Company Registration in Malaysia

Yes, there is no need to travel. Documents are filed with SSM through the MyCoID portal and signed online. All we need from you is a certified copy of your passport, proof of address and answers to a few questions about the business.

A trip may only be needed for the bank account, as Malaysian banks usually invite the director to a meeting. If we provide the director, the bank account can be opened remotely, and fintech accounts are opened online in any case.

There are three packages: Start at US$1,900, Corporate at US$3,900 and Full service at US$5,400. The SSM fee of RM1,050 is included. Start does not cover the company secretary and registered office, which are mandatory, so Corporate adds them along with beneficial ownership filing and the first annual return.

Full service adds bank selection and support with the account application through to activation. A local director is a separate service. The scope and price are fixed in the contract. See the package comparison for details.

Yes. Under the Companies Act 2016 at least one director must have their principal place of residence in Malaysia. This can be a citizen, a permanent resident or a foreigner with a work pass and a local address.

If you do not have someone, we provide a local director as a separate service. Other directors and all shareholders can be foreigners: in most sectors the company can be 100% foreign-owned.

Incorporation with SSM takes from 8 working days once we have your documents. After that it depends on the account: a fintech account opens in 2-7 days, a Malaysian bank account in 2-4 weeks.

If you need to accept payments quickly, we open a fintech account and apply to the bank in parallel, so the company can receive money while the bank reviews the documents.

A bank account makes sense if you pay local suppliers and staff in ringgit or receive payments from Malaysian clients. We work with Maybank, CIMB, RHB and UOB.

A fintech account suits a quick start and payments with overseas clients in US dollars and euros: Airwallex, Currenxie, Payoneer. Many clients open both. See opening an account for details.

The rate is 24% on all chargeable income. The reduced 15% and 17% rates on the first RM600k apply only where foreign shareholders own 20% or less, paid-up capital is up to RM2.5m and gross income is up to RM50m. Budget 2027 proposes cutting them to 14% and 16%.

Dividends are paid with no withholding tax, but individual shareholders pay 2% on dividends above RM100,000 a year. Corporate tax is paid in advance: the company files a CP204 estimate and pays monthly instalments. You can estimate the amount in the tax calculator.

Service tax (SST), at 8% for most services, applies once revenue from taxable services exceeds RM500,000 over 12 months, or RM1m for rental and financial services. Below the threshold there is no need to register. Whether services to overseas clients are taxed depends on the type of service, so we check this before you start.

E‑invoicing through the tax authority’s system is mandatory for companies with annual revenue of RM3m or more. Smaller companies have been exempt since 1 September 2026, with exceptions for companies in larger groups.

Not always. Wider audit exemption thresholds apply from 2025. For financial years from 2026 the company must meet 2 of 3 tests in the current and previous two years: revenue up to RM2m, total assets up to RM2m, up to 20 employees. Dormant companies are exempt as well.

Financial statements still have to be prepared and lodged with SSM, and Form C is filed with the tax authority every year, even with no activity.

That depends on the rules of the country where you are tax resident. Many countries have controlled foreign company (CFC) rules, under which the owner may be taxed on company profits even if they are not distributed. You usually also have to notify your tax authority that you hold shares in a foreign company.

Malaysia has double tax agreements with many countries, so it is worth checking whether one applies to yours. We do not advise on the tax rules of your country, but we can point out what to check with a tax adviser there.

Yes, the company can sponsor an Employment Pass for the owner or an employee. A wholly foreign-owned company needs paid-up capital of at least RM500,000, and the minimum salary depends on the pass category: for Category I it is RM20,000 a month from June 2026.

Wholesale and retail businesses with foreign shareholders need a WRT licence, and capital of at least RM1m where foreigners hold the majority. If you plan to relocate or trade locally, mention it at the consultation and we will build it into the structure.

A business loss is carried forward and set against taxable profit for up to 10 consecutive years. Losses cannot be carried back to earlier years.

If the company has been dormant and more than half of its shareholders have changed in that time, the accumulated losses may be forfeited. Keep this in mind before selling shares.

SSM and the tax authority charge penalties for late annual returns, financial statements and tax returns, and the directors are responsible for them. Breaches of the beneficial ownership rules carry fines of up to RM20,000. A company that stops filing for a long time can be struck off the register.

All deadlines are set out in the compliance calendar. The Corporate package includes a calendar for your company for the first year, and from then on we can handle the filings for you.