How to Set Up a Company in the Dominican Republic (2026): 8 Steps

To set up a company in the Dominican Republic in 2026, you choose a company type (we recommend the S.R.L. for foreigners), register the trade name with ONAPI, sign and notarize the bylaws, pay the 1% incorporation tax on the authorized capital to the DGII, register the company in the Mercantile Registry of the local Chamber of Commerce, get your RNC tax ID from the DGII and open a bank account. Foreigners can own 100% of the company and the whole process can be done remotely, but you must appoint a Legal Representative with valid Dominican Republic residency. It takes about 2 months once all required documents are in hand.

Want to compare structures first? See the types of companies in the Dominican Republic.

How to set up a company in the Dominican Republic: 8 steps

At Easyco, we give you a step-by-step guide to setting up your company in the Dominican Republic.

1. Decide which type of company suits your business needs the best

   To decide which type of company is the best for your business, it is important to keep in mind the number of members or shareholders, the capital available, and the size of the company. These are some of the most popular types of companies in the Dominican Republic:

   • Limited Liability Company (Sociedad de Responsabilidad Limitada, S.R.L.): recommended for foreigners. The most common type of company in the Dominican Republic. It needs 2 to 50 partners. Capital: No legal minimum capital since 2019 (Law 68-19). In practice most SRLs are registered with around DOP 100,000, and a 1% incorporation tax on the authorized capital is paid to the DGII. Each quota must be worth at least RD$100.

   • Simplified Corporation (Sociedad Anónima Simplificada, S.A.S.): at least 2 shareholders, and shares can be issued to investors. Capital: minimum authorized capital of RD$3,000,000, of which at least 10% must be subscribed and paid in.

   • Corporation (Sociedad Anónima, S.A.): suited to larger companies. At least 2 shareholders and a board of at least 3 members. Capital: minimum authorized capital of RD$30,000,000, of which at least 10% must be subscribed and paid in (shares have a minimum value of RD$1).

   • Individual Limited Liability Company (Empresa Individual de Responsabilidad Limitada, E.I.R.L.): a business owned by a single individual, with its own legal personality and the owner’s liability limited to the capital contributed. Capital: set by the owner in the incorporation document.

   • Foreign Branch Office: for larger international companies that want to operate in the Dominican Republic without creating a new company. The branch is not a separate legal entity from its parent company, and it must appoint a Legal Representative.

2. Appoint a Legal Representative and sign the Power of Attorney

   If your shareholders are not present in the Dominican Republic, a Power of Attorney will be required that allows your legal representative to carry out the process locally. This Power of Attorney has to be signed by the corresponding party. The whole process can be done remotely, but you must appoint a Legal Representative with valid Dominican Republic residency.

   Also, consider that for foreign shareholders, additional documentation will be required.

   All documentation that comes from abroad must be duly legalized and apostilled (if applicable). These hard-copy documents must be sent to the Dominican Republic. Finally, consider that documentation that is not in Spanish, will require translations to be accepted by the local agencies.

3. Register the trade name with ONAPI

   Once you decide on the right structure for your company and appoint a Legal Representative, register the company’s trade name with the Oficina Nacional de la Propiedad Industrial (ONAPI), which checks that the name is unique and distinguishable and issues the trade name certificate.

4. Draft the company’s bylaws

   The bylaws documentation allows for the constitution of the company in the Dominican Republic. This document is going to work as the backbone of the company and rule the way it is managed. Consider that this document has to include:

   • Company name

   • Information about the Legal Representative

   • Information on the share capital

   • Registered office address

   • Management structure

   • Extinction and liquidation detail plans

   All this information needs to be reviewed by a local lawyer and notarized by a public notary in the Dominican Republic.

5. Pay the 1% incorporation tax to the DGII

   Before filing with the Mercantile Registry, you pay the incorporation tax to the Dirección General de Impuestos Internos (DGII): 1% of the company’s authorized capital, never less than RD$1,000. It is paid at authorized banks or DGII offices.

6. Submit the documents to the Chamber of Commerce

   Once the tax is paid, the documents are filed with the Chamber of Commerce to register the company in the Mercantile Registry (Registro Mercantil).

   The Mercantile Registry is a service offered by the Chamber of Commerce and Production of Santo Domingo. Its goal is to make it easier for companies in the registration process to promote the formalization of businesses.

   This is the list of documents needed:

   • Signed and notarized bylaws

   • General Constitutive Assembly

   • List of shareholders and their contribution to the company

   • Application Form

   • Receipt of payment of the 1% incorporation tax

   • ONAPI trade name certificate

   It is important that a lawyer prepares and reviews all the documents so they can be approved fast and without any problems. Once approved, your company officially exists.

7. Submit the registration documents to the National Taxpayers Registry

   The company also has to be registered as a tax contributor, the government agency in charge of this is the National Taxpayers Registry or Dirección General de Impuestos Internos (DGII). The DGII will assign a taxpayer ID in the way of a unique identification code, called Registro Nacional de Contribuyentes or RNC for the company according to the nature of the business.

   This process can be done online at the DGII platform and then the physical documents and files have to be sent to their offices. The required documents change according to the type of company that is going to be registered.

   Learn more in our guide to the RNC tax ID in the Dominican Republic.

8. Open a corporate bank account

   Finally, it is important to choose the right bank according to the company’s needs. Each bank offers different types of accounts with many benefits depending on the agreement and goals of the company. It is recommended that the bank offers good pricing structures for international transactions.

   Also, it is important to consider that some banks may have foreign transaction restrictions for companies that have foreign shareholders. It is crucial to take this into account as part of your company establishment strategy, as identifying a bank that has flexible policies will determine when your new company can start its operations.

   See how to open a corporate bank account in the Dominican Republic.

At Easyco we can help you successfully register your business!

The Dominican Republic is a country full of opportunities and always looking for foreign investments and companies to continue with economic growth. To make sure you register your company in the right way, you can get in touch with us. Our team of experts is going to make sure you comply with all laws and requirements.

Setting up an S.R.L. with Easyco costs USD 1,500–1,800 all-in (excluding the bank account) and takes about 2 months once all required documents are in hand. Also check the tax benefits in the Dominican Republic.

At Easyco, we make company formation in the Dominican Republic easy; our team of corporate experts has vast experience helping companies and individuals register their business in the Dominican Republic, with a proven track record of success across all of our services. Easyco aims to tackle the complex company formation processes across LATAM. We make business registration easy by providing a hassle-free online company registration experience. Start your company in the Dominican Republic today!