Registering a business name or a company
The two common ways to register a business with the Deeds and Commercial Registries Authority (DCRA), with the documents, published fees and timelines. Also covers foreign (external) companies.
General information only, not legal advice. Choosing between a business name and a company affects liability and tax. Speak with an attorney-at-law or accountant before you decide. Fees were checked on 24 October 2026 and may change.
Business name or company?
- Business name. DCRA describes a business name as "a name or style under which any business is carried on, whether in a partnership or otherwise". Any individual above 18 may apply [1]. This is the usual route for sole traders and partnerships.
- Company. A body incorporated or continued under the Companies Act, Chapter 89:01 [2]. DCRA advises applicants to prepare the prescribed forms with a local attorney-at-law [2].
- External company. A company formed outside Guyana that wants to do business here registers as an external company with DCRA [3]. The registration fee is not shown on the DCRA pages we checked, so check with the office.
Registering a business name
Steps (DCRA) [1]
- Fill out the Business Names application form (on the DCRA forms page [4]).
- Submit it and pay the fee.
- Uplift the certificate when it is ready.
Documents [1]
- Completed application form(s)
- Copy of National ID card, passport or e-ID
- Copy of your TIN certificate (get this from GRA first)
- The processing fee
Fees published by DCRA [1]
| Item | Fee |
|---|---|
| New application | G$5,000 |
| Renewal | G$2,500 |
| Statement of change | G$2,000 |
| Copy of certificate | G$2,000 |
| Notice of discontinuance | G$2,000 |
| Trustee application | G$2,000 |
| Profile copy | G$350 |
Timeline. DCRA's dcraguyana.org page says 7 working days per application [1]. An older copy of the same page on dcraguyana.com, and the Ministry of Tourism, Industry and Commerce, say 3 business days [5][6]. Plan for 7 working days and check with the office.
A business name has to be renewed (renewal fee above). The renewal period is not stated on the page, so check with the office.
Incorporating a company
Steps (DCRA) [2]
- Prepare the prescribed forms (DCRA suggests checking with your attorney-at-law).
- Submit the application and pay the fees.
- Uplift the company certificate, which DCRA says takes 3 working days.
Documents DCRA lists [2]
- Articles of Incorporation
- Notice of Director
- Consent to act as Director
- Notice of Secretary
- Consent to act as Secretary
- Notice of Registered Office
- Declaration of Compliance
- Request for Name Search and Reservation
- Copy of National ID card or passport
DCRA adds that anyone 18 or older who is of sound mind and not bankrupt can take part [2]. The forms are on the DCRA forms page, which also lists a Beneficial Ownership application form [4].
Fees published by DCRA [2]
| Item | Fee |
|---|---|
| Prescribed fee | G$60,000 |
| Notices | G$3,200 |
| Mandatory copy | G$350 |
| Total of these items | G$63,550 |
Attorney fees are extra and set privately. Companies have ongoing filings, such as annual returns. The Companies Act is published by DCRA [7]; ask your attorney or accountant what applies to you.
Paying DCRA
DCRA says it accepts cash up to G$100,000, and amounts above that by manager's cheque [1][2]. Online filing or payment was not shown on the pages we checked, so check with the office for any new online service.
Where to go
DCRA's home page lists the Commercial Registry in Georgetown and sub-registries in Berbice, Essequibo, Lethem, Bartica, Port Kaituma and Mabaruma [8]. Phone (592) 225-1129 or (592) 225-4358; email commercialregistry@dcra.gov.gy [5].
A note on web addresses: DCRA staff emails use dcra.gov.gy, but the DCRA website now appears at dcraguyana.org and dcraguyana.com, which carry the same pages. The old dcra.gov.gy site did not load when we checked.
References
- DCRA, "Business Names". https://dcraguyana.org/registering-a-business/ (checked 24 Oct 2026) Open source Checked 24 Oct 2026.
- DCRA, "Incorporating a Company". https://dcraguyana.org/companies1/ (checked 24 Oct 2026) Open source Checked 24 Oct 2026.
- DCRA, "All Services". https://dcraguyana.com/all-services/ (checked 24 Oct 2026) Open source Checked 24 Oct 2026.
- DCRA, "Forms". https://dcraguyana.com/forms/ (checked 24 Oct 2026) Open source Checked 24 Oct 2026.
- DCRA, "Business Names" (dcraguyana.com copy). https://dcraguyana.com/registering-a-business/ (checked 24 Oct 2026) Open source Checked 24 Oct 2026.
- Ministry of Tourism, Industry and Commerce, "Doing Business". https://mintic.gov.gy/doing-business/ (checked 24 Oct 2026) Open source Checked 24 Oct 2026.
- Companies Act, Cap. 89:01 (PDF on DCRA). https://dcraguyana.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/02/Companies-Act-cap8901.pdf (checked 24 Oct 2026) Open source Checked 24 Oct 2026.
- DCRA home page. https://dcraguyana.org/ (checked 24 Oct 2026) Open source Checked 24 Oct 2026.
Categories: Doing business
Text CC BY-SA 4.0. Facts from the official sources listed. Images are credited under their own licences. Site contact: service@computingcore.net.