Cayman Islands

There are five steps. First, choose the vehicle, usually an exempted company. Second, our licensed Cayman partner, who will be your registered office, completes identity checks on the shareholders, directors and beneficial owners. Third, the name is checked and, if needed, reserved. Fourth, the memorandum and articles of association are prepared and signed, with a declaration that the company will operate mainly outside the Islands. Fifth, the registered office files them with the General Registry and pays the registration fee. You receive a certificate of incorporation, and the register of directors and the beneficial ownership details are filed in the weeks after.

The government registration fee for an exempted company is CI$700 (about US$854) when authorised capital is up to CI$42,000, rising to CI$2,568 for the largest band. The annual government fee is CI$925 in 2026 and CI$1,025 (about US$1,250) from 1 January 2027 for the lowest band. Our price covers the registration fee, a registered office through our licensed partner, Cosmos's fixed setup fee, and the annual government fee plus ongoing substance and beneficial-ownership obligations. We quote a fixed fee upfront.

The General Registry registers a company in 3 to 5 business days with its standard service, or within 24 hours with its express service for an extra CI$500. Allow time before that for identity checks and documents, which depends mainly on how quickly owners and directors send what is needed.

The General Registry needs the memorandum of association (name, registered office, objects, authorised capital and subscribers), the articles of association, signed consent forms and, for an exempted company, a declaration that it will operate mainly outside the Islands. If the name contains restricted words, approval from CIMA or the Registrar comes first. Our licensed partner will also ask for identity documents for every shareholder, director and beneficial owner, so it can verify them before filing.

Yes, a Cayman company can be wholly owned by non-residents, and local directors are not required by the Companies Act. You do need a registered office in the Cayman Islands with a provider licensed by the Cayman Islands Monetary Authority, which we arrange through our licensed Cayman partners. If the company carries on certain activities, such as financing or fund management, the economic substance rules may require board meetings and management in Cayman.

The Cayman Islands levy no direct taxes: no corporate, income, capital gains or withholding tax, and no VAT. The owners may still be taxed in their home countries on the company's profits or dividends, so check your own position before you set up.

The exempted company is the most common choice for holding companies and deal vehicles: it has shares, directors and articles that investors and lenders know. A Cayman LLC suits owners who want to set ownership, management and duties in one agreement, and its government fees are flat (CI$900 to register, CI$1,200 a year from 2027). Exempted limited partnerships are mainly used for funds.

Each January the company files an annual return and pays its annual fee; paying from 1 April adds a penalty of 33.33% to 100% of the fee. Every year it also files an economic substance notification, and a return if it carries on a relevant activity. Its beneficial ownership register is kept by the registered office and filed with the government at least monthly, and changes of directors must reach the Registrar within 30 days. We keep all of these on one calendar with your other group filings.

Every Cayman company notifies the tax authority each year whether it carries on a relevant activity, such as holding company, financing or fund management business. If it does, and it is not an investment fund or tax resident elsewhere, it must show substance in Cayman and file a return within 12 months of its year-end. A company that only holds shares and earns dividends and gains faces a lighter test. We assess whether it applies and prepare the filings with our licensed Cayman partners.