Starting A Business In Zambia In 7 Easy Steps

The Registrar of Companies is responsible for business registrations in Zambia. He/she issues certificates of compliance for foreign companies, certificates of incorporation for local companies and certificates of registration for sole proprietorship and partnerships.
Foreign investors are allowed to incorporate a sole director company and register a fully owned local company without having any Zambian shareholders (The Companies Act, 2017).
Investors commonly register their local firm as a limited liability company.
Limited liability companies might be incorporated as a private company or a public company. In any case, taxation is made at the entity level.

Before starting her business, the foreign investor has to do the following

Starting a business in 7 steps

Check the company name for uniqueness

• The investor can check online the uniqueness.
  The clearance is done by the Patent And Companies Registration Agency (PACRA), an agency governed by the Patents and Companies Registration Agency Act (2010) and the Registration of Business Names (2011).
•  It costs ZMK 83 for name search and ZMK 166 for name reservation (source: World Bank, Doing Business 2018).

The declaration of compliance (Companies Form 11) must be signed by a Commissioner of Oaths

• The company form 11 has to be commissioned by a Commissioner of Oath.
• On average, it costs ZMK 50 (source: World Bank, Doing Business 2018).

Register the company

• The investor has to register her business with the Patent And Companies Registration Agency (PACRA).
• Investors have to submit forms (“Form 2:Application for Incorporation”, “Form 5: Declaration of Consent to act as a Director or Secretary”, Form 11: Declaration of compliance) and pay related fees (source: World Bank, Doing Business 2018).
• In case the investor creates a branch of her foreign company, the investor has to submit a specific application form (form No. 46, “Registration of a Foreign Company”) accompanied by a copy of the Certificate of Incorporation from the country of origin and its charter, statutes, regulations, memorandum and articles and any other relevant information.
• The company should also indicate the name of the firm, corporate body or individual resident in Zambia that would authorised to act as the documentary agent. The application fee to be paid upon completion of the process is ZMW 4,166.
  The end of the process is marked by the issuance of the Certificate of Registration.

Obtain a tax ID number

• Investors have to register with the Zambia Revenue Authority.
•  In order to get a tax identification number, it is mandatory to file the Certificate of Incorporation.  

Register for Social Security

• Investors have to register with the National Pension Scheme Authority,
• In order to be registered, investors must file the Certificate of Incorporation.

Pay business levy

• Before starting her business, a business levy has to be paid.
  In Lusaka, fees (ZMK 450) have to be paid to the Lusaka City Council (source: World Bank, Doing Business 2018).

Register for VAT

• Investors have to obtain a Value Added Tax (VAT) tax number if the value of taxable supplies exceeds or is likely to exceed ZMK 800,000 in any twelve consecutive months or ZMK 200,000 in any consecutive three months.
• Investors have to register with the Zambia Revenue Authority.

Get an investment registration certificate (optional)

• To get an investment certificate (optional), investors must invest at least $250,000.
• The certificate is issued by the Zambia Development Agency after inspection of the premises, this basic control aiming to ensure that the use of the registered premises is consistent with the enterprise’s operation activities.
• Obtaining the certificate costs ZMK 14,916 (processing fee: ZMK 2,133 and certificate fee: ZMK 12,783).

Open a bank account

• A number of commercial banks (e.g. Bank of China, Barclays Bank etc) have China banking desks.
• The investor is allowed to open a bank account after getting the foreign taxpayer registration ID.

Obtain specific licences and permits

Health clearance and food hygiene license

• Businesses involving the handling of consumables are required to obtain a health clearance and a food hygiene license.
• Workers will be required to obtain a food handler’s medical certificate.

Fire clearance certificate

• Companies have to get a fire clearance certificate.
• The certificate, issued by the relevant council in which the business activity takes place, is valid for one year and renewable.

Business permit

• Although the business permit is issued at the council level, the process is harmonised throughout the country.
• Applicable fees depend on the activity the investor will be carrying out and on the number of employees.
•  Before obtaining the business permit, investors must have their business premises ready.

License to manufacture excisable goods

• Companies dealing with excisable goods (i.e., manufacturers and importers) must obtain an excisable goods license from the Zambia Revenue Authority (ZRA).
• The list of excisable goods is available on the ZRA’s website.