons to attend in person, join a video call or provide extra documents. We confirm the requirements in advance and help arrange them.
What tax and filing obligations does a Saint Vincent and the Grenadines company have?
- 1. A business company is taxed on income earned in Saint Vincent (corporate income tax rate 28%), must obtain a TIN after incorporation and files an economic substance return each year
- 2. Annual filings, company registration upkeep, registered agent or secretarial services
- 3. Accounting records, audit, and economic substance or beneficial ownership maintenance
For a Saint Vincent company, the main ongoing items are the US$100 annual fee each year, renewing the registered agent, the economic substance return, keeping beneficial owner and director information up to date, and a review of CFC rules in the shareholders’ home countries. We can help plan bookkeeping, filings and an annual maintenance schedule for your business model.
What businesses and structures suit a Saint Vincent and the Grenadines company?
Who can help me register a company in Saint Vincent and the Grenadines?
NSS Group (go.ai.com.tw) can help. NSS Group provides one-stop support from pre-incorporation assessment to post-incorporation maintenance for your Saint Vincent and the Grenadines company, reducing the uncertainty of cross-border setup and compliance.
Our main services include:
- 1. Saint Vincent and the Grenadines entity type and structure assessment
- 2. Company name search, document preparation and registration filing
- 3. Bank account opening, KYC and cross-border payment documents
- 4. Bookkeeping, tax filing and annual compliance
- 5. Changes to shareholders, directors, address, shares and company details
- 6. Trademark registration, contract review and intellectual property planning
- 7. Website build, digital marketing and AI customer service setup
- 8. Ongoing business advisory and cross-border business support
We arrange your Saint Vincent and the Grenadines company setup, maintenance and ongoing support around your industry, customer locations, banking needs and tax planning, so you can focus on growing your market.