FAQ

According to the Lebanese Commercial Code:

Foreign companies operating in Lebanon are subject to a registration obligation which differs according to the form of the company.

1- Public limited companies and limited by shares:

These companies are required to request their registration with the Trade Register in the jurisdiction of which their branch or agency is located, as well as with the Ministry of National Economy and Trade.

To this end, they must produce:

A- To the Ministry of Economy and National Trade:

• A declaration in duplicate mentioning:
• The name of the company.
• The head office.
• Social capital.
• The original or a copy of the memorandum of association of the company.
• The full text of the statutes.

These documents must be certified as true by the competent social body and legalized by the competent authority of the registered office. These companies must also appoint a representative who, by the sole fact of this designation, will have the power to conclude and sign any act relating to the operations of the company, provided for by the articles of association and to represent it before the courts of all degrees in quality of plaintiff, defendant or in any other capacity.

The Ministry issues, within two months from the date of delivery of the documents listed above and against payment of a fee, a receipt stating that the foreign company has completed the required formalities.

Any modification of the articles of association, any increase or decrease in capital and any replacement of authorized representatives must also be declared to the Ministry. The merger with another company and the declaration of bankruptcy will be brought to the attention of the Ministry under the same conditions. A receipt for the declarations made will be issued.

As long as the required declarations have not been made, the company will not be able to invoke, vis-à-vis the persons who have dealt with it and vis-à-vis third parties, the modifications made to the articles of association and the other changes referred to. above.

B- In the Trade Register:

A declaration in duplicate mentioning:

• The names and surnames of the partners other than the shareholders and limited partners, the date, place of birth and nationality of each of them.
• The business name or name of the company.
• The social form.
• The object of the company.
• The places where the company has branches or agencies, either in Lebanon or abroad.
• The names of persons or third parties authorized to administer, manage or sign on behalf of the company.
• Social capital.
• An extract from the deed of incorporation of the company.

Any modification of the articles of association, any increase or decrease in capital and any replacement of authorized representatives must also be declared to the Trade Register. The merger with another company and the declaration of bankruptcy will be brought to the attention of the Register under the same conditions. A receipt for the declarations made will be issued.

2- Other companies:

They must request the registration of their branch or their agency in the Trade Register within whose jurisdiction the establishment concerned is located.

The authorized representative of the foreign company must file an extract from the constituting act of the company and a declaration in duplicate with the following information:

• The names and surnames of the partners, the date, place of birth and nationality of each of them.
• The business name or name of the company.
• The social form.
• The object of the company.
• The head office and headquarters of the branch or agency of 1 & amp; company in Lebanon.
• The amount of share capital.
• The names of partners or third parties authorized to administer, manage or sign on behalf of the company.

This information can be obtained from the Commercial Register at the Commercial Court of Beirut. As well as official certificates. For this you will need to have a correspondent on site, it is not possible to obtain them by mail.
You can also get some items online at the site: http://cr.justice.gov.lb/

The Commercial Register in Lebanon is not computerized and the required documents are photocopies which must be obtained from the Commercial Court. Usually law firms provide this service.

KBIS is simply the registration at the Commercial Court. The easiest procedure is to contact a lawyer in Lebanon, he can get you the information you want from the register, it is public.

You have two options:

1. Creation of a representative branch in Lebanon:
   You must have at least one representative office in Lebanon:
   – Certify the statutes of the French Society by the Lebanese Embassy in Paris, for foreign affairs in Beirut
   – Make a translation by a sworn translator
   – Obtain a certificate from the Ministry of the Economy that the Company is neither an Insurance Company nor a Financial Company (in which case there would be an additional procedure.
   – Register at the Commercial Court
   – Register at the Chamber of Commerce
2. Creation of a one-person limited liability company for which there would be only one manager:
   It is necessary to register a trading company in Lebanon. The procedure is significantly shortened and you do not need a Lebanese partner.

Either way, it’s a lawyer’s job.

The customs tariff of raw materials is not limited to the distinction of one of the goods, but is distributed over most customs chapters according to the harmonized customs system.
For this reason, please find the link of the customs tariff to determine the goods and the related code and customs duties
http://www.customs.gov.lb/Tariff/ Tariff.aspx