Business registration

Companies

We maintain the Samoa Register of Companies under the Companies Act 2001 and the Companies Amendment Act 2006. All companies operating in Samoa — domestic or foreign-owned — must be registered, lodge annual returns, and report changes to directors or shareholders within the timeframes set by the Act.

The register covers private and public limited companies, overseas companies operating in Samoa, and companies with non-Samoan shareholders (which must also hold a current Foreign Investment Certificate).

Director requirements — under the Companies Amendment Act 2006, directors must be at least 21 years of age, not undischarged bankrupts, and not subject to court prohibition orders. Non-Samoan directors working in Samoa also require a Work Permit and the company must hold a Foreign Investment Certificate.

Statutory record-keeping — share registers must record names, addresses, share numbers and transaction dates and be retained for 7 years (Section 40(1)). Share certificates must be issued within 20 working days of request (Section 45). Annual Returns are filed in the company's incorporation month via the online portal.

Company Charges still require manual lodgement at MCIL — see the contact sidebar.

Companies Act fees

Current registration and maintenance fees under the Companies Act 2001, as published on the Online Samoa Company Registry (updated 9 March 2026):

Companies Act registration & maintenance fees

Service	Fee
Application to register a company (s.6)	SAT$250
Registration of an annual return (s.124(1))	SAT$50
Amalgamation documents (s.223)	SAT$450
Restore a company (s.274)	SAT$300
Register an overseas company (s.285)	SAT$300
Annual return by an overseas company (s.289)	SAT$50
Registration of a charge	SAT$60
Satisfaction or partial release of a charge	SAT$150
Re-registration of an existing company	SAT$100
Inspection of documents (s.326, per file)	SAT$15
Certification of a copy or extract	SAT$25
Change of name of company	SAT$30

Penalties for late filing: SAT$50 if delivered within 25 working days of the deadline; SAT$150 if delivered later.

Forms & downloads

• Companies — Form 2 Director's Consent (DOCX)
• Companies — New Company Application Checklist (DOCX)
• Companies — New Overseas Company Application Checklist (DOCX)

Business Licence

Business licences in Samoa are administered by the Ministry of Customs and Revenue (MCR), not by MCIL. All traders operating in Samoa — sole traders, partnerships, and companies — must hold a current business licence issued by MCR. Some sectors (financial services, telecommunications, gambling, and similar regulated activities) require additional sectoral approvals before MCR will issue a licence.

How MCIL still fits in — companies and foreign-investment-tied businesses must be registered with MCIL before applying for a business licence with MCR. The typical sequence is:

1. Register your company with MCIL via businessregistries.gov.ws ↗ (and obtain a Foreign Investment Certificate if applicable — see Foreign Investment Registration).
2. Apply for the business licence with MCR.

For business licence applications, renewals, fees, and licensing enquiries, contact the Ministry of Customs and Revenue directly. MCIL cannot issue, renew, or vary business licences.

Foreign Investment Registration

Foreign investors wishing to do business in Samoa must register with us under the Foreign Investment Act 2000 and the Foreign Investment Amendment Act 2011 before commencing operations. The Act is supplemented by the Foreign Investment Regulations 2011, which set out detailed application procedures and fees. A "foreign-owned" business is generally one where more than 33% of shares are held by non-citizens.

The Foreign Investment Certificate (FIC) is the core authorisation. The Chief Executive Officer's approval is required before issuance. FICs apply to sole traders and partnerships, companies, and renewals or amendments.

Renewing your FIC — a Foreign Investment Certificate is valid for 12 months from the date of the certificate unless renewed or terminated (Foreign Investment Act 2000, s.9). Under s.8B, a renewal application must be made at least three months before the certificate expires. The Chief Executive Officer may, with good reason, accept a renewal up to three months after expiry — otherwise the holder must apply for a new certificate. You must also notify us and file amendments for any change to an existing establishment, such as a change in shareholding, location, or business activities. Current fees are set out below.

Foreign Investment Certificate fees (set under FIA s.9)

Service	Fee
Lodgement of application	SAT$50
Issuance of certificate	SAT$50
Annual renewal	SAT$50
Amendment	SAT$70
Inspection	SAT$50
Copy of certificate	SAT$5

To confirm your renewal status or current requirements, contact our Industry, Trade & Investment team via the sidebar — or directly at investmentinfo@mcil.gov.ws, tel 20441 / 28096.

Reserved and Restricted activities — the Act reserves certain business activities for Samoan citizens and restricts others for foreign investors. Small-scale retailing, transport, traditional food service, and some agricultural activities are typical examples of reserved sectors. For the current Reserved and Restricted lists, contact our Industry, Trade & Investment team via the sidebar.

How to apply — download the relevant form (FIC Sole Trader & Partnership, FIC Company, or FIC Renewal & Amendment) via the link below, complete it, and submit to MCIL. We review the application and refer to the CEO for approval before issuing the certificate.

Forms & downloads

• FIC Sole Trader & Partnership Form (DOCX)
• FIC Company Form (DOCX)
• FIC Renewal & Amendment Form (PDF)
• FIC Status Report Form (PDF)

Residence Permit

Residence permits in Samoa are administered by the Ministry of the Prime Minister and Cabinet (MPMC), not by MCIL. Residence permits authorise residence for foreign nationals; they sit alongside but are distinct from MCIL's Foreign Employment Permits (FEEP), which authorise work.

How MCIL still fits in — applicants who are foreign investors typically hold a Foreign Investment Certificate (see Foreign Investment Registration) from MCIL, and applicants employed under a foreign-employment arrangement typically hold a FEEP issued through our Employment Permits Team. MPMC may require these MCIL-issued documents as supporting evidence for the residence permit application.

For residence permit applications, renewals, and immigration enquiries, contact the Ministry of the Prime Minister and Cabinet directly.

Apply for residence at mpmc.gov.ws ↗

Personal Properties Securities (PPS) Register

The Personal Properties Securities Act 2013 and the Personal Property Securities Amendment Act 2015 established the centralised PPS Register — an electronic register of security interests in personal property (equipment, inventory, motor vehicles, receivables, and other movable assets). The Act repealed and replaced the Chattels Transfer Act 1975. The framework was developed with technical and financial support from the Asian Development Bank. Procedural matters are governed by the Personal Property Securities Regulations 2017.

What the PPS Register does — it records security interests held by lenders or other secured parties, enables searches before purchasing second-hand goods, sets priority rules between competing security interests, and provides simplified enforcement procedures on default. The framework enables movable assets to function as loan collateral, improving credit access for businesses and individuals.

Who uses it

• Lenders — register security interests to perfect priority against the borrower's other creditors.
• Buyers — search the register before purchasing second-hand vehicles, equipment, or business assets to check whether the property is encumbered.
• Due-diligence advisers — verify the security position of a business or asset as part of finance, acquisition, or restructuring transactions.

Other specialist registries

We administer several specialist registries under their own statutory frameworks. Each has distinct eligibility criteria and reporting requirements; contact us via the sidebar for guidance on which registry applies to your situation.

For specialist registry enquiries, contact MCIL via the sidebar.