How to register a company in Namibia: steps
Register a company in Namibia through BIPA, then register for tax and permits. A plain step-by-step sequence, and what we could not verify.
Summary
Companies and close corporations in Namibia are registered with the Business and Intellectual Property Authority (BIPA), after which the business registers for tax with the revenue agency. The order is name, incorporation, tax, then employer and permit steps if they apply. Fees and processing times were not published on the official pages we could open, so confirm them before you plan around a date.
Who registers businesses in Namibia?
BIPA is the central body for business and intellectual property registration, administration and regulation. It was established under section 3 of the BIPA Act, 2016 (Act No. 8 of 2016) and is a public enterprise under the Public Enterprises Governance Act, 2019. Its homepage lists registration services for defensive names, close corporations, and companies: external or foreign, public, private, and Section 21 or non-profit. Its headquarters are at 172 Jan Jonker Road, Ausspanplatz, Windhoek.
What are the steps to register a company in Namibia?
Based on BIPA's listed services and the revenue agency's business tax page, the sequence runs like this:
1. Check availability. BIPA offers a business name search and an online name reservation service. 2. Choose a structure. BIPA registers close corporations and several company types. Pick the one that fits your owners, liability and reporting needs, ideally with an accountant or lawyer. 3. Submit the registration application and pay the application fee. Fees sit on linked BIPA pages that we could not read, so we do not quote amounts. 4. Track the application. BIPA's homepage has a tool to verify application status. 5. Register for tax with the Namibia Revenue Agency (NamRA). Its business tax page covers registration, documents, income tax, VAT, PAYE and deadlines, and mentions the ITAS system. 6. Meet ongoing duties. BIPA lists annual returns, beneficial ownership registration and certificates of good standing.
We did not verify processing times, document lists or Social Security Commission employer registration from an official source, so those steps are left for you to confirm.
When must a business register for VAT?
A post by the revenue agency, reported by VATupdate on 21 August 2026, put the mandatory VAT registration threshold at N$1,000,000 in taxable turnover in any 12-month period, raised from N$500,000 under recent tax amendments. The report did not state an effective date and did not address voluntary registration. Older guides still show N$500,000, so check the current rule with the agency.
What changes for foreign founders?
The Ministry of Home Affairs introduced an Employment Permit to Conduct Business, effective 1 September 2026, for qualifying foreign investors and business owners. Fragomen reports that it can run up to five years, compared with about two years for the existing Investor Permit, with a government fee of N$2,600 payable on approval. Applications go manually through the Namibia Investment Promotion and Development Board (NIPDB), which assesses the investment and its likely economic impact before forwarding eligible files to the Chief of Immigration. The Immigration Selection Board decides. Foreign nationals who do not qualify can still apply under the existing Investor Permit.
How should a builder structure a first business?
This is analysis, not legal advice. Decide three things before filing: who owns what, whether the venture will take outside capital, and which sector rules apply. A structure that works for a two-person service business may be awkward if you plan to bring in investors or a funder. The youth scheme described in our funding guide requires registration only after approval, so you can validate the plan first, but a registered entity is needed to contract, invoice and open accounts.
Keep a folder from day one with your registration certificate, tax number, beneficial ownership filing and annual return dates. Late filings create avoidable problems, and lenders and investors ask for these documents early. For more on routes into the market, see our guides on investing in Namibia and on Development Bank of Namibia SME finance.
How we compiled this
Last verified: 30 October 2026. This is original analysis written from the public sources listed below. Figures are quoted as the source reported them and dated where they are older. Where sources disagreed or an official page gave no detail, we say so rather than fill the gap. Spotted an error? Tell us through the contact page and we will correct it.
Sources
- Business and Intellectual Property Authority, "Home page", accessed 30 October 2026, https://www.bipa.na
- Namibia Revenue Agency, "Business Tax", accessed 30 October 2026, https://www.namra.org.na/business-tax
- VATupdate, "NamRA raises VAT registration threshold to N$1 million", 21 August 2026, https://www.vatupdate.com/2026/08/21/namra-raises-vat-registration-threshold-to-n1-million/
- Fragomen, "Namibia: Employment Permit to Conduct Business", 24 August 2026, https://www.fragomen.com/insights/namibia-new-investor-and-business-owner-permit-introduced.html
- The Brief, "DBN lends over N$1 billion to SMEs", 30 June 2026, https://thebrief.com.na/2026/06/dbn-lends-over-n1-billion-to-smes/