What is a Legal Representative in Peru? Role and Requirements

Every company in Peru requires a legal representative. In this quickstart guide, we make a summary of the important aspects of the legal representative, which is an essential part of your company formation in Peru.

1. What is a Legal Representative?

Every Peruvian company must have a general manager (gerente general), who is its legal representative by law. The first one is appointed in the incorporation deed, and the company can also grant powers of attorney to other representatives for specific tasks.

The Legal representative is the individual responsible to act on behalf of the shareholders of a company.

2. Who can be a Legal Representative?

The general manager must be an individual of legal age. The law does not require Peruvian nationality, so a foreigner can be appointed. 

In practice, the representative signs before SUNAT, banks, notaries and other authorities in Peru, which usually expect a Peruvian ID (DNI) or a foreigner’s ID card (carné de extranjería). That is why non-resident founders usually appoint a general manager who lives in Peru and keep powers for themselves as additional representatives.

3. When do you appoint the Legal Representative?

The first general manager is named in the incorporation deed. Later changes do not require amending the bylaws: the shareholders’ meeting or the board approves the change, it is registered with SUNARP, and the new representative is updated in the RUC with SUNAT.

4. What are the activities of the Legal Representative?

The legal representative acts in the best interest of the company and usually performs various tasks such as completing processes in Public Registries, signing contracts, and opening bank accounts. Essentially, any activity that allows your business to operate in the country. Since the Legal Representative acts on behalf of the company owners, this also can limit what the legal representative can or cannot do. In addition to this, the legal representative is the first point of contact for government authorities.

5. Easyco and Legal Representation. What to expect?

Easyco can provide a resident legal representative in Peru as an additional service. Easyco corporate experts bring a proven track record of legal representation kept to high standards, helping you with your company requirements and business formation in Peru.

6. Video: how a company is set up in Peru

The video below summarizes the incorporation process, including where the legal representative signs.

Get help from Easyco

Easyco coordinates company formation in Peru up to the issue of the RUC, and supports companies afterwards with tax, accounting, payroll and legal representation. Contact us to discuss your project.

Easyco also provides:

• Providing a registered office address
• Handling tax and accounting
• Payroll and employer of record services
• Support with your corporate bank account opening
• Trademark registration with INDECOPI
• Recruiting and hiring