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

There are no restrictions on foreign-owned businesses; foreigners may own 100% of a Puerto Rico LLC or corporation, and shareholders/members (individuals or entities) have no Puerto Rico residency requirement.

No minimum paid-in or authorized share capital is required to form an LLC or corporation under the General Corporations Act.

File a Certificate of Incorporation (corporation) or Certificate of Formation (LLC) with the Department of State online; appoint a Puerto Rico resident agent with a local address; an LLC also needs an operating agreement and at least one member and one manager.

A company organized outside Puerto Rico must file a Certificate of Authorization to do Business under the Foreign Corporation provisions, submitting a certificate of existence (under 3 months old, with sworn translation if not in Spanish/English), resident agent details, business purpose, assets/liabilities, and current directors.

Online registrations are generally processed within about 24 hours; the foreign corporation Certificate of Authority filing fee is around $150, and an annual report (approx. $150) must be filed each year.

As a U.S. territory, businesses obtain a federal EIN from the IRS and must register with Hacienda (Treasury) for the Merchants' Registration Certificate; foreign individuals seeking to physically work in PR require separate U.S. immigration authorization, though ownership itself does not.