How to Register a Company in Malaysia in 2026?
All businesses registered in Malaysia are required to register with the Companies Commission of Malaysia, the statutory body established under an Act of Parliament that regulates corporate bodies and business affairs in Malaysia. The Companies Commission of Malaysia is locally known as Suruhanjaya Syarikat Malaysia (SSM), the Malay version of its name.
Local Company Incorporation Guidelines
Malaysia is one of Southeast Asia’s most dynamic business hubs, offering a strategic location, cost-effective operations, and a pro-business environment for entrepreneurs and corporations. With a stable economy, competitive tax rates, and government-backed incentives, Malaysia is an attractive destination for company registration and business expansion.
In this guide, we provide a step-by-step breakdown of the Malaysia company registration process, including required documents, legal requirements, and post-registration compliance.
Whether you’re a startup, SME, or multinational corporation, this comprehensive resource will help you navigate the company setup process in Malaysia with ease.
What Are the Requirements for SSM Registration in Malaysia?
To register a business in Malaysia successfully, individuals would need to meet the following requirements:
Basic Eligibility
- The applicant must be a Malaysian citizen or a Permanent Resident.
- Must be 18 years old or above.
Business Registration Rules
- The business must be registered within 30 days of commencement.
- The business activity must be lawful and comply with all applicable Malaysian regulations.
Registration Validity
- A new SSM registration is valid for 1 to 5 years per cycle.
- Renewal must be done before expiry to maintain legal compliance.
Licenses & Additional Approvals
- SSM registration alone is not sufficient; additional licenses or permits may be needed.
- Approvals depend on the nature of your business activity and the relevant authorities.
More information on the Guide to Malaysia Company Registration.
What is the SSM Registration Process in Malaysia?
Registering a business in Malaysia with the Companies Commission of Malaysia (SSM) can be done under a personal name or a trade name, at the business owner’s discretion.
For individuals who intend to register a business under a trade name, the proposed name must receive prior approval from the Registrar of Businesses. Once the name has been approved, the next steps of the SSM registration process will be as follows:
Step 1: Choose and Reserve a Business Name
The first step in SSM business registration is selecting a business name and obtaining approval from the Registrar of Businesses.
- The proposed name must comply with SSM naming guidelines
- It must not be misleading, offensive, or identical to an existing registered entity
- Name approval is required before proceeding with registration
Step 2: Complete Registration Form A
Once the name is approved, you must complete Form A, which captures essential business details, including:
- Approved business name
- Business commencement date
- Principal and branch addresses
- Details of owners and partners
- Nature and type of business activities
Step 3: Prepare and Attach Required Documents
Supporting documents must be submitted along with the registration form. These typically include:
- Photocopies of the owner’s and partners’ identity cards
- Relevant permits, licences, or approval letters (if applicable to the business activity)
Ensuring complete and accurate documentation helps avoid delays in SSM approval.
Step 4: Submit Application and Pay SSM Registration Fees
Applications can be submitted through:
- EzBiz Online (SSM’s official online business registration portal), or
- Manual submission at an SSM branch or head office
SSM business registration fees vary depending on the type of entity and registration duration.
Step 5: Ensure Compliance With Malaysia’s Legal Framework
SSM registrations are governed by several key laws, including:
- Companies Commission of Malaysia Act 2001
- Companies Act 2016
- Registration of Businesses Act 1956
Ongoing compliance with these regulations is essential to maintain an active and legally recognised business in Malaysia.
What Are the Requirements for SSM Registration in Malaysia?
To be able to successfully register a business in Malaysia, individuals would need to meet the following requirements:
1. Citizenship and Residency Requirement
The business owner or at least one partner must be a Malaysian citizen or a Permanent Resident (PR).
2. Minimum Age Requirement
The owner or partner must be at least 18 years old at the time of registration.
3. Permitted Business Location
The business must operate within Peninsular Malaysia or the Federal Territory of Labuan. (SSM registration does not apply to businesses operating exclusively in East Malaysia under separate state authorities.)
The business must be registered with SSM within 30 days from the official date of commencement.
New business registrations in Malaysia are valid for a period of one year and do not exceed five years on each registration. Individuals need to keep in mind that despite being registered with the SSM, licences, permits, or approval letters from other relevant authorities that are needed for the business must be obtained by the individual on their own. More information on Guide to Malaysia Company Registration.
How Many Types of Companies Can Be Incorporated Under the Companies Act 2016?
The two types of companies that can be incorporated under the Companies Act 2016 are:
- A company limited by shares
- An unlimited company
1. COMPANY LIMITED BY SHARES
A company having a share capital may be incorporated as a private company (identified through the words ‘Sendirian Berhad’ or ‘Sdn. Bhd.’ appearing together with the company’s name) or a public company (identified through the words ‘Berhad’ or ‘Bhd’ appearing together with the company’s name).
The requirements to form a company or open a company are:
(i) A minimum of one subscriber to the shares of the company (Section 14 CA);
(ii) A minimum of one director (Section 122); and
(iii) A company secretary who can be either :
- An individual who is a member of a professional body prescribed by the Minister of Domestic Trade, Cooperative and Consumerism; or
- An individual licensed by the Companies Commission of Malaysia (SSM)
Both the director and the company secretary shall have their principal or only place of residence within Malaysia.
A. INCORPORATION PROCEDURES
1. Filing Application of Company Name Search
A name search must be conducted to determine whether the proposed name of the company is available for Registration. The steps involved are:
- Submit Form 13A (Request for Availability of Name) to SSM.
- Pay RM30 for each proposed company name.
- Once approved, the name is reserved for three months from the date of approval.
- If incorporation documents are not submitted within three months, a fresh name search must be conducted.
Reference: Guidelines for Naming a Company and Guidelines for Application of a Company Name.
2. Lodgement of Incorporation Documents
Incorporation Documents (as further explained in Part B below) must be submitted to SSM within 3 months from the date of approval of the company’s name by SSM; failure to do so will result in a fresh application for a name search being done before the opening a company in Malaysia. (Steps (i) and (ii) above shall have to be repeated).
B. INCORPORATION DOCUMENTS TO BE LODGED WITH SSM
1. Constitution (formerly known as Memorandum and Articles of Association)
An original of the Constitution (formerly known as Memorandum and Articles of Association) shall be stamped at RM100.00. Stamps are affixed at the Inland Revenue Board’s stamp office.
- The first directors and secretaries shall be named in the Constitution (formerly known as Memorandum and Articles of Association).
- The subscribers to the company’s shares shall sign the Constitution (formerly known as Memorandum and Articles of Association) in front of a witness.
- Table A of the Fourth Schedule in the CA can be adopted as the Constitution of the company (Section 30 CA).
*NOTE: For the incorporation of a private company, the articles of association shall contain the following stipulations.
(i) Restriction on the right to transfer the company’s shares;
(ii) Limitation on the number of members to not exceed fifty;
(iii) Prohibition on any invitation to the public to subscribe to the shares/debentures of the company; and
(iv) Prohibition on public invitation to deposit money with the company.
2. Form 48A (Statutory Declaration By A Director Or Promoter Before Appointment)
The director or promoter declares under oath that:
- He/She is not a bankrupt, and
- He/She has not been convicted and imprisoned for any prescribed offences.
3. Form 6 (Declaration of Compliance)
This declaration states that all requirements of the CA have been met. It must be signed by the company secretary who handles the SDN BHD Company registration services and is named in the Memorandum and Articles of Association.
4. Additional Documents:
- Original copy of Form 13A.
- A copy of the letter from SSM approving the name of the company.
- A copy of the identity card of each director and company secretary.
C. REGISTRATION FEES
Under the new Companies Act 2016, a flat registration fee of RM1,000 is payable to SSM for each application for the incorporation of a company and to register a company online in Malaysia.
Under the old Companies Act 1965, each application for the incorporation of a company shall be accompanied by a payment as per the schedule follows:
| AUTHORISED SHARE CAPITAL (RM) | FEES (RM) |
| Up to 400,000 | 1,000 |
| 400,001 – 500,000 | 3,000 |
| 500,001 – 1 million | 5,000 |
| 1,000,001 – 5 million | 8,000 |
| 5,000,001 – 10 million | 10,000 |
| 10,000,001 – 25 million | 20,000 |
| 25,000,001 – 50 million | 40,000 |
| 50,000,001 – 100 million | 50,000 |
| 100,000,001 and above | 70,000 |
D. NOTICE OF REGISTRATION
A notice of registration (formerly known as Certificate of Incorporation) will be issued by SSM upon compliance with the incorporation procedures and submission of the duly completed Incorporation Documents.
2. UNLIMITED COMPANY
The procedures and Incorporation Documents for the incorporation of an unlimited company are the same as those for a company limited by shares. The only difference is that for an unlimited company, the liability of its members must be stated in the Constitution (formerly known as Memorandum and Articles of Association) as unlimited.
Foreign Company Registration in Malaysia: Guidelines and Requirements
A foreign company may carry on business registration in Malaysia by either:
- Incorporating a local company with the Companies Commission of Malaysia (SSM); or
- Registering the foreign company in Malaysia with the SSM.
A foreign company is defined under the Companies Act as:
(a) a company, corporation, society, association or other body incorporated outside Malaysia; or
(b) an unincorporated society association, or other body which under the law of its place of origin may sue or be sued, or hold property in the name of the secretary or other officer of the body or association duly appointed for that purpose and which does not have its head office or principal place of business in Malaysia.
A. REGISTRATION PROCEDURES
1. Application of Name Search
A name search must be conducted to determine whether the proposed name of the company is available for registration. Refer to Guidelines For Naming A Company and Guidelines For Application Of A Company Name. The steps involved are:
(i) Completion and submission of Form 13A of the CA (Request for Availability of Name) to SSM.
(ii) Payment of an RM30.00 fee for each name applied.
The name to be used to register the foreign company should be the same as registered in its country of origin. Where the proposed company’s name is approved by SSM, it shall be reserved for three months from the date of approval for registering the company online in Malaysia.
2. Lodgement of Registration Documents for the registered company in Malaysia
Registration documents (as further explained in Part B below) must be submitted to SSM within 3 months from the data of approval of the company’s name by SSM, failing which a fresh application for a name search must be done (i.e. steps (i) and (ii) above shall have to be repeated).
B. REGISTRATION DOCUMENTS
The following documents shall be submitted to SSM in order to register a company in Malaysia:
(i) A certified copy of the certificate of incorporation or registration of the foreign company.
(ii) A certified copy of the foreign company’s charter, statute or Memorandum and Articles of Association or other instrument defining its constitution.
(iii) Form 79 (Return by Foreign Company Giving Particulars of Directors and Changes of Particulars).
*NOTE: If the list includes directors residing in Malaysia who are members of the local board of directors of the foreign company, a memorandum stating their powers must be executed by or on behalf of the foreign company and submitted to SSM.
(iv) A memorandum of appointment or power of attorney authorising the person (s) residing in Malaysia to accept on behalf of the foreign company any notices required to be served on such foreign company.
(iv) Form 80 (Statutory Declaration by Agent of Foreign Company).
(v) Additional documents consisting of:
- The original copy of Form 13A, and
- A copy of the letter from SSM approving the name of the foreign company.
C. REGISTRATION FEES
Registration fees shall be as per the payment schedule below:
| NOMINAL SHARE CAPITAL (RM EQUIVALENT) | FEES (RM) |
| Up to 1,000,000 | 5,000 |
| 1,000,001 – 10,000,000 | 20,000 |
| 10,000,001 – 50,000,000 | 40,000 |
| 50,000,001 – 100,000,000 | 60,000 |
| 100,000,001 and above | 70,000 |
In determining the amount of registration fees, the nominal share capital of the foreign company should first be converted to the Malaysian currency (Ringgit Malaysia) at the prevailing exchange rate.
In the event a foreign company does not prescribe any share capital, a flat rate of RM 1,000.00 shall be paid to SSM.
D. CERTIFICATE OF REGISTRATION
A Certificate of Registration will be issued by SSM upon completion of all registration procedures and submission of the required documents. 3E Accounting will notify the company as soon as the certificate is received from the SSM. After registration, a Company Search can be performed to verify the company details. Additionally, 3E will provide reminders for filing Company Tax before the relevant deadline.
If any of the registration documents are in a language other than Malay or English, a certified translation into Malay or English will be required to complete the registration process.