Zimbabwe company registration

DOING BUSINESS IN ZIMBABWE IN 2024

pay fee by instalmentsbusiness setup without travelGuaranteed solutions

Since 2003, Healy Consultants Group has assisted our Clients with business registration in Zimbabwe. Our services include i) Zimbabwe company incorporation ii) government license registration iii) business bank account opening iv) employee recruitment v) visa strategies and vi) office rental solutions.

Summary table of Zimbabwe company registration

Summary Tax resident LLC Fast business setup solution Representative office Trust
Also known as (Pvt) Ltd Fast business setup solution RO Trust
Best use of company? All products and services Close a customer deal now Marketing & research Tax planning
How soon can you invoice Clients/sign sales contracts? 2 months 2 weeks 2 months Cannot
How soon can you hire staff? 2 months 2 weeks 2 months Cannot
How soon can you sign a lease agreement? 2 months 2 weeks 2 months 1 month
How long to supply corporate bank account numbers? 3 months 3 weeks 4 months 2 months
How long to supply company/entity registration/tax numbers? 2 months 2 weeks 2 months 1 month
Corporate tax rate on annual net profits? 25% 25% 0% 0%
Limited liability entity? Yes Yes Yes Yes
Resident director/partner/manager/legal representative required? No No Yes No
Minimum /recommended paid up share capital? US$1 US$1 US$1 None
Can bid for Government contracts? Yes Yes Yes No
Corporate bank account location? Standard Chartered Stanbic Bank First Capital Bank Ecobank
VAT payable on sales to local customers? 15% 15% Cannot trade Cannot trade
Average total business set up engagement costs? US$17,700 US$27,960 US$16,500 US$19,600
Average total engagement period? 3 months 3 months 4 months 3 months


See full table

Accounting and tax considerations Tax resident LLC Fast business setup solution Representative office Trust
Statutory corporate tax payable? 25% 25% 0% 0%
Legally tax exempt if properly structured? No No Yes Yes
Must file an annual tax return? Yes Yes No No
Must file annual financial statements? Yes Yes Yes No
Monthly VAT reporting to the Government? Yes Yes No None
Must appoint an auditor? No No No Yes
Access to double taxation treaties? Yes Yes Yes None
Withholding tax on payments to foreign shareholders? 15% 15% Cannot trade None
Company Registration Tax resident LLC Fast business setup solution Representative office Trust
Resident director/partner/manager/legal representative required? No No Yes No
Minimum number of shareholders/partners? 1 1 1 No
Maximum shareholding for foreigners? 100% 100% 100% 100%
Minimum number of directors/managers? 1 1 1 1
Minimum / recommended statutory paid up share capital? US$1 US$1 US$1 US$1
Shelf companies available? Yes Yes No No
Time to incorporate a new entity? 7 weeks 3 weeks 8 weeks 6 weeks
Must sign an office lease agreement during incorporation? No No Yes No
Can easily convert to a PLC? Yes Yes No No
Public register of shareholders and directors? Yes Yes Yes Yes
Can have preference shareholders/partners? Yes Yes No No
Business Considerations Tax resident LLC Fast business setup solution Representative office Trust
Can secure residence visa for business owner? Yes Yes Yes Yes
Good entity for trademark registration? Yes Yes No No
Can secure an import and export license? Yes Yes No No

Sponsorship by a local citizen required? No
Our Client needs to travel to Zimbabwe for business set up? No
Temporary physical office solutions available? Yes
You need a local resident as bank signatory? No
Can be wholly foreign owned? Yes
The entity will likely be regulated by? DCIP
Shareholders & directors documents to be attested\translated? Yes
Each foreign director needs a personal income tax number? Yes
Foreign non resident director needs a residence visa? No
Maximum number of staff allowed? No maximum number for any entity
Expatriate to local staff ratio? None
Other useful information
What will be included in my customer sales invoice? Click link
This country has signed free trade agreements? Yes
This country is a member of WIPO/TRIPS? Yes
This country is a member of the ICSID? Yes
Average custom duties suffered? 5.43%
Government foreign investment approval required? Yes
Average monthly office rental? (US$ per sq m) US$9
Minimum statutory monthly salary? US$100
Average monthly US$ salary for local skilled employees? US$350
US$ deposit interest rate? (1 year average) 121.5%
Overseas remittance currency controls? None
Banking considerations
Multi-currency bank accounts available? Yes
Corporate visa debit cards available? Yes
Quality of e-banking platform? Average
Crowd funding available in this country? Yes
Group HQ tax incentives? No
Security deposit to be kept with Government? No
Can secure trade finance? Yes
Government grants available? Yes
Government approval required for foreign owners? No

Zimbabwe business setup summary

Press the link headings below to read detailed, relevant, up to date information.

  • Advantages and disadvantages

    Advantages of Zimbabwe company registration

    Register business in Zimbabwe

    1. Zimbabwe is one of the world’s poorest countries, suffering from monetary and political instability and high corruption. However, uncharacteristically high growth rates over the past few years have made Zimbabwe a more popular option for high-risk investors. Due to heavy government restrictions on foreign investment in most industries, a properly structured Zimbabwe company is a necessity for Zimbabwe to be a viable investment choice for entrepreneurs;
    2. Zimbabwe has been a member of the World Trade Organization since 1995 and thus, enjoys all of the benefits that membership provides;
    3. Zimbabwe is gifted with plentiful resources in both the mining and agricultural industries, with diamond and gold deposits being particularly large;
    4. Zimbabwe has seen growth rates from 4.2% to 4.5% in the past two years. While this is significantly higher than rates over the past decade, the economy seems set to continue showing similar growth rates, at least in the short term;
    5. A Zimbabwe Limited Liability Company (LLC) requires only 1 shareholder and 1 director;
    6. Zimbabwe company formation is inexpensive and does not have a minimum share value;
    7. It is easy to open global corporate bank accounts to support Zimbabwe business registration. Healy Consultants works with internationally recognized banks to provide corporate bank account services;
    8. Zimbabwe is developing new Export Processing Zones (EPZs). Benefits for companies incorporated in these zones will include i) a five-year tax holiday, ii) duty-free importation of raw materials and capital equipment for use in the EPZ, and iii) no tax liability from capital gains arising from the sale of property forming part of the investment in EPZs;
    9. English is one of the official language of Zimbabwe and is spoken by 41% of the population, mostly from business and administration environment. Therefore, foreign investors will be able to communicate with employees, customers and suppliers with not much trouble.

    Disadvantages of Zimbabwe company registration

    1. The government of Zimbabwe has implemented restrictions on foreign ownership of Zimbabwe companies. Although some industries still allow 100% foreign-ownership, several lucrative industries, such as the mining industry, restrict foreigners to a minority-ownership;
    2. The economy of Zimbabwe is relatively fragile. In 2009, Zimbabwe was forced to abandon its own currency due to constant hyperinflation;
    3. Zimbabwe company setup is complex and time consuming, requiring an average of 90 days to complete;
    4. Zimbabwe is negatively ranked 160th in terms of corruption, according to the 2018 Transparency International Index, a global measure of corruption amongst public officials and politicians;
    5. A Zimbabwe LLC is liable for a corporate tax rate of 25%, and may be liable for a VAT rate of 15% as well;
    6. Zimbabwe was negatively ranked as the 175th freest economy over 178 economies in the Heritage Foundation’s 2019 Index of Economic Freedom, a measure of freedom enjoyed in business, trade, monetary, financial investment and labor markets. A complete lack of monetary stability and having one of the world’s worst financial sectors were listed as the main reasons behind the poor rank;
    7. Zimbabwe is negatively ranked as the 127th most competitive economy over 150 economies in the world in the World Competitiveness Report 2019;
    8. Zimbabwe is negatively ranked as the 140th easiest country to do business in, over 189 countries according to the 2020 Doing Business Survey. The World Bank lists dealing with construction permits and resolving insolvency as the main barriers to business.
  • Best uses for a Zimbabwean company

    1. Zimbabwe is a great place to form a company in the agricultural and mining industries.

Contact us

For additional information on our business registration services in Zimbabwe, please contact our in-house country expert, Mr. Seth Ochieng, directly:
Director of Client Engagements - Seth
  • Mr. Seth Ochieng
  • Director of Client Engagements
  • Contact me!