Names
Setting up a company in Egypt
Companies are founded through the General Authority for Investment and Free Zones (GAFI). An LLC needs at least two partners and no minimum capital, a one person company needs EGP 1,000, and a joint stock company (S.A.E.) needs EGP 250,000 and three shareholders.
- Legal suffix
- LLC, S.A.E., OPC
- Domains
- .com and .com.eg
- Corporate tax
- 22.5% corporate tax
- Name check
- GAFI
What it costs
| Formation | GAFI fees are a small share of the capital with a minimum, plus notary, commercial register and chamber of commerce fees. Lawyers usually quote a few thousand to a few tens of thousands of Egyptian pounds in total. |
|---|---|
| Every year | Chamber of commerce renewal, tax filings and audited accounts every year. |
| Registered agent or local requirement | No registered agent, but you need an office address in Egypt. Importing companies and some sectors have Egyptian ownership rules. |
| Online portal | Partly. GAFI's investor service centres and the Invest in Egypt platform handle founding, and GAFI usually reviews a file in one to two days. |
Certificates (good standing, incumbency and similar)
| Commercial register extract | From the commercial register office |
|---|
Estimates checked October 2026. Government fees change and service providers charge on top, so confirm with the registry before you budget. Sources: GAFI.
Naming rules in Egypt
The commercial register issues a non-confusion certificate for the trade name before the company is founded. The generator flags these words with an orange or red tick:
- Needs approval Bank, Banking, Insurance, Insurer, Assurance, Reinsurance, Securities, Exchange, Fund, Funds. Regulated financial term. Needs approval from the financial regulator in most countries.
- Not allowed Allah, God, Holy, Mecca, Makkah, Vatican. Religious names and divine attributes are not allowed.
- Not allowed Sheikh, Royal, King, Prince, Ministry, Government, Federal, FBI. Names that suggest a royal, government or political body are refused.
These checks are a quick screen based on published guidance, not legal advice. The registry has the final say.
Jurisdictions at a glance
| Jurisdiction | Legal suffix | Domain | Headline corporate tax | Typical setup cost |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| UAE Mainland | LLC, Sole Establishment | .ae | 9% corporate tax on profit above AED 375,000 | About AED 11,500–14,000 |
| UAE Free Zone (DMCC, IFZA, RAKEZ…) | FZ-LLC, FZCO, FZE, DMCC | .ae | 0% on qualifying income, 9% on the rest | From about AED 6,000 |
| DIFC (Dubai) | Limited, Ltd | .ae | 0% on qualifying income, 9% on the rest | About AED 100,000 year one |
| ADGM (Abu Dhabi) | Ltd, Limited | .ae | 0% on qualifying income, 9% on the rest | About US$6,300 |
| Saudi Arabia | LLC | .sa | 20% on foreign-owned profit, 2.5% zakat on Saudi and GCC shares | About SAR 15,000 in fees |
| Qatar (QFC) | LLC | .qa | 10% on locally sourced profit | US$500 application |
| Bahrain | W.L.L., S.P.C. | .bh | No general corporate tax (oil and gas and large multinationals aside) | About BHD 250–450 in fees |
| United Kingdom | Ltd, Limited | .co.uk | 19% to 25% corporation tax | £100 |
| Ireland | Limited, DAC | .ie | 12.5% on trading income | €50 |
| Estonia (e-Residency) | OÜ | .ee | 0% on retained profit, 22% on distributed profit | €265 + e-Residency |
| Netherlands | B.V. | .nl | 19% up to €200,000, then 25.8% | €500–1,500 notary |
| Germany | GmbH, UG (haftungsbeschränkt) | .de | About 30% combined corporate and trade tax | About €600 + capital |
| Cyprus | Ltd, Limited | .com.cy | 15% corporate tax (from 2026) | Low registrar fees |
| USA: Delaware | Inc., LLC, Corp. | .us | 21% federal, no Delaware income tax if you don't operate there | $109–110 |
| USA: Wyoming | LLC | .us | 21% federal, no state income tax | $100 |
| Singapore | Pte. Ltd. | .com.sg | 17% headline, with partial exemptions for new companies | S$315 |
| Indonesia | PT, PT Perorangan, CV | .co.id | 22% corporate tax, with a 0.5% final tax on turnover for small businesses | From about IDR 5 million for a local PT |
| Hong Kong | Limited | .com.hk | 8.25% on the first HK$2 million, then 16.5% | About HK$3,900 |
| Nigeria | Ltd, Limited | .com.ng | 0% for small companies, 25% company income tax plus a 4% development levy for the rest (from 2026) | From ₦10,000 in CAC fees |
| Egypt | LLC, S.A.E., OPC | .com.eg | 22.5% corporate tax | Depends on capital |
| British Virgin Islands | Ltd, Limited, Inc. | .vg | 0% | $550 + agent |
| Cayman Islands | Ltd | .ky | 0% | About $5,000 with a provider |
How to choose a company name that gets approved
- Check the register first: names identical or very close to an existing company are refused.
- Avoid regulated words such as Bank, Insurance, Capital or Trust unless you hold the licence.
- In the Gulf, avoid religious, royal or government terms and place names such as Dubai or Emirates.
- In the UK, sensitive words such as British, Royal, Charity or Institute need prior approval.
- Secure the .com and the country domain on the same day you reserve the name.
The rule checks are a quick screen based on published guidance, not legal advice. The registry has the final say.
Information only. CorpNameCheck does not give tax, legal or company-registration advice. Costs, rules and tax rates are simplified estimates that change over time. Many activities need a licence or regulatory approval, and only the relevant registry or regulator can confirm what applies to you. Check name availability and trademarks with the official bodies before you register or buy a domain. Full disclaimer