Starting a business in Belize: foreigner's guide (2026)

100% foreign ownership is generally permitted with no local-partner requirement. Notable sector exceptions exist: tour operator and fishery businesses require a Belizean partner. Under the Companies Act 2022, 'foreign' is defined as any director or shareholder who is not a national of Belize or a CARICOM member state.

Foreigners without a Belizean Social Security ID cannot self-register through the OBRS portal and must engage a Licensed Registered Agent authorised by BCCAR. The agent files incorporation documents, maintains a registered office address in Belize, and holds required records on behalf of the company.

Four main steps: (1) Reserve a company name (BZD 25, valid 90 days); (2) Prepare constitutive documents (Memorandum and Articles of Association, certified ID/passport for all shareholders and beneficial owners); (3) Licensed Registered Agent files via OBRS; (4) BCCAR issues a digital Certificate of Incorporation. The full process typically takes 3–5 business days.

There is no minimum paid-up capital requirement. Government registration fees are BZD 300 (approx. USD 150) for companies with share capital below BZD 50,000, and BZD 2,000 (approx. USD 1,000) for companies with share capital above BZD 50,000.

Registered companies must obtain a Trade License from the local city or town council where the business operates. Foreign investments must also be registered with the Central Bank of Belize under the Exchange Control Act. Since 2023, all entities must file Ultimate Beneficial Owner (UBO) information with BCCAR (kept confidential).

The Companies Act No. 11 of 2022 repealed and replaced both the prior domestic Companies Act and the International Business Companies Act, unifying all company types under a single regime. Existing International Business Companies were required to re-register or comply within a transitional period. The act also introduced mandatory accounting records maintenance in Belize (Accounting Records Maintenance Act, revised 2023).