Starting a Business in Belize

Company Type	Time to Incorporate	Cost
IBC	2 days	£580

Belize is situated in Central America, English is the official language and Spanish is widely spoken.

A Belize IBC is not subject to exchange control regulations. However, all of its profit earning activities must be conducted outside Belize.

Confidentiality is one of the main reasons why Belize is so attractive. A company may choose to have nominee directors or nominee shareholders. However, the only document presented for public filing at the registry is the Memorandum and Articles of Incorporation. There is no requirement for public disclosure or annual filing of accounts under the act.

There are no minimum capital requirements, no need for audited accounts, no annual returns, no requirement for a local director or secretary and no requirement for an annual general meeting, the costs of maintaining a Belize IBC are kept to a minimum. The IBC Registry in Belize allows incorporation shares in any currency.

Another feature that makes a Belize IBC attractive is its flexibility. Only one director and one shareholder are required. The authorised share capital may or may not have a par value. The IBC may conduct any business, except for banking, insurance, trust management and collective investments, which require a license.

Although the Belize IBC must conduct all its profit earning activities outside Belize, it may lease an office in Belize, obtain the services of Belize professionals and trust companies, keep its company records and hold meetings in Belize, operate an account with a local banking institution, hold shares in another Belize IBC and own vessels registered in Belize.

Features of IBC Incorporation

• Competitive prices for incorporation and annual fees for a Belize IBC
• The incorporation process for Belize Offshore companies will not take longer that 3 days
• A Belize offshore company is exempt from all taxes
• IBC standard share capital is US$50,000
• The names of the shareholders and directors for offshore Belize are not a part of the public record
• Minimum of one director and shareholder required for Belize incorporation
• To incorporate in Belize, the director(s) and the shareholder(s) can be a person or a company
• The director and the shareholder can be the same person
• There is no requirement to appoint a local - or any - company secretary for Belize companies
• The first director of the company is appointed at the organisational meeting of the Belize corporation
• There is no requirement to file any accounts or to provide annual audits reports
• A registered agent and a registered office are required
• Annual fees are due to be paid by the 31st of July, starting from the second year of incorporation and each subsequent year thereafter
• The Belize IBC cannot derive any income from activities in Belize

The provisions of the IBC law in Belize are specifically designed to save costs by ensuring that the costs of maintaining your IBC are kept to a minimum. Here's how this is accomplished:

• No minimum capital requirement.
• No requirement for audited accounts.
• No need for annual returns.
• No requirements for a local director or secretary.
• No requirement for an Annual General Meeting. Directors can participate in a meeting anywhere in the world.