Your Thai Presence, Simplified
Thai incorporation is a web of paper-based hurdles. We handle the friction, from complex ownership structures to ministry registrations, so you can focus on the business.
One-time fee · Complex structures priced separately
INCORPORATION OPERATIONS
Settlr Global turns incorporation into a managed workflow: entity strategy, shareholder documents, registrations, banking readiness, and post-launch compliance.
We prepare the structure, names, shareholder files, director paperwork, and ministry submissions needed to make the entity real.
We map your foreign ownership route, BOI eligibility, restricted activities, capital needs, and nominee-risk exposure before filings begin.
Passports, shareholder lists, affidavits, addresses, translations, and signatures are tracked in one clean operating dossier.
Company registration (your 13-digit DBD number is also your tax ID), VAT, social security, and operating registrations are sequenced without guesswork.
Choosing the right legal entity is critical. Compare structures based on ownership rights, tax obligations, and operational flexibility.
The Gold Standard
Premium status for technology, high-value manufacturing, and services export.
Standard Choice
Foreign Pathway
Direct extension of foreign parent. Ideal for specific localized contracts.
Strictly non-revenue generating. Used for market research.
STEP BY STEP
Every Thai Limited Company follows the same six-stage path through the Department of Business Development (DBD). Settlr Global manages each stage so nothing stalls waiting on a signature or a queue number.
Submit up to three proposed names to the DBD's online name reservation system. Approved names are held for 30 days while the rest of the filing is prepared.
Define registered capital, objectives, and the initial promoter list. This becomes the founding legal document filed alongside the name reservation.
Shareholders formally adopt the company regulations, appoint directors, and approve the share allotment in a documented statutory meeting.
Directors submit the full registration package, including shareholder list, director signatures, and registered office details, for DBD approval. DBD's published service time is 1 hour 25 minutes once the documents are complete, or 2 working days if another agency must approve; the day ranges in this timeline are Settlr's estimates, not official figures.
Your 13-digit DBD registration number is also your corporate tax ID with the Revenue Department, so no separate tax ID application is needed. Register for VAT if projected revenue will exceed 1.8M THB per year.
Banks require the full DBD registration certificate, company seal, and director identification before opening a corporate account and releasing capital.
Five structures cover almost every foreign and Thai founder scenario. This table summarizes ownership limits, capital requirements, and timelines so you can shortlist before your consultation.
| Entity | Foreign ownership | Minimum capital | Setup time | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Thai Limited Company | Up to 49% (100% for Thai founders) | No statutory minimum; 2M THB paid-up capital per foreign work permit | 1 hr 25 min DBD registration (official, complete documents; 2 working days if another agency must approve); 14 to 21 days with preparation (our estimate) | Most SMEs, service businesses, and Thai-majority ventures |
| BOI Promoted Company | Up to 100% | Set by promotion certificate, typically 1M THB+ | 40 to 90 working days BOI review (official), then certificate in 10 working days | Technology, manufacturing, and export-oriented activities |
| US Treaty of Amity Company | Up to 100% (US citizens/companies only) | 2M THB paid-up capital per work permit | DBD certificate within 30 days (FBA s.11) | American founders avoiding the 49% cap without BOI |
| Foreign Business License (FBL) | Up to 100% | 3M THB minimum | 60-day official decision period (FBA s.17), then licence within 15 days | Restricted activities that need explicit government approval |
| Branch Office | 100% (extension of foreign parent) | 3M THB per licensed activity; 2M THB if no licence is needed | 2 - 4 months | Executing specific contracts under the parent company's name |
| Representative Office | 100% (non-revenue generating) | 3M THB minimum, brought in over 3 years | 60-day official decision period (FBA s.17), then licence within 15 days | Market research and liaison activity with no local sales |
Thai Limited Company
BOI Promoted Company
US Treaty of Amity Company
Foreign Business License (FBL)
Branch Office
Representative Office
Document pack
Gather these before your first call with Settlr Global to shave days off your timeline.
Cost
DBD's government fees for registering a Thai limited company are flat: THB 500 to register the Memorandum of Association and THB 5,000 to register the company, THB 5,500 in total. On top of that come THB 200 stamp duty on the Memorandum (and THB 200 on articles of association, if used) and small per-document charges: THB 100 per certificate of registration, THB 40 per certificate item and THB 50 per certified page. The full schedule is in the table below.
Settlr's Company Incorporation service starts from ฿25,000 (one-time fee), as listed on our pricing page. For a full first-year budget, read how much it really costs to start a business in Thailand in 2026.
DBD's published service time is 1 hour 25 minutes once documents are complete, or 2 working days if another agency must approve. In our experience, Settlr typically completes the process in 14 to 21 days; this is our estimate, not an official figure. Your 13-digit DBD registration number is also your corporate tax ID, so there is no separate tax ID step. If the company will sponsor foreign work permits, plan for paid-up capital of THB 2 million per permit for a Thai company, or THB 3 million brought in from abroad per permit for a foreign company.
Government fees
What the Department of Business Development charges to register a Thai limited company. These are fixed amounts from the DBD's published fee schedule and registration guides, listed separately from Settlr Global's service fee.
| Fee | Notes | Amount (THB) |
|---|---|---|
| Memorandum of Association registration | DBD | 500 |
| Limited company registration | Flat fee under the current ministerial regulation | 5,000 |
| Certificate of registration | Per certificate | 100 |
| Affidavit / certificate of particulars | Per item | 40 |
| Certified copy of registration documents | Per page | 50 |
| Stamp duty on the Memorandum of Association | Per the DBD memorandum guide | 200 |
| Stamp duty on the articles of association, if any | Per the DBD establishment guide | 200 |
Sources: DBD: Memorandum of Association registration guide, DBD: Company establishment registration guide, Ministerial Regulation on registration fees B.E. 2563
A Thai limited company is one whose capital is divided into equal shares, with each shareholder liable only for any amount unpaid on their shares (Civil and Commercial Code, section 1096). Under the Foreign Business Act B.E. 2542, a company that is 50% or more foreign owned is itself treated as a foreigner, so outside BOI promotion, a Foreign Business Licence or the US Treaty of Amity, foreign shareholding in a standard Thai limited company is capped at 49%.
Sources: Civil and Commercial Code, section 1096, DBD: Foreign Business Act guidance (May 2025)
FOR THAI NATIONALS
When every shareholder is a Thai national, the foreign ownership rules, 49% caps, and work permit ratios simply do not apply. The DBD filing is the same core process, but faster and lighter on documentation.
Thai-majority and fully Thai-owned companies can structure share allocation freely, without the 49% foreign shareholding limit that applies to foreign investors.
The 2M THB paid-up capital per work permit rule only applies when the company plans to sponsor foreign employees. A Thai-only company can register with registered capital as low as required for the business activity.
Filings without foreign shareholder documentation, translations, or notarization need less preparation, so in our experience Settlr typically completes them in 14 to 21 days; this is our estimate, not an official figure. DBD's published service time is the same for every filing: 1 hour 25 minutes once documents are complete, or 2 working days if another agency must approve.
Thai-owned SMEs still qualify for BOI promotion where relevant, the SME corporate tax rate (0% on the first 300,000 THB of profit), and government SME support schemes.
How we handle the complexity. Our structured approach minimizes friction and accelerates your path to market.
We shield you from government bureaucracy and physical paper queues. Our local experts navigate the nuances of the Ministry of Commerce and Revenue Department on your behalf, ensuring compliant and timely submissions.
We manage all director and shareholder documents in a secure, verified environment. Say goodbye to scattered emails and lost physical copies. Your corporate record is organized, accessible, and ready for regulatory review.
We go beyond simple incorporation. Our team ensures you are truly ready to do business, handling post-registration essentials like non-immigrant visas, corporate banking setup, and social security registration.
Questions
Yes. Settlr Global serves Thai entrepreneurs registering their first company, Thai owned SMEs that want payroll, accounting, tax or legal support handled by one team, and foreign owned businesses alike. The process for Thai founders is simpler because foreign ownership rules do not apply, and our team handles the full DBD registration either way.
Yes, in specific cases. Full foreign ownership is possible through BOI promotion, a Foreign Business License, or the US Treaty of Amity for American citizens. Outside these routes, foreign shareholding in a standard Thai Limited Company is capped at 49 percent. Settlr Global assesses which route fits your activity before you commit to a structure.
DBD's published service time for registering a standard Thai Limited Company (Memorandum of Association and company together) is 1 hour 25 minutes once the registrar has confirmed the documents are complete, 2 working days if another agency must approve, or 37 working days if the registration is opposed. In our experience, Settlr typically completes the registration stage in 14 to 21 days, and the corporate bank account, VAT registration and Social Security registration follow after that; these are our estimates, not official figures. BOI-promoted companies also need BOI approval: the official review is 40, 60 or 90 working days depending on investment size, counted from complete documents, and the promotion certificate follows within 10 working days of complete certificate documents. Practical end-to-end timelines run longer once document preparation and company registration are included; this is not an official figure. Settlr Global prepares your Memorandum of Association, shareholder structure and all DBD filings so nothing stalls the timeline.
DBD's government fees for registering a Thai limited company are flat: THB 500 to register the Memorandum of Association and THB 5,000 to register the company, plus THB 200 stamp duty on the Memorandum (and THB 200 on articles of association, if used) and small per-document charges for certificates and certified copies. Settlr's Company Incorporation service starts from ฿25,000 (one-time fee), as listed on our pricing page. DBD's published service time is 1 hour 25 minutes once documents are complete, or 2 working days if another agency must approve; in our experience, Settlr typically completes the process in 14 to 21 days, and this is our estimate, not an official figure.
You need passport copies of directors and shareholders, the company name reservation, registered office address in Thailand, the Memorandum of Association, share structure details, and director signatures on the DBD application forms. Settlr Global prepares every document and files with the Department of Business Development on your behalf.
For foreign work permits, the Ministry of Labour's guideline is THB 2 million of paid-up capital per permit for a Thai company, or THB 3 million brought in from abroad per permit for a foreign company, up to 10 permits. Separately, a foreign-owned company must meet the Foreign Business Act minimum capital: at least THB 2 million, or at least THB 3 million for each business that needs a Foreign Business Licence. BOI promoted companies follow the capital stated in their promotion. Capital does not need to sit untouched in a bank account, but it must be properly documented.
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