Company Incorporation in Egypt
Formation of an Egyptian company through GAFI's one-stop shop under Investment Law 72/2017 (corporate forms under Companies Law 159/1981) — name reservation and security clearance on the manager(s), notarisation of the Arabic articles of association, a bank certificate evidencing the capital deposit where required, entry in the Commercial Registry, chamber-of-commerce registration and issuance of the tax card. The LLC is the default vehicle: at least two partners, capped at 50, with no fixed statutory minimum capital since Law 72/2017 (capital is stated in the articles); a single founder uses the One Person Company; a Joint Stock Company needs at least three founders and a board of three. Foreign ownership up to 100% is generally permitted subject to sector restrictions. Every filing is in Arabic, and because Egypt is not an Apostille member all foreign documents require consular legalisation plus certified Arabic translation. GAFI publishes no formation SLA, so the window shown is a conservative Comriq delivery estimate, not an authority timeline.
15–45 business days
EGP
Compare the structures
Every column is a vehicle you can actually incorporate here, and each is bought on its own terms. Every fact carries where it was read: on the authority’s own page, or — marked Indicative — on a filing platform or publication we name and link. Anything we could not read anywhere is marked Pending verification and confirmed with the authority before you pay.
| Limited Liability Company (LLC — sharika dhat mas'uliyya mahduda)The default vehicle for SMEs, foreign subsidiaries, holding and trading companies — at least two partners, capped at 50, capital stated in the articles | One Person Company (sharika al-shakhs al-wahid)A single founder who wants limited liability without a second partner — introduced by amendments to Companies Law 159/1981 | Joint Stock Company (sharika musahima)Larger businesses, regulated activities (banking, insurance) and companies intending an EGX listing — at least three founders and a board of at least three directors | Branch of a foreign company (far')A foreign company awarded a specific Egyptian contract — not a separate legal person, so the foreign head office remains liable, and the branch may generally only carry out the activity it is registered for | Representative / liaison office (maktab tamthil)A foreign company wanting a market-study and liaison presence only — it may NOT trade or invoice locally, and commercial activity risks being deemed a taxable permanent establishment | Sole proprietorship (mansha'a fardiyya)An individual trader wanting the simplest Commercial Registry form and accepting unlimited personal liability — taxed on personal-income brackets, not the corporate rate | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Minimum owners | 2 | 1 | 3 | 1 | 1 | 1 |
| Maximum owners | 50 | 1 | Pending verification | Pending verification | Pending verification | 1 |
| Minimum directors | 1 | 1 | 3 | 1 | 1 | Pending verification |
| Liability | limited | limited | limited | unlimited | unlimited | unlimited |
| Foreign ownership | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Pending verification |
| Tax treatment | Separate taxable person; corporate income tax at 22.5% of net taxable profit (Egyptian Tax Authority). Distributed divid… | Separate taxable person taxed like an LLC at 22.5% corporate income tax on net profit. | Separate taxable person; corporate income tax at 22.5% of net taxable profit. Dividends may attract withholding tax. | The branch is a permanent establishment taxed on Egypt-source profit at 22.5% corporate income tax; branch profits remit… | A pure representative office does no commercial activity and generates no Egyptian taxable income, so it is generally no… | Not a separate entity; business profit is taxed in the individual's hands under the personal income tax schedule, plus s… |
| Audit required | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Pending verification | No |
| Audit threshold | An LLC's annual financial statements must generally be audited by a licensed Egyptian auditor and filed. Exact statutory… | Audited annual accounts generally required. Confirm the trigger in Companies Law 159/1981 (as amended to introduce the O… | A JSC must have audited financial statements and a board of directors. Confirm exact governance/audit rules in Companies… | A registered branch must keep Egyptian books and file audited accounts. Confirm the rule. | Pending verification | Pending verification |
| Annual compliance | Medium | Medium | High | High | Low | Low |
| Typical use | Foreign parent's Egyptian trading/subsidiary; local SME. Formed via GAFI's one-stop shop under Investment Law 72/2017 (o… | Solo foreign or local founder wanting a limited-liability vehicle without needing a second shareholder. | Capital-raising ventures, regulated sectors (banking, insurance), and companies planning an EGX listing. | Foreign contractor executing a specific project/contract in Egypt; the branch may generally only carry out the activity … | Market research, sourcing and liaison for a foreign parent; may NOT trade or invoice locally. | Local sole trader / small merchant registered in the Commercial Registry. |
What we will need from you
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Articles of association in Arabic, notarised
Executed and notarised in Arabic.
Identity document for each partner (national ID for Egyptians, passport for foreigners)
An LLC needs at least two partners (max 50); a JSC at least three founders; a One Person Company one owner.
Appointment of at least one manager, with identity document, specimen signature and security/non-conviction clearance
Registered Egyptian office address
Bank certificate evidencing deposit of the capital
Required where the form or the activity calls for it. A JSC has a minimum issued capital with a paid-up portion on incorporation; the commonly cited EGP 250,000 for a non-offering JSC was NOT confirmed from an official source — read Companies Law 159/1981 before relying on it.
For a foreign corporate partner or a branch/representative office: the parent's certificate of incorporation, articles, board resolution and (for a branch) the Egyptian contract
Egypt is NOT a party to the Hague Apostille Convention. Documents executed abroad — including a power of attorney to a local representative — require full CONSULAR LEGALISATION (issuing-state foreign ministry plus the Egyptian embassy/consulate) and a certified ARABIC translation; an apostille alone is not accepted.
Commercial Registry application and tax-card issuance
Coordinated by the GAFI one-stop shop alongside chamber-of-commerce registration.
Cost breakdown
Our fee and the government’s are always separate lines. Government fees are passed through at exactly what the authority charges — we add nothing to them.
| Commercial Register entry fee (incorporation) under Investment Law 72/2017 | Confirmed before payment |
| GAFI incorporation, notarisation of the articles and chamber-of-commerce registrationThe one-stop shop bundles notarisation of the articles, the bank certificate of capital deposit, commercial-register entry, tax-card issuance and chamber-of-commerce registration; each carries its own fee and some are ad valorem on capital. | Confirmed before payment |
| Annual GAFI subscription (companies under Law 72/2017)Search leads cite an annual subscription of 0.002% of paid-up capital (minimum EGP 24, maximum EGP 2,000) plus around EGP 200 for an operating licence. Confirm on gafi.gov.eg / Investment Law 72/2017. | Confirmed before payment |
| Incorporation / commercial-register fees — One Person Company or Joint Stock CompanyThe OPC carries a similar fee bundle to the LLC; JSC fees are higher and may be ad valorem on issued capital. Confirm on the GAFI fee schedule at gafi.gov.eg. | Confirmed before payment |
| Branch registration feeonly if it appliesA search lead cites EGP 297.75 to add a branch to the commercial register; not confirmed, so no figure is published. Confirm on gafi.gov.eg. | Confirmed before payment |
| Representative-office registration feeConfirm on the GAFI fee schedule at gafi.gov.eg. | Confirmed before payment |
| Comriq professional fee | Fixed fee within 1 business day |
How it runs
You will see these exact stages update in your client portal as we progress.
Name Reservation & Security Clearance
Reserve the company name and obtain the required security/clearance checks on the manager(s).
Bank Account & Capital Deposit
Open an Egyptian bank account and obtain a bank certificate evidencing the capital deposit where required.
Articles Notarised
Execute and notarise the Arabic articles of association; foreign source documents must be consular-legalised and Arabic-translated.
GAFI One-Stop-Shop Incorporation
Submit the incorporation file to GAFI, which coordinates commercial-register entry, chamber-of-commerce registration and tax-card issuance.
Commercial Registry Entry & Tax Card
The company is entered in the Commercial Registry and issued a tax card; VAT and e-invoice registration follow with the ETA.
Indicative guidance — confirmed before payment
Requirements and statutory fees are set by General Authority for Investment and Free Zones (GAFI) one-stop shop, plus the Commercial Registry (and the notary / chamber of commerce) and change without notice. This page is general information, not legal or tax advice. Your engagement letter and quote are the binding documents.