Procedures for Registering a Private Enterprise in Vietnam

Short answer: Registering a private enterprise involves 4 steps: preparing the dossier (the current application form + a copy of the owner’s ID card), filing with the Business Registration Office under the Department of Finance (in person or online via dangkykinhdoanh.gov.vn), receiving the Enterprise Registration Certificate within 03 working days, then completing post-incorporation procedures (seal, bank account, digital signature, e-invoices, tax declaration). Detailed guidance under the Law on Enterprises 2020 (amended by Law No. 76/2025/QH15) and Decree 168/2025/ND-CP.

Legal basis

• Law on Enterprises 2020, as amended and supplemented by Law No. 76/2025/QH15 (effective 01/7/2025) — Article 188 (private enterprises), Articles 26–28 (enterprise registration procedures);
• Decree 168/2025/ND-CP on enterprise registration (replacing Decree 01/2021/ND-CP, effective 01/7/2025) — dossier, forms, competent authority;
• Resolution 198/2025/QH15 — from 01/01/2026, business license fee collection is abolished.

Step 1. Prepare the private enterprise registration dossier

Dossier components

• Application for registration of a private enterprise in the current prescribed form;
• Copy of the legal documents of the individual owner: valid ID card or passport;
• Authorization letter for the dossier filer (if the filer is not the owner) with the authorized person’s legal documents.

Preparation notes

• Enterprise name: includes the type “private enterprise” (or “DNTN”) + a proper name; check in advance on the National Enterprise Registration Portal to avoid duplication or confusion;
• Head office: a defined address in Vietnam with house number, street/road and commune/ward names; not located in a residential-only apartment building;
• Business lines: recorded under the current economic sector system; conditional business lines may only operate when all conditions are met;
• Investment capital: self-declared by the owner in Vietnamese dong; no minimum capital required except business lines with statutory capital rules.

Step 2. File the registration dossier

File 01 dossier set with the Business Registration Office under the Department of Finance of the locality where the enterprise’s head office is located, by one of two methods:

• In person at the one-stop-shop division of the Business Registration Office;
• Online via the National Enterprise Registration Portal (dangkykinhdoanh.gov.vn).

Note: from 01/7/2025, local government has 02 levels (province and commune/ward) with no district level; the business registration authority is organized at provincial level. Dossiers are filed under the new administrative boundaries (34 provinces and cities).

Step 3. Receipt, processing and result

• The Business Registration Office receives and checks the dossier’s validity;
• Processing time: 03 working days from receiving a complete valid dossier;
• If the dossier is invalid: the registration authority notifies in writing, stating the contents requiring amendment or supplementation;
• Result: the Enterprise Registration Certificate; registration contents are published on the National Enterprise Registration Portal.

Step 4. Things to do after receiving the Certificate

1. Seal: the enterprise decides on the seal’s form, quantity and contents and manages and uses it itself;
2. Bank account: open an account and notify the account number to the tax authority as prescribed;
3. Digital signature: register a digital signature for online tax declaration, payment and transactions;
4. E-invoices: register for e-invoice use with the tax authority;
5. Tax declaration and payment: carry out initial tax declaration and pay arising taxes; note that from 01/01/2026, business license fee collection is abolished under Resolution 198/2025/QH15;
6. Signboard: hang a signboard at the head office showing the exact registered enterprise name.

Frequently asked questions

Does a private enterprise registration dossier need a charter?

No. Unlike limited liability or joint stock companies, a private enterprise registration dossier does not include an enterprise charter — because a private enterprise has only one owner.

Does online filing need the old business registration account?

No. The old mechanism is no longer used. Online filing is now done via the National Enterprise Registration Portal under Decree 168/2025/ND-CP; the filer logs in with an identity account as guided on the Portal at the time of filing.

What to do if the dossier is refused?

The Business Registration Office will notify in writing, stating the reasons and contents requiring amendment or supplementation. The filer completes the dossier as guided and refiles; there is no need to redo the already-valid contents from scratch.

Notes on applying current legal provisions

Private enterprise registration is essentially simpler than company types, but the key consideration is the unlimited liability regime: the owner is liable with all of their assets. For high-risk business activities, a limited liability company is usually safer. To get advice on choosing a suitable type before filing, please contact ANT Legal’s lawyers at 0966.475.966.

Common risks to note

• Using dossier forms under Decree 01/2021/ND-CP, which expired on 01/7/2025;
• Filing with a district-level authority (no longer competent for business registration);
• Locating the head office at an impermissible address (residential apartment);
• Failing to complete tax and invoice procedures after receiving the certificate.

How can ANT Legal help?

ANT Legal advises on establishment conditions, drafts dossiers, checks enterprise names and carries out the complete private enterprise registration procedures, plus post-incorporation procedures (tax, invoices, digital signatures). For quick advice, please contact our lawyers at 0966.475.966.

Related articles

• Procedures for registering a private enterprise in Vietnam
• What is the minimum capital for registering an enterprise? In Vietnam
• How many enterprises can one individual establish? In Vietnam
• What is an enterprise establishment announcement? How to register one
• Company and enterprise establishment services nationwide in Vietnam