Start my BVI company
BVI company formation online

Your BVI company, formed from anywhere

The company people reach for when they hold things: coins, tokens, shares in other companies. 0% BVI tax, owners kept off public lists, one director living anywhere. Ours is US$1,444 in year one, with all four government filings itemised.

Formed through a licensed BVI agent, no visit needed. Pick your country to see how yours runs.
Start my BVI company See every fee
  • US$1,444 in year one, all in
  • Usually 2 to 5 working days
  • You only pay after you sign
0%BVI tax on profit, gains and dividends
PrivateShareholders and owners never on a public list
1Director and 1 shareholder, living anywhere
US$825Year one government fees, itemised below
01What stays private

Who can see the owners of a BVI company?

Your name belongs on your company's records, not on a search page. Shareholders and beneficial owners are filed privately and never published.

Private, not secret. Tap a row to see exactly where the line sits.

Can see itOnly on requestCan't see it
02The whole bill

How much does a BVI company cost? Every fee, itemised

Most quotes fold four government filings into one number. Here they are, at cost, next to ours. Choose how many shares your company may issue; above 50,000 the BVI charges more.

50,000 shares is the usual choice and suits almost every holding or trading company.

Three years of a BVI company

Formation, registered agent, filings and government fees.

US$735 to US$5,138 less
HeirsonUS$3,762
OthersUS$4,497 to US$8,900
Four BVI providers' published packages with government fees, 50,000 shares, October 2026.

Add a nominee to your BVI company if you want one, never to hide an owner from banks or authorities. How nominees work.

Nominee directorUS$480 a yearA licensed professional on the public record; you stay the owner
Nominee shareholderUS$480 a yearHolds the shares on trust for you, with a declaration of trust you keep
03How it happens

How to open a company in the British Virgin Islands from abroad

Five stops, none of them in the BVI. Only a licensed BVI agent can form the company; we work with one, so you deal with one team.

LTD CERTIFICATE OF INCORPORATION USD You applyAgent in Road TownCertificatePrivate registersReady to use
  1. Apply with HeirsonName, ending, director, shareholders and what the company will do. Pay in crypto.
    You, about 15 minutes
  2. Agent filesOur licensed BVI agent files your memorandum and articles with the Registry.
    Licensed agent
  3. Certificate issuedCertificate of incorporation, usually 2 to 5 working days from filing.
    BVI Registry
  4. Private registersDirectors within 15 days, members and owners within 30. Filed, not published.
    Licensed agent
  5. Company readyFull document set in your dashboard, and your bank account set up with you. Apostille on request.
    You and Heirson
04Crypto

Can a BVI company hold and trade crypto?

Yes. Holding, trading and getting paid in crypto needs no licence. Only services for other people need FSC registration. Compare the rules in nine places.

Pick what yours will do.

05Tax

Is a BVI company tax free?

In the BVI, yes, for a company with no staff or property there. Five taxes your company won't pay:

0%Tax on profit
0%Capital gains tax, including on crypto
0%Withholding tax on dividends
0%VAT or sales tax
0%Payroll tax, with no staff in the BVI

Where you live may still tax what you take out of the company.

06Made for where you live

Run your BVI company from anywhere

BVI companies can be owned and directed by people in almost any country. See how it works from where you live.

What you get

What's included in your BVI company formation

Everything a BVI company needs in year one, for US$619 plus government fees at cost.

    07Your year

    How long BVI company formation takes, and your yearly dates

    Your timeline from today, your bill, and the three yearly BVI deadlines we keep for you.

    US$1,444Year one, with every government fee
    US$1,159 a yearFrom year two: the BVI annual fee plus our US$609
    2 to 5 daysUsual time from filing to certificate
    Who will own it?
    Main purpose?

    A company that only holds shares meets a lighter substance test.

    When should it start?

    Your timeline

      What it costs

      Government fees at cost, in US dollars, the BVI's own currency.

      BVI dates for your company

      Annual fee, substance report and financial return.

        BVI company rules people get wrong

        • The government fee is US$550.That's incorporation alone. Year one has four filings, US$825 in total.
        • A BVI company files nothing.A yearly fee, a substance report and a financial return to the agent. We handle all three.
        • Any crypto business works from a plain BVI company.Holding and trading your own does. Serving clients needs FSC registration.
        • Owners are secret.Private, not secret. The Registry and agent hold them, and authorities can ask.
        • A bank account is the hard part.We set it up with you, with the papers banks ask for. The bank decides, and it almost always says yes.

        For the lowest yearly cost, a Wyoming LLC wins. Raising from funds or launching a token? See a Cayman company. Trading in Asia or the Gulf? See Hong Kong or a UAE free zone.

        Why the BVI

        Why founders choose a BVI business company

        0%BVI tax on profit, gains and dividends
        EnglishCommon law, with appeals to the Privy Council in London
        US$The BVI's own currency, so fees never move with exchange rates
        No auditFor an ordinary, unregulated company
        When a BVI company is the wrong choice
        • You want the cheapest company to keep each year. A Wyoming LLC costs far less.
        • You'll run an exchange or hold crypto for clients and don't plan to register with the FSC.
        • Your clients insist on a company from their own region.
        Questions

        BVI company formation questions, answered

        Ready to choose a name? Open the application; nothing is filed until you sign. Weighing Cayman too? Read BVI vs Cayman. Vetting an existing BVI company? The BVI company search guide lists what the Registry sells.

        Is a BVI company tax free?
        In the BVI, yes. A company with no staff or property there pays no BVI tax on profit, capital gains or dividends, and there is no VAT. The country where you live may still tax you on what you take out, or the company's profit if it's run from there. More in our BVI tax guide.
        How much does it cost to form a BVI company?
        With Heirson, US$1,444 in year one: US$825 in government fees at cost plus our US$619. From year two, US$1,159 a year: the US$550 annual fee plus our US$609. Above 50,000 authorised shares, the BVI charges US$1,350 instead of US$550.
        Why do some providers quote a US$875 government fee?
        Because they bundle several filings into one figure. Incorporation is US$550, the first register of directors US$100, the register of members US$50 and the beneficial ownership filing US$125: US$825 in total. We list each one.
        Can I form a BVI company without visiting?
        Yes. Every BVI company is formed through a licensed BVI agent, and the whole process runs online. No one has to travel to the islands.
        How long does BVI company formation take?
        Usually 2 to 5 working days from filing to your certificate of incorporation. The registers of directors, members and owners follow within 30 days, and we file them for you.
        Who can see the owners of a BVI company?
        Not the public. Shareholders and beneficial owners are filed with the Registry privately and held by your agent; authorities can request them. Anyone can request a list of directors' names for US$75, and since April 2026 people with a legitimate interest can ask about owners of 25% or more.
        Does a BVI company need a licence to hold crypto?
        No. Holding, trading and accepting crypto for the company's own account needs no licence. Exchanging, sending or holding crypto for clients is a virtual asset service and needs FSC registration first, which isn't part of our package.
        What does a BVI company file every year?
        The annual government fee, an economic substance report within 6 months of each financial year and a financial return to the agent within 9 months. None of it is public, there's no audit for an ordinary company, and we handle all three. Every date and penalty is in our BVI annual fees and filings guide.
        Do I need a local director or shareholder?
        No. You can be the sole director and sole shareholder, wherever you live. If you'd like a nominee director anyway, it's US$480 a year.
        Can I open a bank account for a BVI company?
        Yes. We prepare what the bank asks for and set the account up with you. The bank has the final say, and it almost always says yes. See where BVI companies bank in our BVI company bank account guide.
        Is Heirson a BVI registered agent?
        No. Heirson is a private company formation service. Your company is formed and kept by a licensed BVI registered agent we work with, and we handle the application, filings and reminders around it.
        Ready when you are

        Your BVI company, with nothing hidden in the price.

        US$1,444 for year one with every government fee itemised, paid in crypto, and only after you sign.

        Start my BVI company See every fee
        BVI business companyUS$1,444 all in, year oneStart