Commercial Registration
Company Formation
Company formation in Bahrain begins with issuing a commercial registration entry without a licence, and covers the choice of trade name, activity and legal form. The licensing stage follows, which requires an address and the approvals of the competent authorities according to the activity. Top Delmon manages both stages in full before the Ministry of Industry and Commerce.
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Who this service is for
- Anyone starting a new activity with one or more partners
- A foreign investor entering the Bahraini market for the first time
- A sole establishment owner who wants to convert it into a company
- An existing company that wants to add a new branch under a different activity or name
Formation steps
- 1
Review of activity and nationality
The requested activity is reviewed against the nationality of the owners, to determine the legal form available and the authorities required for licensing. This step prevents most later cases of delay.
- 2
Trade name reservation
The name is submitted and approved under the naming conditions applied by the Ministry.
- 3
Issuing the commercial registration entry without a licence
The registration is issued with the name, activity and legal form, and the entity acquires its legal status.
- 4
Setting the address and registering the tenancy contract
The tenancy contract is registered on the national eGovernment system, a step required before the Municipality and electricity file can be opened.
- 5
Approvals from the competent authorities
The Municipality, Civil Defence, Health and others, in the order set for each activity.
- 6
Notarising the incorporation contract
The incorporation contract (memorandum of association) between the partners is notarised before the competent authority and sets out the shares and the powers. It is a document required before the capital certificate can be issued.
- 7
Issuing the capital certificate
The capital amount set in the incorporation contract is deposited, and a certificate confirming the deposit is issued. It is a document required to complete the licence.
- 8
Issuing the licence
Once the approvals are complete, the activity licence is issued and endorsed on the commercial registration certificate.
Required documents
- A passport or identity card for each owner
- Details of the requested activity
Common mistakes that cost money and time
Choosing an activity not available to the nationality
Each activity has nationalities permitted to own it. Finding this out after the decision means revisiting the choice of activity, or bringing a GCC partner into the company.
Choosing an address that does not suit the activity
Some activities require premises that can be inspected and that meet set specifications. An address that does not comply halts licensing after the registration entry has been issued.
Not observing the order of the authorities
Authority approvals follow a set order for each activity, and failing to observe it means repeating the procedure.
Choosing an unsuitable legal form
Changing the legal form later is a separate transaction that carries additional fees and time.
Why Top Delmon
- Transactions submitted through our own account with the Ministry of Industry and Commerce, by virtue of our classification as a licensed professional office, with no need for the client to issue a formal power of attorney
- Review of activity and nationality before any submission, with the requirements set out before the procedure begins
- An internal reference covering 651 commercial activities under their official codes, setting out for each activity the permitted nationalities, the legal form available and the authorities required in their order
- 156+ companies established since 2016
- A licensed professional office, wholly Bahraini owned, with a published and verifiable commercial registration
Common questions
Contact us
Send the details of the requested activity and the nationality of the owners, so the correct legal form, the steps and the timeline can be set out before any commitment.