How Much Does It Really Cost to Start a Business in Thailand in 2026

For founders asking how much does it cost to start a business in Thailand, the government registration fee is only a small part of the answer. The real budget depends on your ownership structure, registered capital, office, accounting obligations and whether foreign directors or employees need visas and permission to stay.

For consistency, USD conversions in this guide use the Bank of Thailand reference rate of THB 33.102 per USD on August 13, 2026. Actual exchange rates will move over time.

Key takeaways

A standard Thai limited company has core DBD formation charges of about USD 166 for the Memorandum of Association and company registration, plus roughly USD 6 of stamp duty if articles of association are used.

Registered capital is not a government fee. DBD requires at least 25% of subscribed share value to be called and paid at formation, while an ordinary business extension of stay for a foreign employee generally requires at least about USD 60,419 in paid-up capital under current Immigration Bureau criteria.

For a fully managed company, registration is often the cheapest part. Using Settlr's published starting prices, incorporation plus a year of accounting and tax support starts at roughly USD 9,990 before audit, office, tax payments, payroll and immigration costs.

The lesson is simple: company registration Thailand cost should not be confused with the cost of actually operating a compliant Thai company.

Government fees itemized

Thailand's Department of Business Development, or DBD, publishes the fees for registering a limited company.

The Memorandum of Association registration fee is USD 15 (THB 500). Registering the limited company itself costs USD 151 (THB 5,000). If the company uses articles of association, the DBD guide also specifies USD 6 (THB 200) in stamp duty.

Government item

Approx. USD cost

Memorandum of Association registration

$15

Limited company registration

$151

Stamp duty on articles, if applicable

$6

Registration certificate

$3 per copy

Certified registration documents

About $2 per page

DBD sets the company-registration certificate charge at THB 100 and certified copies at THB 50 per page, equivalent to roughly USD 3 and USD 2 respectively at the reference exchange rate used here.

That means the core government cost of creating the company can be under USD 200.

This is why advertisements focusing only on government fees can be misleading. They tell you what filing costs. They do not tell you what it takes to structure, launch and keep the company compliant.

Professional fees: what the range really depends on

Professional fees are not set by the Thai government. They depend on what the adviser is actually doing.

A basic registration is very different from establishing a foreign-led company that needs ownership advice, shareholder documents, tax registrations, immigration support and operating licences.

Settlr's current transparent pricing provides a useful commercial benchmark. Company incorporation starts from THB 25,000, or about USD 755 at the Bank of Thailand reference rate. The service covers items including preparation of the Memorandum of Association, DBD filing, shareholder structure, tax ID and VAT registration.

Immigration management starts from about USD 1,208 per employee per application, while contract drafting or review starts from approximately USD 302.

The cost therefore rises when your setup involves foreign ownership analysis, BOI promotion, a Foreign Business License, shareholder agreements, special operating licences, translations or foreign employees.

A useful rule is to compare quotes based on scope, not only the headline price. Ask whether tax registration, VAT, shareholder documents, bank-readiness documents and post-registration support are included.

If you want the registration process managed from structure through filing, see our incorporation service.

Capital requirements: what registered capital really means

Registered capital is one of the most misunderstood startup costs in Thailand.

It is not money paid to DBD. It represents the capital subscribed by shareholders and available to the company.

DBD's current company-registration guide states that the directors must call for payment of at least 25% of the share value before registration. The same guide says additional documentation is required when registered capital exceeds approximately USD 151,048 (THB 5 million).

Foreign founders also need to separate company-law capital from immigration requirements.

Under the Immigration Bureau's current criteria for an ordinary business extension of stay, the employing business generally needs paid-up registered capital of at least USD 60,419 (THB 2 million) and a staffing ratio of four full-time Thai employees for one foreign employee.

This is why saying "every Thai company needs USD 60,000 of capital" is inaccurate. The requirement becomes especially relevant when the business wants to support foreign personnel under the standard immigration route.

BOI-promoted businesses can operate under separate foreign-personnel rules, so companies that may qualify for investment promotion should consider that structure before committing to a conventional setup. BOI updated its foreign-personnel conditions for promoted projects, with new rules applying to relevant existing projects from January 2026.

Office and visa costs

DBD requires a registered head-office location and supporting location information when forming the company. Its registration guide asks for the office address and a map showing the location.

There is no single statutory "office cost." A serviced office, private office and commercial lease can produce very different budgets. The important point is to confirm that the proposed address works for your registration, tax and licensing needs before signing a lease.

Immigration has clearer government charges.

An extension of stay costs about USD 57 (THB 1,900). A single re-entry permit costs about USD 30, while a multiple re-entry permit costs approximately USD 115. Immigration Division 1 also lists a Non-Immigrant visa issuance or change fee of about USD 60 for a single entry and USD 151 for multiple entry.

These are government fees only. Document preparation, work-permit support and immigration management are separate professional costs.

First-year compliance budget

The cost does not stop when the DBD certificate arrives.

A Thai limited company needs bookkeeping, tax compliance and annual financial statements. DBD requires limited companies to present audited financial statements to shareholders within four months after the accounting year closes and submit the statements to DBD within one month after shareholder approval.

Here is a practical starting budget using Settlr's published service prices rather than pretending there is one universal market rate.

First-year item

Starting planning amount

Core DBD registration and applicable stamp duty

About $172

Settlr incorporation service

About $755

Accounting, tax and VAT management for 12 months

About $9,063

Payroll management for 12 months, if needed

About $1,813

Immigration management for one foreign employee/application

About $1,208

Government extension-of-stay fee

About $57

Annual statutory audit

Quoted separately

Registered/physical office

Variable

Corporate and other taxes

Depends on activity and profit

Settlr currently publishes accounting and tax services from THB 25,000 per month, payroll from THB 5,000 per month, incorporation from THB 25,000 and immigration management from THB 40,000 per employee per application.

On those published starting prices, a company using incorporation plus twelve months of managed accounting starts at approximately USD 9,990 before audit, office, payroll, immigration and actual taxes. Adding payroll and one immigration application moves that indicative starting budget to roughly USD 13,000, again before audit, office and taxes.

That is a much more useful answer to "how much does it cost to start a business in Thailand" than looking at the DBD filing fee alone.

Tax can become another major cost

Thailand's standard corporate income tax rate is 20% of net profit, subject to applicable reduced rates, exemptions and incentives.

VAT also matters. Businesses that regularly sell goods or provide services and exceed annual turnover of approximately USD 54,377 (THB 1.8 million) generally fall within Thailand's VAT registration threshold. The current general VAT rate is 7%.

Once VAT-registered, VAT returns operate on a monthly tax period and the Revenue Department states that returns are generally due by the 15th day of the following month.

Corporate income tax compliance also continues through the year. The Revenue Department requires the annual corporate income tax return within 150 days from the end of the accounting period, while companies subject to tax on net profits also make a half-year tax prepayment.

These obligations are why accounting should be budgeted from the beginning rather than added when the first annual return is due.

Hidden costs founders commonly miss

The most expensive mistakes are often structural rather than administrative.

A foreign shareholder structure may require extra financial evidence. DBD also calls for additional documentation when registered capital exceeds the threshold noted above.

Then there are services that are easy to forget during incorporation: certified translations, shareholder agreements, industry licences, audit fees, payroll administration, tax registrations, visa renewals and re-entry permits.

Another hidden cost is choosing the wrong structure first. If you expect foreign employees, majority foreign ownership or BOI eligibility, those questions should be answered before the company is registered. Changing capital, ownership arrangements and licences after launch can create more filings and professional work.

The cheapest incorporation is not necessarily the lowest-cost company.

FAQs

How much does company registration in Thailand cost in 2026?

The core DBD fees for a standard limited company are approximately USD 166 for Memorandum and company registration, before stamp duty, certificates and professional services.

Is registered capital a fee I lose?

No. Registered capital is company capital, not a payment to the government. DBD requires at least 25% of subscribed share value to be paid during the formation process.

Do I need about USD 60,000 in capital?

Not simply to register every Thai limited company. However, the Immigration Bureau's standard business-extension criteria generally require about USD 60,419 in paid-up capital for the employing business, alongside other conditions, when supporting a foreign employee under that route.

When does VAT registration become relevant?

The Revenue Department sets the general VAT-registration turnover threshold at approximately USD 54,377 per year, based on the statutory THB threshold and the exchange rate used in this article.

What should I budget before registering?

Budget for more than DBD fees. Consider incorporation support, capital, office arrangements, bookkeeping, tax, annual audit, payroll, immigration and any licences your activity requires.

Know your real cost before you incorporate

Starting a company in Thailand can be inexpensive on paper. Running it properly is where the real budget begins.

The right question is therefore not simply, "What does registration cost?" It is, "What will it cost to get my company operational and keep it compliant for its first year?"

Settlr combines incorporation, accounting, tax, payroll and immigration support so those costs can be mapped before you commit to the structure.

See our fixed pricing and build your Thailand launch budget around the costs you will actually face.