Jersey at a glance
Jersey is one of the EU jurisdictions founders most often use today, especially while the EU-wide 28th Regime (EU Inc) is still a proposal. Below are the verified essentials: company types, tax, capital, timing and whether you can set up remotely.
Company types in Jersey
- Private company limited by shares (Ltd) The standard vehicle under the Companies (Jersey) Law 1991: at least one director and one shareholder, a single member allowed, and no minimum share capital.
- Cell company (PCC / ICC) Protected or Incorporated Cell Companies ring-fence assets and liabilities into separate cells, used mainly for investment funds and insurance.
| Corporate tax | Jersey uses the "zero/ten" regime: the standard corporate tax rate is 0% (most companies pay nothing but still file). A 10% rate applies to certain regulated financial-services companies, and 20% to utilities, Jersey property income and large retailers. From 2025, very large multinational groups face a 15% minimum under OECD Pillar Two. |
|---|---|
| VAT rate | No VAT. Jersey levies a Goods and Services Tax (GST) at a 5% standard rate, with mandatory registration above GBP 300,000 of turnover. |
| Dividends & payroll taxes | Most trading companies pay 0% corporate tax and Jersey levies no dividend withholding. Personal income tax is a flat 20% for residents, and employer social security runs around 6.5%. |
| Minimum share capital | No statutory minimum share capital under the Companies (Jersey) Law 1991; companies are routinely formed with purely nominal capital (the online form defaults to 10,000 GBP 1 shares, but that is optional). |
| Setup time | The JFSC offers service levels from 2 hours to 5 business days. For non-residents the slower step is the trust company service provider's onboarding (KYC and AML), which can take a few days to a couple of weeks. |
| Remote setup | Yes, fully remote, but non-resident founders must engage a Jersey-licensed Trust and Company Service Provider (TCSP), which files the incorporation, supplies the registered office and handles due diligence. All-in first-year cost is typically GBP 1,000 to GBP 5,000. |
| Director / residency | No residency requirement. At least one director, one shareholder and a company secretary are needed (a sole director cannot be the sole secretary). The company must keep a Jersey registered office and a nominated person. |
| Banking options | As a leading finance centre, Jersey hosts HSBC, Barclays, Lloyds, NatWest and RBS International among others; corporate account opening is KYC-heavy and arranged through the TCSP. Fintech accounts are used for day-to-day operations. |
| Our formation service | from around €100 to €200 (estimated). You get a fixed quote in your free plan before you commit. |
Jersey is a British Crown Dependency (the largest Channel Island), self-governing and NOT part of the UK or the EU (it sits fully outside the EU VAT area), so a Jersey company would not qualify for the EU Inc / 28th Regime. It uses pound sterling and is a long-established offshore and funds centre.
How to register a company in Jersey
Step by step, this is how a Jersey formation actually runs:
- Engage a licensed TCSP. Only a Jersey-licensed trust and company service provider can act for non-resident founders; it runs due diligence up front.
- Clear KYC. Source-of-funds and beneficial-ownership checks are the real timeline; the registry filing itself is quick.
- File with the JFSC registry. Standard incorporation completes in days, with fast-track options measured in hours for urgent cases.
- Set up the registered office. The TCSP provides the registered office and maintains the statutory records.
- Open banking. Channel Islands branches of the major UK banks onboard through the TCSP introduction; expect thorough questions.
We handle each step with licensed local counsel, so the paperwork, registered address and filings are done correctly the first time.
What company formation in Jersey costs
Registry fees start around GBP 150, but the economics are set by the TCSP: incorporation packages commonly run GBP 1,500 to 4,000 and annual administration GBP 3,000 to 8,000 depending on complexity. The annual confirmation fee is a few hundred pounds. This is a professional-services jurisdiction, priced accordingly.
Form your Jersey company in days
Tell us where you live and what you are building. Our formation service starts from around €100 to €200 (estimated); we confirm the right structure for Jersey, give you a fixed quote, and form the company with licensed counsel.
Get your free planWho can form a company in Jersey
Founders from outside the EU can own and run a Jersey company, with the cross-border requirements handled for you. We flag any residency or local-agent rule for Jersey up front, so there are no surprises.
Jersey fits funds, holding vehicles and structures where tax neutrality, English-law familiarity and strong administration justify the fees. It offers no EU market rights and real substance rules, so it is the wrong tool for a small operating startup.
After registration: what Jersey expects each year
An annual confirmation statement goes to the registry, the TCSP maintains beneficial-ownership records, and economic-substance reporting applies to relevant activities. Standard trading companies sit in the 0% corporate tax band, with 10% for regulated financial firms. No public filing of accounts for private companies.
Jersey and the 28th Regime (EU Inc)
EU Inc, the proposed 28th Regime, would let you register one company valid across all 27 EU member states. It is not law yet (expected around 2027-2028), so a Jersey company is one of the ready options you can use today. Forming an EU company now also positions you to adopt EU Inc later, as we cover in how to prepare an EU Inc company. To weigh Jersey against other countries, see company formation in Europe.