Legal Update on Company Registration Fees in Tanzania 2026: The New BRELA and Registrar Fee Schedule
Tanzania company registration fees 2026: The new BRELA and Registrar fee schedule under Government Notice No. 158M has officially gone into effect, introducing sweeping changes to corporate incorporation and compliance costs across the country.
INTRODUCTION
The cost of incorporating and maintaining a company in Tanzania has changed following the introduction of the Companies (Fees Payable to the Registrar) (Amendment) Regulations, 2026. Published by the Government on 30 June 2026 as Government Notice No. 158M of 2026, the new Regulations came into operation on 1 July 2026 and replaced the previous fee schedule under the Companies (Fees Payable to the Registrar) Regulations, 2014.
The changes affect more than the initial cost of incorporating a company. They introduce a revised fee structure for company registration, name reservation, annual returns, statutory filings, searches, certification, registration of charges, restoration of companies and filings by foreign companies registered in Tanzania.
For entrepreneurs, investors, directors, company secretaries and legal practitioners, understanding the new fee structure is therefore important when budgeting for incorporation and ongoing corporate compliance.
- What Has Changed?
The most significant change is that company registration fees are now structured according to the company’s nominal share capital, with additional brackets extending to companies whose nominal share capital exceeds TZS 10 billion.
Under the new regime, registration fees for companies with share capital range from TZS 95,000 to TZS 1,000,000, depending on the nominal share capital.
Companies without share capital are subject to a separate registration fee of TZS 500,000.
The Regulations also revise a number of fees applicable to post-incorporation transactions and corporate compliance.
Importantly, the revised fee regime should not be confused with the total cost of establishing a business in Tanzania. Registrar fees are only one component. Depending on the circumstances, a company may additionally incur professional fees, tax-registration costs, licensing fees, stamp duty and sector-specific regulatory costs.
- New Company Registration Fees in Tanzania for 2026
The registration fee for a company with share capital is determined according to its nominal share capital. The 2026 schedule is as follows:-
| Nominal Share Capital | Registration Fee |
| More than TZS 20,000 but not more than TZS 1,000,000 | TZS 95,000 |
| More than TZS 1,000,000 but not more than TZS 5,000,000 | TZS 175,000 |
| More than TZS 5,000,000 but not more than TZS 20,000,000 | TZS 260,000 |
| More than TZS 20,000,000 but not more than TZS 50,000,000 | TZS 290,000 |
| More than TZS 50,000,000 but not more than TZS 100,000,000 | TZS 400,000 |
| More than TZS 100,000,000 but not more than TZS 500,000,000 | TZS 450,000 |
| More than TZS 500,000,000 but not more than TZS 1,000,000,000 | TZS 500,000 |
| More than TZS 1,000,000,000 but not more than TZS 10,000,000,000 | TZS 600,000 |
| More than TZS 10,000,000,000 | TZS 1,000,000 |
These are the statutory registration fees payable to the Registrar and are determined by the company’s nominal share capital.
The new structure therefore creates a significantly wider graduated fee schedule than the previous regime, particularly for companies with substantial capitalization.
- What Does “Nominal Share Capital” Mean?
The registration fee is linked to the company’s nominal share capital, not necessarily the amount of money physically deposited into the company’s bank account at incorporation.
Nominal share capital refers to the aggregate nominal value of the shares that a company is authorised or structured to issue, depending on the company’s particular capital structure.
For example, if a company is incorporated with nominal share capital of TZS 5 million, the applicable registration-fee bracket is the one covering amounts over TZS 1 million but not exceeding TZS 5 million, attracting a registration fee of TZS 175,000.
The choice of share capital should therefore be made as part of proper corporate structuring rather than simply selecting an arbitrary figure for registration purposes.
- How Much Does It Cost to Reserve a Company Name in Tanzania?
The 2026 fee for reservation of a company name is TZS 50,000. This is separate from the company’s incorporation fee.
Accordingly, an entrepreneur who first reserves a name and subsequently incorporates a company should budget for both the name-reservation fee and the applicable incorporation fee.
The fee for subsequently changing the company’s registered name is TZS 22,000
The new fee schedule therefore distinguishes between the initial reservation of a company name and a later formal change of the company’s name.
- How Much Is the BRELA Annual Return Fee in 2026?
The statutory fee for filing an annual return is TZS 22,000. Annual returns are an important part of a company’s continuing statutory compliance obligations.
The obligation to file annual returns should not be overlooked simply because a company is dormant, has not generated revenue or has not actively traded.
Companies should maintain a compliance calendar to ensure that annual returns and other required filings are submitted within the applicable statutory timelines.
BRELA has previously emphasised the requirement for companies to file annual returns and financial statements through its online system.
- What Happens If a Company Files Late?
Late statutory filings attract additional charges.
Under the 2026 fee schedule, the late filing fee for a document required to be delivered to the Registrar is TZS 2,500 per month or part of a month
This is particularly important because the charge can continue accumulating for every month, or part of a month, that a required filing remains outstanding.
For example, a company that delays a required filing for several months may incur the ordinary filing fee plus accumulated late-filing charges. Timely corporate compliance is cheaper than regularising an overdue filing.
- Fees for Company Searches and Certification
The revised schedule also provides fees for accessing and obtaining information from the corporate registry. Among the relevant charges are:-
| Service | 2026 Fee |
| Perusal/search of a company file | TZS 5,000 |
| Customised company search report | TZS 30,000 |
| Certification of a document, per page | TZS 3,000 |
| Copy of Certificate of Incorporation/Certificate of Compliance | TZS 10,000 |
| Filing a document to ascertain authenticity of facts lodged by a company | TZS 5,000 |
| Restoration of a company to the Register | TZS 50,000 |
These services can be particularly relevant during due diligence, mergers and acquisitions, financing transactions, corporate restructurings and acquisition of shares.
For example, a prospective investor conducting due diligence on a Tanzanian company may require an official search report and certified corporate documents before proceeding with an investment.
- Registration of Charges: An Important Change for Borrowing Companies
One of the more commercially significant aspects of the new fee regime concerns the registration of charges. A charge may arise where a company creates security over its assets in favour of a lender or another creditor.
The 2026 fee schedule adopts a graduated structure based on the amount secured. The applicable fees are:-
| Amount Secured | Registration Fee |
| Not exceeding TZS 100 million | TZS 22,000 |
| More than TZS 100 million but not exceeding TZS 500 million | TZS 50,000 |
| More than TZS 500 million but not exceeding TZS 1 billion | TZS 100,000 |
| More than TZS 1 billion | TZS 150,000 |
This is particularly relevant to companies obtaining bank financing, shareholder loans, asset financing and other forms of secured corporate borrowing.
The registration cost should therefore be included when preparing the legal and transaction budget for corporate financing.
- What Are the Fees for Foreign Companies?
The 2026 Regulations also significantly revise fees applicable to companies incorporated outside Tanzania and registered in Tanzania under Part XII of the Companies Act. The revised fees include:-
| Foreign Company Filing | Fee |
| Registration of certified constitutional documents | TZS 2,000,000 |
| Other Part XII filings, other than balance sheet | TZS 600,000 |
| Filing of balance sheet | TZS 600,000 |
| Late filing, per month or part thereof | TZS 70,000 |
The increase is particularly relevant to multinational companies and foreign investors operating through branches or other forms of registered foreign-company presence in Tanzania.
Foreign investors should therefore consider the cost implications of choosing between a Tanzanian subsidiary and a foreign- company/branch structure at the structuring stage.
- Does the New Fee Regime Apply Only to New Companies?
No. Although the changes are particularly relevant to entrepreneurs incorporating companies after 1 July 2026, the Regulations also affect existing companies because they govern fees for various continuing corporate services.
Existing companies may encounter the revised fees when filing annual returns, filing statutory documents, registering charges, changing company names, obtaining certified documents, requesting searches, restoring a company to the Register or undertaking other transactions requiring Registrar services.
Consequently, existing companies should also review their corporate compliance budgets.
CONCLUSION
The introduction of the Companies (Fees Payable to the Registrar) (Amendment) Regulations, 2026 marks an important update to Tanzania’s corporate registration and compliance framework.
For businesses incorporating from 1 July 2026 onwards, the applicable Registrar fees should be assessed according to the new schedule. Existing companies should similarly take the revised fees into account when planning statutory filings, financing transactions, searches, certifications and other corporate transactions.
For entrepreneurs, the changes reinforce the importance of obtaining proper corporate advice at the formation stage. The objective should not merely be to identify the cheapest registration fee, but to establish a corporate structure that is legally appropriate for the company’s ownership, financing and long-term commercial objectives.
For existing companies, the changes provide another reason to maintain proper corporate records, monitor filing deadlines and ensure that statutory information remains current.
Companies should therefore review their incorporation and compliance budgets against the 2026 fee schedule and ensure that all future BRELA filings are made using the applicable current requirements.
Disclaimer: This Article is provided for general information only and does not constitute legal advice. Specific legal advice should therefore be obtained before taking or refraining from any action.
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