How to Register a Company in Bahrain (2026 Step-by-Step Guide) — register company Bahrain
To register company Bahrain in 2026 you apply through the Ministry of Industry and Commerce (MOIC) Sijilat portal, reserve an Arabic commercial name, clear security checks for non-GCC shareholders, secure a registered address, upload your memorandum of association, pay MOIC and licence fees and receive your Commercial Registration (CR) — typically in 11 to 21 working days for a foreign-owned WLL. Bahrain allows 100% foreign ownership across most activities and ranks 14th for business efficiency (IMD 2025) and 7th for entrepreneurship policies (Global Innovation Index 2025).
This guide explains how to register company Bahrain from name reservation to CR with licence. You get a 7-step Sijilat workflow, 2026 cost breakdown, document checklist, MOIC and Bahrain EDB channels, 100% foreign ownership rules under Decisions 40 of 2021, 53 of 2024 and 71 of 2025, plus Bahrain EDB concierge, Tamkeen support and post-CR obligations for WLL founders.
How to register company Bahrain in 7 steps via Sijilat and MOIC
To register company Bahrain you complete the MOIC workflow on Sijilat. Every submission and payment runs through this portal. You cannot notarise before MOIC approves your draft memorandum, and MOIC will not issue the final CR with licence until security and municipality approvals are complete.
- Reserve your commercial name (1 to 3 days, BHD 10 to 25). Submit three Arabic names in preference order; English translation is approved alongside. Names must be distinctive and MOIC-compliant. Reservation lasts 60 days.
- Create your eKey and prepare your dossier. Obtain an eKey via ekey.bh. Prepare passport or CPR copies, a draft memorandum in Arabic, proof of address, and for corporate shareholders a board resolution and parent documents authenticated by apostille.
- File to register company Bahrain without licence. Choose WLL — 2 to 50 shareholders, share value BHD 50 minimum — select ISIC codes, upload documents and pay fees. Sijilat routes the file to MOIC to verify activity and foreign ownership under Decision 40 of 2021.
- Clear security screening. Non-GCC, non-US individuals undergo Ministry of Interior checks before MOIC finalises the CR. Allow 5 to 10 working days. Corporate shareholders avoid this check but UBOs at 10% or more must still be disclosed.
- Secure municipality address approval (up to 3 days, BHD 10). Provide your lease or serviced-office agreement. Pre-approved locations auto-clear; others need inspection.
- Obtain activity licences where required. Most technology and consulting activities clear with MOIC at BHD 50 to 400 per activity. Regulated sectors add a licensing authority, so confirm your ISIC codes on MOIC beforehand.
- Notarise, deposit capital, disclose UBOs and collect CR with licence. Notarisation must be done in Bahrain via the public notary at MOIC (BHD 27, one working day) or a private notary; documents must be Arabic except narrow SPV exemptions. Sign in person or via notarised power of attorney, open a bank account and pay final fees.
After you register company Bahrain, set your LMRA ceiling and register for VAT if turnover exceeds BHD 37,500. If you will model your cap table before issuing shares, do so before notarisation.
What does it cost to register company Bahrain? 2026 fees and cost breakdown
Government charges to register company Bahrain cluster at BHD 300 to 700 in year one for a single-activity WLL. The variable is the per-activity licence price set by ISIC code.
| Fee item | Amount (BHD) | Channel | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Security clearance (NPRA) per foreign individual | 3 to 10 | Sijilat | Natural persons only; UBO disclosure still required |
| Name reservation (60 days) | 10 to 25 | Sijilat / MOIC | Three names in preference order |
| CR without licence | 50 | MOIC | Electronic certificate; hard copy BHD 2 |
| Municipality address fee | 10 | Municipality via Sijilat | Pre-approved locations auto-clear |
| Activity licence per ISIC activity | 50 to 400 | MOIC + regulator | Technology lower end; finance higher |
| MOA/AOA notarisation | 27 to 150 | Notary at MOIC | Arabic mandatory except SPVs |
| Bank certificate / evaluation (in-kind only) | 0 to 150 | Bank / auditor | Cash needs only bank letter |
| Typical government total year one | 300 to 700 | — | Excludes lease, LMRA, accounting |
Recurring costs after you register company Bahrain include CR renewal BHD 50 to 200, serviced-office BHD 120 to 300, bookkeeping BHD 600 to 1,500, audit from year three BHD 500 to 2,000 and LMRA establishment BHD 48 plus BHD 7.5 monthly per foreign employee. For runway, use startup runway maths and MVP cost guide to budget the first year.
What documents do you need to register company Bahrain?
What documents do you need to register company Bahrain as a foreign-owned WLL? Every Sijilat upload must be under 3 MB and red-marked fields are mandatory — missing CPR or passport is the top return reason.
| Document | Provider | Authentication | When required |
|---|---|---|---|
| Passport/CPR and address proof | Individuals | Notarised copy | All applications |
| Board resolution authorising incorporation | Corporate shareholder | Notarised + apostille | Where company owns shares |
| Parent company CR and MOA/AOA | Corporate shareholder | Authenticated | Corporate-owned WLLs |
| Draft MOA and articles in Arabic | Founder + lawyer | Draft then notarised in Bahrain | All companies |
| Power of attorney | Shareholders | Notarised in Bahrain | If signatory not shareholder |
| Registered address lease | Landlord / centre | Upload | Before municipality |
| Bank capital certificate | Bank / auditor | Original | After approvals |
| UBO declaration (10%+) | All owners | Electronic | At incorporation and annually |
Three rejections recur: activity mismatch triggering an unbudgeted regulator, English-only MOAs returned for notarisation, and oversized uploads stalling review. Keep files below 3 MB and choose ISIC codes narrowly. The SAFE vs convertible note guide helps align articles with fundraising.
Can you register company Bahrain with 100% foreign ownership?
You can register company Bahrain with 100% foreign ownership for most activities. Decision 40 of 2021 opened the majority of ISIC codes, and later amendments widened it. Decision 53 of October 2024 cut the minimum capital for wholly foreign-owned companies from BHD 2 million to BHD 100,000 where a threshold applies and allowed retail trading at 100% for groups operating in ten countries or with EUR 750 million revenue. Decision 71 of November 2025 opened five activities — including power generation, transmission and distribution, port management and brokerage — unconditionally, plus seven more subject to the BHD 100,000 condition.
A short negative list remains: fishing, customs clearance, postal services, roaming food vending, newspaper publishing and certain real-estate and labour-supply models. Some require GCC ownership of 51% or one share held by a GCC national through every layer. Technology, finance (subject to licensing), logistics, tourism, healthcare, education and manufacturing are generally open via WLL or foreign branch. Verify your ISIC codes on Sijilat before filing. For holding-structure implications, see our accelerator vs incubator vs venture studio comparison.
How long does it take to register company Bahrain and how do Bahrain EDB and Tamkeen help?
How long does it take to register company Bahrain? If shareholders are Bahraini, GCC or American and no regulated licence is needed, Sijilat can issue the CR without licence in minutes to 3 working days. For a typical foreign-owned WLL, allow 11 to 21 working days including security clearance (5 to 10 days) and municipality review (up to 3 days). MOIC review is often same day to 1 working day for clean files.
Bahrain EDB does not issue the CR — MOIC does — but Bahrain EDB acts as concierge to register company Bahrain efficiently. It validates your ISIC selection, introduces MOIC-authorised providers, supplies compliant addresses and tracks your file. It maps the two stages founders confuse: Stage 1 is the CR without licence (permission to exist), Stage 2 is the CR with licence (permission to operate).
Tamkeen support begins after you register company Bahrain. The Labour Fund supported more than 8,600 enterprises and 44,300 opportunities in 2025 alongside a USD 185 million SME Fund, and its 2026 to 2030 strategy prioritises growth, digitisation and sustainability. Schemes include Start Your Business, Business Growth, Digital Solutions and Tamweel via Bahrain Development Bank. In 2026 schemes are being re-phased and extensions are not permitted, so align Tamkeen timing to hiring milestones. Check criteria at Tamkeen. Explore the innovation hub for lab access.
What Valu.vc offers if you register company Bahrain with us
Valu.vc helps founders who register company Bahrain turn a CR into a fundable company within the same quarter. We invest USD 50,000 to 150,000 at pre-seed and early seed for 5 to 15%, most often 10 to 12% on a post-money SAFE: no warm introduction, first response in 5 working days, screening within 3 weeks, term sheet within 5 days of a yes and 3 to 6 weeks to close. The cheque travels with operating capacity via our venture studio (12 weeks to MVP), accelerator cycle and reserve plus introductions to an 800+ investor network.
We focus on AI, fintech, Web3 and robotics — all 100% foreign-ownable subject to licensing — and operate a UK-licensed vehicle with GCC operations in Bahrain. Our 25 portfolio companies, 5 exits and 2 pre-IPO outcomes include Cryptss, BahrainServer and Faceki. Before you incorporate, read our pre-seed pitch deck checklist.
“The cheapest way to register company Bahrain is to choose your ISIC codes correctly before you file. One extra activity that triggers the wrong regulator adds weeks and hundreds of dinars. Validate your list with MOIC and Bahrain EDB in week one and keep the MOA in Arabic from draft one — that is how a 21-day process becomes an 11-day one.” — Mustafa Hasan, Founding Partner, Valu.vc
Frequently asked questions about register company Bahrain
How long does it take to register company Bahrain via Sijilat and MOIC?
To register company Bahrain as a WLL with foreign shareholders typically takes 11 to 21 working days, including 5 to 10 days for Ministry of Interior security clearance and 1 to 3 days for MOIC review. Bahraini, GCC or US-owned vehicles can clear within minutes to 3 days, while regulated activities needing Central Bank approval take longer.
What minimum capital is required to register company Bahrain with 100 percent foreign ownership?
Since Decision 53 of 2024, most activities allow you to register company Bahrain with 100 percent foreign ownership at BHD 100,000 minimum capital where a threshold applies, down from BHD 2 million. Decision 40 of 2021 opened the majority of ISIC codes and Decision 71 of 2025 added power, ports and brokerage on an unconditional basis.
How much does it cost to register company Bahrain including MOIC and licence fees?
Government fees to register company Bahrain total BHD 300 to 700 in year one for a single-activity WLL, covering name reservation BHD 10 to 25, CR issuance BHD 50, municipality BHD 10, activity licence BHD 50 to 400 per activity and notarisation BHD 27 to 150. Renewal is BHD 50 to 200 annually, plus LMRA and office costs.
Can I register company Bahrain and apply for Tamkeen support immediately?
You can register company Bahrain first, then apply to Tamkeen once your CR is active and you meet criteria. Tamkeen supported 8,600 enterprises and 44,300 opportunities in 2025 and runs Start Your Business, Business Growth and Digital Solutions schemes, which subsidise hiring, training and digitisation rather than incorporation itself.
