Authorised Company FAQ

A company incorporated under the Companies Act that is mostly owned or controlled by a non-citizen of Mauritius, does its business mainly outside Mauritius and has its central management and control outside Mauritius must apply to the FSC for an authorisation (section 71A(1) FSA).

Yes. Foreign ownership is in fact part of the statutory test. The ownership question is developed in who may hold the shares.

Yes. Central management and control must sit outside Mauritius. If decisions are in practice taken on the island, the company's classification and its tax position can change, so day-to-day control deserves care.

No. A Global Business Corporation is governed by section 71 FSA and must be managed and controlled from Mauritius, with resident directors. An Authorised Company falls under section 71A and is managed from abroad. Comparing the two is left to the dedicated resources of the network.

The company is expected to operate mainly outside Mauritius. Local activity is treated in trading inside Mauritius.

Unless the FSC Rules provide otherwise, five categories from the Fourth Schedule of the FSA are closed to it: banking, professional management of collective investment schemes, financial services, corporate services (head office, nominee, directorship, secretarial) and professional trusteeship. See the limits of the structure.

Financial services are among the barred categories, so regulated activity of that kind is generally out of reach. Check the specific business model with an adviser before relying on any assumption.

The application goes to the FSC through an FSC-licensed corporate service provider (Management Licence), in the form the FSC decides and with the information, documents and fees set by the FSC Rules. The Chief Executive grants the authorisation on behalf of the Commission.

Every Authorised Company must have a registered agent in Mauritius at all times, and that agent must be an FSC-licensed corporate service provider (Management Licence). The agent files the returns required by the FSA, the Income Tax Act or the Companies Act, passes on communications from the FSC, the Mauritius Revenue Authority (MRA) and the Registrar, applies anti-money-laundering rules and keeps the records.

Yes, but since 1 August 2024 a change of registered agent must be accompanied by the fee set by the FSC Rules (section 71A(7)(b) FSA).

The FSA does not impose resident directors on an Authorised Company, unlike the Global Business Corporation. The practical answer is in the directors page.

Under the Companies Act, a company must have a secretary who is an adult individual ordinarily resident in Mauritius, except a small private company or an Authorised Company.

Every Mauritian company must record its beneficial owner, and any nominee, in a separate register (Companies Act 2001, section 91(3A)). The Registrar keeps a Beneficial Ownership Register open to competent authorities and prescribed public bodies; the Companies Act does not describe it as public. Details: ownership privacy.

A company that acts as an Authorised Company without authorisation commits an offence punishable by a fine of up to MUR 1,000,000 (section 71A(12) FSA). The same ceiling applies to carrying on global business without a licence.

Since 1 October 2024 the FSC must grant an application within 10 working days of its being judged complete (section 17B FSA), except applications filed before that date. Requested information must be supplied within 15 days, and an application that does not meet the requirements is deemed withdrawn (section 17A).

The official CBRD guide says a company is registered in half a day, and the Customer Charter refers to half an hour after correctly completed forms are filed, except for Global Business Companies, which need prior FSC approval. Total timing also depends on due diligence and bank onboarding, which sit outside those figures.

Since 1 July 2026 (Government Notice No. 119 of 2026) the authorisation carries a processing fee of USD 600 and an annual fee of USD 1,400. The annual amount excludes the Registrar's annual registration fee of USD 65, or another amount the Registrar sets.

Yes, by the quarter in which the authorisation is granted: USD 1,400 for July to September, USD 1,050 for October to December, USD 700 for January to March and USD 350 for April to June.

The USD 1,400 becomes USD 1,750 if paid within a month after the due date, USD 2,100 between one and three months late and USD 2,800 between three and six months late. For the 2026-27 cycle the FSC extended the payment deadline to 30 September 2026, with payment through the FSC One platform. More in annual fees.

At the 1 July 2026 scale, a GBC pays USD 600 on processing and then USD 2,600 a year, which is USD 1,200 more each year than the Authorised Company.

Under the Registrar's guide of 4 April 2025, registering an Authorised Company costs USD 100. Other entities listed in that guide pay different amounts in rupees.

In its communiqué of 10 July 2026 the FSC said processing fees had not moved since the 2008 rules and annual fees had not been reviewed since 2019. It presented the reform as the implementation of a 2025/26 budget measure and justified the adjustment for Authorised Companies by their higher inherent risk profile.

The Income Tax Act sets 15% of taxable income under Part IV of the First Schedule, subject to special regimes. Whether and how that applies to your company depends on its income, its residence and the exemptions available; see taxation.

A company is resident if incorporated in Mauritius or if its central management and control is there (section 73(1)(b)). Under section 73A, a Mauritian company controlled from abroad is treated as non-resident, but it must still file a return under section 116.

No. The 10% Alternative Minimum Tax of section 44A does not apply to a global business entity, a category that includes Authorised Companies. It targets hotels, insurers, financial intermediaries, property companies and telecommunications companies.

The Second Schedule exempts 80% of foreign-source dividends received by a company, provided the dividend was not deducted in the source country and the company meets the substance conditions. Interest is covered by the same 80% exemption under similar conditions. Exemptions are conditional, so confirm eligibility before assuming any result.

Two filings matter. The company must send the MRA an income tax return, whether or not it is taxable, within 6 months after the end of the month in which its financial year closes (section 116 Income Tax Act); filing and payment are electronic. It must also lodge a financial summary with the FSC no later than 6 months after year-end (section 71A(10) FSA). The full routine is in annual obligations.

Banks decide case by case, and rejection is common when the business is not clearly explained. The options and the evidence banks ask for are in banking for an offshore company.

The new criterion effective 1 September 2026 (section 71(3)(b)(vi) FSA) concerns Global Business Corporations. It does not appear among the section 71A obligations, so confirm your own position with your provider.

No. For a planned global business the FSC may issue a letter of intent setting the licence conditions, but it can be revoked at any time without reasons and does not guarantee a grant (section 72(7)-(8) FSA).

It authorises the company, sets the rules your provider applies and receives your yearly financial summary. The role is described in the FSC page.

Follow the step-by-step route to opening a company, then use the contact form if you want your request passed to an FSC-licensed corporate service provider (Management Licence).