SSM INCORPORATION
RESIDENT DIRECTOR
POST-SETUP COMPLIANCE
OWNER & DIRECTOR KYC
A Sdn Bhd may have Malaysian or foreign shareholders, held personally or through a company. Where overseas investment is involved, the permitted foreign ownership depends on the real business activity and any regulator or licence involved.
Your company needs at least one director whose principal or only place of residence is in Malaysia. If no founder qualifies, review the resident-director options and risks before filing.
You must appoint a qualified company secretary in Malaysia within 30 days after incorporation.
Your registered office must be in Malaysia and accessible to the public during ordinary business hours.
SSM lists RM1,000 to incorporate a company limited by shares. Optional name reservation is RM50 for each 30-day period.
The amount that works for incorporation may not be enough for a licence, bank or expatriate application. We check your operating plan before recommending a figure.
The SSM filing is online, and we can coordinate the company details and KYC for Malaysian and overseas founders. If you are abroad, a bank or regulator may still ask for a video call, original documents or a visit. See what remote Malaysia company registration can cover.
A Sdn Bhd is a common starting point for Malaysian entrepreneurs, local operating businesses, subsidiaries and international investors that need to sign contracts, earn revenue and hire staff. Eligible local owners can compare a Sdn Bhd, LLP and enterprise before deciding. If an existing overseas company wants to operate directly in Malaysia, a branch may also be considered; our branch-versus-subsidiary guide explains the liability and filing differences.
| Type | Who it's for | Ownership | Key points |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sdn. Bhd. (Private Limited) | Operating businesses, subsidiaries and growth companies | Malaysian or foreign equity is possible, subject to activity and licence rules | Separate legal entity; at least one shareholder and one director ordinarily resident in Malaysia |
| Branch Office | An existing foreign company expanding directly into Malaysia | Parent company owns | Not a separate legal entity; the foreign parent remains liable and local agent/filing requirements apply |
| Representative Office | Temporary market research, coordination or feasibility work | Foreign company owns | Cannot conduct commercial trading or earn local revenue; approval and activity limits apply |
For many activities, the answer is yes. We still need to check the exact business, MSIC code and regulator before confirming the shareholding, because some licences carry their own equity or capital conditions. Start with the correct MSIC code for the company registration.
Software development, business consulting and some regional services may allow full foreign ownership, depending on what the company actually provides and whether a licence applies.
Retail and distributive trade may require a Malaysia WRT licence. Logistics, education, travel, construction, healthcare, telecoms and financial services can also come with regulator-specific conditions.
MIDA states that foreign investors may hold 100% equity in new manufacturing projects and expansion or diversification projects, while operating licences and approvals still apply.
Before we file, we will ask about the five points below. The answers can change the ownership, capital, bank application, tax setup and licences.
Tell us whether you will sell locally or across borders, and whether the sales are through marketplaces, wholesale or retail. Distributive-trade rules may apply.
Consider whether you need premises, staff, warehousing, a signboard, import-export permissions or local-authority licences.
Let us know who the individual or corporate shareholders and beneficial owners are, who will sit on the board and how you will meet the resident-director requirement.
Be ready to explain the countries, currencies, expected volumes, source of funds, contracts and why the business needs a Malaysian account.
Plan the paid-up capital, investor rights and local payroll, and tell us if anyone will need an Employment Pass after company setup.
The SSM registration creates the company. Any business licence, bank account, tax treatment or right to work is decided through a separate process.
Once your KYC file and company details are complete, allow about 3–7 working days for a straightforward incorporation. SSM does not guarantee this timing, and a name query, regulated activity or missing detail can add time. Our step-by-step Malaysia company registration guide takes you through the full sequence.
Pre-check
We check the activity, ownership, licences, directors, shareholders and beneficial owners
Prepare
You provide the KYC and address evidence and decide whether to reserve the name first
File
We coordinate the company details, business activities and declarations for the online SSM filing
SSM review
If SSM approves the application, the company receives its registration notice and number
Post-setup
Appoint the secretary, issue the shares and organise the registers, banking, tax and licences
Bank-account opening, sector licences, tax onboarding and Employment Pass applications have their own timelines.
We can coordinate the incorporation online while you are overseas. Identity checks, bank meetings or licence applications may still require you to participate directly.
For a straightforward application, prepare the details below. Our Malaysia company registration checklist covers the main requirements, while the document guide explains what an individual or corporate shareholder should provide. Regulated activities usually need further evidence.
The RM1,000 SSM fee is only the starting point. Your budget may also include the company secretary, registered office, professional work, licences and annual compliance. Our Malaysia company registration cost breakdown explains each category, and we will separate government charges from our fees in the quote.
| Cost item | Status | Amount | What to check |
|---|---|---|---|
| SSM incorporation filing | Official fee | RM1,000 | For a company limited by shares |
| Name reservation | Optional | RM50 per 30 days | Direct incorporation may be used instead |
| Certificate of incorporation | Optional | RM20 | SSM issues a notice of registration as standard |
| Qualified company secretary | Required within 30 days | Quoted separately | Check the first-year retainer and charges for later company changes |
| Registered office in Malaysia | Required | Quoted separately | This is not automatically a trading premises or mailing service |
| Resident-director arrangement | Only if needed | Risk-based quote | Subject to due diligence, written terms, a deposit and clear limits |
| Business licences and regulator referrals | Activity dependent | Variable | Check before leasing premises or funding capital |
| Accounting, tax and annual filings | Ongoing | Depends on the work | SSM lists RM150 for a private-company annual return, excluding service fees |
Tell us who will own the company, what it will do, whether it needs a resident-director arrangement and what help you want after registration. We will then set out the work and fees in writing.
We prepare and coordinate applications. The bank, tax authority, Immigration and relevant regulator make their own decisions.
Once the Sdn Bhd is registered, it can apply for a business bank account. The bank will run its own KYC review and decide whether onboarding can be completed remotely or requires a meeting. International shareholders can also review the common Malaysia business bank account requirements for foreigners before choosing a bank.
We can help you prepare the bank file and, where appropriate, arrange an introduction. Banks commonly ask for:
The right bank depends on the company's activity, customer countries, currencies, expected volumes and where the signatories are based. If you prefer not to travel, check which remote account-opening options may be available before choosing a provider.
Your Sdn Bhd needs at least one director who ordinarily resides in Malaysia. This is about residence, not citizenship, and you do not have to give that director shares. If none of the founders qualifies, review the duties, fees and risks of a nominee director service before agreeing to a third-party arrangement.
Every director keeps their statutory duties, whatever the private agreement says. The arrangement also does not guarantee acceptance by a bank or regulator.
There is no single practical figure for every Sdn Bhd. The amount you choose should make sense for the business and may need to satisfy a bank, licence or expatriate application as well as the incorporation itself. Our guide explains the difference between legal and practical paid-up-capital amounts.
Meeting these figures does not guarantee ESD registration or an Employment Pass. A sector agency may require more, and Immigration will still consider the role, salary, duration, qualifications and application documents.
We start with what the company will do, who will own and manage it, and what must happen before it can operate.
You can choose only the help you need. Our guide to Malaysia company registration services, costs and process shows the usual options. SSM, banks, tax authorities, Immigration and sector regulators remain responsible for their own decisions.
We compare a Sdn Bhd, branch and representative office, then check the MSIC activities, ownership position, capital and likely licences.
We organise the KYC file, company details and ownership information, then coordinate the SSM submission.
After registration, we can coordinate the secretary, registered office, statutory records, bank file and relevant tax or licence work. The post-incorporation checklist shows what to plan first.
We can set up and manage your calendar for annual returns, financial statements, beneficial ownership, accounting, tax, payroll and renewals.
If you want to check a rule or fee yourself, these are the authority pages we use. The page was reviewed against the sources below on 12 August 2026.
Rules can change, and a sector regulator may add further conditions. We will confirm the position for your activity before you file, pay in capital, lease premises or apply for an Employment Pass.
You can speak with us before you have chosen the structure. Start with the business, the owners and how you expect the Malaysian operation to work.
We will check the likely Sdn Bhd structure, resident director, capital and licences, then explain what comes next for banking, tax, hiring and ongoing compliance.
Tell us what support you need, from company setup and banking to accounting, tax and ongoing compliance.