St Kitts & Nevis Company Formations

We provide you with full expert assistance throughout every step of the St Kitts & Nevis company formation process.

To start the incorporation of your St Kitts & Nevis company we initially only require, the proposed company name, details of the company directors, shareholders and the proposed activities.

The St. Kitts & Nevis Inland Revenue Department, states all companies registered under the Nevis Business Corporations Ordinance and the Nevis Limited Liability Companies Ordinance will be required to file a Simplified Tax Return.

Registration Information Required

To incorporate a St Kitts & Nevis company the following is required for the company registrar:

• Proposed Company Name
• Brief Description of Company Activities
• Shareholders Details
• Company Directors Details
• St Kitts and Nevis Registered Office Address
• Memorandum of Association and Articles of Association – which we draft for you

Company Incorporation Procedure

The Articles of Incorporation will include the following:

• Name of the corporation
• A statement that the Corporation is incorporated under the Nevis Business Corporation Ordinance
• The purpose or purposes for which the Corporation is incorporated
• The succession of the corporation if other than perpetual
• The address of the corporation in Nevis which shall be the address of its Registered Agent
• The aggregate number of shares which the Corporation shall have authority to issue
• If the initial directors are to be named in the Articles of Incorporation, the names and addresses of the persons who are to serve as Directors.
• The articles must be signed by the incorporation and this signature must be notarised
• The registered agent files the Articles of Incorporation with the Registrar of Companies and Trusts.

Company Incorporation Documents

Once incorporated we provide a set of corporate documents for your St Kitts and Nevis company which, includes the Certificate of Incorporation, Memorandum of Association the Articles of Association, first minutes and share certificates.

Copies of the company incorporation documents are sent via email and the originals from the companies registry are sent to you in a corporate folder.

Registered Office – Registered Agent

Your St Kitts and Nevis company must have a registered office, which must be a physical address in St Kitts and Nevis. It must also have a registered Agent in St Kitts and Nevis. We can provide you with a registered office and registered agent in St Kitts and Nevis. Registered Office and Registered Agent are included in our registered office fee.

Authorised and Issued Share Capital

• There is no minimum share capital
• Share capital may be expressed in any currency
• Your IBC may issue as few or as many shares as it deems desirable
• The standard share capital is US $50,000
• Although the share capital for a St Kitts and Nevis IBC is US$50,000 only a single share needs to be issued, and may be in any currency.

Company Directors

• Directors may be of any nationality and may reside anywhere
• A St Kitts and Nevis only requires 1 director
• The names of directors do not appear in public records
• A corporate body may not be a director
• There is no requirement to appoint a local director

Company Shareholders

• Shareholders may be of any nationality
• A minimum of one shareholder is required.
• A corporate body may not be a shareholder
• The names of shareholders do not appear in public record
• There is no requirement to appoint a St Kitts and Nevis resident shareholder
• The shareholders of the St Kitts and Nevis company can be either corporations or individuals

Taxation of International Business Companies

Your International Business Company is exempt from St Kitts and Nevis income tax, capital gains tax, withholding tax and all stamp duty. Your company will be exempt from all estate, inheritance or succession tax.

On 12 August 2020, the St Kitts & Nevis Inland Revenue Department announced that all companies will be required to file a Simplified Tax Return. This is a direct response to the calls from the European Union  and the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development  for St Kitts and Nevis “to comply with international tax good governance principles.”

The directors/managers of each entity will be required to sign a declaration and provide information regarding matters such as their tax residence, activities and income.

Register of Shareholders

The Register of Shareholders must be kept, inspection of the register by persons who are not members or officers of the company.

St Kitts and Nevis Ready Made Company

A ready made company is authorised to begin trading immediately, making a shelf company both an easier and quicker alternative to registration a new company. Furthermore, a ready made company has a full and stable company history giving the company a positive image and reputation from the moment of purchase.

Our ready made companies in St Kitts and Nevis have never been traded, with no debts, liabilities or receivables. Companies are fully registered and come complete with:

• Drafted and submitted Articles and Memorandum of Association
• Company name approved and registered
• Certificate of Incorporation issued
• Full registration with St Kitts and Nevis companies register
• Initial share capital fully paid up
• Company registered address

Our companies have been given a wide range of business objects along with the use of neutral names to suit all business activities. It is possible to change various aspects of the company upon request. The following aspects of your company may be changed:

• Company name
• Business objects may be added or removed
• Articles of Association
• Registered address

The St Kitts and Nevis government has certain rules and restrictions on company names that must be considered when renaming your company:

• All our companies are private limited companies – the company name must end with “Limited Liability Company”, “Ltd”, “Limited” or any other derivative
• Special permission for the following words and their derivatives; Bank, Savings, Loans, Insurance, Fund, Municipal, Chamber, University
• Names suggesting patronage are restricted, such as “Royal”, “Imperial”, “Government”, etc
• Company names may be in any language that uses the Latin alphabet

New Shareholders

Upon purchase of a ready made company ownership of that company is transferred via share transfer. This is done immediately and through the standard share transfer procedure in St Kitts and Nevis. There is no restrictions placed on the residency or nationality of shareholders, allowing 100% foreign ownership. Shareholders may also be individuals or corporate bodies.

Directors & Management

After acquiring a ready made company in St Kitts and Nevis the new company directors must be appointed. There is no restrictions placed on the nationality or residency of directors. As incorporation agents we currently hold the position of directors, and on purchase of the company issue a directorship resignation. Through completing and signing the relevant forms you appoint new directors, alternatively we can complete this process for you if granted Power of Attorney.

Once the new directors have been appointed all official company documentation will be issued, such as Certificate of Incorporation, Articles and Memorandum of Association and secretarial forms, although there is no obligation to appoint a company secretary in St Kitts and Nevis.

Corporate Benefits

Although, in St Kitts and Nevis, it is not a requirement to file financial documents, accounts, annual returns, shareholder and director registers, etc with the companies registry these documents must still be produced and maintained. Our ready made companies have a full set of accounts and documents dating back to the date of incorporation, giving your company a solid history immediately after purchase. This offers benefits regarding:

• Corporate image is enhanced with age
• A stable accounting and reporting history implies reliability and stability
• Clients are more likely to trust longstanding and reliable companies
• Suppliers are more likely to conduct business with and offer trade credit to companies with a proven track record
• Investors see age of a company as being a sign of risk, hence an older company is seen as less risky
• Allows certain contract bidding – certain contracts require a fixed business age before bidding is allowed
• Banks and financial initiations see company history as a strong indicator of reliability and stability

You will receive a copy of all accounting, reporting and other company documents dated back to the date of incorporation.