Registering a company in Pakistan is more accessible than most founders expect – but choosing the wrong structure at the start creates expensive fixes later. This guide covers the options, the process, and the mistakes to avoid.
Your structural options
- Private Limited (SECP): separate legal identity, limited liability, credibility with corporate clients and investors. The default choice for startups.
- Single Member Company: all the above with one shareholder – built for solo founders.
- Partnership / AOP: simpler, cheaper, partners share liability. Common for professional firms.
- Sole proprietor + NTN: lightest option for freelancers and micro-traders.
The registration journey
Reserve a name with SECP, prepare the memorandum and articles (or partnership deed), file with director/partner CNICs and addresses, answer any registrar queries, then obtain your NTN from FBR and sales tax registration if applicable. With complete documents, expect one to three weeks.
After incorporation: the part people forget
Registration is the beginning, not the end. Annual SECP filings, bookkeeping, advance tax and yearly income tax returns all follow. Ask your advisor for a first-year compliance calendar on day one – it’s the cheapest insurance your company will ever buy.
Our registration service handles the entire journey, documents to NTN, for founders across Pakistan.
Need help with your taxes? Try our free calculators or let our experts file your return for you.