Registering a business Overview
Process Overview
Decide on a legal structure and name for your company or business as this will determine which registration forms you need to complete. Once decided, you can do a name search and if you so choose, reserve the name for up to ninety (90) days.
To reserve a name, which you will then be able to use for registration purposes, you will need to complete the steps below. The name search will indicate the availability of the name you have selected for reservation, and whether it is consistent with the laws on the country.
- In order to access this service, you will need to either visit the COJ’s offices or go on-line and complete and submit (via email) a “Request for Name Search and Name Reservation Form” (Form 6) at the COJ.
- You will also need to pay the applicable fee; for the Name Search, a cost of JMD $500; and for the Name Reservation, a cost of JMD $3000.
- Upon completion of the process and within one clear working day after the form has been submitted in office, the Registrar of Companies will inform you of the suitability of the name and also indicate the result of the search.
- If the form is submitted electronically via email, the Registrar of Companies will inform you within 2-3 working days of the suitability of the name and the result of the search.
- If requested at the time of submission, your selected name can also be reserved for a period of ninety (90) days.
To learn more about this business process, follow the next steps of this guideline.
Application Requirements:
For Companies the following COJ application forms must be completed and submitted:
- The Articles of Incorporation (Form 1A or 1B)
- Use Form 1A for Companies Making Profit and Form 1B for Non-Profit Companies. These forms require the registered address of the company, which must be situated in Jamaica.
- The “Business Registration Form” (BRF1)
- This BRF1 form captures the required information on the directors, secretary, registered office and the relevant information for the other (mainly tax related) requirements when starting a business; namely, National Insurance Scheme (NIS), Tax Office (Tax Registration Number - TRN, Tax Compliance Certificate -TCC and General Consumption Tax - GCT), HEART/Trust and National Housing Trust (NHT). It should be noted that the provision of the directors and company secretary details are now mandatory at incorporation.
These form(s) must be signed by the Director(s) and/or the person declaring the accuracy of the information submitted on the form.
Other supporting information/documents required for application…
- Originals and/or certified copies of any relevant professional certificates. When selecting the nature of your business activity, where the use of certain words in the nature make reference to professions/occupations (eg. medical practitioner), evidence of certification may be required - see list on page 12/13 of the BRF1 Form.
- Individual TRNs for Directors. How to “Acquire your TRN”.
For more information about this process visit the COJ at https://www.orcjamaica.com.
Submission Requirements:
Once your application form(s) and supporting information/documents have been completed, signed and certified as required, you will need to visit the COJ to submit your Application and pay the relevant application fees.
Head Office
1 Grenada Way,
Kingston 5
Tel: 1 (876) 908-4419/26
Email: custsupport@orcjamaica.com
Monday - Wednesday: 8:30 am – 3:30 pm
Thursday – Friday: 8:30 am – 3:00 pm
Montego Bay - Branch
10 Delisser Drive,
(Office of the Prime Minister)
Tel: 1 (876) 276-9558/940-4572/940-5742
Monday - Thursday: 9:00 am – 3:30 pm
Friday: 9:00 am – 3:00 pm
An original valid government issued identification of the principal director and/or the person declaring the accuracy of the form(s) must be presented to the Companies Office.
The cost to register your company is indicated below based on the type of service you require, that is, the speed with which you need your application to be processed.
Processing Fees:
| Regular Service: |
JMD $24500 |
| Next Day Service: |
JMD $27500 |
| Same Day Service: |
JMD $30500 |
Processing Times:
- Regular Service: five (5) working days
- Next Day Service: twenty-four (24) hours
- Same Day Service: returned the same day
There is also an additional charge of JMD $500 if the documents are to be stamped at the COJ.
Please note: Fees are subject to updates.
Once submitted your documents are then examined to ensure that they are accurately completed and to verify the information provided. If the documents are in order, then a Certificate of Incorporation is issued.
At the end of the process you would have received the following:
- Your Certificate and Articles of Incorporation
- Your Company’s TRN, NHT, NIS and HEART numbers and initial TCC.
