Overview
Company registration in Uganda is governed by the Companies Act 2012 and administered by the Uganda Registration Services Bureau (URSB).
Types of Companies
- Company limited by shares — most common for business purposes
- Company limited by guarantee — typically for non-profits
- Unlimited company — rare, members have unlimited liability
Step 1: Reserve a Company Name
Apply to URSB to reserve your proposed company name. The name must:
- Not be identical or confusingly similar to an existing company
- Not contain restricted words without approval
- End with "Limited" or "Ltd" (for limited companies)
Step 2: Prepare Incorporation Documents
- Memorandum of Association: States the company name, registered office, objects, and liability of members
- Articles of Association: Internal governance rules (or adopt Table A as default)
- Statement of nominal capital
- Form 1: Statement of first directors and secretary
- Form 3: Statement of registered office
Step 3: File with URSB
Submit all documents along with the prescribed registration fee to URSB.
Step 4: Obtain Certificate of Incorporation
URSB reviews the documents and issues a Certificate of Incorporation, which is conclusive evidence that the company is duly incorporated.
Step 5: Post-Incorporation Requirements
- Register with the Uganda Revenue Authority (URA) for a TIN
- Register for VAT if applicable
- Open a corporate bank account
- Obtain any sector-specific licences
Important Notes
- A private company can have between 1 and 100 members
- At least one director must be a natural person and a resident of Uganda
