Company registration in Cyprus

Registration fee is from 3600 €

Registration period — 3 weeks

Minimum authorized capital - 1000 EUR

Remote opening — yes

Financial statements — yes

The Republic of Cyprus is an independent state in the eastern Mediterranean and one of the most attractive jurisdictions in the European Union for international business. After joining the EU in 2004, Cyprus lost its offshore status and today is a fully transparent European jurisdiction with a favorable tax regime.

Registering a company in Cyprus (Cyprus Company Formation) allows you to run a legal international business with access to European markets, the banking system, and international double taxation treaties. The 2026 reform brought the Cypriot tax system into line with international OECD standards while preserving key benefits for holding and international structures: the participation exemption on dividends, no capital gains tax, and an extensive network of double taxation treaties.

Cypriot companies:

  • file audited financial statements;

  • pay Corporate Tax;

  • enjoy a high level of trust from banks and partners;

  • are actively used for tax planning and international business structuring.

What a Cyprus company is suited for

Maira Consult's lawyers recommend registering a company in Cyprus for:

  1. creating holding structures;

  2. international trade and export/import;

  3. logistics companies;

  4. IT businesses and SaaS projects;

  5. working with European counterparties;

  6. optimizing the tax burden.

Timeline for registering a company in Cyprus

Opening a company in Cyprus typically takes 2-3 weeks, depending on the business structure and how quickly the name is approved.

Once registration is complete, the Registrar of Companies of Cyprus issues official corporate documents bearing the registration mark.

Documents issued after company registration

After opening a company in Cyprus, you receive a full package of corporate documents:

  • Certificate of Incorporation

  • Certificate of Registered Office

  • Certificate of Directors & Secretary

  • Certificate of Shareholders

  • Certificate of Share Capital

  • Memorandum & Articles of Association

The documents are provided in English and can also be translated if needed.

Professional support from Maira Consult

Maira Consult's specialists provide full turnkey support for registering a company in Cyprus:

  • selecting the optimal structure;

  • preparing documents;

  • registering the company;

  • opening a corporate bank account;

  • tax consulting and support.

We will help you open a company in Cyprus quickly, safely, and in full compliance with EU requirements, and scale your international business.

Cyprus advantages

1

Low corporate income tax

2

Possibility to open an account with a Cypriot bank

3

Financial reporting and audit

4

Obtaining a Tax Residence certificate

5

Ranks among the TOP 10 countries for registration

General Information

Registration Features

The company must have a secretary, who may be either a natural person or a legal entity. The secretary must be a resident of Cyprus.

Company Name

The company name must end with a word or abbreviation indicating limited liability, such as "Limited" or "Ltd."

Authorized Capital

The minimum share capital for a Cyprus company is EUR 1,000, with no requirement for it to be paid up.

Director

  • The company must have at least one director, who may be either a natural person or a legal entity.
  • To maintain Cyprus tax residency status, the majority of directors must be Cyprus residents. The use of nominee director services is also permitted.

Shareholders

At least one shareholder is required, who may be either a natural person or a legal entity, with no residency requirements.

Financial Reporting

A Cyprus company is required to file financial statements annually.

The first financial statement, together with the auditor's report, must be filed within 18 months of the date of incorporation, and annually thereafter.

Taxation

  • Corporate Tax Cyprus

15% is the standard rate for all Cyprus tax-resident companies (raised from 12.5% in 2026 in line with OECD/Pillar Two international requirements).

  • VAT Cyprus

The standard rate is 19%, with reduced rates of 9%, 5%, and 3% depending on the type of goods and services. Mandatory VAT registration applies once annual turnover exceeds EUR 15,600 (or is expected to exceed this threshold within 30 days).

  • The VAT/VIES system is used for transactions with EU counterparties.
  • Dividends and special regimes

Cyprus retains a number of advantages for international structures: 0% tax on dividends (subject to certain conditions), no capital gains tax (except on Cyprus real estate), the Non-Domicile regime for individuals, more than 60 double tax treaties, and an IP Box regime with a rate of up to 3% on income from intellectual property.

  • The 2026 reform additionally abolished taxation of "deemed dividends" and reduced SDC on actually distributed dividends from 17% to 5%.
  • Additional fees

The annual municipal levy (Professional Tax) ranges from EUR 85 to EUR 256, depending on the municipality.

Confidentiality

The Cyprus public registry is open, allowing access to public information about a company's director, secretary, and share capital. Since 2020, Cyprus has maintained a unified register of beneficial owners, which is not open to public viewing; data from it may only be provided to state and tax authorities.

Stages of company registration

01

Choosing the name and form of the company

Before registering a company in Cyprus, a request must be submitted to the Cyprus Registrar to check the availability of the company name. Once it is approved, preparation of the corporate documents begins.

02

Preparation and collection of documents

Each shareholder of the company must provide all KYC documents (passport, utility bill, bank reference, personal account statements for the last 12 months, CV).

03

Identification of company participants

At this stage, a meeting takes place at our office or online, where all the necessary corporate documents are signed.

04

Formation of the share capital (if necessary)

Cyprus has no requirement for a mandatory share capital. If needed, it can be established after the company registration is completed.

05

Company registration

The originals of all signed corporate documents required for registering a Cyprus company are submitted to the Cyprus Registrar of Companies. The standard registration period for a company in Cyprus is 2 weeks.

06

Receiving of corporate documents

After the company is registered in Cyprus, the Registrar issues the finalized corporate documents with all the necessary markings.

07

Legalization of documents (if necessary)

If needed, the Cyprus company's documents can be submitted for legalization and apostille certification.

08

Delivery of corporate documents

The original corporate documents of the Cyprus company are delivered via courier service.

Answers to the Most Common Questions:

Registering a company in Cyprus costs from 3,600 euros. This price includes name approval with the Registrar of Companies, preparation of the Memorandum and Articles of Association, completion of the HE1, HE2, and HE3 registration forms, government fees, and the full set of corporate certificates. The mandatory Cyprus-resident secretary, the registered office address, and the annual audit are billed separately. If needed, a nominee service can be added, and its cost depends on the ownership structure. We provide an exact calculation after analyzing your business model.
Registering a company in Cyprus takes 2-3 weeks from the moment the complete document package is submitted to the Registrar of Companies. In practice, the two longest stages are name approval, which the Registrar may reject due to similarity with an existing name, and collecting KYC documents for all participants, since Cypriot providers require a bank reference and 12 months of statements. Opening a corporate account is counted separately and adds another 2-4 weeks depending on the bank and the company's field of activity.
A non-resident from Ukraine can open a company in Cyprus without restrictions: the law sets no residency requirements for shareholders. At least one shareholder and one director are required, either an individual or a legal entity of any nationality. Only the presence of a secretary is mandatory. In practice, a local corporate secretary is usually appointed for a non-resident structure. If the company needs Cyprus tax residency status, most directors must also be Cyprus residents, this is a requirement of the management and control test.
To register a company in Cyprus, each participant provides a full KYC package: an international passport, proof of residential address (a utility bill), a bank reference, personal account statements for the last 12 months, and a CV. Several name options for approval, a description of the planned activity, an ownership structure disclosing the ultimate beneficial owner, and a registered address in Cyprus are also required. Due diligence requirements in Cyprus are stricter than in most EU jurisdictions, a consequence of tightened AML oversight.
A company in Cyprus can be opened entirely remotely. Corporate documents are signed during an online meeting or at our office, after which the originals are submitted to the Registrar of Companies. A personal visit to Cyprus is not required for the registration itself. A trip may only be needed at the bank account opening stage: some Cypriot banks conduct identification online, while others require a meeting with the director. We agree on the format with the bank in advance, before submitting the documents.
The secretary is a mandatory officer of a Cypriot company under the Companies Law. This role can be held by either an individual or a legal entity, but with a Cyprus residency requirement. The secretary is responsible for maintaining corporate registers, preparing and filing the annual HE32 return with the Registrar of Companies, and drawing up minutes of meetings and directors' resolutions. The absence of a secretary or a delay in filing documents blocks the issuance of a Certificate of Good Standing, without which banks will not open an account or renew servicing.
The Corporate Income Tax rate in Cyprus is 15%, raised from the previous 12.5% as part of the tax reform and in line with the OECD Pillar Two global rules. The tax is levied on the worldwide profit of Cyprus tax residents. Key benefits remain in place: a 0% tax on dividends under certain conditions, no tax on capital gains (except for transactions involving Cypriot real estate), and more than 60 double taxation treaties, including one with Ukraine.
The obligation to register as a VAT payer in Cyprus arises if annual turnover exceeds 15,600 euros, or if it is expected to exceed that threshold within the next 30 days. The standard VAT rate is 19%, with reduced rates of 9%, 5%, and 3% depending on the type of goods or services. For transactions with counterparties from other EU countries, the company uses the VAT/VIES system, which allows checking a partner's status and applying the reverse charge mechanism for B2B service supplies.
The IP Box regime allows up to 80% of qualifying profit from intellectual property, patents, software, copyrighted works, to be exempted from taxation. The effective tax rate drops to approximately 2.5%. This is one of the most advantageous regimes for IT businesses and SaaS projects in the EU. Applying the IP Box requires confirming the link between development expenses and income (the nexus approach) and proper documentation, which the Cyprus tax authority verifies during an audit.
A Cypriot company is considered a tax resident if management and control are actually exercised in Cyprus: most directors are Cyprus residents, decisions are made in Cyprus, and document flow is maintained there. This status is confirmed by a Tax Residence Certificate issued by the Cyprus Tax Department. It is this certificate that grants the right to apply double taxation treaties. Formal company registration alone does not provide resident status without real presence.
A Cypriot company files audited financial statements every year, the first report together with the auditor's opinion within 18 months of the registration date, and annually thereafter. An annual HE32 return is also filed with the Registrar of Companies. Mandatory expenses include: resident secretary services, a registered address, bookkeeping, the mandatory audit, and a municipal Professional Tax ranging from 85 to 256 euros depending on the municipality. The audit fee depends on the volume of operations, not on the size of the share capital.
Yes, through the redomiciliation procedure. A company from another jurisdiction changes its place of registration to Cyprus while retaining its legal identity, history, contracts, and banking relationships, there is no need to liquidate the old structure and create a new one. Conditions: the law of the country of origin must allow the company to leave, and the company must not be in bankruptcy proceedings or have outstanding debts. A Certificate of Good Standing, a shareholders' resolution, and bringing the articles of association into line with Cypriot law are required.
Based on our practice, the main reasons are: no economic connection to Cyprus or the EU, no real office and staff, an opaque or multi-layered ownership structure, a discrepancy between the declared and actual activity, and operating in high-risk sectors without a license. Following the tightening of AML oversight, Cypriot banks now vet clients far more strictly than 5-7 years ago. We prepare a justification for the structure in advance and, in parallel, consider licensed EU EMIs as a backup option.
No. Cyprus lost its offshore status in 2004 after joining the European Union. Cypriot companies file audited financial statements, pay corporate tax, participate in the automatic exchange of tax information under the CRS standard, and, since 2020, submit ultimate beneficial owner data to the unified UBO register. The Registrar of Companies is publicly accessible. Cyprus remains popular not because of opacity, but thanks to its tax regimes, treaty network, and EU membership.

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Email

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Address

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40B Ivan Franko St., office 207

Legal information

MAIRA LLC

EDRPOU code: 38202700

Jurisdiction: Ukraine

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