Starting a Business · Lebanon
Starting a business in Lebanon: foreigner's guide (2026)
Lebanon shaded by its starting a business status
Foreign nationals may establish companies in Lebanon under broadly the same conditions as Lebanese nationals, with no general cap on foreign equity ownership outside restricted sectors (real estate trading, insurance, media, banking). The formal registration process takes 10–15 days and involves multiple agencies, a mandatory notary, and annual retention of a lawyer and auditor. Practical friction is heightened by Lebanon's ongoing financial crisis: banking system restrictions, currency instability, and a political vacuum that persisted until January 2025 all create material operational risks beyond the legal framework.
Key points
No statutory ceiling on foreign equity in most company types. Sector-specific restrictions apply to real estate acquisition/trading, insurance, media, and banking, where Lebanese-national shareholding thresholds are required by separate legislation.
The principal vehicles are the SAL (Société Anonyme Libanaise / Joint-Stock Company, minimum LBP 30 million capital, 3+ shareholders) and the SARL (Société À Responsabilité Limitée / LLC, 1–20 partners, minimum LBP 30 million). Offshore companies under Law 85/2018 permit a single foreign shareholder.
Core steps: (1) reserve company name at the Commercial Registry (Ministry of Justice); (2) notarise Memorandum and Articles of Association; (3) file with Commercial Registry; (4) register with Ministry of Finance within 2 months; (5) register employees with the National Social Security Fund (NSSF). Full process typically 10–15 days from receipt of documents.
A foreign national who manages or operates the business in Lebanon and requires a work permit must make a minimum capital contribution of LBP 100,000,000 and hire at least three Lebanese employees, registering them with the NSSF within the first six months.
SAL and SARL entities must retain a licensed lawyer and a certified auditor on an annual basis as a condition of legal compliance, adding recurring cost beyond the one-time registration fees.
Lebanon's financial sector has accumulated over USD 72 billion in losses since the 2019 crisis; depositors face monthly withdrawal limits of ~USD 400–500. GDP was still 40% below 2019 levels as of 2024. The State Department's 2025 Investment Climate Statement flags persistent political risk and banking-sector dysfunction as material obstacles to investment despite legal openness.
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Last verified 5/24/2026 · Orientation, not legal advice - verify against the primary sources linked above. Explore the full world map →