Business
Companies Act 1995 with a business licence regime
Companies incorporate under the Companies Act 1995 through the Ministry of Trade and Economic Development, with a separate business licence required to trade and foreign investment registration for non-citizens.
Key rules
- Deadline — Business licences are renewed annually
- Deadline — Foreign investment registration is required before commencing a restricted activity
Governing law
- Companies Act 1995 (s. 14)
- Business Licences Act 2002
- Foreign Investment Act 2020
- Consumer Protection Act 2000
In practice
Incorporation follows the New Zealand 1993 template. Two Tongan features matter more than the corporate form. First, trading requires a business licence separate from incorporation, and it must be renewed. Second, because no land can be owned outright by anyone, a commercial venture needs a registered lease of a town or tax allotment, and leases of allotments require Cabinet consent — so the property step, not the company step, sets the project timetable. Certain activities are reserved to Tongan nationals under the foreign investment regime.