Special economic zone company
An exempted company registered to carry on special economic zone business, for example in Cayman Enterprise City.
- Entiva fee to form
- $4,299
- Government fees to form
- CI$2,425
- Run plan
- $469 a month
- Steps to form
- 11
- Ongoing filings
- 8
- Ways to close
- 5
Who it suits, and what defines it.
Governed by the Companies Act (2025 Revision) ss.182A-182C.
Who it suits
- Businesses operating in a Cayman special economic zone, such as Cayman Enterprise City.
Key facts
- Business
- Special economic zone business
- Name
- Includes 'Special Economic Zone Company' or 'SEZC'
- Registered office
- Must be CIMA-licensed
- Trade certificate
- Needed before zone business starts
- Annual return
- Every January
- Certificate fee
- Paid every year
- Statute
- Companies Act (2025 Revision) ss.182A-182C
What the law requires.
4 rules, each in plain words.
An exempted company with no licence to do business in the Islands
Only an exempted company that does not hold a section 174 licence may apply.
A memorandum saying the business includes zone business
The name must include 'Special Economic Zone Company' or 'SEZC'.
Authorisation to carry on special economic zone business
The exempted company rules also apply
The registered office, registers, beneficial ownership and economic substance steps below apply as for any exempted company.
How Entiva forms it.
11 steps. Entiva prepares and files each one, and collects every signature the law needs.
The steps
11 steps- 1Reserve the company nameOnly if needed
Optional.
- 2Appoint a registered office
The registered office must be CIMA-licensed, meaning licensed by the Cayman Islands Monetary Authority.
- 3Register the special economic zone company (SEZC)
The SEZC application is made with the exempted registration; an existing exempted company with no licence to do business in the Islands converts instead.
- 4Apply for a zone trade certificate
It is needed before zone business starts and needs the developer's letter of approval; the Special Economic Zone Authority has seven days to decide once it has all it asked for.
- 5Issue the first shares
- 6Appoint the first directors
At least one director.
- 7File the register of directors and officers
It goes to the Registrar within 60 days of the first appointment.
- 8Open the statutory registers
- 9Lodge the beneficial ownership register
This is the first upload.
- 10Set how the registered office handles mail
This covers notices and mail the registered office receives.
- 11File the economic substance notification
It is due by 31 January each year.
Documents
8- Passport or photo ID for every verified person
- Proof of residential address dated within 3 months
- Declaration of where the funds come from
- Memorandum saying the business includes zone business, signed before a witness
- Application to register as an SEZC
- Certificate of incorporation certifying SEZC status
- Developer's letter of approval for the trade certificate
- Special economic zone trade certificate
Who takes part
8- Every director verifies their identity and address
- A corporate director is verified, with each person who acts for it
- Every individual subscriber or shareholder is verified
- A corporate shareholder is verified, with the owners behind it
- Anyone who owns or controls 10% or more is verified
- Any secretary or other officer is verified
- Anyone who gives instructions or signs for the company is verified
- Senior public figures, their family and close associates get enhanced checks
What has to be filed, and when.
Entiva tracks every deadline from the day it is formed, and files before each one.
Every year, and as things happen
8 filings- File the economic substance notification
By 31 January
- File the annual return and pay the annual fee
In January
- Pay the annual fee on the zone trade certificate
Once a year, under the Special Economic Zones Act
- File the economic substance return
Within 12 months after financial year end, if a relevant activity is carried on
- File a Tax Resident Outside the Islands (TRO) form
Within 12 months after financial year end, if claiming tax residence abroad
- Lodge the beneficial ownership register
At least monthly, or every 90 days in liquidation
- Report where books of account are kept
Annually or as the regulations set, only if books are kept outside the Islands
- File the country-by-country report
Within 12 months after fiscal year end, for the parent of an in-scope group
The changes Entiva handles.
Each change is prepared, approved, signed and filed.
The most common changes
10 changes- Appoint a director or alternate director
- Remove a director or alternate director
- Issue new shares
- Transfer shares
- Change the company name
- Change the registered office
- Amend the memorandum or articles
- Amend the trade certificate or notify a material change
- Record a change of beneficial owner
- Order a certificate of good standing
How it closes.
5 routes. The right one depends on whether it can pay its debts, and who starts it.
Voluntary strike-off
For a company with no assets or liabilities and the trade certificate fee and annual fee up to date. File by 1 November to save on 2027 fees.
- 1
Assess the exit route
- 2
Request strike-off
- 3
The company is struck off the register
Solvent voluntary liquidation
For a company that can pay its debts and still has assets.
- 1
Pass a members' resolution to wind up
- 2
Start the liquidation and make the 28-day filings
- 3
Hold the year-end meeting
- 4
Hold the final meeting and dissolve the company
Supervised or official liquidation
For a company that cannot pay its debts.
- 1
Apply for a court supervision order
- 2
Petition the Grand Court to wind up the company
Conversion to a plain exempted company
For a company whose zone business ends but which continues (s.182C).
- 1
Convert the SEZC to a plain exempted company
Restoration after strike-off
For a company that was struck off and is to be revived.
- 1
Apply to the Grand Court to restore the company
- 2
File the annual return and annual fee
What Entiva does for you.
From the first filing to the last.
Special economic zone company
- Registers the SEZC together with the exempted company registration.Formation
- Converts an existing exempted company into an SEZC.Formation
- Prepares and submits the trade certificate application, with each director's questionnaire.Formation
- Files the annual return and pays the annual fee every January.Ongoing
- Pays the CI$750 annual fee on the zone trade certificate by 31 January each year.Ongoing
- Files the economic substance notification each year.Ongoing
Build it with the API.
Every step on this page is an action in the Entiva API, with its documents, signatures and filing.
What it costs, item by item.
Every Entiva fee and every government fee, from forming it to closing it.
Forming it
$4,299one-off
- Government fees
- CI$2,425
Steps marked only if needed are not counted.
Closing it
From $2,159
- Entiva fee
- Fixed, quoted first
- Government fees
- At cost
Included in the Run plan
- Registered office in the Cayman Islands
- File the economic substance notification
- File the annual return and pay the annual fee
- File the economic substance return
- File a Tax Resident Outside the Islands (TRO) form
- Lodge the beneficial ownership register
- Routine changes
- Every deadline tracked
Extra, at a fixed fee
- Apply for a zone trade certificate
- File the country-by-country report
- Amend the trade certificate or notify a material change
Each extra is quoted before it starts, and nothing is done until you approve it.
Forming it
Entiva's formation fee is $4,299, one-off. Government fees are passed through at cost.
By period: 1 week CI$40; 1 month CI$60; 2 months CI$80; 3 months CI$120; 4 months CI$160.
Express filing CI$150 extra. Penalties: company CI$10 a day capped CI$500; LLC CI$200 a day capped CI$5,000; ELP CI$200 a day per GP.
Express service costs CI$500 more.
No fee; the CI$100 officer-change notice is filed through the officer actions.
Excludes steps marked only if needed.
Every year
The Run plan costs $469 a month ($5,628 a year).
Late filing adds 33.33%, 66.67% or 100%, by quarter.
CI$750.
Changes
Routine changes are included in the Run plan.
Express name change adds CI$150.
Express service adds CI$150.
Express adds CI$150.
Inspection fee CI$10 is separate.
Closing it
Closing is a fixed-fee project, quoted before it starts.
January 2027 annual fees: exempted company or LDC CI$1,025 to 2,893 by capital band, SPC from 3,025, SEZC 925, non-resident 1,000 or 1,240, resident 300 or 500, LLC 1,200, ELP 1,400 regulated or 2,200.
Certificate of strike-off CI$150.
No fee; CI$100 on the child filing.
Express CI$150 each.
LDC and SEZC routes CI$400 (ss.181, 182C). Express CI$500 on the LDC, SEZC and non-resident routes; none listed for ss.233A-233B.
Late filing adds 33.33%, 66.67% or 100%, by quarter.
Entiva fees are in US dollars. Government fees are in the currency each authority charges, passed through at cost when the filing is made. Taxes are separate.
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