Licenses & Compliance: Issues to View from a Legal Perspective

Many businesses focus only on the establishment license while overlooking sub-licenses and compliance obligations during operation — only to face administrative penalties, suspension of operations or the inability to issue invoices when needed. This overview page systematizes the groups of licenses, business conditions and compliance obligations that businesses in Vietnam commonly encounter.

Sub-licenses and business conditions

Conditional business lines are listed in Appendix IV of the Law on Investment 2020. Businesses must satisfy the conditions and hold the corresponding license before commencing operations. Common sub-licenses include:

  • Licenses for employment services; licenses for labor subleasing;
  • Certificates of eligibility for travel services (domestic, international);
  • Transport business licenses; licenses for security and order, fire prevention and fighting;
  • Certificates of food safety eligibility; licenses for advertising, education, healthcare, etc.

Upon establishment registration, businesses must determine the correct VSIC 2025 industry code (Decision No. 36/2025/QD-TTg, effective 15 November 2025) to identify which lines are conditional. Operating without a license or with an expired license may lead to administrative penalties and suspension of operations.

Compliance during operation

  • Tax, invoices, vouchers: declare and pay taxes on time; use e-invoices as regulated; note that from 1 January 2026 the business license tax has been abolished (Clause 7, Article 10 of Resolution No. 198/2025/QH15).
  • Labor, social insurance: sign labor contracts, register for compulsory social insurance, and fulfill occupational safety obligations.
  • Periodic reporting: reports on labor usage, investment reports (for foreign-invested projects), and reports required by sectoral licenses.
  • Changes to business registration: promptly register changes when the address, capital, legal representative or business lines change.

Risks of non-compliance

Administrative penalties in each sector (tax, labor, fire prevention, food safety, etc.); suspension of operations for a definite term; ineligibility to participate in bidding or sign contracts with large partners; and in disputes, non-compliance may become an evidentiary disadvantage.

How does ANT Legal assist?

  • Comprehensive review of the business’s existing business conditions and licenses;
  • New issuance, renewal and amendment of sub-licenses;
  • Building periodic compliance checklists by industry;
  • Representing the business before state authorities during inspections and penalty proceedings.

Related content

Not sure whether your business has all the required licenses and is complying with regulations? Contact ANT Legal via Hotline/Zalo 0966.475.966 for a review and advice on remediation options.

This content is for general reference only and does not replace legal advice for a specific file. Business conditions vary by industry and time of application.

Discuss this matter with ANT Legal

If your business is preparing an application, amendment, business line registration or licensing review, ANT Legal can help check the file and execution path.

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Frequently asked questions

When should I contact a lawyer?

When a matter has deadlines, high value, multiple parties or requires risk review before signing, negotiating, complaining or filing a claim.

What should I prepare?

Please prepare contracts, licenses, charter documents, resolutions, evidence, correspondence and key dates if available.

Does ANT Legal guarantee an outcome?

No. Legal advice depends on the specific file, evidence, applicable rules and any competent authority decision.

Website information is for general reference only and does not replace legal advice for a specific matter.