Malta Company Formation

Would you like to establish a corporation in Malta?

Company formation in Malta falls under an International Holding Company format and requires a sole director, of any nationality, who can also be a corporation. The same rules apply to shareholders. In Malta, shareholder information is publicly available.

If the company only has one member, it can only be a private limited company. The company formation process generally takes 5 - 7 business days if all requirements are met.

 

The next step is to contact the local registrar and other authorities for the company to complete formal structuring.

The documents required at formation are:

  • Proof or director identity with appropriate photo identification;

  • Utility bill or bank statement that’s at least three months old; 

  • The Memorandum of Association which contains the company's purpose and business activity; and

  • Articles of Association.

You must submit the Memorandum and Articles to the Malta Financial Services Authority and publish them in the official Journal. The company must also obtain a tax registration number.

Shareholders who are not Malta residents can obtain a full refund on any taxes on profits or gains that they pay at the time of distribution of the company's profits.

You must register a local office and appoint an approved qualified secretary to keep the company's statutory books.

The Maltese Registrar of Companies then receives the incorporation documentation, and while you do not need to maintain local records, you must have a Register of Directors and Register of Shareholders.

In Malta, there is no withholding tax for distributed dividends, and there is a low tax rate on royalties and interest. International Holding Companies can also keep shares and receive royalties from other companies. The Inland Revenue Department requires annual audited accounts to be submitted.

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