How to register a company in Malaysia? This guide will provide you information regarding how to do an SSM company search via ssm-einfo, how to complete the official forms to register for a company, and where to submit them. This article is written for those who intend to start a Sole Proprietorship or Partnership business in Malaysia only.
- If you are looking to register a Sdn Bhd Company, read our article on How to Register Sdn Bhd Company Online in Malaysia.
- If you are a non-Malaysian, read our article on How to Register a Company in Malaysia for foreigners.
Register your own company in Malaysia is not complicated. You just need to follow a few simple steps to get your company registered under Suruhanjaya Syarikat Malaysia (SSM). First, brainstorm at least three company names. Then, check the company name availability. After that, complete the form “BORANG PNA 42” to register for a Company Trade Name and the form “BORANG A” to register your Company. Head to SSM Head Office and submit the two forms. Remember to bring along your Identity Card (IC) and RM70 for company registration fees and business info print-out.
Suruhanjaya Syarikat Malaysia (SSM)
The Companies Commission of Malaysia (Suruhanjaya Syarikat Malaysia or SSM in Malaysia) is a statutory body which regulates companies and businesses. SSM, which came into operation on 16 April 2002, is a statutory body formed as a result of a merger between the Registrar of Companies (ROC) and the Registrar of Businesses (ROB) in Malaysia.
The main activity of SSM Malaysia is to serve as an agency to incorporate companies and register businesses as well as to provide company and business information to the public.
As the leading authority for the improvement of corporate governance, SSM fulfils its function to ensure compliance with business registration and corporate legislation through comprehensive enforcement and monitoring activities to sustain positive developments in the corporate and business sectors of the Nation.
SSM online (ssm e-info) is offering the public to purchase the financial information and profiles of all companies that registered with SSM Malaysia. You can acquire more information from SSM online here.
Register SSM online vs offline
The company registration can be done through online via Ezbiz Online services at ezbiz.ssm.com.my or manually at any SSM counter in Malaysia. For first-timers, you should be visiting the SSM counter for the registration. You can consult the friendly officer directly at the counter if you have any question. It is also recommended to apply for the Ezbiz Online services at the counter so that you can renew or modify your business details through the online system later on.
You might be interested to read the article on How to Register a Company through ezBiz Online.
Why should I register my online business with SSM?
- The business will become a legally registered entity
- It will boost your customer’s confidence level
- It also facilitates users to verify business information
- The business details submitted will assist the government to support any development of the business community and prospect.
- Only legally registered businesses will be able to apply for Malaysia Payment Gateway, like eGHL, iPay88, and more.
So, what are the steps to register a Company in Malaysia?
#1. Brainstorm Company Names (at least three)
It is recommended to get a trade name rather than your own personal name for your business. A company trade name will look more professional. You will need at least three name suggestions to be written down on the form “Borang PNA 42”, although only one will be approved for each company. A company name should be:
- Remarkable,
- Easy to remember, &
- Relevant to your business
Read the complete guide here: How to get a name for your company
Business name
There are differences between a business name and a trade name. A business name is the official name of the person or entity that owns the company. It is your business’s legal name. You use your business name on government forms and applications.
Trade name
On the other hand, the trade name is different from a business’s legal name. Business owners can use a trade name for advertising and sales purposes. The trade name is the name the public sees, like on a signboard and on your eCommerce store. It is recommended to use a similar term for both business name and trade name to avoid confusion.
#2. Check Company Name availability
Save your name search fee by checking the name availability with SSM online system. With a brief view of registered company names at SSM registry of companies, you will have a better idea to decide your new company name. This move will avoid using identical existing registered names and minimize the possibility of being rejected by SSM. It also will save you from incurring possible additional charges payable to SSM.
SSM Company Name Search Online System
- Visit to www.ssm-einfo.my
- Click on the icon stating “Register“
- Fill in the “Registration Form“, then submit
- Log in with your username & password
- Under Company & Business Information, click on the icon “Search“
- Enter your desired company name in the box “By Name“
- DONE! Name search result from SSM will be displayed!
If your desired name has already been taken, it will be listed down in a table. The search result will be empty if your desired name has not yet been registered with SSM.
You might be interested to read: SSM Company Name Search in Malaysia (Step-by-step Guide)
MYDATA Services
Another similar website to check your company name availability in Malaysia is MYDATA. Visit www.mydata-ssm.com.my to check the availability of your desired name in the search bar.
#3. Complete the form “BORANG PNA 42” to register a Company Trade Name
A business name represents the identity of the business carried out. A business name can be categorized into two types according to Guidelines For New Business Registration:
- Personal name as stated on the identity card is not required to apply for approval of the business name. For example, Ruslan bin Mohamed, Siow Ah Thai or, Ramasamy a/l Mutusamy.
- Trade Name is the name of the proposed business and must obtain prior approval from the Registrar of Business at Suruhanjaya Syarikat Malaysia. For example, Kedai Dobi Mewah, Lucky Star Catering, or ABS Unggul Enterprise.
For Trade Name registration, you need to fill in the top three desired names for your company in the first section of Borang PNA 42, followed by the type or nature of the business you are going to operate.
No business shall be registered by a name which contains any word that is:
- blasphemous or likely to be offensive to members of the public;
- misleading as to the nature, scope or importance of the business carried on or to be carried on under such name;
- offensive to any race or religion.
- … read Rules 15, Rules of Business Registration 1957 for more details.
#4. Complete the form “BORANG A” to register your Company
Fill in the details required. The previous form will need to be attached to this form “BORANG A” if you are registering for a Trade Name.
Some important notes:
- The starting date of your business “TARIKH MULA BERNIAGA” have to be before the day of registration or on the day itself.
- Under type of business/ “Jenis perniagaan yang dijalankan (Sesuai dengan nama perniagaan yang dicadangkan)”, make sure you have a name which is relevant to the products or services that you provided.
- For Business Codes, please visit or download this spreadsheet. Business Codes Link
#5. Submit the two forms to SSM Head Office
Address:
Menara SSM@Sentral
No 7, Jalan Stesen Sentral 5
Kuala Lumpur Sentral
50623 Kuala Lumpur.
Operation Hour:
Day: Monday – Friday
Service Counter : 8.15 am – 4.15 pm
SSM Contact Centre:
Tel: 03-7721 4000
Fax: 03-7721 4001
SSM General Line:
Tel: 03-2299 4400
Fax: 03-2299 4411
Hotline: 03-2299 4400
E-mail: [email protected]
You can also contact other state offices.
The owner (or all partners) needs to be present at the counter for registration.
Requirements
- The owner must be a Malaysian Citizen or Permanent Resident of Malaysia.
- The owner must be aged between 18 years and above.
- Only owner/partner allowed making an application.
Head straight to Level 14 in Menara SSM @ Sentral. Bring the two completed forms to the counter for a manual quick check if everything is filled in correctly. Get your Number for Registration purpose. Depends on the day, it might be super busy, you then have to be patient and wait for your turn. Don’t forget to bring your identity card (IC) along.
Registration Fees
- Sole proprietorship using personal name as stated on the identity card: RM30.00
- Sole proprietorship or partnership using trade name: RM60.00
- Registration of branches: RM5.00 for each branch
- Business Information Print-out: RM10.00
The Business Registration Certificate can be obtained within 1 hour after payment. The whole process will consume 1 – 2 hours.
General Information
- Register the business not later than thirty (30) days from the date of commencement of business.
- A new business registration may valid for a period of one (1) year and does not exceed five (5) years on each registration.
- The nature of the registered business should not contravene any laws or likely to be used for unlawful purposes or any purpose prejudicial to or incompatible with the security of the Federation, public order or morality.
- Business Registration Certificate can be obtained within one (1) hour from the time payment is made.
- A person who carries on business without registering a business commits an offence under the ROBA 1956 and if found guilty be fined not exceeding RM50,000.00 or imprisonment for a term not exceeding two (2) years or both.
- Even though businesses have been registered with SSM, business owners are responsible to obtain licenses, permits or approval letters from other relevant authorities in order to operate their businesses.
Validity certificate of registration
Registration of Business Act 1956 Validity Certificate of Registration Issued Using A4 Paper
Visit SSM online official page for more info: https://www.ssm.com.my/Pages/Home.aspx
NOW SSM CAN NO LONGER REGISTER BY SUBMITTING FORM A AND TRADENAME FOR PARTNERSHIP 。 each partner has to register as user online, activate account by doing thumbprint, then only can be registered as partnership.
Hi. Is foreigner/expat who has working visa in Malaysia able to register a business as well? If the answer yes, would you please share the step by step?
Yes, foreigners/ex-pats are able to register a company in Malaysia. Here is a complete guide on how to register a company in Malaysia for foreigners.
Hi Simon,
Would you mind to provide a step-by-step guide for Foreigners, opening a company & getting a work visa on their company name. Because registering the company do not provide you the legal status of stay in Malaysia. So if no legal status to stay in Malaysia, then what I will do with the company even registered under my name and licence approved. Thank you.
hai…
im already a business ssm holder…can i aplied for another 1
Yes you can.
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Hi, Im confused with how to open a SSM Registration. I have a e-commerce business opening soon and also I do affiliate marketing as well, How to I register my business? Do I need to open 2 differrent registration SSM, Or I register in 1 application. Kinda confused, can anyone help me
Since you are doing affiliate marketing and e-Commerce (soon), you will definitely need to register with SSM. Whether 1 or 2 business registration, it is purely your decision to combine both services under the same business registration or not. For Sdn Bhd company registration online, you can read our complete guide here
Great article. Thanks for the detailed information. Your blog is by far the best source I’ve found.
Hi, is there a requirement to use any mark, like ©, after successful registration of the company or business name? Thanks
If you are the copyright owner of a copyrighted work, then you may have wondered about using the copyright symbol, ©. For your business name registration, there is no necessary symbol to be used.
Hi Officer, due to Covid 19 my sister from JB is not able to run her business in Puchong anymore n she is willing to transfer the pemilikan to my brother in Puchong. I am wondering is that possible to do “pemilik transfer” for soles proprietor business. If do,how’s the procedure? or would it be easier to register a new company in order to continue running business? Please advice
Changes of business particular (e.g Business Address, Business Type, Branches) can be registered via visiting the SSM counter by submitting Form B or online at EzBiz portal. Except for changes of information of owner or partner, it can be done only by visiting SSM counter and submit Form B. Here is the guidelines for changes in Business Particular.
Comparing new business registration and change of business particular, I personally think that it is easier to change business particular because it is just one-step procedure with a minimum fee charged. Having to close the other business and register a new one will require more steps and more fees involved as well.
Hi! Is an online gift store a provision store and hence the business code should be the provision store’s one? Ir should it be under “Other retail sale in non-specialized stores n.e.c.”? Also, do I need to obtain any license or permit for an online business? Thank you.
You can try search for specific keywords such as “gifts” or “cenderahati” if you are opening a gift store. When you are filling up the main information section, you just need to select “yes” under “Is Online Seller?” for online business.
How do i search the business code for car workshop? I put ‘kereta’ but didn’t suit for me
If you can’t find one that fits your business, select the one which is close to your business nature. You should also reach the SSM officers to get an answer or confirmation via their official SSM Facebook page.
Can we register our business during this CMCO period? If we are doing online business such as in Shopee / FB do we still need to register?
Yes, you can register your business during CMCO period by setting up an appointment with them. To make an appointment, you need to fill in the appointment form at SSM official portal. More info at this link. If you are doing business online (including Shopee and FB), YES, you are required to register your business with SSM.
Hi may I know what is the difference between creating an LLP account through the LLP customer portal and EZBiz?
You can only register for LLP at MyLLP Customer Portal (https://myllp.com.my/). ezBiz (https://ezbiz.ssm.com.my/) is only for Sole Proprietorship business registration (Personal Name or Trade Name).
I couldnt add my business code while I online register SSM. Any advices?
For technical issues, you can reach the officers via their Official Facebook page.
i have a question here. if i die die only hv 1 company name to apply ssm, is that possible? cos i cant think for another two name. Also, what’s is the different between example group and example group enterprise. thank you !
Yes, if you already have your desired company name in mind, you can definitely check the company name availability by doing a quick SSM Name search. Check out our article on the step-by-step guide to check for company name availability here. In terms of how to name your company (example group or example group enterprise?), you will have to decide on your own or with your team. You should think about the long term business objective and direction when it comes to naming your company.
Hi 🤗! I‘m preparing to open an online store and was wondering if I’m able to use a totally different trade name ( i.e. page name for my instagram and facebook page ) from my registered business name? If yes, do I need to get any form of approval for the trade name?
The naming of your online store can be a totally different name from your registered business name. You don’t have to get any approval for naming your online store. However, please be aware that you might not be able to use copyrighted terms for naming your store, e.g. Disneyland.
As a foreigner with expatriate/employment visa in Malaysia, how can I register a partnership business/trade company with a local?
Foreigners can only register an Sdn Bhd company in Malaysia. Please read our article on how to register a Sdn Bhd company in Malaysia for foreigners.
May I know what does it means by:
“A new business registration may valid for a period of one (1) year and does not exceed five (5) years on each registration.“
– what would happen to the business registration between Year 2 and Year 5?; and
– what would happen after year 5?
It simply means that you can either register/renew your business for 1, 2, 3, 4 or 5 years. The maximum period for a business registration/renewal is limited to 5 years, thus you will need to renew your business again after the 5 years (require nothing special but to pay renewal fees).
Thank you for the clarification. Appreciate it!
Hi Simon, Thanks for the detail blog. Is there any requirements apart from a business license to run a confinement centre?
I’m afraid that I am not the best person to consult regarding a confinement centre business. I found that there is a Care Centres Act that you might need to follow. Check it out here. I would expect that you need more than just a business license to run a confinement centre.
Can you advise what is the biz code for a sole proprietor doing direct selling or network marketing? I would also like to know how to make payment for the registration fees on ebiz ssm. Thank you.
You can confirm your business code for registration by reaching out to the SSM officers via phone call or through the official SSM Facebook page. Payment for business registration fees on ezBiz is pretty straight forward, you just need to follow the steps and at the end of the registration process, you will be able to pay the registration fees to SSM via online banking.
if i apply online for the trade name..how long does the SSM to process? i apply on 18th june….
If your application is valid, normally it will take around 1-2 days. Please reach out to the SSM officers at their official Facebook page for confirmation.
What’s the link to apply trade name online? I have searchEd and read through their website and only found the form PNA42 and to submit that to their counter. Can we do online?
Yes, you can register your business (trade name) via ezBiz online. Read our complete guide here.
Hi, I’m a Malaysian, but currently based in oversea. I have an e-commerce business running in Malaysia and will need to register my business with SSM. However, as I am currently oversea and could not do the identity verification over the branch, is there any way I can do the registration online?
Yes, you can register your business online via ezBiz. Please read our article on ezBiz here.
Hi can I know how many max business codes we can register? Since I am online seller with variety of goods.
Not sure if there is any limit for business code. You can add as many as you can and see if SSM approves it. Alternatively, please contact the SSM officers for clarification.
Hi, me and my friends have registered online and activated our fingerprint, we would like to create a new business as partnership. May I know what are the steps? In the Create New Business, I don’t see the option to add partners in this Create New Business step.
Appreciate your guide please.
You are almost there. There is an option to add partners under the sub-tab “Owners” under “Create New Business” process.