DICA Company Registration in Myanmar

DICA Company Registration in Myanmar is the formal process for incorporating a company under the Myanmar Companies Law 2017. The Directorate of Investment and Company Administration (DICA) is the government agency responsible for administering the Companies Law and the Myanmar Companies Online (MyCO) registry.

MyCO is the electronic public registry maintained by DICA. It allows companies to be incorporated, corporate information to be filed and registered-company information to be searched electronically. DICA confirms that MyCO is the registry for companies and entities registered under the Myanmar Companies Law 2017.

For entrepreneurs, registration is only one part of establishing a compliant company. The proposed legal form, ownership, directors, registered office, business activities and post-registration obligations should be assessed before submitting the application.

1. What Does DICA Registration Actually Do?

DICA registration creates the company's formal legal record in Myanmar.

The MyCO system records important information including:

• Company name.

• Registration number.

• Registration date.

• Company type.

• Company status.

• Registered addresses.

• Directors and officers.

• Principal business activity.

• Filing history.

• Annual-return information.

Public company profiles available through MyCO demonstrate that registration information and filing records are maintained electronically.

This makes the DICA registry important for incorporation, corporate verification and ongoing company administration.

2. Which Company Structure Should You Register?

Myanmar's company-registration system accommodates several legal forms.

These include:

• Private company limited by shares.

• Public company limited by shares.

• Company limited by guarantee.

• Unlimited company.

• Overseas corporation.

• Certain companies registered under the Special Company Act 1950.

For many ordinary commercial businesses, a private company limited by shares is the structure most relevant to consider. MyCO maintains separate prescribed incorporation forms for these different entity types.

The structure should be selected according to ownership, liability, investment plans, business activity and long-term objectives.

3. What Are the Director Requirements?

Director requirements are an important part of Myanmar company registration.

Under the Companies Law framework:

• A private company must have at least one director.

• A public company must have at least three directors.

• At least one director of every company must be ordinarily resident in Myanmar.

• An ordinarily resident director generally means a person who is a permanent resident or resides in Myanmar for at least 183 days in each 12-month period.

• Directors must be natural persons and at least 18 years old.

The DICA director guidance confirms these requirements and also states that directors must provide written consent to their appointment.

This is particularly important for foreign-owned companies planning their management structure before incorporation.

4. What Is the Registered Office Requirement?

A company must maintain an appropriate registered office in Myanmar.

The registered office is the official address associated with the company for legal notices and corporate records.

Applicants should distinguish between:

• Registered office.

• Principal place of business.

• Other operating locations.

The address should be properly established before filing because it forms part of the company's official registration information.

Where applicable, companies should also maintain evidence supporting their right to use the registered premises.

5. How the DICA Registration Process Works

The current electronic process through MyCO generally follows this sequence:

Step 1: Create a MyCO Account

A valid email address is required to create and activate an account.

Step 2: Select the Company Type

Choose the appropriate prescribed incorporation form based on the legal structure.

Step 3: Prepare Company Information

Provide the proposed name, addresses, directors, secretary where applicable, share structure and members.

Step 4: Prepare Supporting Documents

Foreign directors and secretaries generally provide passport documentation, while Myanmar citizens provide the relevant national identification documentation.

Step 5: Complete the Electronic Application

The application is completed through MyCO and submitted to the Registrar for review.

Step 6: Pay the Applicable Filing Fee

MyCO's current prescribed-fee schedule lists a web filing fee of K300,000 for a private company limited by shares and K2,500,000 for a public company limited by shares. Electronic submissions do not attract the separate hard-copy service charge.

Step 7: Receive the Registration Outcome

After approval, the company's incorporation information becomes available through the MyCO registry.

6. Documents and Information Required

The exact requirements depend on the company type.

Typical incorporation information can include:

• Proposed company name.

• Registered office.

• Principal place of business.

• Directors.

• Secretary, if applicable.

• Shareholders or members.

• Share capital structure.

• Company constitution.

• Identification documents.

If the company does not use the model constitution, MyCO requires the company's own constitution to be provided with the application.

Foreign corporate shareholders may require additional corporate documentation.

7. DICA Registration for Foreign Investors

Foreign ownership needs to be assessed carefully before incorporation.

Under DICA's guidance, a company incorporated in Myanmar becomes a foreign company when more than 35% of its ownership interest is directly or indirectly owned or controlled by foreign persons or overseas corporations. A company must notify DICA if its status changes.

Therefore, foreign investors should establish the intended ownership structure before submitting the incorporation application.

Depending on the business, investors may consider:

• A Myanmar company with foreign shareholding.

• A foreign company structure.

• An overseas corporation.

• A joint venture.

Additional investment approvals or sector-specific restrictions may apply separately from company registration.

8. Name Search and Company Verification

MyCO provides company-name availability searches before incorporation.

After registration, the registry can also be searched using:

• Company name in English.

• Company name in Myanmar.

• Registration number.

The search system provides public access to registered-company information and can be useful for preliminary corporate due diligence.

9. Compliance After Registration

DICA registration does not end the company's responsibilities.

Companies should maintain accurate information relating to:

• Directors.

• Shareholders.

• Registered office.

• Share capital.

• Company constitution.

• Statutory registers.

• Corporate filings.

Annual returns are also part of ongoing company compliance. MyCO's current prescribed-fee schedule lists the web fee for an Annual Return at K50,000.

Companies should also monitor tax obligations, business licences and other regulatory requirements applicable to their activities.

10. Why Companies Face Problems After Registration

Common problems include:

1. Incorrect Ownership Structure

Foreign participation can affect company classification and regulatory requirements.

2. Missing Resident Director

A company must satisfy the applicable ordinarily-resident director requirement.

3. Inaccurate Registry Information

Changes to directors, addresses or other company details should be properly filed.

4. Incorrect Documents

Identification and corporate documents should match the information submitted through MyCO.

5. Ignoring Annual Compliance

Incorporation does not remove the obligation to maintain corporate filings and records.

11. Why Choose YKG Global?

YKG Global assists entrepreneurs and international investors with DICA company registration in Myanmar and related corporate requirements.

Our support includes:

• Company-structure advisory.

• MyCO registration assistance.

• DICA filing coordination.

• Foreign-investor documentation support.

• Shareholding and ownership review.

• Director and registered-office guidance.

• Corporate-document preparation.

• Tax-registration coordination.

• Banking assistance.

• Business-licence guidance.

• Ongoing corporate compliance.

Our approach focuses on establishing the correct structure first and then coordinating registration and post-incorporation requirements.

DICA Company Registration in Myanmar provides the formal route for establishing a company under the Myanmar Companies Law 2017. The process is primarily managed electronically through MyCO, where applicants can submit incorporation applications, maintain company information and access registry services.

For local and foreign entrepreneurs, successful incorporation requires more than completing the online form. The company type, registered office, directors, shareholders, foreign ownership, constitutional documents and ongoing compliance obligations should all be reviewed before registration.

A properly structured application can provide a stronger foundation for banking, licensing, taxation and long-term corporate operations in Myanmar.

Call us or fill out our contact form to schedule a consultation today.

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