Offshore · Company formation

Company formation in Turks and Caicos Islands

Founders wanting a genuinely zero-tax, English-common-law offshore holding or IP vehicle, who accept that a licensed local agent and its recurring fees are unavoidable.

Last verified July 2026

At a glance

Entity
Company limited by shares under the Companies Ordinance 2017, usually registered as an exempted company (one that carries on business mainly outside the Islands). 100% foreign ownership permitted.
Corporate tax
0% as of 2026 - no corporate income tax, capital gains, withholding or inheritance tax. Exempted companies may obtain a government undertaking against the future imposition of tax. Note the Islands do levy stamp duty on TCI real-estate transactions and a 12% Tourism Tax on tourism businesses.
Incorporation time
~2-5 business days once KYC is cleared; incorporation within 48 business hours is achievable through the licensed manager.
Minimum capital
No minimum share capital; shares need not be issued at par. Companies are commonly authorised to issue up to 5,000 shares to stay within the lowest incorporation-fee band.
Resident director
No resident director required. At least one director is needed (individual or corporate, any nationality/residence). What is mandatory is a local registered agent that holds a licence under the Company Management (Licensing) Ordinance.
Audit
No general statutory audit or public financial-statement filing requirement for an ordinary trading company. Audited accounts are required only of regulated licensees (banks, insurers, mutual funds and similar).
Remote set-up
Yes - formed remotely; no personal visit or notarisation is required. Everything runs through the licensed registered agent/company manager, who must complete AML/KYC due diligence (certified passport, proof of address and source-of-funds/beneficial-owner information) before filing.
Government fee
US$200 government incorporation fee for a share company authorised to issue up to 5,000 shares (Companies Regulations, Schedule 3; higher bands: $350 up to 50,000 shares, $500 up to 100,000, $600 up to 750,000, $1,100 up to 2,000,000, $2,100 above). Annual government fee US$350, due 30 June each year (prorated at $30/full month in the year after incorporation).
Best for
Founders wanting a genuinely zero-tax, English-common-law offshore holding or IP vehicle, who accept that a licensed local agent and its recurring fees are unavoidable.

The process

  1. Engage a TCI-licensed registered agent/company manager and clear their AML/KYC (certified ID, proof of address, source of funds, beneficial-owner details).
  2. Reserve the company name and settle the memorandum and articles, share structure and directors/members.
  3. Agent files the incorporation application with the TCI Financial Services Commission Companies Registry and pays the US$200 government fee.
  4. Receive the certificate of incorporation, then maintain the registered office/agent and pay the US$350 annual government fee each 30 June.
What can go wrong
  • There is no such thing as a self-filed TCI company: a locally licensed registered agent is legally required, so real annual cost is the government's $350 plus the agent's fee (commonly ~$1,000-$2,000+), not the headline government number.
  • 'Exempted company' status affects operating restrictions and the tax undertaking, not the fee scale - Schedule 3 applies one fee table to all share companies, keyed to the number of authorised shares.
  • Zero local tax does not remove home-country obligations: TCI is on international transparency/EU listings watch, beneficial ownership is collected by the agent, and CRS/economic-substance and your residence country's CFC rules can still bite.

Form a company in Turks and Caicos Islands?

One named person on the file, an honest read on tax and substance, and a fixed quote before you commit.