All businesses are required to be licensed under the Business Licence Bill 2010.  Non-Bahamians applying to conduct a specific Business in the Bahamas for a period of time are required to apply for a Temporary Business Licence.  From time to time the Temporary Business Licence expires.  When this occurs, an Extension Temporary Business Licence should be sought from the Business Licence Unit.

Business ventures that require an extension of temporary business licence include:

• A Non Bahamian company.
• A Bahamian company with non-Bahamian partnership.
• A Foreign person.

 

1. Secure Approval from BIA.
2. Register the company with the Registrar General's Office where you will be issued with a Certificate of Incorporation.
3. Submit the BIA approval along with the Certificate of Incorporation and a completed Business Registration Form A from the Business Licence Unit Offices.
4. The first part of the form is to register a business name, complete the entire application form and return to any of The Business Licence Division.  Where there are no Business Licence Division Offices the form can be returned to a Treasury Office or a Family Island Administrator.  Note: if any identified names are rejected, the applicant will be notified that the name choice was rejected and would be advised to select from the remaining choices previously given on the form.
5. The following must also be submitted along with the application
   1. Appropriate Registration Fee
   2. Approvals related to your selected business
6. Once all document requirements are met, the applicant must pay the business licence tax (fee) of 1½% of the value of the contract.
7. The application is then processed within seven working days and the BLU office will contact the applicant to inform that (s)he can collect the licence.

 

Business Registration Form A

• An approval letter from the National Economic Council
• Annual Company Registration receipt payments
• Trade Name receipt payment
• National Insurance “Letter of Good Standing”
• Change Order or Addendum and Extension Approval Documents

 

Once an application form and all supporting documents have been submitted, it is processed immediately. Sometimes the time frame may require a longer period for processing based on the type of application. There are deadlines for this application.

Fee for a Temporary licence is 1½% of the value of the contract.

Business Licence/Valuation Unit
 
Ground Floor Charlotte House
North Charlotte & Shirley Streets

P. O. Box N-13
Nassau
New Providence
The Bahamas
E-mail: businesslicenceinquiries@bahamas.gov.bs 
Opening hours: 9am to 4pm, Monday to Friday, except public holidays