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1. To Start a Business in Jamaica, you must first decide on a legal structure and the name for your business. Choose a legal structure that will fit the needs of your business and a name that will define the legal relationships within the enterprise as well as its relationship to its environment. There are two basic structures to choose from:

   • A Company - a commercial enterprise registered or incorporated under the Companies Act. (A company can be either aNon-Profit (Charity, Club, NGO, etc.) or Profit Generating)
   • A Business - a sole trader, partnership, or trade name registered under the Registration of Business Names Act.

2. Before you start the process of registering your business with the COJ you will need to get these two very important numbers: The Taxpayer Registration Number (TRN) and the National Insurance Scheme (NIS) reference number. Applications for both of these numbers require you to present these documents:

   • 2 passport-size photographs that have been signed by a Justice of the Peace
   • a copy of your Birth Certificate

3. Once you have decided on the name andthe legal structure your business will follow, you will need to conduct a name search with the Companies Office of Jamaica (COJ) and obtain a Business Name Certificate at the end of the process. Note that the name search will indicate the availability of the name you have selected the name for the reservation and whether it is consistent with the laws of Jamaica. You should know that operating a business without registering is illegal. Once registered, your business information is uploaded to the COJ’s website.
4. With the TRN and NIS numbers, you can now move on to registering with the Inland Revenue Department to obtain permission to take various legal tax documents such as The Income tax, Education tax (ED tax), and General Consumption Tax (GCT).
5. In some instances, you will need to obtain the appropriate patents and copyrights from the Jamaican Intellectual Property Office.
6. Then, you can register with the National Housing Trust (NHT) and then NIS to obtain a clearance letter. You will need to provide your business name certificate and with the clearance letter, you can apply for a Tax Compliance Certificate (TCC) at TAJ.
7. You will also be required to comply with other licensing and/or inspections from the appropriate government agencies, such as the Bureau of Standards.
8. After gathering all the required documents, you can now conduct your business

Companies:

• Companies name search and name reservation form (form 6)
• The Articles of Incorporation (Form 1A or 1B) contains the following information:
  • The Name of the Company, which must include Limited as the last word of the name in the case of a Company limited by shares or by guarantee.
  • The registered address of the company which must be situated in Jamaica;
  • In the case of a Company having a share capital, the classes of shares, and the maximum number of shares the Company is authorized to issue; if any; (If the Company has more than 1 class of share (For eg. Ordinary and Preference Shares) and is issuing more than one class at the time of incorporation, then Form 3 must be submitted)
  • Restrictions, if any, on share transfers
  • Minimum and/or maximum number of Directors;
  • Any restrictions on the business that the Company may carry on.
  • Note: Form 1A is used for Companies Making a Profit. Form 1B for Non-Profit Companies (Churches, Charities, Foundations. Service Clubs, NGOs, etc.)
• The Business Registration Form (BRF1) a.k.a. Super Form. This form captures the required information on the directors, secretary, registered office, and the relevant information for the National Insurance Scheme (NIS), Tax Office (TRN, TCC, and GCT), Heart Trust, and National Housing Trust. The provision of the directors and company secretary details is now mandatory at incorporation. The form must be signed by, a.) All Director(s), and b.) The person declaring the accuracy of the information submitted on the form.
• An Original Valid government-issued identification of the principal director and the person declaring the accuracy of the form must be presented to the Companies Office.

Business Name Registration:

• The Business Registration Form (BRF 1) "Super Form". The "Super form" replaces the BN1 /BN2/BN3 for new applications ONLY.
• A document verifying the proprietor/s' current place of an address (verification can be made by way of a driver’s license, passport or utility bill)
• For all transactions, a TRN for the proprietor/s must be supplied.
• An original valid government-issued identification of the Principal Proprietor.
• Professional Certification where applicable
• Work permit or Exemption letter, where applicable

Note: If the registrant is unable to produce any of the above documents to verify his or her address then the registrant may submit a statutory declaration.

Tax Administration Jamaica (TAJ)
Address: Ground Floor, Orange Square Building
12 Ocean BoulevardKingston Mall
Telephone: 922-7429, 922-3913, 967-3052
Fax: 967-2093
Email: taxpayerregistrationcentre@taj.gov.jm

Other Tax Offices: Kingston; St. Andrew; Morant Bay; Port Morant; Port Antonio; Buff Bay; Port Maria; Annotto Bay; Savanna-La-Mar; St. Anns Bay; Browns Town; Moneague; Falmouth; Jackson Town; Montego Bay; Lucea; Darliston; Black River; Santa Cruz; Mandeville Christiana; May Pen; Chapleton; Lionel Town; Spanish Town; Linstead; Old Harbour; Portmore.

Companies Office of Jamaica
Address:1 Grenada Way (at the corner of Grenada Way and Grenada Crescent)
Kingston 5
Jamaica W.I.

Office Hours:
Monday - Wednesdays 8:30am - 3:30pm
Thursday - Fridays 8:30am - 3:00pm

Customer Service Contact:
Telephone: (876) 908-4419-26
Fax: (876) 960-7152
Email: custsupport@orcjamaica.com

Website Technical Support Contact:
Telephone: (876) 920-1990
Email: techsupport@orcjamaica.com

National Insurance Scheme-Head Office
Address: 18 Ripon RoadKingston 5
Tel: (876) 929-7144-6

National Housing Trust
Address: 4 Park Blvd.Kingston 5
Tel: (876) 929-6500 or (876) 929-6627
Fax: (876) 960-9995
Email:info@nht.gov.jm
Web: Link

• Foreign and Jamaican National wishing to start a Company or Business are eligible to apply

• There are several payments you have to pay in the process of acquiring the relevant certificates for starting your business in Jamaica please contact the relevant government agency for fees details of obtaining the certificate
  
• Please refer to this link for fees details: Link
  

• A registered company or Business is valid for an Indefinite period however the Business Name Certification is valid for three years from the registration date

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• You need to obtain the necessary documents in order to start a business in Jamaica. Operating a business before registering it is considered illegal

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GOJ: Link

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