Company Formation | Investor Visa | Banking Assistance | Compliance Support
| Scope of Services |
Essential
BHD 350
|
Professional
BHD 500
|
Enterprise
BHD 600
|
MOST POPULAR
Executive
BHD 750
|
Premier
BHD 1,200
|
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Initial Consultation | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
| Application Processing through Professional Body (Without POA) | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
| Commercial Registration Application | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
| Security Clearance & Name Approval | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
| Preparation & Submission of Project Summary | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
| Commercial Address Lease Registration | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
| EWA Account Opening (If Applicable) | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
| Drafting of Company Legal Documents (MOA) | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
| Bank Account Opening Documentation | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
| Notary Assistance | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
| Commercial License Activation | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
| LMRA Registration | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
| Company Stamp Issuance | - | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
| Dedicated Account Manager | - | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
| Priority Bank Account Assistance | - | - | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
| BCCI Registration | - | - | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
| GOSI Registration | - | - | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
| Bahrain Investor Visa Application | - | - | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
| Bahrain ID Assistance for Investor | - | - | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
| Medical Appointment Scheduling | - | - | - | ✓ | ✓ |
| Banking & Medical Visit Assistance | - | - | - | ✓ | ✓ |
| Personal Bank Account Assistance for Investors | - | - | - | ✓ | ✓ |
| Online Banking Activation Support | - | - | - | ✓ | ✓ |
| VAT Registration | - | - | - | ✓ | ✓ |
| Complimentary Document Expiry Reminder (1 Year) | - | - | - | - | ✓ |
| Multi-Currency Banking Activation | - | - | - | - | ✓ |
| One-Year Business License Compliance Management | - | - | - | - | ✓ |
Transparent fee structure for Bahrain company formation and regulatory approvals.
| Fee Category | Amount (BHD) | Type |
|---|---|---|
|
Trade Name Reservation
|
BHD 50.000 | One-Time |
|
Commercial Registration Issuance
|
BHD 50.000 | One-Time |
|
Activity Licensing (First 3 Activities)
|
BHD 100.000 | Annual |
|
License Issuance
|
BHD 20.000 | One-Time |
|
Deed Notarization (Private)
|
BHD 125.000 | One-Time |
|
Municipality Pre-Approval
|
BHD 10.000 | One-Time |
|
Municipality Deposit (Refundable)
|
BHD 100.000 | Refundable Deposit |
|
BCCI Membership
|
BHD 16.000 | Annual |
* All fees are processed through the Sijilat (Ministry) digital portal and supported with official payment receipts.
The cost of company formation in Bahrain has three parts: the Fahdan package fee (BHD 350 to BHD 1,200, shown above), government charges paid through the Sijilat portal (estimated in the table above), and costs that depend on your setup, such as office rent, visas and document attestation. These six factors move the total the most.
Common choices are a WLL (limited liability company), a branch of a foreign company, a representative office, a partnership or a B.S.C. (shareholding company). The type decides which documents you prepare and whether a memorandum of association (MOA) must be drafted and notarised.
It also sets your yearly duties. WLLs, B.S.C.s and foreign company branches must file audited annual reports with the Ministry of Industry and Commerce (MOIC) within six months of the financial year-end.
Every activity on your Commercial Registration (CR) is licensed. The first three share one activity-licensing charge (see the table above), and each extra activity adds to the yearly charge.
Some activities also need another authority's approval, such as a Central Bank of Bahrain licence for regulated financial services, and a few are not open to 100% foreign ownership.
Your company will need a registered commercial address. A virtual office in an approved business centre suits activities that run from a laptop. Activities that need storage, a workshop or a customer-facing counter usually need a traditional lease.
Rent is paid to the landlord or business centre, not the government. Compare your office options in Bahrain before you set a budget.
Foreign shareholders who want to live in Bahrain usually apply for an investor visa, and each foreign employee needs a work permit from the Labour Market Regulatory Authority (LMRA).
Visas bring their own charges, such as permit, health-care, medical test and ID card fees, and the LMRA also charges a monthly fee for each expatriate employee. The Bahrain investor visa application is included from the Enterprise package up.
Every package includes bank account opening documentation. Higher packages add priority bank assistance, help with a personal account for the investor, online banking and multi-currency activation.
The bank sets its own charges and any balance requirements. Any share capital you pay in stays the company's money; it is not a fee.
Individual shareholders mainly need clear passport copies and proof of address. Corporate shareholders and parent companies must provide documents such as the certificate of incorporation and a board resolution. These are usually notarised, then apostilled or embassy-attested, depending on the country that issued them.
The cost depends on how many documents need attesting and where they were issued. See the company formation document checklist.
Some costs are paid once, when the company is formed. Others repeat for as long as the company operates, so they belong in your first-year budget too. For example, the Commercial Registration must be renewed every year through Sijilat.
| Cost | When you pay | Paid to |
|---|---|---|
| Fahdan formation package (Essential to Premier) | One-Time | Fahdan |
| Registration charges: trade name, CR and licence issuance, deed notarisation, municipality pre-approval (see table above) | One-Time | Government, via Sijilat |
| Municipality deposit (see table above) | Refundable | Government, via Sijilat |
| Notarisation and attestation of foreign or corporate documents | One-Time | Notary and attestation authorities |
| Investor visa or work permit, medical test and ID card for each person (first issue) | When Issued | Government bodies and approved medical centres |
| CR renewal and activity licensing | Annual | Government, via Sijilat |
| BCCI membership | Annual | Bahrain Chamber of Commerce and Industry |
| Office or virtual office lease, plus electricity and water where applicable | Per Lease | Landlord or business centre |
| Work permit and residence permit renewals | Per Renewal | LMRA and NPRA |
| LMRA fee for each expatriate employee | Monthly | LMRA |
| Social insurance contributions for employees, including end-of-service contributions for expatriate staff | Monthly | Social Insurance Organization (SIO) |
| Accounting, VAT returns (if registered) and the audited annual report (where required) | Ongoing | Your accountant and an auditor registered with MOIC |
We do not list amounts here because they depend on your activity, office and the number of people on visas. For figures, use the Estimated Government Charges table above, get an instant estimate from our company formation cost calculator, or ask us for an official quotation. Government charges can change, so confirm current rates with us before you set your budget. Last reviewed: 28 September 2026.
Company type and package are separate choices. The package sets the support Fahdan provides. The company type (WLL, branch, representative office, partnership or B.S.C.) changes the documents, notarisation and government steps. Tell us the type you are considering and we will confirm the right package and its scope in your quotation.
Suits: founders who already have residency, or who do not need an investor visa through the company.
Includes: every core setup step in the table above, from consultation, CR application and MOA drafting to bank account documentation, licence activation and LMRA registration.
Suits: founders who want one named contact to manage the whole process.
Adds to Essential: company stamp issuance and a dedicated account manager.
Suits: foreign founders who need Bahrain residency as an investor. This is the first package that includes the investor visa.
Adds to Professional: priority bank account assistance, BCCI registration, social insurance registration (listed as GOSI in the package table), the Bahrain investor visa application and Bahrain ID assistance.
Suits: founders moving to Bahrain who want their personal banking and medical steps handled, and businesses that will register for VAT.
Adds to Enterprise: medical appointment scheduling, banking and medical visit assistance, personal bank account assistance for the investor, online banking activation and VAT registration.
Suits: founders who want the first year of licence compliance managed for them.
Adds to Executive: one-year business licence compliance management, a complimentary one-year document expiry reminder and multi-currency banking activation.
Start with the structure. Our guide to company formation in Bahrain explains the company types and how the process works.
When renewal time comes, our business licence renewal service can handle your CR renewal and compliance checks.
With 17+ years of experience in Bahrain, we will talk you through the likely costs of your setup before you commit.
Book Free ConsultationPrefer to talk now? Call +973 3360 2509 or WhatsApp +973 1734 3582.
Straight answers to what founders ask most about the cost of setting up a company in Bahrain.
No. The package price covers Fahdan's services. Government charges are paid separately: they are listed in the Estimated Government Charges table on this page and paid through the Sijilat portal with official receipts. Our cost calculator adds the package fee, government charges, office and visa costs together for an estimated total, and we issue an official quotation after reviewing your exact requirements.
The Enterprise (BHD 600), Executive (BHD 750) and Premier (BHD 1,200) packages include the Bahrain investor visa application and Bahrain ID assistance for the investor. The Essential and Professional packages do not, so they suit founders who already have residency or do not need a visa through the company.
Plan for the yearly CR renewal and activity licensing, BCCI membership, your office lease, visa and work permit renewals, LMRA monthly fees and social insurance for staff, plus accounting and, for WLLs, B.S.C.s and branches, the audited annual report. The amounts depend on your setup, so our cost calculator shows an estimated annual renewal next to the setup cost. The Premier package includes one year of business licence compliance management.
Not always. Under National Bureau for Revenue (NBR) rules (checked September 2026), VAT registration is mandatory once your annual taxable supplies exceed, or are expected to exceed, BHD 37,500. You can register voluntarily once your annual taxable supplies or expenses exceed BHD 18,750. VAT registration is included in the Executive and Premier packages.
Pay for what you need now. Pick the package that matches the support you need, keep to three activities if that covers your business (the first three share one activity-licensing charge), use a virtual office if your activity qualifies, and add employee visas as you hire.
Yes. Our online company formation cost calculator gives an instant estimate of setup and annual renewal costs. For a firm figure, book a free consultation: we review your activity, company type, office and visa needs, then issue an official quotation.
A streamlined approach designed to simplify company formation in Bahrain.
Discuss your business activity and requirements.
Prepare and submit all required documents.
CR registration, approvals, and licensing.
Banking, visa, VAT, and operational activation.