Business Registration & Compliance

Company Registration
in Uganda

From entity selection and URSB registration to trading licences, tax registration and ongoing compliance. We handle every step so you can focus on building your business.

3–10 Business Days
4 Entity Types
UGX 105k URSB Base Fee
Why It Matters

Uganda's business environment rewards those who start right

Uganda Registration Services Bureau (URSB) administers the Online Business Registration System (OBRS), Uganda's fully digital registration portal. A properly structured entity with the right share capital, registered address and directorship which protects you legally, unlocks banking facilities, and qualifies you for government procurement.

Foreign investors must also navigate UIA requirements (minimum USD 250,000), KCCA trading licences for Kampala operations, and URA tax registration. We coordinate all agencies on your behalf, providing a single point of accountability from incorporation to first invoice.

Business registration documents and corporate compliance in Uganda
What's Included

End-to-end registration and compliance

Company Name Search & Reservation

URSB name search and reservation fee. We check availability, advise on naming rules and reserve your chosen name before lodging documents.

URSB Company Incorporation

Preparation and filing of Memorandum & Articles of Association, Form 18, Form A1 and all prescribed forms. Certificate of Incorporation issued digitally via OBRS.

KCCA Trading Licence

Kampala Capital City Authority business licence based on your grade, category and your business location.

URA Tax Identification Number

Uganda Revenue Authority TIN registration (completed within 1–3 business days). Required for all tax filings, banking and supplier contracts.

Registered Office Address

Provision of a compliant registered address in Kampala for statutory purposes, including receipt of official URSB and URA correspondence.

Foreign Branch Registration

External company registration for international firms operating in Uganda. We prepare the certificate of incorporation, parent-company resolution and appointment of local representative.

Annual Returns Filing

Statutory annual returns filed within 42 days after your AGM. Non-compliance attracts a UGX 500,000 penalty and risks deregistration. We manage the deadline for you.

VAT & PAYE Registration

VAT threshold is UGX 150 million annual turnover. We assess your obligation and complete URA registration for VAT and PAYE payroll tax as required.

UIA Investment Licence

For foreign-owned enterprises meeting the USD 250,000 minimum investment threshold. The UIA issues a free 48-hour investment licence that confers additional protections and incentives.

Official Fees & Timelines

Know the cost range of registration

Name Reservation
UGX 35,000 +
URSB OBRS portal fee. Reserved for 30 days.
Company Registration
UGX 105,000 +
For share capital up to UGX 5 million. Higher capital attracts sliding-scale stamp duty.
Foreign Branch
USD 70 +
External company (branch) registration at URSB.
Annual Returns
UGX 55,000+
Filed within 42 days of AGM. UGX 500,000 penalty for late filing.
KCCA Trading Licences

Kampala business licence fee schedule

Business Grade Category Est. Annual Fee (UGX) Notes
Grade 1 General Trade – Central 150,000 + Kampala CBD operations
Grade 1 General Trade – Other Divisions 120,000 + Makindye, Kawempe, Rubaga, Nakawa
Grade 2 Professional Services 80,000 – 200,000 + Consultancies, advisory firms
Grade 3 Manufacturing / Industrial 200,000 – 500,000 + Factory classification by output volume
Grade 4 Financial Services 500,000+ Micro-finance, forex bureaux

Fees are set by KCCA byelaws and reviewed periodically. Quinton Hill advises on the correct classification to avoid overpayment or penalties.

Our Process

How we register your business

01

Discovery & Entity Advice

Free 45-minute call. We assess your ownership structure, liability preferences, investment size and sector to recommend the optimal entity type — Private Limited Company, Sole Proprietorship, Partnership, Branch or NGO.

02

Document Collection & Verification

We provide a precise document checklist tailored to your entity type and shareholder nationalities. For foreign nationals: notarised passport copies, home-country company documents (apostilled where required), director consent forms.

03

URSB Filing & Registration

We prepare and file all documents via the URSB OBRS portal. Name reservation secured within 24 hours. Certificate of Incorporation typically issued within 3–5 business days for standard private companies.

04

Tax & Licence Registration

Simultaneous URA TIN application (1–3 days), KCCA trading licence application, and VAT/PAYE assessment. Your business is legally operational and tax-compliant before we close the engagement.

05

Compliance Calendar & Handover

We deliver a compliance calendar with all statutory deadlines (AGM, annual returns, licence renewals), a company register and digital copies of all certificates. Optional: ongoing compliance retainer for annual filings.

Why Quinton Hill

We know the system and how it actually works

  • Relationships with URSB, KCCA and URA officials built over a decade of filings
  • Single point of accountability across all agencies, no chasing between departments
  • We advise on share capital structuring to minimise stamp duty legally
  • Alert service: URSB deregistered 50,003 companies in December 2025 for non-compliance. We track your status actively
  • Post-registration support: bank account opening letters, shareholder agreements, company seals
  • Bilingual documentation support for East African Community filings
10+
Years filing at URSB
48h
UIA investment licence
100%
Digital — no in-person queues
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Register your Uganda company in days, not months

Free discovery call. Proposal within 48 hours. No commitment required.

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