{"id":6414,"date":"2026-07-02T14:15:00","date_gmt":"2026-07-02T06:15:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.manhattansez.com\/?p=6414"},"modified":"2026-07-03T10:36:34","modified_gmt":"2026-07-03T02:36:34","slug":"business-license-in-cambodia","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.manhattansez.com\/en\/business-license-in-cambodia\/","title":{"rendered":"Business license in Cambodia"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Since 1993, Cambodia has made great achievements in attracting foreign direct investment over the past 20 years. Foreign capital has become one of the main drivers of Cambodia&#8217;s economic development. In order to encourage and attract foreign investment, the Cambodian government has formulated a series of preferential policies to actively provide a good investment environment. At present, Cambodia implements foreign exchange controls on chemicals that are harmful to human health, such as agriculture, and allows the free circulation of US dollars in the country, with a relatively high degree of economic freedom.<br><br><\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">1. Regulatory authorities<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.manhattansez.com\/en\/entry-guideline\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">The Council for the Development of Cambodia (CDC) <\/a>is the main decision-making body responsible for promoting investment in the public and private sectors. The Council is chaired by the Prime Minister and its members include senior ministers from various government agencies, aiming to provide a one-stop service for domestic and foreign investors. <br><br>The goal of this one-stop service is to assess and monitor the application and compliance of any Qualified Investment Project and Special Economic Zone in Cambodia. If investors want to establish an ordinary business, that is, not engaged in regulated fields or receiving investment incentives, they do not need to obtain the approval of the Cambodian Development Council, but can go through the procedures of the Ministry of Commerce to start related business activities.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading wp-block-image size-large\">2. Registration of a Cambodian company requires information<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img fetchpriority=\"high\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"684\" height=\"1024\" src=\"https:\/\/www.manhattansez.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/pexels-photo-8962456-8962456-684x1024.jpg\" alt=\"Business license\" class=\"wp-image-10982\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.manhattansez.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/pexels-photo-8962456-8962456-684x1024.jpg 684w, https:\/\/www.manhattansez.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/pexels-photo-8962456-8962456-200x300.jpg 200w, https:\/\/www.manhattansez.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/pexels-photo-8962456-8962456-768x1150.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.manhattansez.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/pexels-photo-8962456-8962456-1025x1536.jpg 1025w, https:\/\/www.manhattansez.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/pexels-photo-8962456-8962456-1367x2048.jpg 1367w, https:\/\/www.manhattansez.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/pexels-photo-8962456-8962456-scaled.jpg 1709w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 684px) 100vw, 684px\" \/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">In one&#8217;s personal capacity<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">1.  Registration of Cambodian company application documents<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">2. Original company lease contract<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">3. One copy of annual property tax receipt for rental address<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">4. Color copy of passport\/ID card of shareholders and directors + five signatures in blue pen<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">5. Photos of shareholders and directors: two-inch and one-inch photos, three photos per person (color photo with white background, glasses are not allowed)<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Investing as a company (investment by a foreign company)<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">1. Registration of Cambodian company application documents<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">2.Original company lease contract<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">3.One copy of annual property tax receipt for rental address<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">4.Color copy of passport\/ID card of shareholders and directors + five signatures in blue pen<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">5.Photos of shareholders and directors: two-inch and one-inch photos, three photos per person (color photo with white background, glasses are not allowed)<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">6.The business license of the parent company, translated into English and notarized, 2 copies<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">7.The articles of association of the parent company, translated into English and notarized, 2 copies<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">8.Letter of authorization from the parent company (authorized authorized signatory to sign relevant documents)<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">3. Information required for investing in Cambodian companies<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">In Southeast Asia, Cambodia&#8217;s economic market occupies an important position. The country has ample labor resources and low costs, thus attracting many investors. These investors intend to register a company in Cambodia or open a factory to operate a business. For investors, what procedures and materials do they need to go through?<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">(1) Company name<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Khmer or English<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">(2) List of shareholders<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">There is no limit to the number of shareholders. If the shareholder is a natural person, you need to provide the following documents: non-criminal certificate (good citizen certificate), copy of passport, Cambodian entry visa, foreign address, email address, phone number and 15 2-inch photos.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">If the shareholder is a legal person, the following documents are required: the company&#8217;s business license, tax registration certificate, articles of association, and the English version of the company&#8217;s documents notarized by the notary office of the country where it is located. At the same time, it is necessary to provide the non-criminal record certificate of the legal person shareholder representative, a copy of the passport, a Cambodian entry visa, the address of the company or the party, and 15 2-inch photos.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">(3) Share allocation and job allocation requirements<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Since the Cambodian Ministry of Commerce provides a standard template, the content of the charter is basically similar. The proportion of share distribution can be registered according to the actual situation. The common organizational structure includes the company chairman, company directors and company managers.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">(4) Investment scale requirements<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The investment amount must be more than one million US dollars, but the capital verification only needs to provide a bank fund certificate of 25% of the investment amount.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">(5) Requirements for company registration place<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The specific location of the company&#8217;s location and the area of the factory building must be provided, and the area must reach more than 2,500 square meters. At the same time, you must have a lease contract or a certificate of property ownership (to be stamped and certified by the county\/district government). When signing the lease contract, we require the landlord to provide a copy of the land title certificate and a copy of the identity document.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">(6) Requirements for plant construction drawings and construction approval documents<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The landlord is required to provide the plant construction drawings and relevant construction approval documents approved by the land department.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">(7) Labor and material requirements<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The Cambodian Ministry of Interior and the Ministry of Labor and Vocational Training have issued a &#8220;Joint Announcement on Strengthening the Inspection of Foreign Workers in Cambodia.&#8221; The announcement consists of 11 provisions aimed at legally regulating the inspection of labor by foreign enterprises operating and investing in Cambodia. According to the requirements of the announcement, any enterprise or foreign worker entering Cambodia for investment must strictly comply with Cambodia&#8217;s Immigration Law and <a href=\"https:\/\/www.manhattansez.com\/en\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Labor Law<\/a>, and obtain a labor card and employment card issued by the Ministry of Labor and Vocational Training.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">When the Joint Inspection Team for Foreign Workers inspects a company, the company owner or responsible person should cooperate with the Joint Inspection Team and present the following original or photocopies of ten documents: company bylaws, registration certificate from the Ministry of Commerce, employment notices, termination notices, authorization and quotas for employing foreign workers, employment contracts in Khmer for foreign workers issued by the Ministry of Labor and Vocational Training, passports and photos of all workers, entry visas and foreign employment extension visas, labor cards and employment cards, as well as copies of labor law and immigration law documents.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">For small commercial shops operated by foreigners, it is required to obtain a business license issued by the competent authority and complete relevant procedures, including obtaining labor cards and employment cards. The specific requirements for the total number of employees vary depending on the type of business. For garment, footwear, and other textile projects, the total number of employees should not exceed 500, and the ratio of Cambodian employees to foreign employees should be 10 to 1.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">(8) Business Scope<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Please provide a detailed list of the company&#8217;s product names, presenting them as comprehensively as possible.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">(9)Regulations on Production Product Prices and Export Ratios<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">If more than 80% of the products are used for export, the company can enjoy permanent import customs duty and value-added tax (VAT) preferential treatment. Otherwise, only in the first year of operation can the company enjoy exemption from customs duties and VAT. Please take note of the following matters:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ol class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>If the company intends to use its manufactured goods for export, it must apply for an exemption certificate for export duty, which allows it to enjoy the preferential treatment of exemption from profit tax and tax surcharges.<br><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>If the company manufactures products for supply to export companies rather than for direct export, as a subsidiary enterprise, it needs to apply for a permanent exemption certificate for import VAT after completing company registration. After the company begins operations, it also needs to apply for an industrial assistance certificate in order to enjoy the exemption from VAT preferential treatment.<br><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>If the company produces products for export but needs to engage in processing on a contract basis due to a lack of orders, it should apply for an industrial assistance certificate in order to enjoy the preferential treatment of exemption from processing tax (VAT).<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Regarding <a href=\"https:\/\/www.manhattansez.com\/en\/cambodia-tax-guide\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">tax matters<\/a>, please pay attention to the following details: On September 23, 2015, the General Department of Taxation (GDT) issued GDT Letter No. 7487, notifying enterprises and companies registered before November 1, 2014, in the large taxpayer sector to complete their tax registration updates before November 15, 2015. For enterprises that fail to complete the update of their company information before the aforementioned deadline, the GDT may take the following measures:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">(1) Invalidation of the Value Added Tax certificate registered before November 1, 2014 (old system Value Added Tax certificate).<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">(2) Non-acceptance of input tax credit or value added tax refund requests.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">(3) Requesting cooperation with the General Department of Customs to cease import and export operations.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">(4) Requesting cooperation with the Cambodian Development Council to postpone the requirements for importing raw materials, machinery, and equipment.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">(5) Implementing other measures as prescribed by applicable laws. For detailed information, please refer to the relevant chapters of the Customs Law and Tax Law of the Kingdom of Cambodia.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">(10) Export Countries for Produced Products<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">It is recommended to provide comprehensive information. For example, garments and footwear are typically exported to countries such as the United States, European Union, Japan, Australia, and others.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">(11) Requirements for Applying for Tax-Exempt Import of Raw Materials and Equipment List.<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">It is required to provide a detailed list of the names, models, origins, quantities, and prices of the materials.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">(12) Application for Investment Projects and Environmental Protection Requirements.<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Cambodia is a country that places a high emphasis on environmental protection. It is challenging to obtain approval for investment projects that pose significant harm to the environment. For example, establishing a tire factory that imports used tires for refurbishment and subsequent sale or export, or establishing a battery factory that imports used batteries for further processing and subsequent sale or export. Due to the environmental concerns addressed by the Environmental Assessment Committee, such investment projects are typically not approved. Even if approval is obtained, difficulties may still arise in importing such waste materials.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Upon providing the aforementioned information and receiving approval from the Cambodian Development Council, the Council will provide investment facilitation services, including:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>CDC issues the approval letter for the establishment of the investment project and the tax exemption certificate for imports.<br><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li> The Ministry of Economy and Finance stamps and confirms the tax-exempt materials list, which is then submitted to customs for registration and implementation.<br><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>The Ministry of Commerce issues the company&#8217;s business license, company approval documents, archived records, and company seal. After affixing the administrative seal on the company bylaws formulated by the CDC, they are filed and recorded.<br><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>The tax authority conducts tax registration and issues the company&#8217;s tax registration certificate and value-added tax certificate.<br><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li> The Ministry of Industry issues the factory establishment approval letter and issues the industrial license.<br><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li> The Ministry of Environment issues the environmental approval letter and signs the environmental contract.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">4. Tax Registration<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">In Cambodia, all companies, enterprises, and branches are required to register with the tax authority. Tax registration involves applying for a Tax Identification Number (TIN) and paying the Patent Tax for business registration. Enterprises that meet specific criteria need to apply for a Value Added Tax (VAT) number and obtain a VAT Tax Compliance Certificate. Tax registration must be completed within 15 days after obtaining the business license issued by the Ministry of Commerce.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Regardless of the size of the enterprise, there is an obligation to pay the Patent Tax for each business operation on an annual basis. According to government regulations, the amount of the registration tax for each business operation depends on the scale of the company, which includes small-scale, medium-scale, or large-scale companies, with corresponding different rates of Patent Tax.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Conclusion<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">When it comes to registering a company in Cambodia or investing in Cambodian companies, there are a series of procedures and requirements to follow. From selecting a company name to providing a list of shareholders, meeting the requirements for share allocation and assignment of positions, as well as complying with the investment scale and company registration location requirements, investors need to provide the necessary documents and information. <br><br>Additionally, strict adherence to labor and material requirements is essential, including obtaining labor cards and employment cards. Cambodia holds a significant position in the economic market of Southeast Asia, attracting numerous investors. With abundant labor resources and relatively lower costs, Cambodia has become an ideal choice for many companies to register and establish factories.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading has-text-align-center\">References<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Rui Fengde Yong. Let&#8217;s talk about the procedures required to register a company and invest in setting up a factory in Cambodia. Here are the details of the company registration process in Cambodia.<br><a href=\"http:\/\/www.rf.hk\/company\/thailand\/48269.html\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">http:\/\/www.rf.hk\/company\/thailand\/48269.html<\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Next Logistics. Things to know about registering a company in Cambodia.<br><a href=\"http:\/\/www.ssmllogistics.com\/articles\/20\/205-Register-Company-In-Cambodia.htm\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">http:\/\/www.ssmllogistics.com\/articles\/20\/205-Register-Company-In-Cambodia.htm<\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Cambodia has made remarkable progress in attracting foreign investment, driving significant economic growth over the past two decades.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":9,"featured_media":5836,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"site-sidebar-layout":"default","site-content-layout":"","ast-site-content-layout":"default","site-content-style":"default","site-sidebar-style":"default","ast-global-header-display":"","ast-banner-title-visibility":"","ast-main-header-display":"","ast-hfb-above-header-display":"","ast-hfb-below-header-display":"","ast-hfb-mobile-header-display":"","site-post-title":"","ast-breadcrumbs-content":"","ast-featured-img":"","footer-sml-layout":"","ast-disable-related-posts":"","theme-transparent-header-meta":"","adv-header-id-meta":"","stick-header-meta":"","header-above-stick-meta":"","header-main-stick-meta":"","header-below-stick-meta":"","astra-migrate-meta-layouts":"set","ast-page-background-enabled":"default","ast-page-background-meta":{"desktop":{"background-color":"","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"tablet":{"background-color":"","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"mobile":{"background-color":"","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""}},"ast-content-background-meta":{"desktop":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-5)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"tablet":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-5)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"mobile":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-5)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""}},"footnotes":""},"categories":[50,27,98],"tags":[350,270,581,267,349],"class_list":["post-6414","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-blog","category-guide-to-invest-in-cambodia","category-legal-en","tag-business-license","tag-cambodia","tag-company-registration","tag--2-en","tag--en"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.manhattansez.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/6414","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.manhattansez.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.manhattansez.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.manhattansez.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/9"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.manhattansez.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=6414"}],"version-history":[{"count":7,"href":"https:\/\/www.manhattansez.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/6414\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":10988,"href":"https:\/\/www.manhattansez.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/6414\/revisions\/10988"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.manhattansez.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/5836"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.manhattansez.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=6414"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.manhattansez.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=6414"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.manhattansez.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=6414"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}