Offshore · Company formation
Company formation in Anguilla
For founders who want a low-cost, zero-tax, fast-to-form holding or IP and asset vehicle. Be prepared for banking and reputational friction, since a substance-light offshore BC draws more scrutiny.
At a glance
- Entity
- Business Company (BC) — the standard limited-by-shares vehicle under the Business Companies Act 2022, which replaced the former IBC
- Corporate tax
- 0% — no corporate income, capital gains, withholding, or inheritance tax; Anguilla levies no direct taxes on companies (as of 2026)
- Incorporation time
- ~1 business day — incorporation is effectively same-day once the licensed agent files, though onboarding/KYC with the agent usually takes longer
- Minimum capital
- None — no minimum share capital or paid-up requirement (typical authorised capital is USD 50,000 to stay in the lower fee band; USD 1 paid-up is acceptable)
- Resident director
- Not required — a single director of any nationality/residence is permitted; corporate directors allowed. A licensed Anguillian registered agent and registered office are mandatory
- Audit
- No statutory audit and no requirement to file annual financial statements for a plain BC; records must be kept but are not publicly filed. Regulated or substance-relevant activities can trigger additional obligations
- Remote set-up
- Yes — fully remote via the Commercial Registration Electronic System (CRES, formerly ACORN). Founders cannot file directly: incorporation must go through a licensed registered agent, who performs KYC/CDD and files beneficial-ownership data. No notarisation of the founder's presence needed
- Government fee
- ~USD 600 government incorporation fee; annual government licence fee thereafter is USD 350 (companies authorised to issue ≤50,000 shares) or USD 500 (>50,000 shares)
- Best for
- For founders who want a low-cost, zero-tax, fast-to-form holding or IP and asset vehicle. Be prepared for banking and reputational friction, since a substance-light offshore BC draws more scrutiny.
The process
- Engage a licensed Anguillian registered agent and clear their KYC/CDD (passport, proof of address, source-of-funds, beneficial-owner details)
- Agent reserves the name and prepares the Articles of Incorporation and registered-office details
- Agent files electronically through CRES and pays the government incorporation fee; certificate of incorporation issues (typically same day)
- Appoint director(s) and shareholder(s), issue shares, adopt registers, and file beneficial-ownership information; then open banking and, if in scope, plan the annual economic-substance return
What can go wrong
- An annual economic-substance return is required, due by the last day of the quarter of the incorporation anniversary; genuine substance is needed only for 'relevant activities' (e.g. financing, IP, holding), but the filing obligation applies broadly — do not treat the company as fully passive.
- Zero tax does not mean zero reporting elsewhere: as an offshore BC it is squarely within CRS/CFC and home-country anti-avoidance rules, and banks apply heavy scrutiny — opening an account is often the hardest and slowest step.
- You cannot self-file — all incorporation and ongoing compliance runs through the licensed agent, whose annual fees materially exceed the government licence fee; missing the annual licence renewal leads to penalties and eventual strike-off.
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Form a company in Anguilla?
One named person on the file, an honest read on tax and substance, and a fixed quote before you commit.