The British Virgin Islands: company formation
Business Company · Americas
Updated on 3 November 2026 · Published under the responsibility of Jason Pivron, director · Who we are
BC in the British Virgin Islands — company, registered office, banking file and annual upkeep, run by us, with a local correspondent where we have one.
Who this jurisdiction suits
- The world's most used place of incorporation for asset holding.
- Statutory flexibility and relative register confidentiality.
What it does not solve
- Economic substance rules apply to several activities, with an annual declaration.
- Very few banks still accept a BVI company without a strong operational link.
Conditions to meet
Source (30 September 2026): bvifsc.vg (to be checked)
What the source says: The cited Act deals with economic substance, not the corporate tax rate.
Usual authorised capital, not a legal minimum
Usual time, from our files; to be checked.
Difficult. Few banks still accept a BVI company without a strong operational link.
Since the economic substance rules came into force, certain activities — holding, financing, intellectual property, group headquarters — must demonstrate expenditure, staff and premises in the territory. A registered office does not cover that obligation and its insufficiency must be declared.
Our assessment for the British Virgin Islands; to be checked.
Office on quotation. Only worth considering if substance rules apply to your activity.
Our offer in the British Virgin Islands, internal catalogue.
Services and prices
Starting prices excluding tax, government fees included.
See the other 10 services in this jurisdiction
Firm price after the call: several shareholders, indirect ownership or a regulated activity change it.
The British Virgin Islands: what is specific to it
- Since 1 January 2023 (BVI Business Companies (Amendment) Act 2022), every company files an annual financial return with its registered agent; it is neither audited nor public. Source: bvifsc.vg (to be checked)
Reviewed on 30 September 2026.
British Virgin Islands compared with Cayman Islands and Costa Rica
| British Virgin Islands | Cayman Islands | Costa Rica | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Usual company form | BC | Exempted Co | SRL |
| Corporate taxation | 0 % · economic substance rules apply | 0 % · economic substance rules apply | 30% (reduced rates for small companies) |
| Share capital | $50,000 | $50,000 | Not established |
| Incorporation time | 2–3 days | 4–5 days | About 3 days (CrearEmpresa platform) |
| Banking access | Difficult | Difficult | Demanding |
| Substance requirement | Real presence required | Real presence required | Necessary, but not sufficient on its own |
| Our services | from 3,090 € | from 2,990 € | from 5,190 € |
To be checked against each profile. The page for Cayman Islands → · The page for Costa Rica →
Compare this jurisdiction
Registered office and premises in the British Virgin Islands
From 1,190 €. Registered office service →
How it runs
- Scoping and identity verification
- Name reservation
- Filing and incorporation
- Delivery of the corporate file
- Account opening
For the British Virgin Islands, the usual time is 2–3 days.
Steps as recorded on 21 September 2026.
Group: International place of incorporation · Our fees → · What we do for you →
Company formation in the British Virgin Islands: frequently asked questions
How much does it cost to set up a company in the British Virgin Islands?
Company formation in the British Virgin Islands starts at 3,090 €, excluding tax. Firm quote before signature.
How long does it take to register a company in the British Virgin Islands?
About 2–3 days once the file is complete (usual time from our files; to be checked).
What is the corporate tax rate in the British Virgin Islands?
0 % · economic substance rules apply (data as of 21 September 2026; source: bvifsc.vg; to be checked). Not tax advice.
What share capital is usual in the British Virgin Islands?
$50,000: usual authorised capital, not a legal minimum; to be checked.
Why set up a company in the British Virgin Islands?
The world's most used place of incorporation for asset holding. Statutory flexibility and relative register confidentiality.
What are the drawbacks of a company in the British Virgin Islands?
Economic substance rules apply to several activities, with an annual declaration. Very few banks still accept a BVI company without a strong operational link.
British Virgin Islands or Cayman Islands or Costa Rica: where do our services start?
from 3,090 € in the British Virgin Islands; from 2,990 € in the Cayman Islands; from 5,190 € in Costa Rica, excluding tax.
British Virgin Islands or Cayman Islands or Costa Rica: how does corporate tax compare?
British Virgin Islands, 0 % · economic substance rules apply; Cayman Islands, 0 % · economic substance rules apply; Costa Rica, 30% (reduced rates for small companies); to be checked.
British Virgin Islands or Cayman Islands or Costa Rica: which is faster to register?
British Virgin Islands in 2–3 days; Cayman Islands in 4–5 days; Costa Rica in About 3 days (CrearEmpresa platform), usual times.
Where these figures come from
Recorded on 21 September 2026; to be checked; banking and substance: our assessment. How we source these figures →