Whether you are an expat or a local looking to register a company in Malaysia, this guide outlines the key steps for a successful company registration. The governmental body for Malaysia company registry is the Suruhanjaya Syarikat Malaysia (SSM). All entrepreneurs and business owners must register their company with SSM.
There are 3 parts to your registration process:
Pre-registration
Registration with SSM
Post-registration
What are the Requirements for Malaysia Company Registration?
The requirements for Malaysia company registration are:
- Minimum 1 director, aged 18 years old and above
- Minimum 1 shareholder, aged 18 years old and above
Minimum RM1 paid-up capital
Appointment of a local company secretary who is licensed by SSM or a member of any professional body
- A local registered address
Once you have fulfilled these requirements, you can proceed to register your company with SSM directly online if you are a local resident or engage a registered filing agent to assist with your company registration.
Step-by-Step Guide to Register a Company in Malaysia
The process of registering a company in Malaysia is straightforward once you have all the information ready.
Step 1: Identify your ideal business structure
Before you can register your company, you should have an overview of the types of entities that you can set up in Malaysia.
Choose from the following business structures:
Sole Proprietorship
Partnership
Limited Liability Partnership (LLP)
Private Limited Company (Sdn. Bhd.)
Public Limited Company (Berhad)
Each of the business structures have their pros and cons. Based on our experience, the most common business structures are the sole proprietorship and the private limited company. To find out more about the comparative difference between the two business structures, you can read in-depth in our article here.
Step 2: Choosing a business name
There are specific guidelines and requirements when you pick your ideal company name. We have outlined the full list in our article on selecting a company name here.
Once you have identified your company name, you will need you check its availability with SSM. Alternatively, you can use our free company name checker tool as well.
Step 3: Register with SSM
Your approved company name will be reserved for 30 days from the date of confirmation by SSM. Upon receiving confirmation, you may kickstart your registration process online via the SSM website.
The documents needed for company registration with SSM include:
Copy of the identification card for every director
Declaration of compliance
Declaration by a director or a promoter before appointment
What to Do After Company Registration?
After registering and getting your incorporation certificate, your business is now a legal entity and you can start doing business if no additional licenses are required.
Here are a few things that needs to be done after your company has been successfully registered:
Opening a corporate bank account
If you are a foreigner setting up a company in Malaysia, the process to open a corporate bank account may be more difficult as compared to a local.
We have provided our insights on the challenges that you may face and the process of getting a bank account here.
Some of the local banks that you can consider include:
- Maybank
- CIMB Bank
- RHB Bank
- UOB Bank
- Hong Leong Bank Berhad
The documents required to open a corporate bank account are:
- Section 14 – Superform (Application for registration of a company)
- Section 15 – Notice of Registration (Certificate issued by SSM)
- Section 17 – Certificate of Incorporation
- Section 46 – Particular of registered address
- Section 58 – Particulars of directors
- Section 58 & 236 (2) – Appointment of first company secretary
- Section 78 – Particulars of shareholders and shares
- NRIC/ Passport
- Business Plan
- Proof of residential address
- Tenancy agreement of business address (if any)
Applying for business licenses (if needed)
There are 3 categories for business licenses in Malaysia:
- General licenses from local town councils
- Industry or sector specific licenses from government ministries
- Activity-specific licenses
See our guide on the types of business licenses required for various industries. Typically, the duration for business license approvals take between 1-6 months.
Fulfilling your tax obligations & annual compliance
Every company in Malaysia is obligated to pay taxes and adhere to the regulation set out in the Company Act 2016.
The corporate tax rate in Malaysia is 24%. All taxes are to be filed annually, unless exempted.
To find out if your company is eligible for tax exemptions or tax incentives, you can read more about it here.
Hiring local or foreign employees
The last but most important thing is hiring employees for your company. In Malaysia, all employers are required to register with the Employee Provident Fund within 7 days before your employee’s start date.
Here are the documents required for EPF registration for private sector employers:
- Form KWSP 1
- Form 49
- SSM Company Incorporation Certificate
- Director’s identification card
If you are unsure of your employer’s obligations to your employees, you can read our comprehensive guide to EPF, SOCSO, EIS and MTD in Malaysia.
For foreign employees, you will need to apply on their behalf a work visa. Foreign business owners are also required to apply for an employment pass under the company.
Paul Hype Page Malaysia Company Registration Process
At Paul Hype Page, we have our own proprietary software for company registration and corporate secretarial activities. All incorporation and corporate secretarial processes are done online, without a need to be present physically in Malaysia.
If you were to appoint us as your trusted incorporation provider, here are the steps that you will need to follow through.
| Steps to Register a Company | Action By |
| Submission of all required incorporation information through our platform – shareholder details, company name, etc. | Client |
| KYC assessment | Paul Hype Page |
| Reservation of company name | Paul Hype Page |
| Sign all documents for incorporation digitally | Client |
| Submission of all incorporation documents to SSM | Paul Hype Page |
| Uploading all documents into your company’s profile on our platform | Paul Hype Page |
| Applying for business licenses | Paul Hype Page |
| Applying for a work visa | Paul Hype Page |
The process is simple – provide and sign all the documents digitally and our team will handle the rest.
