Brunei Darussalam

Starting a Business in

Brunei Darussalam

Listed below is a detailed summary of the bureaucratic and legal hurdles an entrepreneur must overcome in order to incorporate and register a new firm, along with their associated time and set-up costs.  It examines the procedures, time and cost involved in launching a commercial or industrial firm with up to 50 employees and start-up capital of 10 times the economy's per-capita gross national income (GNI).

The information appearing on this page was collected as part of the Doing Business project, which measures and compares regulations relevant to the life cycle of a small- to medium-sized domestic business in 183 economies. The most recent round of data collection for the project was completed in June 2011.

  • Standardized Company

  • Legal Form: Private Limited Company
  • City: Bandar Seri Begawan

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No. Procedure Time to Complete Associated Costs
1 Accountant prepares Form A to verify company name

In practice, the Registry of Companies has begun to require that only lawyers, accountants, or corporate secretaries submit applications. Accountants charge set fees prescribed by the Solicitors Remuneration Rules for company incorporation. Fees are at least BND 1,500.
5 days BND 1,505
2 Make statutory declaration at Magistrate’s Court

Company directors must make a statutory declaration at the Magistrate’s Court that the documents to be submitted to the Registry have been prepared according to the Companies Act.
1 day BND 9
3 Sumbit required documents and registraton fees for company registration at the Registry of Companies

The Registry of Companies issues a certificate of incorporation, two certified copies of the memorandum and articles of association (each bearing a validated BND 5 postage stamp), and registration forms for the Employees Provident Fund and the Collector of Income Tax. The Registry automatically notifies the Collector of Income Tax of the company’s registration.
10 days BND 2,300 registration fee on capital + BND 20 for Memorandum and Articles of Association + BND 10 for Form X; BND 10 for each consent letter (5) + BND 10 for Notice of the Situation of Registered Office + BND 25 for Certificate of Incorporation + BND 80 for 2 certified copies of the Memorandum and Articles of Association at BND 4/page x 10 pages + BND 10 postage stamp for the original Memorandum and Articles of Association + BND 5 postage stamp for each certified copy of the Memorandum and Articles of Association to be returned to the applicant
4 Make a company seal

A company seal is not required for most transactions, but it must be attached to share certificates. Banks may also request company seals for certain transactions.
3 days BND 185
* 5 Register for Employees Provident Fund

Companies must pay into the Employees Provident Fund for national employees.
1 day, simultaneous with previous procedure no charge
6 Purchase application form for miscellaneous license (rampaian) at the Municipal Board of Bandar Seri Begawan

The application form for the miscellaneous license (or rampaian license) license must be purchased at the Finance Office of the Municipal Board.
1 day BND 2
7 Apply for miscellaneous license (“Rampaian”) at Municipal Board

The application form is submitted at the Licensing Office of the Municipal Board. The licensing authority informs the applicant which agencies must approve its rampaian application. The fee for a general industrial or commercial business is BND 50.
2 months BND 50 (license application) + BND 50 (FSD approval)
* 8 Apply to Fire Services Department (FSD) for rampaian approval

The application form is submitted to the Fire Services Department for rampaian approval. The fee is BND 50.
1 day (simultaneous with procedure 7) no charge
* 9 Apply to the Ministry of Health for rampaian approval


1 day (simultaneous with procedure 7) no charge
* 10 Receive inspection from Fire Service Department

The inspection does not take place immediately after the application to the Fire Services Department, but it takes time before the department grants its approval. The Fire Services Department is the only department that charges an inspection fee.
1 day (simultaneous with procedure 7) BND 750
* 11 Receive inspection from Ministry of Health


1 day (simultaneous with procedure 7) no charge
* 12 Pick up approval Fire Service Department

Agencies will send approvals or notify applicants that the approvals have been issued. Most often, however, the general practice is to leave the approvals for applicants to pick up.
1 day (simultaneous with procedure 7) no charge
* 13 Pick up approval from Ministry of Health


1 day (simultaneous with procedure 7) no charge
* 14 Submit approval letters to licensing authorities

Once the approval letters are obtained, they must be submitted to the Licensing Office of the Municipal Board.
1 day (simultaneous with procedure 7) no charge
15 Pick up rampaian license

The entire process of applying for a rampaian license typically takes 2 months but can last up to 6 months or more.
21 days BND 100
* Takes place simultaneously with another procedure.
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