Belize company formation.

A Central American centre, reformed.

For many years the Belize international business company was a familiar choice for compact holding and trading structures. Today the same purposes are served by a Belize company under a more modern and more transparent framework.

Company registration is handled by the Belize Companies and Corporate Affairs Registry, which operates under the Financial Services Commission. Since November 2022, incorporation, name reservation, annual returns and certificates have all been handled through the Registry’s Online Business Registry System, and each company receives a nine-digit business entity number and an electronic certificate. Owners who are not Belizean must act through a licensed registered agent.

AT Express is headquartered in Cyprus, with offices in the United Kingdom, Hong Kong, China, Vietnam and Singapore. We coordinate Belize formations with licensed registered agents, and help clients judge whether Belize suits their plans, or whether another offshore jurisdiction or an onshore company would serve them better.

From IBC to Belize company.

The Belize Companies Act, 2022 repealed and replaced both the International Business Companies Act and the former domestic Companies Act. Existing IBCs were transitioned to Belize companies and required to re-register on the new system. The Act provides for several forms, including companies limited by shares, companies limited by guarantee, unlimited companies and segregated portfolio companies.

For private holding and international trading purposes, the company limited by shares is the usual choice. It is the form most people still have in mind when they refer to a “Belize IBC”.

What defines a Belize company.

• One director and one member are the statutory minimum; the Act requires a company to have one or more of each.
• A licensed registered agent files documents on the company’s behalf and maintains its registered office in Belize.
• Digital administration. Incorporation, filings and certificates are handled online, and the Act provides for virtual meetings and electronic registers.
• No statutory limit on the number of shareholders.
• Registers on record. Companies keep registers of members, directors and beneficial owners, and file copies of their registers of members and directors with the Registry.

Belize after its tax reforms.

Belize has reformed its tax treatment of international companies in step with international standards. The former regime, under which IBCs were exempt from Belize tax, has been removed, and companies now fall within the Income and Business Tax Act. Amendments that took effect on 1 January 2020 repealed corporate income tax for companies outside the petroleum sector, leaving a business tax on gross receipts at rates that depend on the type of income, and brought certain foreign-source receipts within that tax, with credit for foreign tax paid.

Tax-resident companies file annual returns with the Belize Tax Service. A company that is managed and controlled outside Belize and tax resident elsewhere must be able to prove that residence. Under the Economic Substance Act, 2019, companies carrying on relevant activities, such as banking, insurance, fund management, financing and leasing, headquarters, distribution and service centre, shipping or certain holding activities, must conduct their core income-generating activities in Belize, with adequate expenditure, qualified staff and premises.

In April 2026 the Global Forum on Transparency and Exchange of Information for Tax Purposes upgraded Belize’s rating to “Largely Compliant”. Following the Council of the European Union’s revision of 9 October 2026, Belize was removed from Annex II and is now among the cooperative jurisdictions with no pending commitments; it is not on the EU list of non-cooperative jurisdictions. We check the current position before recommending any structure.

A balanced view.

What you will need.

• A licensed Belize registered agent and a registered office in Belize, maintained at all times.
• At least one director and one member, whose details are recorded in the company’s registers.
• Articles suited to the intended activity, and an approved company name reserved through the Registry.
• Identification and due diligence documents for every director, shareholder and beneficial owner, typically including a certified passport, proof of address and an explanation of the source of funds and wealth.
• A description of the business, its countries of operation, its expected transactions and where it will be managed and taxed.

From first call to certificate.

Because filing is electronic, the timetable depends mainly on how quickly the due diligence documents are complete. We confirm a realistic timetable in our written proposal.

Keeping the company in good standing.

• Annual return. Each company files an annual return, made up to 31 December of the previous year, on or before 30 June, through its registered agent. An up-to-date return keeps the company active and in good standing.
• Registers. Registers of members, directors and beneficial owners are kept at the registered office or with the registered agent and kept up to date.
• Accounting records must show and explain the company’s transactions and be kept, with underlying documents, for at least five years.
• Tax filings. Tax-resident companies file annual returns with the Belize Tax Service; others must be able to evidence their tax residence elsewhere.
• Economic substance. Companies carrying on relevant activities must meet the substance requirements and report to the Financial Services Commission.

Banking for a Belize company.

Belize companies may bank in Belize or, more often, in international centres such as Hong Kong, Singapore, Switzerland or the European Union, or with licensed electronic money institutions. Each institution sets its own acceptance criteria, and approval is never assured. A clear business rationale, transparent ownership and evidence of real commercial activity make a considerable difference. Read more about international bank account opening and our guide to opening a bank account for an offshore company.

Frequently asked questions.

Official sources.

1. Financial Services Commission, Belize, Press release: passage of the Belize Companies Act, 2022 — 5 August 2022.
2. Belize Companies and Corporate Affairs Registry, Belize Companies Act, 2022 and regulations.
3. Belize Companies and Corporate Affairs Registry, Frequently asked questions: incorporation and annual returns.
4. Financial Services Commission, Belize, Economic Substance Act, Chapter 273:01.
5. National Assembly of Belize, Income and Business Tax (Amendment) Act, 2019.
6. Belize Tax Service, Belize Tax Service Department.
7. Government of Belize Press Office, Belize removed from EU Annex II — 9 October 2026.
8. European Commission, The Council updates the EU list of non-cooperative tax jurisdictions — 9 October 2026.
9. Council of the European Union, EU list of non-cooperative jurisdictions for tax purposes.
10. OECD, International standards on tax transparency, including the Common Reporting Standard.
11. Internal Revenue Service, Foreign Account Tax Compliance Act (FATCA).

Hero image: “Caye Caulker Belize Barrier Reef Aerial (119509555)” by Dronepicr, licensed under CC BY 3.0.