Fact File

Fact File Supplied By:

Bahamas Financial Services Board.

Location:

Archipelago of islands in Atlantic Ocean, 80 km off the southeast coast of Florida.

Time Zone

Eastern Daylight Time (observed from the second Sunday in March to the first Sunday in November).

Population

403,337.

Capital

Nassau, New Providence.

Airport(s)

Lynden Pindling International Airport.

Language

English.

Currency

Bahamian dollar.

Political System

Constitutional parliamentary democracy; bi-cameral legislature.

International Dialing Code

+242.

Legal system

Based on English Common law.

Centre's expertise

Leader in private wealth management (PWM) services; banking and trust; investment funds; securities advisory; corporate services.

Personal income tax

No.

Corporate income tax

No.

Exchange restrictions

Resident: Some.

Tax Information Exchange Agreements

https://www.taxreporting.finance.gov.bs/ 

Stamp duty

Yes (Upon the incorporation of the entity).

Permitted Currencies

No restrictions. B$1=US$1.

Minimum authorised capital

No minimum capital required.

Minimum share issue

None. (in practice, one).

Shelf companies

No.

Timescale for new entities

Two working days with new RGD eServices.

Incorporation Fees

Non-Resident: Capital not exceeding $50,000: B$2,152.20 (US$2,163.00); Capital exceeding $50,000 but less than $100,000: B$2,952.20 (US$2,967.00). Resident (prices are VAT inclusive): Capital not exceeding $50,000: B$2,320.20 (US$2,332.00); Capital exceeding $50,000 but less than $100,000: B$3,120.20 (US$3,136.00). If express service/incorporation is needed, the Registrar will issue the Certificate of Incorporation within 1 business day at an extra cost of US$450 in addition to the incorporation fee stated payable to the Registrar.

Annual fees

For IBCs, the fee payable is BS$350 where the authorised capital is not over BS$50,000 and BS$1,000 where the share capital is over BS$50,000.

Minimum number

One.

Residency Requirements

Generally, a director/ Secretary need not be resident. However, residency requirements may be stipulated by the Commercial Entities (Substance Requirements) Act, 2018. (See Substance Requirements note below.)

Corporate Directors

Yes.

Meetings/ Frequency

Discretionary.

Disclosure

Register of directors and officers. Disclosure of Beneficial Ownership may be stipulated by The Register of Beneficial Ownership Act, 2018.

Bearer shares

Not allowed.

Minimum number

Minimum of one shareholder.

Public share registry

No.

Meetings/ Frequency

AGMs are not required and can be held anywhere or by telephone.

Annual return

No.

Audit requirements

None, unless required by the IBC's Articles of Association, but company required to ensure that reliable accounting records are kept as required by the IBC Act.

Recent Legislation

• Central Bank of The Bahamas (Amendment) Act, 2023
• Arbitration (Amendment) Act, 2023
• International Commercial Arbitration Act, 2023
• Business Licence Act, 2023
• Insurance (Amendment and Validation) Act, 2023
• Immigration (Amendment) Act, 2023
• Proceeds of Crime (Amendment) Act, 2023
• Exempted Limited Partnership (Amendment) Act, 2023
• International Business Companies (Amendment) Act, 2023
• Commercial Entities (Substance Requirements) Act, 2023
• Commercial Entities (Substance Requirements) (Amendment) Act, 2023

Registered office

Yes.

Registered Agent

Yes.

Domicile issues

Change of domicile permitted.

Company naming restrictions

IBC Prohibited Names: 'assurance', 'bank', 'building society', 'chamber of commerce', 'chartered', 'cooperative', 'imperial', 'municipal', 'royal', 'trust', etc. Names must end with an appropriate suffix such as 'incorporated', 'limited', 'corporation', 'gesellschaft mit beschrankkter haftung', 'sociedad anonim' or respective abbreviations.