Company registration in Rwanda with RDB

RDB company registration is the first step for anyone starting a business in Rwanda. The Rwanda Development Board's Office of the Registrar General runs it online, it is free, and RDB says a compliant application is completed within six working hours. In practice, most of the work is preparing the right information and documents, especially if some shareholders are foreign individuals or companies.

Kigali Business Setup guides entrepreneurs, investors and expats through company registration in Rwanda, from choosing the company type to filing the first annual return. We are open about the fact that you can register yourself on RDB's portal. Clients use us to save time, avoid rejections and have someone handle everything that comes after the certificate.

Which business structure fits you?

Structure	Key points (RDB, October 2026)
Private company limited by shares (Ltd)	1 to 100 shareholders, no minimum share capital, name ends in "Ltd" or "Private limited company"
Public company	1 or more shareholders with no maximum; required for banking, insurance and finance; capital set by regulators
Branch of a foreign company	Extension of a foreign parent with no separate legal personality; needs a resident representative
Individual enterprise	Unincorporated, one owner, personal income tax
Cooperative, NGO, association	Registered first with the Rwanda Cooperative Agency or Rwanda Governance Board

For most small and foreign-owned businesses, a private company limited by shares is the practical choice. It limits liability, allows foreign ownership up to 100% and works for an investor permit and an RDB investment certificate.

What you need before you apply

RDB's online system asks for:

• [ ] An active email address
• [ ] National ID number for Rwandans (details fill in automatically) or a valid passport for foreigners
• [ ] Proposed company name, which must be approved before incorporation
• [ ] Provisional business activities
• [ ] A local physical address for the registered office
• [ ] Details of every shareholder, board member and director
• [ ] At least one director who is ordinarily resident in Rwanda (Law No. 007/2021, Article 6)

Extra documents for a foreign corporate shareholder

If a foreign company will own shares, RDB asks for its certificate of incorporation, memorandum and articles of association, and a board resolution to subscribe for shares. These must come from the country of origin, be notarised, and be translated into English, French or Kinyarwanda if written in another language. A power of attorney for the company's legal representative in Rwanda is also required.

Branch of a foreign company

A branch needs the parent's notarised incorporation documents and articles, a shareholder or board resolution to open the branch, the appointment of a branch representative residing in Rwanda, and a power of attorney. All documents are scanned and uploaded.

Step by step on the RDB portal

1. Check the name. RDB will not accept a name that is identical or almost identical to an existing one, misleading or against good morals.
2. Apply online at urs.rdb.rw, RDB's current registration system, entering company, shareholder and director details.
3. Upload documents, including notarised foreign documents where needed.
4. Declare beneficial owners at registration through RDB's beneficial ownership process.
5. Receive the certificate of incorporation. RDB says this takes up to six working hours for compliant applications.
6. Note your company code. It also serves as your TIN and social security number, so your TIN number is issued at the same time.

If you get stuck, RDB has a registration support team at its building at 1 KG 9 Avenue in Kigali.

After registration: the compliance checklist

The certificate is where the real admin begins. Within the first weeks:

• Trading licence tax (patente): paid to the district through RRA's local government tax system. RRA says micro and small enterprises are exempt for their first two years. Large companies pay from year one. Annual rates depend on turnover, from RWF 160,000 for turnover of RWF 12 to 20 million up to RWF 2,000,000 for the largest businesses, due by 31 January.
• VAT: register within seven days once turnover passes RWF 20 million in 12 months or RWF 5 million in three consecutive months.
• EBM: request an Electronic Billing Machine for issuing receipts.
• Bank account: see opening a business bank account in Rwanda.
• Employees: register them with RSSB on Ishema and set up PAYE. See accounting and payroll.
• Declarations: follow your RRA calendar, with VAT and PAYE due within 15 days after each period, including nil returns.
• Sector licences: some activities need a licence from a regulator such as RURA (telecoms, energy, transport, water) or the Rwanda FDA (food, medicines, cosmetics).

Annual obligations with RDB

Under Law No. 007/2021 governing companies, each company files an annual return with the Registrar General during the month RDB allocates to it at incorporation. RDB lists the attachments:

• Turnover under RWF 400 million: income statement and statement of financial position.
• Turnover of RWF 400 million or more: add cash flow statement, statement of changes in equity, notes and an auditor's or directors' report.
• Branches of foreign companies: full statements and an auditor's report.

The company must also confirm each year that its beneficial ownership information is up to date. Changes such as a new director, address or shareholder are made through a notarised resolution.

Common mistakes we help you avoid

• Choosing a director who is not ordinarily resident in Rwanda
• Uploading foreign documents that are not notarised or translated
• Using a home address the company cannot keep as its registered office
• Forgetting the beneficial ownership confirmation and annual return
• Missing VAT registration after passing the threshold, which RRA can penalise at 50% of the VAT due

How Kigali Business Setup helps

• We recommend a structure based on your plans, ownership and permit needs.
• We prepare and check every document, including notarised foreign papers.
• We complete the online application and follow it to the certificate.
• We set up your TIN access, VAT and EBM, and introduce accredited accountants.
• We connect you with accredited lawyers for shareholder agreements and complex structures.

Moving to Kigali to run the company? Read our move to Rwanda guide. Then use the form on this page to tell us about your shareholders, activities and timeline. We will reply with a document checklist and a fixed quote for our support.