Business Registration
Company Registration Cost in Pakistan (2026): The Complete Fee Breakdown
Published 25 October 2026 by SARN Consulting, Islamabad · Last updated: October 2026
Key takeaway
Registering a private limited company in Pakistan costs Rs 15,000–30,000 all-in for a standard case: SECP's own official fees are roughly Rs 2,000–4,000 (passed through at actual) and the rest is professional service work. Incorporation typically completes in 2–5 working days once documents are ready, with the company NTN issued automatically.
The short answer
For a standard private limited company — two or three Pakistani directors, a registered office in place, no foreign shareholders — the total cost of incorporation in 2026 lands between Rs 15,000 and Rs 30,000, all-in. That covers the professional work: name reservation, MEMO and AOA drafting, the incorporation filing on SECP's eZahir portal, the company NTN (which issues automatically at incorporation), and bank account support.
SECP's own official fees sit inside that range at roughly Rs 2,000–4,000 for a small company, depending on your capital band and filing mode. SECP revises its fee schedule periodically, so the exact current figure is confirmed in writing before anything is filed — but the government's share of your cost is the small part. What you are really paying for is drafting quality and structure advice, because a company set up cheaply and badly is expensive to fix.
The complete cost table
Foreign directors or a wholly-owned subsidiary change the arithmetic: attestations, additional declarations and sometimes embassy paperwork justify a quote after review rather than a fixed number. If a quotation covers that case without asking about the foreign shareholders' documents, be suspicious of it.
| Item | Typical cost (2026) |
|---|---|
| Name reservation (SECP) | Rs 200 – 500, included in all-in quotes |
| SECP incorporation fee (small company) | approx. Rs 2,000 – 4,000, at actual |
| Professional service fee — all-in incorporation | Rs 15,000 – 30,000 |
| Company NTN | Rs 0 — issued automatically at incorporation |
| Company bank account | Rs 0 — banks charge nothing; we prepare the file |
| Sales tax enrolment (STRN), if needed | from Rs 15,000 |
| PSEB registration (IT exporters), if needed | from Rs 10,000 |
What SECP's official fees depend on
Two variables move SECP's share of the cost: the authorised capital you state, and how you file. Higher capital bands pay higher incorporation fees on a published slab; the online portal route is cheaper than paper filing. For the small companies most founders start — capital under Rs 100,000 — the online fee sits at the bottom of the range above.
A word on choosing capital: state the capital you actually intend to inject and can justify. Inflated authorised capital raises SECP fees and creates expectations in later filings; too little capital complicates banking. This is a five-minute decision with a consultant and a recurring headache without one.
How long each step takes
| Step | Typical time |
|---|---|
| Name reservation | Same day to 1 working day |
| Incorporation filing + certificate | 2 – 5 working days |
| Company NTN | Automatic with incorporation |
| Company bank account | 2 – 7 days, depends on the bank |
| Sales tax enrolment (if taken) | 3 – 10 working days after incorporation |
The costs nobody mentions: year one
An honest cost conversation does not stop at incorporation. A company is a compliance machine that runs every year, and budgeting for it is part of deciding whether to incorporate at all:
- Annual SECP compliance (statutory returns, annual return): from Rs 15,000 / year.
- Annual income tax return with accounts: from Rs 15,000 for a small company.
- Bookkeeping: from Rs 15,000 / month if outsourced — or done in-house if you have the hands.
- Statutory audit once required (by threshold, lender, or contract): quoted per engagement.
- Missing these is what actually costs money: SECP additional fees grow daily, and FBR penalties compound. The compliance calendar we hand over with every incorporation exists precisely so none of this surprises you.
Company vs sole proprietorship: the cost comparison
If those right-column advantages matter to you this year, the extra Rs 10,000–20,000 of setup cost is trivial against what it protects. If they do not, a proprietorship with a clean NTN does the job — and we will tell you so plainly in the free consultation before quoting anything.
| Sole proprietorship | Private limited company | |
|---|---|---|
| Setup cost | Rs 5,000 – 10,000 | Rs 15,000 – 30,000 |
| Setup time | 1 – 2 days | 2 – 5 working days |
| Liability | Personal — you and the business are one | Limited to the company |
| Annual compliance | Light — one return | Real — SECP + FBR + accounts |
| Credibility with banks/tenders | Moderate | Strong |
| Best for | Low-risk personal trading | Partners, contracts, growth, funding |
How to compare incorporation quotes
Quotes in the market range from suspiciously cheap to padded. Five checks keep you honest-market:
- Ask for all-in versus itemised: what exactly is included — name reservation, MEMO/AOA drafting, NTN, bank support?
- Confirm SECP official fees are shown separately at actual, not marked up silently.
- Ask who drafts the MEMO and AOA — a qualified person who will also handle your later compliance, or a form-filler.
- Insist the fee is fixed in writing before work starts.
- Ask what happens at year one: a firm that mentions the compliance calendar unprompted is the firm that answers its phone in March.
Frequently asked questions
How much does it cost to register a private limited company in Pakistan in 2026?
Rs 15,000–30,000 all-in for a standard case, including professional service fees and SECP official fees of roughly Rs 2,000–4,000 at actual. Foreign directors, wholly-owned subsidiaries and capital-heavy structures are quoted after review.
Are there monthly costs after company registration?
No government charges monthly fees. The real ongoing costs are annual: SECP compliance from Rs 15,000/year, the company tax return from Rs 15,000, and bookkeeping from Rs 15,000/month if outsourced. Budgeting for these at incorporation is what keeps year one penalty-free.
What is the minimum capital to start a private limited company?
There is no statutory minimum paid-up capital for a private limited company in Pakistan — you state the capital you actually intend to inject. Practical minimums come from your bank's account-opening expectations and your own operating needs; most small companies start with modest capital and increase it later when it suits.
How long does company registration take?
With documents ready: name reservation same day, incorporation certificate in 2–5 working days, NTN automatic, bank account in another 2–7 days depending on the bank. Foreign shareholders add attestation time.
Can I register the company myself on SECP's portal?
Yes — the eZahir portal allows direct filing. What the service fee buys is drafting quality (the MEMO/AOA follows you for the company's life), structure advice on capital and clauses, and someone accountable for objections and corrections. Founders with simple needs do register themselves; those with partners, investors or foreign shareholders usually should not.
Published by SARN Consulting, Islamabad. General information, not a substitute for advice on your specific facts.
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