SECP Company Registration: Private Limited Steps for 2026

Quick answer: SECP company registration is done online on SECP's eZfile (eServices) portal. To register a private limited company in Pakistan you create an account, reserve a company name, upload the memorandum and articles with director and subscriber details, pay the fee based on authorised capital, and receive a digital certificate of incorporation, usually within a few working days.

Registering a company with the Securities and Exchange Commission of Pakistan (SECP) turns your business into a separate legal person with limited liability. It also changes how you invoice, file tax and open bank accounts. Once incorporated, your invoices carry the company's name, registration number and NTN, which you can set up in minutes with our Pakistan invoice generator. This guide covers who should incorporate, the documents you need, the eZfile process step by step, typical costs and the compliance that starts the day your certificate is issued.

This is general information about the Companies Act, 2017 and SECP procedures as of 2026, not legal or tax advice. Fees and forms change, so confirm details on SECP's portal before you file.

What SECP company registration means

SECP is the regulator for companies in Pakistan. Under the Companies Act, 2017, every company, whether a single member company, a private limited company or a public company, is incorporated by SECP's company registration offices. Since online filing became standard, almost all incorporations go through eZfile, SECP's electronic filing system within its eServices portal.

Incorporation gives the business:

• Separate legal identity. The company owns assets, signs contracts and is sued in its own name.
• Limited liability. Shareholders' liability is normally limited to the unpaid amount on their shares.
• Perpetual succession. The company continues when shareholders change or directors resign.
• Credibility. Many corporate clients, banks, government buyers and foreign platforms prefer to contract with a registered company.

If you are still choosing a structure, our overview of business entity types compares companies, partnerships and sole traders, and our guide to sole proprietorship registration in Pakistan covers the simpler route.

Types of company you can register in Pakistan

Most small businesses choose one of the first two options below.

Type	Members	Typical user	Key points
Single member company (SMC-Pvt) Ltd	1	Solo founder, consultant, freelancer scaling up	Needs a nominee and alternate nominee; limited liability for one owner
Private limited company (Pvt) Ltd	2 to 50	Partners, family businesses, startups	Cannot offer shares to the public; restrictions on share transfer in the articles
Public unlisted company	3 or more	Larger businesses raising wider capital	More disclosure and governance rules
Company limited by guarantee / not-for-profit	Varies	NGOs, trade bodies	Separate licensing process with SECP

For a private limited company, published 2026 guides describe a minimum of two directors and a maximum of 50 members. A single member company has one member, who is normally the sole director.

Single member company requirements

The single member company was introduced so that one founder could enjoy limited liability without recruiting a token second shareholder. The trade-off is a little extra paperwork. When you apply, you name a nominee director and an alternate nominee, each of whom must consent in writing. If the sole member dies or becomes unable to act, the nominee takes over the shares in trust until they pass to the member's legal heirs, so the company keeps running. Choose nominees you trust, such as a spouse, sibling or business adviser, and update SECP if your choice changes. An SMC can convert into an ordinary private company later when a second shareholder joins, for example when you bring in a co-founder or investor.

Private limited company or SMC?

If you are the only owner and expect to stay that way for a while, an SMC is usually the simpler fit. If two or more people will own the business from day one, form a private limited company and record each person's share in the subscription details. In both cases the company, not the founders personally, signs client contracts and issues invoices.

Documents and information to prepare

Most rejections on eZfile come from incomplete or inconsistent information. Prepare these before you log in:

• Three name options in order of preference, checked against existing companies and trademarks.
• CNIC copies of every director and subscriber, or passport copies for foreign nationals.
• Contact details for each person: mobile number registered in their name, email and residential address.
• Principal line of business and the objects you will write in the memorandum of association.
• Registered office address in Pakistan, with proof such as a utility bill or tenancy agreement.
• Share structure: authorised capital, face value per share and how many shares each subscriber takes.
• Memorandum and articles of association. SECP provides standard templates you can adapt.
• Director consents and the declaration of compliance with the Act.
• Nominee details for an SMC: nominee and alternate nominee with their consent.
• Digital signature or SECP's signing mechanism for each person who signs online.

How to register a private limited company in Pakistan: step by step

1. Create an eServices account. Each person who will sign online registers on SECP's eServices portal with CNIC, mobile and email, and verifies the account through the PIN process.
2. Reserve the company name. Submit your preferred names with the proposed activity and pay the name reservation fee. Approval is usually quick if the name is distinctive and not misleading. Published guides say a reserved name is held for a limited period, so file the incorporation promptly.
3. Prepare the incorporation application. Choose the company type, enter subscribers, directors, chief executive, shareholding, registered office and objects. Upload the memorandum and articles.
4. Sign the forms digitally. All subscribers and directors sign through their eServices accounts.
5. Pay the incorporation fee. The fee depends on authorised capital and is paid online by card or bank channel.
6. Respond to any queries. SECP's registrar may return the application for corrections. Answer quickly and resubmit.
7. Download the certificate. Once approved, you receive a digital certificate of incorporation showing the company's name, incorporation number and date.
8. Activate tax registration. Confirm the company's NTN in FBR's IRIS, add the business details and bank account, and register for sales tax if you will make taxable supplies.

Choosing a name SECP will accept

Name reservation is where many applications stall. A name is more likely to be approved when it is distinctive, matches the business you describe and does not imply a connection with the government, a regulated activity or an existing brand. Avoid names that differ from an existing company only by spelling, a plural or a word such as "Pakistan" or "International". Words linked to regulated activities, such as banking, insurance, modaraba or leasing, need approvals you probably do not have. Search SECP's company name database and the trademark registry before you submit, and offer three genuinely different options rather than three versions of the same idea.

SECP registration fees and costs in 2026

Fees are set in the Seventh Schedule to the Companies Act, 2017 and amended by SECP from time to time. There are two main government charges:

• Name reservation fee: a small fixed charge per application.
• Incorporation fee: calculated on authorised capital, so a company with Rs 100,000 of authorised capital pays much less than one with Rs 10 million.

Published 2026 cost guides put the government fees for a small private company in the low thousands of rupees, with the incorporation fee rising in bands as authorised capital increases. Online filing is cheaper than physical filing. On top of SECP's fees you may pay for digital signatures, a corporate adviser or lawyer, company seal and stationery. Because fees were revised during 2024 and again in 2026 according to practitioners, use the fee calculator on the SECP website rather than an old figure from a blog.

A practical tip: do not set authorised capital far higher than you need. You can increase it later by special resolution and paying the difference in fees.

Worked example: share capital and a first invoice

Ayesha and Bilal set up a software consultancy in Lahore as a private limited company. They choose:

• Authorised capital: Rs 1,000,000, divided into 100,000 ordinary shares of Rs 10 each.
• Issued at incorporation: 10,000 shares, so Rs 100,000 of issued capital.
• Ayesha subscribes 6,000 shares (Rs 60,000, 60 percent); Bilal subscribes 4,000 shares (Rs 40,000, 40 percent).

The two of them deposit Rs 100,000 into the company's bank account once it is opened, which becomes the opening share capital in the company's books. Their remaining 90,000 authorised shares stay unissued for future investors.

A month later the company bills a Lahore client for a website build. Using an illustrative 16 percent provincial sales tax rate on services (check the current rate and whether your service is taxable in your province):

Line	Amount (Rs)
Website development, fixed fee	250,000
Sales tax on services at 16%	40,000
Invoice total	290,000
Less advance already received	100,000
Balance due	190,000

The invoice shows the company name with "(Private) Limited", its incorporation number, NTN and provincial sales tax number. In our free invoice generator they enter Rs 250,000 as the line item, 16 as the tax rate and Rs 100,000 in the amount paid field, and the balance of Rs 190,000 calculates automatically. The client may also deduct income tax at source, which our guide to withholding tax rates in Pakistan explains.

After incorporation: tax, bank and invoicing setup

The certificate is the start, not the finish. In the first month:

• NTN and IRIS profile. Make sure the company's NTN is active and its profile is complete. Our guide on how to get an NTN number in Pakistan shows the IRIS screens.
• Corporate bank account. Banks ask for the certificate, memorandum and articles, board resolution, NTN and directors' CNICs. Keep company and personal money separate from day one; the reasoning in our guide to a business bank account for freelancers applies even more strongly to companies.
• Sales tax. If you sell taxable goods, register with FBR for an STRN; for most services, register with the provincial revenue authority. See STRN registration in Pakistan.
• Invoicing format. Use a consistent invoice layout and sequential numbering. Our sales tax invoice guide for Pakistan lists the required fields, and the invoice number generator helps you set a numbering pattern.
• E-invoicing. Sales tax registered companies should check whether FBR's digital invoicing rules apply to them; see FBR e-invoicing in Pakistan.
• IT exports. Software and IT services companies exporting services often register with PSEB; our guide to PSEB registration explains the benefits.

How company tax differs from sole proprietor tax

A company is taxed as a separate person. It files its own income tax return in IRIS, pays tax on its profit at the corporate rates in the Income Tax Ordinance, 2001, and acts as a withholding agent in many situations, which means deducting tax when it pays suppliers, landlords or staff and filing withholding statements. Founders who take money out pay tax again personally, on salary through payroll withholding or on dividends through tax deducted at source. This two-layer system is one reason small businesses do not always save tax by incorporating; the gains are usually liability protection, credibility and the ability to bring in investors. Model both options with an adviser before you choose.

Ongoing SECP compliance for private companies

Private companies have lighter obligations than listed companies, but they are not optional:

• Annual return. Companies with share capital file an annual return on Form A after the annual general meeting. Single member companies follow simplified rules.
• Changes in directors and officers. Notify SECP within the statutory time limit whenever directors, the chief executive or the company secretary change.
• Financial statements. Prepare annual accounts; filing and audit requirements depend on the company's size and paid-up capital under the Companies Act.
• Statutory registers and beneficial ownership. Keep registers of members, directors and beneficial owners up to date.
• Income tax. File the company's annual income tax return in IRIS and keep the company on the Active Taxpayer List.

Late filings attract additional fees that increase with the length of the delay, and persistent default can lead to penalties for officers. A shared calendar with deadlines for SECP, FBR and provincial filings saves money.

Common mistakes when registering a company with SECP

• Names that are too close to existing companies or that use restricted words such as "bank" or "insurance" without approval.
• Vague objects in the memorandum that do not match the activity you will register with FBR.
• Inflated authorised capital that pushes up fees for no benefit.
• Forgetting the nominee when forming an SMC.
• Mixing money. Paying company expenses from a personal account makes bookkeeping and tax harder.
• Invoicing in a personal name after incorporation. Once the company exists, contracts and invoices should be in the company's name. A clean template such as our corporate invoice template keeps branding and legal details consistent.

Start invoicing as a registered company

SECP company registration is straightforward if you prepare names, documents and share details before you open eZfile, and if you plan the tax and SECP filings that follow. Once your certificate and NTN are in hand, add the company name, incorporation number, NTN and sales tax numbers to your invoices, and pay any tax due through a PSID as shown in our FBR challan guide. Create your first company invoice with the free invoice generator and download a professional PDF in minutes.