Starting a business as a legal entity is an important foundation for legal credibility and systematic tax planning. The most common structures in Thailand are a limited company (บจก.) and a limited partnership (หจก.), which differ in structure and liability for debts.
Thai law currently permits a limited company to be registered with only 2 or more promoters. The registration process includes the following details that business owners should understand.
1. Preparing for and Reserving the Legal-Entity Name
The first step is to check and reserve the company name through the Department of Business Development (DBD) online system to avoid duplicate or non-compliant names. Business owners may submit up to 3 names, and an approved name remains available for registration for 30 days.
You must also define comprehensive business objectives and clearly specify the head-office location together with its 11-digit house registration code.
2. Holding the Meeting and Preparing the Capital Structure
A limited company must complete the subscription of all shares and hold an incorporation meeting to consider its regulations, appoint directors, select a certified public accountant (CPA), and set the auditor’s remuneration.
Financially, the law requires at least 25 percent of the registered capital to be called up. Registered capital should be appropriate to the nature of the business to support credibility in transactions.
3. Registration Channels and Fees
The DBD now provides DBD Biz Regist, the main digital channel that allows registration 24 hours a day, every day. The system connects with the ThaiD application for identity verification and electronic signatures by the relevant parties.
The benefit of online registration is a 50 percent fee discount. Business owners may also submit paper documents in person (Walk-in) at a DBD office.
| Registration channel (limited company) | Fee |
|---|---|
| Online through DBD Biz Regist | 2,500 baht (50% discount) |
| Paper submission (Walk-in) | 5,000 baht |
4. Essential Documents Required
For a limited-company registration application, the main document set includes:
- Form บอจ.1 Application for company registration
- Form บอจ.2 Memorandum of Association
- Form บอจ.3 List of registration particulars
- Form บอจ.5 List of shareholders
- Form ก. Director details
- Map showing the office location and evidence of share-payment
5. Duties After Registration
After the registrar accepts the registration and issues the certificate, the business must immediately use its 13-digit legal-entity registration number as its tax identification number.
Important tax note: If the business earns more than 1.8 million baht per year, it must register for value added tax (VAT) with the Revenue Department within 30 days.
The business must also maintain a shareholder register, hire an accountant for monthly bookkeeping, and hold an annual general meeting to approve the financial statements and submit them to the DBD within the statutory deadlines.
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