Anguilla company structures: at a glance

Hawksford

Last updated: 27 August 2026 |

Americas | Anguilla

Options for registering companies in Anguilla

Anguilla is a British Overseas Territory in the Caribbean. Its corporate framework supports several legal structures that are used for domestic activity, international business operations and segregated asset arrangements.

Companies are registered through the Anguilla Commercial Registry, a department of the Anguilla Financial Services Commission. The Business Companies Act provides the principal framework for company registration and permits foreign ownership.

Each structure differs in legal identity, tax obligations, capitalisation requirements and operational control, directly influencing how foreign companies enter and manage the market.

Anguilla offers international investors the following legal structures for establishing a local presence:

Business company

A business company is a separate legal entity incorporated under the Anguilla Business Companies Act and is the successor corporate structure to the former International Business Company (IBC) regime.

A business company has separate legal personality and liability is generally limited to its shares. In contrast to a branch, it exists independently from its owners and may be wholly foreign owned.
Business companies are commonly used for trading, investment holding, financing and operational activities. They are recognised as the principal corporate vehicle under Anguilla company law.
No minimum share capital is required for a business company under the Business Companies Act. Companies determine their authorised share structure through their constitutional documents.
A business company requires at least one director and must maintain statutory records prescribed by legislation.
The corporate income tax rate is 0% under Anguilla's tax framework. Companies remain subject to record-keeping obligations, annual statutory requirements and registry filings where prescribed.
Beneficial ownership information is reported through Anguilla's corporate transparency framework. Physical signatory requirements for bank account opening are determined by individual financial institutions.
Unlike a protected cell company, a business company does not provide statutory segregation of assets and liabilities between separate cells. Regulated activities require additional licensing where prescribed by law.

Protected cell company

A protected cell company is a separate legal entity whose assets and liabilities are allocated between legally segregated cells and a general account.

A protected cell company is a corporate entity with segregated protected cell accounts. Unlike a domestic company, liabilities linked to one cell are separated from other cells.
This structure is commonly used for insurance, collective investment and approved segregated business arrangements. Cell assets and obligations are maintained separately by statute.
No minimum capital requirement is prescribed in the supplied official materials for registration as a protected cell company. Capital arrangements are governed by the relevant legal documents.
The company operates through its directors and must appoint a protected cell account representative. This role is specific to the protected cell company framework.
The stated corporate income tax rate is 0%. Protected cell companies remain subject to record maintenance, regulatory filings and applicable statutory obligations.
Beneficial ownership reporting applies through Anguilla's registration framework. Banking authorisation procedures are determined by the relevant financial institution and its compliance rules.
In contrast to an international business company, this structure is designed around statutory asset segregation between cells. Activities requiring regulatory approval remain subject to licensing conditions.

Comparison of the common types of companies in Anguilla

Key information	Business Companies (also known as ABC)	Protected Cell Company (PCC)
Commonly used for	Onshore and offshore activities	Insurance and asset management
Minimum capitalisation	None	None
Limited liability	Yes	Yes
Time to incorporate	1 week	2 weeks
Tax rate (CIT)	0%	0%
Resident management	No	No
Cost indication Includes Hawksford’s Fee	US$2,950	US$5,000

Any estimates published on Hawksford’s website set out indicative fees for entity formation, tax/VAT registration, a registered office address and estimated government filing fees. They do not include fees for additional services that may be required such as resident directors, licences for regulated activities, bank account setup, initial capital or other third-party charges. Actual setup costs can vary widely depending on the entity type, business activities, and structure. Terms and conditions apply. For a detailed, tailored quote, please contact us.

Updated on 27 August 2026

Information verified against Anguilla Financial Services Commission.