Company registration
What Does It Cost to Register and Run a Thai Company for the First Year?
Published 27 Oct 2026
1. One-time company setup costs
- Professional fee for preparing and supporting the company registration
- Government filing charges
- Translation, notarisation or legalisation of foreign documents where required
- Foreign-business, BOI or sector-specific work where relevant
- Tax, VAT, employer or other operating registrations where applicable
Corporly uses a defined scope and fixed professional fee for a standard registration. Foreign ownership, regulated activities or unusual structures are scoped separately, and government charges are identified separately from the professional fee.
2. Capital is not the same as a fee
Registered or paid-up capital belongs to the company's funding structure. It should not be added to the budget as if it were a professional or government charge, although the appropriate amount affects how much money the founders must fund.
3. First-year accounting and compliance
- Bookkeeping, accounting and applicable tax filings
- Preparation and audit of annual financial statements
- Annual shareholder meeting documents
- Shareholder-list filing and maintenance of company share records
- Corporate changes if directors, capital, address or other registered details change
These are ongoing company costs rather than part of the incorporation filing. A Thai private limited company must continue maintaining its records and completing its annual corporate and financial work after registration.
4. Costs created by the operating plan
- Visa and work-permit applications for foreign personnel
- Employer and Social Security registration
- Business licences or activity-specific permissions
- Registered-office, banking and document-certification requirements
- Ongoing company secretarial support
How to request a useful quotation
Ask for the quotation to separate professional fees, government charges, third-party costs, recurring work and exclusions. Also confirm whether it covers only registration or the steps needed for the company to begin operating.
Key rules at a glance
| Rule | Source |
|---|---|
| Before registration, at least 25% of the value of each share payable in cash must be called and paid. | Civil and Commercial Code ss.1105, 1110, 1111 |
| Minimum capital for a foreigner starting a business is at least THB 2 million, and at least THB 3 million for a business that needs a licence under the Act's lists. | Foreign Business Act s.14; Ministerial Regulation 2019 |
| A business must apply for VAT registration within 30 days of its annual turnover exceeding THB 1.8 million. | Revenue Code s.85/1; Royal Decree No. 432 |
| The first general meeting is held within six months of registration, then at least once every 12 months. | Civil and Commercial Code s.1171 |
| The audited balance sheet is approved at a general meeting within four months of the balance-sheet date. | Civil and Commercial Code s.1197 |
| The list of shareholders is sent to the registrar at least once a year, no later than 14 days after the annual general meeting. | Civil and Commercial Code s.1139 |
The practical conclusion
Budget for the first year as a set of workstreams, not one registration price. The total depends on the ownership, activity, staffing, licences, transaction volume and level of ongoing support the company needs.
This article provides general information. Exact professional fees, government charges and third-party costs should be confirmed for the proposed scope.
Frequently asked questions
Questions about Company registration
No. At least 25% of the value of each share payable in cash must be called and paid before the company is registered (Civil and Commercial Code ss.1105, 1110 and 1111). The rest can be called later.
Build the budget around the full first-year scope
Corporly's registration intake confirms the incorporation scope, professional fee, government charges and connected next steps before work begins.