A private limited company known as “Sendirian Berhad” or “Sdn Bhd” in the local language, established under the Companies Act 2016. It is a separate legal entity from its owners, offering protection of liability for its shareholders.

Registration Requirements

1. Proposed Company Name: You must have a proposed company name which has to be unique from the existing companies. 
2. Nature of business: You must provide the intended business nature to register a company.
3. At Least One Director: You need to have a minimum of one director who is at least 18 years old and resides in Malaysia. This person cannot be bankrupt or convicted of serious offences.
4. At Least One Shareholder: A shareholder can be an individual or a corporate body. A single person can be both the director and the shareholder, which is common for new startups.

A Qualified Company Secretary: Under the Companies Act 2016, every private limited company must appoint a company secretary within 30 days of incorporation. This isn’t just an administrative role; the company secretary is a licensed professional who ensures your company complies with all legal regulations governed by the Suruhanjaya Syarikat Malaysia (SSM).

Step-by-Step Registration Guide

Here’s a step-by-step guide to register a private limited company (Sdn. Bhd.) in Malaysia under the Companies Commission of Malaysia (SSM):

✅ Step 1: Choose a Company Name

Firstly, you must select a unique company name from SSM’s online system (MyCoID) to verify its availability. Once the name is available, you can reserve it through “Name Search.” The reservation costs RM50 for each name and is valid for 30 days.

✅ Step 2: Prepare Required Information

Once you reserve a company name, you must gather additional required information and documents. Generally, the following information is required: 

•  The company name must be approved in step 1.
• Nature of the business which is undertaken to operate a business in Malaysia.  Typically, Malaysia allows the registration of a company that can operate in one of three specific business categories. 
•  The registered address, known as the secretarial address, is used to receive legal documents from SSM.
• The minimum paid-up capital is RM 1, but it can be increased to a reasonable amount, such as RM 1,000, during the registration process. You can increase this amount later by providing proof of the stated amount, either in cash or assets. 
• At least one director and one shareholder are required. The maximum number of directors allowed is 50. During the registration process, you need to provide details for each director and shareholder, including a copy of an IC or passport, email address, phone number, and at least one residential address.

✅ Step 3: Register Company Online

Typically, a company secretary is hired to register a private limited company in Malaysia; however, an individual can also register a company and create a MyCoID, but they must appoint a company secretary within 30 days of the registration date. Once you have the information from stage two ready, you can register a company. You must follow these instructions to register a company online.  

• Log into SSM’s MyCoID system
• Fill in the Superform (Section 14—Company Details).
• Constitution (optional)
• Declaration of compliance (Section 201)
• Pay a registration fee of RM1,010 to SSM.

✅ Step 4: Receive Notice of Incorporation and other documents.

• Once the application of company registration is submitted to SSM, the result of registration is out in 3-5 working days. If SSM sends any queries to clarify or justify the information provided, you must supply satisfactory responses and resubmit your application. SSM will send the notice of registration or incorporation (Section 15) once all information is satisfied. 
• Other company documents can be obtained from SSM once the company is successfully registered, such as the certificate of registration (Section 17), Super Form (Section 14), and company profile or information.
• At this stage, you are required to appoint a company secretary (Section 58) and establish a registered address to complete the company registration process.

✅ Step 5: Post-Registration Tasks

Upon registering a company, you must complete the following tasks before starting a business: 

• You must obtain a local authority licence that includes both premises licence and signboard licence, which are mandatory before launching a physical business in Malaysia.
• Other business licenses related to the nature of business must be approved for starting a business too, such as CIDB licenses for construction businesses, WRT for trading trading businesses ( if the majority of equity is foreign-owned), tourism licenses for travel-related services, etc. 
• Open a company bank account, which is optional, but most businesses now-a-days require a bank account for proper business management. 
• Register with LHDN (tax the tax authority) to declare employment, file tax returns, and manage e-voicing.
• Register for SOCSO, EPF, and EIS if you are hiring staff. Failure to contribute to the employee welfare fund is offensive.
• You must submit compliance during a company’s post-registration process. 

Your Journey Starts Now

Would you consider registering your private limited company (Sdn Bhd) with us to ensure accuracy and efficiency? Our experts can handle the whole process while you focus on growing your business.

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