Let us learn How to Register a Business in Sierra Leone Starting a business, or company, in Sierre Leone takes approximately 12 days as compared to about 46 days for the Sub-Saharan Africa region. This piece outlines the general technical procedures for starting a company in Sierra Leone, according to the Doingbusiness.org database by the World Bank. It includes details and requirements to be in good standing with all relevant agencies beyond the company registrar like social security agencies.
Procedure
- Before you go to the Office of the Administrator and Registrar General you will need to conduct a business name search first and complete a combined business application form- LINK.
- Simply follow the instructions provided on the online form.
- Pay registration fees
- Obtain certificate and TIN (Tax Identification Number)
Required Documents
- Sierra Leonean to provide Photocopy of National ID Number (or passport / drivers license if applicant has one). Non-nationals of Sierra Leone are to provide passport number and residence permit.
Note: You will be expected to produce the original document for verification.
Office Locations & Contacts
Office of the Administrator and Registrar General
Roxy Building, Walpole Street, Freetown
Call +232 25 332396 if you have any difficulties filling any of the forms or e-mail info_busreg@oarg.gov.sl.
OARG Offices
- Bo (1 Fenton Road, Bo)
- Makeni (34 Frontier Road, Makeni)
- Kenema (25 Hanga Road, Kenema)
Fees
Statutory fees for the Registration of Business and Companies
- Combined Application Form: No Charge
- Name search for all Business Entities. Business Name Search: No Charge
- Business Name Certificate: Le20,000.00
- Change of Business Name: Le20,000.00
- Certified copy Business name certificate: Le10,000.00
- Hard copy of certified Business Name Certificate: Le20,000.00
- NRA Written Statements for Sole Proprietorship: Le40,000.00
- NRA Written Statements for Partnership and Company: Le50,000.00
- Business Registration fees:
- Sole Proprietorship: Le50,000.00
- Partnership: Le55,000.00
Processing Time
It will take about a day for your application to be processed.
Instructions
Applications to register a business are filed with the Office of the Administrator and Registrar General.
Required Information
- Business name
- Business location address
- Postal Address
- Telephone Number and E-mail Address of Business
- Activity/Industrial Classification
- Business Activity/Nature of Business
- Capital employed in the business (including all Branches of Sierra Leone)
Need for the Document
This procedure provides you information on how can you register a business in Sierra Leone.
Other uses of the Document/Certificate
- It is an offence to operate a business without registering it first.
- You will be issued Tax Identification Number (TIN) as soon as you register a company
External Links
Office of the Administrator & Registrar General
| No. | Procedure | Time to Complete | Associated Costs | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Check the uniqueness of the company name and pick up a company registration form Agency: Administrator and Registrar General The company name search is conducted by the applicant and with the assistance of an officer from the Office of the Administrator and Registrar General (OARG). The company must have a Memorandum and Articles of Association. Standard articles are available at OARG. If the standard documents are considered insufficient, a solicitor can be consulted to prepare one. | 1 day | SLL 20,000 | |
| 2 | Register with the Registrar of Companies and Obtain Tax Identification Number (TIN) from the single window at the Office of the Administrator and Registrar General (OARG) Agency: Office of the Administrator and Registrar General Submission of the company’s documents to the OARG officer starts the incorporation process. The officer examines the documents and issues a payment slip to settle incorporation fees. Registering an LLC costs no more than SLL 60,000 (one time fee) + stamp duty ranging from SLL 75,000.00 to SLL 495,000 depending on the share capital which does not have to be paid up. In addition, a written statement fee of 50,000 for new business registration was enforced by the Finance Act 2015. The TIN number can be obtained from the same single window. The officer issues the Certificate of Incorporation upon submission of the payment receipt. | 2 days on average | see comments | |
| 3 | Pay the fees and obtain the certificate of incorporation from OARG Agency: National Revenue Authority at OARG The company submits the payment slip and pays for the incorporation and stamp duty fees. With the receipt of payment, the Certificate of Incorporation is issued to the new company. | 1 day | no charge | |
| 4 | Request a business license from the Municipality of Freetown Agency: Municipality of Freetown Once a TIN number is assigned, the business license and registration certificate is obtained from the desk of the Freetown City Council located at the one-stop shop within the Office of the Administrator and Registrar General (OARG). | 2 days | SLL 750,000 | |
| 5 | Register with the National Social Security and Insurance Trust (NASSIT) Agency: Ministry of Labor and Social Security at OARG It is required to register native workers with the National Social Security and Insurance Trust (NASSIT). | 2 days | no charge | |
| 6 | Make a company seal Agency: Seal maker According to the Companies Act, the company must make a formal seal and a common seal. For documents used outside Sierra Leone, the formal seal is used for sealing company documents. This seal is usually embossed on documents with a metal device on which the company’s name, crest, and the like are engraved. For documents to be used in Sierra Leone, an impression is made with a common seal, which is usually made in ink with a wooden (or rubber) block. |
