Type of Company |
International Trading
Company, International Holding Company. |
Company Law
|
Companies Act 1995. All
company, tax and maritime laws are modelled on their UK counterparts. |
Capital requirement |
Minimum issued share
capital - Lm500, 20% paid up.
Minimum authorized share capital - Lm500.
Share capital may be denominated in any currency. |
Classes
of shares |
Different kind of
shares. |
Restrictions on
activity
|
Not allowed to undertake
business in financial services, unless special consent or license is
given. ITCs and IHCs should trade outside Malta. An ITC is a normal
offshore company and its trading activities are carried out from Malta,
but not in Malta.
[more info] |
Taxation |
Yes, but credits/refunds
are given upon receipt of dividends, resulting in 0-10% tax in the hands
of shareholders.
Malta Companies can
request their tax status in advance and guarantee the tax position of
the company for 5 years even if the tax legislation may change during
that period.
[Malta Company Taxation] |
Double Tax Treaties |
Malta has an extensive network of
double tax agreements. |
Annual Returns |
Yes. |
Annual Return filing
fee |
EUR120 - EUR585 depending
on share capital.
|
Annual License Fee |
NIL. |
Annual Financial
Reporting |
Yes, annual accounts
must be submitted. |
Registered Office &
Registered Agent |
A Registered Office must
be maintained in Malta. |
Company Secretary |
Yes, must be a physical
person and must be resident of Malta. |
Directors |
Minimum of one. Can be
of any nationality and residence and can be a physical person or a
corporate entity. |
Shareholders |
Minimum of two, or one
in cases where shareholder is a company. |
Disclosure of
Beneficial Ownership |
No, if a licensed
nominee company is used. |
Disclosure of
shareholders |
Yes. |
Disclosure of
directors |
Yes. |
Bearer shares |
No. |
Exchange controls |
None |
Language of Name |
Can be incorporated in
Latin Alphabet. |
Name restrictions |
Any name which the
Registrar considers undesirable, obscene or offensive and names such as
royal or imperial, or which suggests the patronage of Malta government. |
Language of corporate
documentation |
English |
Timescale for
incorporation |
24 hour express service
possible |
Shelf companies
possible |
Yes |
Legislation for Money
Laundering Prevention |
Yes |
Suffixes to denote
Limited Liability |
Limited or Ltd. |