Lebanon free zones
- The Lebanese government operates three Free Trade Zones: i) the Port of Beirut’s Free Trade Zone ii) the Port of Tripoli’s Free Trade Zone and iii) Selaataa’s Free Trade Zone;
- Starting a free zone company in Lebanon provides businesses with advantages including: i) custom exemptions on imports and exports and ii) subsidized warehousing space;
- In order to conduct operations in the FTZs, a company must i) apply to the relevant Port Authority and ii) provide a security deposit representing 1 year of warehousing rental.
| Free zone comparison | Port of Beirut FTZ | Port of Tripoli FTZ | Selaataa FTZ |
|---|---|---|---|
| FTZs used mostly by which industry? | Shipping and packing | Shipping and packing | Shipping and packing |
| Average annual warehousing space rent per 1000 sq. m. | US$20,000 | US$10,000 | US$8,000 |
| How long to set the company up? | 4 weeks | 4 weeks | 4 weeks |
| How long to open company bank account? | 4 weeks | 4 weeks | 4 weeks |
| Quality of utilities | Excellent | Good | Average |
| Average | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Allowed to invoice Lebanon Clients? | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Corporate tax payable in Lebanon | 15% | 15% | 15% |
| Corporate bank account? | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Physical office space required | No | No | No |
| Allowed to import raw materials? | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Allowed to export goods? | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Can be wholly foreign owned | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Can the entity hire expatriate staff in Lebanon? | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Minimum number of directors | 1 | 1 | 1 |
| Minimum number of shareholders | 3 | 3 | 3 |
| Tax registration certificate required | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Individual shareholders allowed | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Corporate shareholders allowed | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Corporate director(s) allowed | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| LLC company allowed? | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Annual audited financial statements | Yes | Yes | Yes |
