Starting a Business in Fiji

This table summarizes the procedures and costs associated with setting up a business in Fiji.

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Legal Form: Private Limited Liability Company
City: Suva

	Procedure	Time to complete:	Cost to complete:
1	Check the uniqueness of the proposed company name and reserve name	8 days	FJD 6.75
2	Obtain declaration of due compliance sworn by lawyer	3 days	FJD 1200
3	Register the company with the Companies Registrar	20 days	Registration fee FJD 163.13 + stamp duty FJD 10
4	Register for income tax and VAT	1-2 weeks	no charge
*5	Receive inspection by FIRCA	1 day, simultaneous with proc 4	no charge
*6	Register with Training and Productivity Authority of Fiji for statutory training tax	3 days, simultaneous with proc 4	no charge
*7	Apply for a business license from the relevant licensing authority ( Suva City Council)	1-2 weeks, simultaneous with proc 4	FJD 300
*8	Register as an employer with the Fiji National Provident Fund	1-2 weeks, simultaneous with proc 4	no charge

* Takes place simultaneously with another procedure.

Procedure 1.: Check the uniqueness of the proposed company name and reserve name
Time to complete:: 8 days
Cost to complete:: FJD 6.75
Name of Agency:
Comment:: The entrepreneur must first conduct a search of the Companies, Business Names, and Trade Marks Register to ensure that the name applied for is not confusingly similar (1–2 days). Computerized (basic) and manual search systems are both available. The Government of Fiji has introduced a website (www.egov.gov.fj) for all applications for name reservation to be made online. Hard copy applications are no longer accepted by the Registrar of Companies unless an online application is made first. Application fees for name reservation however still have to be paid in person at the Registrar of Companies' Office. The application will take a week to process, and if it is successful, the company name will be reserved for 30 days (with a one-time extension). Company incorporation documents must be lodged with the Registrar within this time.
It costs FJD 5.63 for reservation of the name and FJD 1.13 for company name search

Procedure 2.: Obtain declaration of due compliance sworn by lawyer
Time to complete:: 3 days
Cost to complete:: FJD 1200
Name of Agency:
Comment:: Fees may vary from FJD 1,000 to FJD 2,000. The Declaration of Due Compliance can be sworn by a lawyer engaged in the formation of the company or by a director or secretary who is named in the Articles of Association of the company as a director or secretary.
The Cost of FJD1200.00 outlined above for a lawyer is not limited to he or she swearing the Declaration of Due Compliance. The Cost includes searches of the various registers to check for similar names, submission of the name reservation application, preparation of the company's memorandum of association, articles of association, particulars of directors and secretary, notice of situation of registered office and declaration of due compliance

Where a company director or secretary swears the Declaration of Due Compliance, the Cost is not substantially (if at all) reduced because in practice and in most cases lawyers and/or accountants still prepare most of the documents necessary to register a company.

Procedure 3.: Register the company with the Companies Registrar
Time to complete:: 20 days
Cost to complete:: Registration fee FJD 163.13 + stamp duty FJD 10
Name of Agency:
Comment:: Under the Fiji Companies Act 1985, companies must submit the following company documents to the Companies Registrar along with the following company incorporation documents in order to register the company and obtain a certificate of incorporation:

- current reservation of company name
- Memorandum of Association and Articles of Association
- Form 201, Notice of situation of registered office.
- Form 203, Particulars of directors and secretary.
- Form 208, Declaration of compliance with the requirements of the Companies Act (sworn by a lawyer or a director or secretary named in the Articles of Association of the company as such who was engaged in the formation of the company).

The registration fees vary depending on the authorised capital of the company. For example, for a company with an authorised capital of FJD 65,470.00, the registraton fee would be approximately FJD163.13 and stamp duty of FJD10.00 for the stamping of the Memorandum of Association and Articles of Association

Procedure 4.: Register for income tax and VAT
Time to complete:: 1-2 weeks
Cost to complete:: no charge
Name of Agency:
Comment:: The company completes the registration forms available from the Fiji Islands Revenue and Customs Authority. A new, modern registration process provides taxpayers with a one-stop service. Taxpayers can register for all tax types in Suva and the district offices. Registration forms will be processed at one central point for Suva, Lautoka, and Labasa.

Procedure 5.: Receive inspection by FIRCA
Time to complete:: 1 day, simultaneous with proc 4
Cost to complete:: no charge
Name of Agency:
Comment:: By law, since December 2004, if VAT registration is required, the Fiji Islands Revenue and Customs Authority (FIRCA) requires the inspection of the business premises. Since 2007, the inspection has been the practice as FIRCA inspects that there is a physical office during business hours.

Procedure 6.: Register with Training and Productivity Authority of Fiji for statutory training tax
Time to complete:: 3 days, simultaneous with proc 4
Cost to complete:: no charge
Name of Agency:
Comment:: Statutory training tax is 1% of payroll. The submission of these documents is done by mail. The Training and Productivity Authority will send the form by mail to the office of the new business. Once completed, the form is mailed back to the agency.

Procedure 7.: Apply for a business license from the relevant licensing authority ( Suva City Council)
Time to complete:: 1-2 weeks, simultaneous with proc 4
Cost to complete:: FJD 300
Name of Agency:
Comment:: The company must obtain a business license from the relevant licensing authority for each place it carries out business. This license is renewable annually. Depending on the activity, the fees range from FJD 100 to FJD 500. The list of industries is comprehensive.