Setting up
Setting Up a Company in Rwanda
Registering a company in Rwanda is online and free. The Office of the Registrar General, part of RDB, issues the certificate in about six working hours, and the company code is also the tax number. A private company needs no minimum capital and can be 100% foreign-owned.
Choosing the form
| Form | Main points |
|---|---|
| Private limited company (Ltd) | 1 to 100 shareholders, Rwandan or foreign; no minimum capital; at least one director ordinarily resident in Rwanda |
| Branch of a foreign company | Registered within 10 working days of opening; a resident branch representative; 15% tax on repatriated profits |
| Public limited company (Plc) | Required for banking, insurance and other financial business, and for public share offers or a listing on the Rwanda Stock Exchange |
Source: Office of the Registrar General: Business registration; Ministry of Trade and Industry: Law N° 007/2021 governing companies; Rwanda Revenue Authority: Basic information on Rwanda taxation, 20251,4,5
The steps
- Register online with the Office of the Registrar General: name, address in Rwanda, shareholders, directors and beneficial owners.
- Receive the certificate of incorporation; the company code is also the TIN and the RSSB number.
- Activate EBM, the electronic billing machine, and issue an EBM invoice for every sale.
- Register for VAT within seven days once turnover passes RWF 20 million a year.
- Pay the district trading licence tax by 31 January each year.
- Open a business bank account with the certificate, the articles, a board resolution and the identity of signatories and beneficial owners.
Source: Office of the Registrar General: Business registration; Rwanda Revenue Authority: Register your business; Rwanda Revenue Authority: RRA service charter; Rwanda Revenue Authority: Basic information on Rwanda taxation, 20251,6,7,5
The investment certificate
A company becomes a registered investor with a certificate from the RDB One Stop Centre. The fee is USD 500, there is no minimum capital, and the service charter time is 24 hours. The certificate opens the way to the reduced tax rates and to investor residence permits.2,8
Licences and permits
- Most activities start on the registration alone; regulated sectors such as banking, insurance and food imports need a licence from their regulator.
- Larger projects need an environmental impact assessment; RDB issues the certificate in 45 days.
- The trading licence tax runs from RWF 100,000 to RWF 2 million a year, depending on turnover.
Source: Rwanda Development Board: Service charter, March 2026; Rwanda Revenue Authority: Trading licence; Rwanda Revenue Authority: Basic information on Rwanda taxation, 20258,9,5
After registration
The company keeps its own register of beneficial owners, reports changes within 14 days and confirms the information every year. Records, including the register, are kept for ten years. Private companies file their accounts within seven months of the year end.10,11
Sources
- Office of the Registrar General: Business registration
- Rwanda Development Board: One Stop Centre, investment registration
- Rwanda Development Board: Guidelines for the identification of beneficial owners, 2023
- Ministry of Trade and Industry: Law N° 007/2021 governing companies
- Rwanda Revenue Authority: Basic information on Rwanda taxation, 2025
- Rwanda Revenue Authority: Register your business
- Rwanda Revenue Authority: RRA service charter
- Rwanda Development Board: Service charter, March 2026
- Rwanda Revenue Authority: Trading licence
- Office of the Registrar General: Beneficial ownership requirements and forms
- Rwanda Development Board: Public notice to companies on records and annual returns
Figures checked 9 November 2026. Prepared by InvestRwanda.com for general information. It is not investment, tax or legal advice; please confirm details with a qualified adviser before acting.
