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Company formation in Jersey gives you a private company that pays 0% company tax at the standard rate, with no capital gains tax and no Jersey withholding tax on dividends paid to owners abroad. One director and one shareholder are enough, both can live anywhere, and a private company files no accounts with the Registry.
The hard part is the process. An owner who does not live on the island can only incorporate through a licensed Jersey provider, the JFSC must consent to the share issue, and the beneficial owners are filed before the company trades. Running a business on the island itself also needs a business licence.
You do not need to find an administrator or learn the Registry rules. We work with licensed Jersey providers and handle your Jersey company formation from start to finish: the KYC pack, the share consent, the registered office, the ownership filing and the bank file. One team, one price from €1,499, and your company in about a week.
Jersey Company Incorporation
Binderr
Corporate tax
0% standard / 10% financial services
Time to incorporate
1 Week
Cost
Starting from €1,499
Why Set Up a Company in Jersey
Jersey is one of the most established places in the world to hold a company. A Jersey company gives you a 0% standard tax rate, no capital gains tax, a light filing regime for private companies and a finance centre that banks, funds and buyers already trust. The JFSC Registry held 36,577 live Jersey companies at 30 June 2026.
0% Company Tax at the Standard Rate
The Government of Jersey sets the standard rate of company tax at 0%. A 10% rate applies to certain financial services companies and 20% to utilities, large corporate retailers, hydrocarbon oil, and income from Jersey land and property. A holding, trading or investment company owned from abroad usually sits on the 0% rate.
No Capital Gains Tax or Withholding Tax
Jersey has no capital gains tax, so selling shares or an asset is not taxed on the island. Jersey also takes nothing off a dividend paid to a shareholder who lives abroad, so profits reach the owners without a Jersey deduction.
Company Formation in Jersey
Company formation in Jersey is simple when the ownership and the paperwork are right from the start. This is what we do for you.
- Licensed administrators arranged: Only a licensed provider can form a company for an owner abroad.
- 0% company tax: The standard rate for most Jersey companies.
- KYC pack prepared: We tell you what we need and build the file once.
- Share consent handled: The JFSC consent goes in with the incorporation.
- No residency rule: Directors and shareholders can live anywhere.
- From €1,499: The Registry fee sits inside our price.
- No back-and-forth emails: One contact runs your file to the certificate.
One Director, One Shareholder and No Public Accounts
A private company needs at least 1 director and 1 member, and neither has to live in Jersey. It prepares accounts for its members but does not file them with the Registrar, and it needs no audit unless its articles or a resolution ask for one. Only public companies audit and file.
A Trusted Finance Centre
The OECD rated Jersey Compliant overall on tax transparency, MONEYVAL's 2024 report placed its effectiveness among the highest level found worldwide, and the EU removed Jersey from its watch list in March 2019. That record is why banks and investors accept Jersey companies without extra questions about the jurisdiction. Read more about the benefits of incorporating a company in Jersey.
Close to London and in the Same Time Zone
Jersey is 85 miles south of the English coast, flights from Heathrow take about 45 minutes to an hour, and the island runs on UK time. The Jersey pound is at par with sterling, so a company can bank, invoice and report in pounds with no currency risk.
Types of Companies in Jersey
Jersey company law offers more structures than most offshore centres, but most founders need one of three: a private company limited by shares, a no par value company or, for larger groups and funds, a cell company. The rest serve specialist uses.
Private Company Limited by Shares
The standard choice for trading, holding and investment. It needs at least 1 director and 1 member, a registered office in Jersey and a secretary. Article 81 of the Companies (Jersey) Law 1991 says every company must have a secretary, and a sole director cannot also be the secretary, so a one-person company appoints a secretary, usually the administrator. Since 1 June 2026, a private company with more than 30 members is no longer treated as a public company.
No Par Value Company
A company whose shares have no nominal value. It keeps a stated capital account instead of share capital, which makes distributions and returns of capital simpler. No par value companies are common in holding and fund structures and in a Jersey SPV, and the choice is made in the memorandum at formation.
Public Company
A company whose memorandum says it is public. It needs at least 2 directors and a qualified secretary, and it must audit its accounts and file them with the Registrar within 7 months. It suits a company that will list or offer shares widely.
Guarantee and Unlimited Companies
A guarantee company has members who guarantee a set amount instead of holding shares, which suits clubs and non-profit bodies. An unlimited company has no limit on its members' liability and is used for a few specialist tax or regulatory reasons.
Protected and Incorporated Cell Companies
A cell company splits assets and liabilities into cells. In a protected cell company, a cell has no legal identity of its own. In an incorporated cell company, each cell is a company in its own right. Insurers, funds and securitisation vehicles use them. Read how a Jersey incorporated cell company works.
Jersey LLC
The Limited Liability Companies (Jersey) Law 2018 came into force on 1 September 2022. A Jersey LLC has legal personality, runs under an LLC agreement and must appoint a secretary. It suits US investors who know the LLC model.
Foundations, Partnerships and LLPs
A Jersey foundation has a council and a guardian and suits family wealth planning. Limited partnerships, separate limited partnerships and incorporated limited partnerships are used for private funds registered with the JFSC, and an LLP needs at least 2 partners. Read about setting up a trust in Jersey for the family wealth route.
Jersey Company Incorporation
Binderr
Corporate tax
0% standard / 10% financial services
Time to incorporate
1 Week
Cost
Starting from €1,499
Company Formation in Jersey for Non-Residents
Company formation in Jersey for an owner abroad follows the same law as for a resident. The difference is who files: the Registry accepts an incorporation from a beneficial owner who lives in Jersey, or from a JFSC regulated provider licensed to form companies. An owner abroad therefore works through a licensed provider, and nobody has to travel.
The Licensed Provider
The provider applies for the incorporation, supplies the registered office, usually acts as secretary and keeps the statutory records on the island. It must identify every beneficial owner and controller before it acts, so it is the fixed point of the whole structure. Read how to set up a company as a non-resident for the same model in other countries.
The Nominated Person and the Ownership Filing
Under the Financial Services (Disclosure and Provision of Information) (Jersey) Law 2020, every company files its beneficial owners and significant persons with the JFSC and appoints a nominated person, usually the provider. Changes must be notified within 21 days. The register is not public, and access is limited to the authorities and regulated firms. Our ultimate beneficial owner guide shows how ownership is traced through layers.
Where the Board Meets
A company incorporated in Jersey is a Jersey company for tax, but another country can claim it as resident if the real decisions are made there. If the directors take every decision in London, the UK can treat the company as UK resident. Hold board meetings in Jersey and record the decisions there. Read setting up a business in Jersey as a non-resident.
Banking From Abroad
Island banks are slow with a new company owned from abroad. Our banking partners open multi-currency accounts for Jersey companies in days, remotely, from the same KYC pack we build for the formation.
Set Up a Company in Jersey From Abroad
A Jersey company can be formed and run from any country. This is how we keep it simple.
- No travel needed: Identity checks and signatures happen online.
- Licensed filing only: You cannot file from abroad, our licensed partners do it.
- Registered office included: The Jersey address and records from day one.
- Board position planned: We agree where directors sit and meet before filing.
- Island banks slow to onboard: Our partners open accounts for owners abroad in days.
- Same price from abroad: From €1,499, the Registry fee included.
Starting a Business in Jersey
Starting a business in Jersey, Channel Islands, as someone who lives or is moving to the island is a different path from forming a company for use abroad. You still form the company the same way, but you also need a business licence before you trade or hire, and you register for Social Security and tax. This is the route for setting up a business in Jersey that serves customers on the island: a shop, a consultancy, a trade or a service.
The Business Licence
Anyone who wants to run a business or employ staff in Jersey needs a business licence under the Control of Housing and Work (Jersey) Law 2012. The licence controls how many staff without Entitled or Entitled for Work Only status the business can employ. A resident licence has no fee, while permissions for staff cost £55.14 a year for each Registered worker and £247.02 for each Licensed worker in 2026. Trading without a licence carries up to 2 years in prison and an unlimited fine.
Sole Trader or Limited Company
A sole trader declares business income on their personal tax return. A company formed with the JFSC is registered for company tax automatically, and a beneficial owner who lives in Jersey can file the incorporation without a licensed provider. Most people start a business in Jersey as a company once they plan to hire, sign large contracts or bring in a partner.
Business Names
When setting up a business in Jersey under a trading name that is not the owner's legal name, you register it under the Registration of Business Names (Jersey) Law 1956. It costs £75 to register and £60 to renew every 3 years, and sole traders apply for it together with the business licence.
Social Security and Payroll
Business owners pay Class 2 Social Security contributions, and Social Security contacts you once the licence is granted. Employer registration details for tax arrive at the same time, so payroll can start with the first employee.
GST for a Jersey Business Start Up
Jersey's goods and services tax is 5%, and registration is compulsory once taxable turnover reaches £300,000 in 12 months. A Jersey business start up below that level can stay unregistered, which keeps pricing and admin simple in the first year.
Starting a Business in Jersey in the Channel Islands With Help
The Government of Jersey points new businesses to Jersey Business for free, independent and confidential advice. We handle the company side, the documents and the bank account, so the licence application goes in with a company ready to trade.
Jersey Company Incorporation
Binderr
Corporate tax
0% standard / 10% financial services
Time to incorporate
1 Week
Cost
Starting from €1,499
How Company Formation in Jersey Works
Company formation in Jersey runs in six steps, and we do the work at each one. The Registry itself is quick, and most of the week goes on the KYC pack. Our guide to how to register a private company in Jersey covers each filing in more detail.
Agree the Structure
We settle what the company will do, who owns the shares, who sits on the board and whether its activity falls under the substance rules. That call decides the running cost, so it comes before any filing.
Build the KYC Pack
The licensed provider must identify every beneficial owner and controller before it acts. We collect passports, proofs of address, the ownership chart and the source of the money going in, and fix mismatched names before anything is submitted.
Reserve the Name
A name reservation costs £10 under the JFSC fee schedule in force since 1 January 2024. The Registry refuses names that are the same as an existing company, so we check the name before anything else is prepared. You can also search the Jersey registrar of companies.
Prepare the Memorandum and Articles
The memorandum and articles set the share structure: par value or no par value, share classes and the rights attached. A joint venture or an investor round is written in here, not a year later.
File With the JFSC
The provider files the memorandum, the articles and the application for consent to issue shares under the Control of Borrowing (Jersey) Order 1958. The Registry fee is £200 within 5 business days, £295 within 3, £375 within 2, £520 within 1 business day and £820 within 2 hours. Those fees sit inside our price.
Open the Registers and File the Owners
After incorporation, the company appoints its nominated person, files its beneficial owners and significant persons and opens its statutory registers. The bank file is built from the same documents.
Full-Service Jersey Company Formation
Jersey company formation runs through one team with us, from the structure call to the open account.
- Structure planned first: Owners, board and substance position agreed before filing.
- Name and constitution: Reservation, memorandum and articles prepared for you.
- Consent and filing: The share consent and incorporation filed with the JFSC.
- Faster than going direct: One complete file, so no rounds of Registry questions.
- Deadlines on our calendar: February confirmation and November return tracked from day one.
- Bank file ready: Built from the same KYC pack as the company.
Documents Needed for Company Formation in Jersey
The documents for Jersey company formation are short on paper, but the provider, the JFSC and later the bank all want the same picture of who owns the company and where the money comes from. We collect it once.
For Each Owner, Director and Controller
- Passport: Certified, and matching the name used on every other document.
- Proof of address: A utility bill or bank statement, usually from the last 3 months.
- Source of wealth: How the money behind the company was earned, with supporting papers.
- Role in the company: Director, shareholder, beneficial owner or more than one.
- Tax residence details: The country and tax reference used for reporting.
For the Company
The proposed name, the share structure and class rights, a short description of what the company will do and where it will do it, and the expected money in and out in the first year. A company that will trade from Jersey adds its business licence application.
For a Corporate Shareholder
Where a company or trust sits above the Jersey company, add its registry extract or trust deed, its constitution and an ownership chart up to the individuals. The provider traces every layer, so missing links are the most common cause of delay.
Jersey Company Formation Cost in 2026
Our price for Jersey company formation starts from €1,499, paid once, for a standard private company limited by shares. It covers the structure advice, the KYC pack, the name reservation, the memorandum and articles, the JFSC share consent, the Registry fee and the first filings with our licensed administrator, confirmed in writing before you pay. Trusts, foundations, cell companies and regulated structures are quoted separately.
The table adds the running costs of the first 12 months.
Cost item | When it is paid | Typical amount | What it covers |
|---|---|---|---|
Jersey company formation with Binderr | Once, before filing | From €1,499 | Advice, KYC pack, name reservation, constitution, JFSC consent, the Registry fee and the first filings |
Registered office, secretary and administration | Each year, quoted with your setup | About €2,000 to €4,500 a year as a planning range | The registered office, the provider, the secretary, the nominated person and the records |
Annual confirmation statement | Between 1 January and the last day of February | £330 including the government levy for a company administered by a trust company business, or £220 for one that is not | The yearly confirmation of the company details and beneficial owners |
Company tax return and substance reporting | By 30 November of the following year | Usually inside the administrator's annual fee | The Jersey return and the substance answers |
Accounts preparation | Each year | About €900 to €2,500 a year as a planning range | Accounts for the members and the bank, with no Registry filing and no audit |
Business licence | Before trading or hiring in Jersey | No fee for a resident licence, plus £55.14 or £247.02 a year per staff permission | Permission to run a business and employ staff on the island |
Business account with our banking partners | Monthly, once the account is open | About €30 to €100 a month on a published plan | A multi-currency account with real IBANs |
Realistic first-year total | Year one | About €5,000 to €10,000 for a simple private company, as a planning range | Our price, the filings, the administrator, accounts and banking |
Jersey Business Start Up Costs by Profile
Company profile | Realistic first year | What drives the cost |
|---|---|---|
Simple private company owned from abroad | About €5,000 to €7,500 | The administrator and registered office, on a light substance position |
Holding company over several subsidiaries | About €6,000 to €10,000 | More consolidation work, more bank questions and more filings |
Company that lends to a group or trades from Jersey | About €9,000 to €20,000 | People and decisions in Jersey for the substance test |
Company holding UK property | About €7,000 to €14,000 | UK corporation tax registration, returns and valuations |
Fund, cell or regulated structure | Quoted separately | JFSC authorisation, audited accounts and specialist advice |
The JFSC fees are fixed. The administrator, accounts and any Jersey directors are market prices that move with the size of the company, and your written quote is what counts. Read more: the cost of Jersey company formation and our guide to company formation costs.
Jersey Company Incorporation
Binderr
Corporate tax
0% standard / 10% financial services
Time to incorporate
1 Week
Cost
Starting from €1,499
How Long Company Formation in Jersey Takes
Forming a company in Jersey takes about a week with us, and most of that week goes on the KYC pack rather than the Registry. The JFSC offers services from 5 business days down to 2 hours.
Stage | Typical time | What happens |
|---|---|---|
Structure call | 1 day | We agree what the company will own, do and never do |
KYC pack and ownership chart | 2 to 4 days, longer where owners are slow with documents | Certified passports, addresses, source of wealth and the ownership chart |
Name reservation and constitution | 1 day | A £10 reservation, then the memorandum, articles and share classes |
JFSC incorporation and consent | £200 within 5 business days, £520 within 1 business day, £820 within 2 hours | The Registry incorporates the company and consents to the share issue |
Registers, nominated person and filings | 1 to 2 days after incorporation | Ownership information filed and statutory registers opened |
Account with our banking partners | Usually 2 to 4 days from a complete file | A multi-currency account opens |
What Adds Days
An owner who is slow to certify a passport, a corporate shareholder nobody has documented, a trust above the company or a politically exposed person in the chain. For a business on the island, the business licence runs alongside the formation and can add time if staff permissions are needed.
Jersey Company Formation From €1,499
The price starts from €1,499 with us, and you see the first-year budget before you pay anything.
- Registry fee included: The JFSC incorporation fee sits inside our price.
- First-year budget shown: Plan on about €5,000 to €10,000 for a simple company.
- Administrator quoted upfront: The largest running cost agreed in writing before you commit.
- Formed in about a week: A clean file accepted at the first attempt.
- Clear pricing, no surprises: Trusts, cells and regulated vehicles quoted on their own.
Tax and Compliance After Company Formation in Jersey
A Jersey company has a short list of yearly duties and the dates are fixed. The confirmation statement goes to the JFSC by the last day of February, the tax return to Revenue Jersey by 30 November of the following year, and the ownership record is kept current all year.
Obligation | Deadline | Where it goes | If it is late |
|---|---|---|---|
Annual confirmation statement | Last day of February each year | JFSC Registry | £75 after February, rising to £740 by the end of September |
Beneficial owner and significant person changes | Within 21 days of becoming aware | JFSC Registry | A fine of up to £10,000 plus daily fines of up to £1,000 |
Company tax return with the substance answers | Midnight on 30 November of the following year | Revenue Jersey | Penalties, and the substance position is judged on the return |
Accounts for the members | Each year | Kept by the company | No Registry filing for a private company and no audit requirement |
Board meetings and minutes | Through the year | Held and kept in Jersey | The substance and residence position weakens without them |
Company Tax Rates
Most companies pay 0%. Certain financial services companies pay 10%. Utilities pay 20%, and so do large corporate retailers with retail turnover of £2 million or more once profits pass £750,000, with a sliding scale between £500,000 and £750,000. Jersey income from property rental, property development, quarrying and hydrocarbon oil is taxed at 20%. Since 1 January 2025, Jersey entities of groups with global revenue of €750 million or more pay 15% under the Multinational Corporate Income Tax.
Economic Substance
The Taxation (Companies, Economic Substance) (Jersey) Law 2019 covers nine relevant activities, including holding company, finance and leasing, headquartering and intangible property business. A company in one of them must be directed and managed in Jersey and have adequate people, spending and premises there. A first failure carries a penalty of up to £10,000 and a second up to £100,000. A company with no gross income from the activity in a period does not have to meet the test for that period.
GST and ISE Status
A company administered in Jersey for owners abroad can hold International Services Entity status instead of registering for GST. It then cannot charge or be charged GST and pays a flat fee, £750 a year for a company in 2026, due by 31 March.
Business Banking for Jersey Companies
Island banks such as NatWest International, Butterfield and HSBC are cautious with new companies owned from abroad, and a review of several weeks is normal. Refusals are common where there is no local link. Our partners open multi-currency accounts for Jersey companies in days, remotely.
Feature | Jersey and offshore banks | Our partners |
|---|---|---|
Time to open | Several weeks is normal for a new company owned from abroad | Usually 2 to 4 days from a complete file |
Who they accept | Companies with a local link or a large relationship | Jersey companies with owners abroad and a clear ownership chart |
Minimum balance | Often a substantial relationship | None |
Monthly cost | Relationship based | About €30 to €100 a month on a published plan |
Multi-currency | A separate account per currency | Several currencies in one account, with real IBANs |
International payments and FX | Priced per SWIFT payment, with a margin often between 1% and 3% | About €5 to €25 to send, and about 0.25% to 1.0% over the interbank rate |
Why Island Banks Are Slow With New Companies
A new company has no trading history, so the bank looks straight through it to the owners and the business plan. Owners abroad, a corporate shareholder or a sector the bank avoids each add weeks. Read how to open a business bank account in Jersey and about bank accounts for Jersey holding companies.
The Faster Route Through Our Banking Partners
We work with licensed electronic money institutions that open multi-currency accounts for Jersey companies in days, remotely and with no minimum balance, using the same KYC pack we built for the company. Read about multi-currency business accounts in Jersey. Read about the offshore bank account in Jersey route too.
Equals Money
Business Bank Account
Time to onboard
2 Days
Account opening fee
Free
Monthly fee
€30
3S Money
Cross-border payments
Time to onboard
4 Days
Account opening fee
Free
Monthly fee
Starting from € 100
Jersey vs Guernsey, the Isle of Man and Cyprus
Founders weighing Jersey usually compare it with the other two Crown Dependencies, and with one EU option such as Cyprus for a trading company. We form companies in all four, so the choice turns on tax, filings and whether the company needs to be in the EU.
Factor | Jersey | Guernsey | Isle of Man | Cyprus |
|---|---|---|---|---|
Standard company tax | 0%, with 10% and 20% rates for some activities | 0% standard, 10% regulated, 20% on Guernsey property | 0% for most activities | 15% flat |
Yearly filing | Confirmation statement, £330 with the levy for an administered company | Annual validation, £525 for a provider administered company | Annual return, £380 | Annual return and audited accounts |
EU member | No | No | No | Yes |
Audit | Not required for a private company | Depends on the company | Depends on the company | Mandatory for all companies |
Our price | From €1,499 | From €1,899 | From €1,499 | From €1,200 |
Time to incorporate | About 1 week | About 1 week | About 1 week | About 1 week |
Jersey has the lightest yearly filing of the three Crown Dependencies. Cyprus makes sense when the company needs an EU address for customers, licences or contracts.
Jersey vs Guernsey
Both charge 0% on most companies and both need a licensed local provider. Guernsey's annual validation is £525 against £330 for the Jersey confirmation statement, and our Guernsey price starts from €1,899. Guernsey is stronger for insurance and cell structures. Read Guernsey offshore company formation.
Guernsey Company Incorporation
Binderr
Corporate tax
0% standard / 10% regulated activities
Capital gains and inheritance tax
0%
Time to incorporate
1 Week
Cost
Starting from €1,899
Jersey vs the Isle of Man
The Isle of Man taxes most companies at 0%, has no capital gains tax and charges £380 for its annual return. It is better known for trading, shipping, aviation and e-gaming businesses. We form Isle of Man companies from €1,499. Read how to set up a company in the Isle of Man.
Isle of Man Company Incorporation
Binderr
Corporate tax
0% for most activities
Time to incorporate
1 Week
Cost
Starting from €1,499
Jersey vs Cyprus
Cyprus charges a flat 15% from 1 January 2026, sits inside the EU and costs less to form, from €1,200 with us. Every Cyprus company needs an audit, so it costs more to run. Read how to start a limited liability company in Cyprus.
Cyprus Company Incorporation
Binderr
Corporate tax
15% flat
Time to Incorporate
1 Week
Cost
€1,200 one-off
Who Company Formation in Jersey Is Wrong For
A Jersey company costs more to run than an onshore company, and the value comes from the tax and legal position. In these cases, that value does not arrive.
Small Companies Trading in One Country
If the company sells in one country and makes modest profits, the administrator and accounts can cost more than the structure saves, and that country may tax the profits anyway. A local company is usually the better answer.
Groups That Need an EU Company
Jersey is not in the EU, so a Jersey company cannot use EU directives or give customers an EU contracting party. Look at Cyprus, Malta or Ireland instead.
Anyone Who Wants No Ongoing Provider
An owner abroad cannot run a Jersey company without a licensed provider, and that provider is the largest yearly cost. Anyone looking for a cheap shelf company with no running cost should not start here.
Common Mistakes With Jersey Company Formation
Most problems start in the first month, in a decision that looked harmless. Each one is cheap to avoid at the start.
Forgetting the Company Secretary
Every Jersey company needs a secretary, and a sole director cannot fill both roles. Plan the secretary with the provider before the filing, not after the Registry asks.
A Board That Does Not Decide
Directors who sign minutes prepared elsewhere put both the substance position and the tax residence at risk. Appoint directors who decide, and hold the meetings on the island.
Missing the February Confirmation
The confirmation statement is due by the last day of February, and the penalty climbs to £740 by the end of September. A quiet company is the easiest one to forget.
Trading on the Island Without a Business Licence
Running a business or hiring staff in Jersey without a licence carries up to 2 years in prison and an unlimited fine. Apply before the first sale, not after the first hire.
Adding Activities That Change the Substance Test
A loan to a group company, a management fee or a trademark moves a company into a heavier substance test. Decide which company does what before the money moves. See how to set up a Jersey holding company the right way.
Talk to Us About Starting a Business in Jersey
Starting a business in Jersey, Channel Islands, or running one from abroad? Tell us about your plans and we map it out with you.
- Structure choice: Private company, no par value company or something else.
- Business on the island: Licence, staff permissions and GST in the right order.
- Owners abroad: The licensed provider and the board position planned.
- Substance questions: Which activities change your running costs.
- One point of contact: From the first question to the open account.
Bottom Line
Company formation in Jersey gives you 0% company tax at the standard rate, no capital gains tax, no withholding tax on dividends to owners abroad, one director and one shareholder who can live anywhere, and no audit or public accounts for a private company. In return, it needs a licensed provider for an owner abroad, a secretary, a nominated person, a confirmation statement every February and a tax return every November. Setting up a business in Jersey to trade on the island adds a business licence and Social Security. We handle Jersey company formation from €1,499 with licensed administrators, and your company is ready in about a week. For a company you will use abroad, see our Jersey offshore company formation guide.
