Opening a company in the Dominican Republic: locals, foreigners, freelancers and digital nomads

At a glance: S.R.L. with DOP 100,000 capital (about 1,400 euros) fully paid, Cámara de Comercio and DGII in 2 to 4 weeks, 27 percent corporate tax, 18 percent ITBIS from the first sale, simplified RST regime for small taxpayers, no digital nomad visa. Legal forms. Sole trader (persona física) with an RNC, or the single-owner company (Empresa Individual de Responsabilidad Limitada, E.I.R.L.) with no minimum capital. Limited company (Sociedad de Responsabilidad Limitada, S.R.L.): 2 to 50 partners, minimum capital DOP 100,000 (about 1,400 euros) fully paid, one or more managers; the standard choice. Simplified stock company (S.A.S.): authorised capital at least DOP 3 million (about 42,000 euros), 10 percent paid. Registration. Reserve the trade name at ONAPI (about DOP 4,800, about 65 euros), sign the articles before a notary, pay the 1 percent incorporation tax on capital at the DGII, file in the Registro Mercantil of the local Cámara de Comercio y Producción (fees scale with capital, about DOP 10,000 to 15,000 at the minimum), then obtain the tax number (RNC) at the DGII and register with the TSS. Lawyer or formation agent DOP 40,000 to 90,000 (about 550 to 1,250 euros). Two to four weeks; total excluding capital about 800 to 1,800 euros. Taxes 2026. Corporate income tax 27 percent, raised to 30 percent for 2026 to 2028 only for companies with income of DOP 1 billion or more (Law 30-26), with a 1 percent tax on assets as alternative minimum. Dividends 10 percent final withholding to individuals and foreign shareholders alike. ITBIS 18 percent, no registration threshold outside the RST. Simplified regime (Régimen Simplificado de Tributación, RST) for small taxpayers with income up to about DOP 12 million (about 170,000 euros), replacing income tax and ITBIS with a lump-sum assessment. Personal income tax 15, 20 and 25 percent above an exempt DOP 416,220, the 25 percent rate from DOP 867,123 (about 12,000 euros). Freelancers and the self-employed. Register as a persona física with the DGII (RNC), issue electronic receipts (e-CF, mandatory for all taxpayers since May 2026), file the monthly ITBIS return and the annual IR-1; companies paying individuals withhold 10 percent on fees as an advance. The RST fixes tax on a deemed margin and includes ITBIS, with no bookkeeping. Social security for independents under Law 87-01 is only partly implemented, so TSS contributions are voluntary in practice and most freelancers buy a private health plan from about DOP 3,000 a month (about 40 euros). Foreigners. 100 percent foreign ownership, no residency requirement for partners or managers, no restricted sectors for ordinary trade; a foreigner can incorporate with a passport, remotely by power of attorney, with apostilled and translated documents. Residence by investment: at least 200,000 dollars (about 175,000 euros) invested and registered with ProDominicana gives permanent residence directly in about 45 days under Law 171-07; rentistas need 2,000 dollars a month of foreign income and pensioners 1,500; a residence visa (visa RS) from the consulate first, then the Dirección General de Migración card, government fees about 300 to 600 dollars per stage plus lawyer. Branch of a foreign company. A sucursal is entered in the Registro Mercantil with apostilled, translated articles, proof of existence and a resolution naming a representative domiciled in the Dominican Republic, then gets an RNC; the 1 percent incorporation tax applies to the capital assigned. Taxed at 27 percent on Dominican-source profits, with the 10 percent withholding on remittances to the head office as a final tax. An S.R.L. subsidiary is the usual choice. Digital nomads. No digital nomad visa: announcements since 2023 have not produced a scheme. Tourists from visa-exempt countries get 30 days on arrival (the 10 dollar tourist fee is built into air fares) and may stay up to 120 days by paying a scaled fee on departure; remote work for foreign employers is tolerated on that basis. Longer stays mean the rentista, pensioner or investor residence above. Tax residence after 182 days in a year, but foreign salaries and fees stay untaxed under the territorial rule. Changed recently. Electronic receipts (e-CF) mandatory for all taxpayers in phases ending May 2026 under Law 32-23; the fiscal modernisation bill withdrawn (October 2024); ITBIS on foreign digital platforms decreed and then repealed (2025); Law 30-26 (June 2026) with the temporary 30 percent rate for large companies, 15 percent withholding on software, online advertising and data services paid abroad and new personal brackets with a 27 percent top rate from 2027. Figures checked October 2026 from the DGII, the Cámara de Comercio y Producción de Santo Domingo, the Dirección General de Migración, PwC Worldwide Tax Summaries and Dominican law and accounting firms; thresholds and fees change yearly. Confirm with a licensed adviser in the Dominican Republic before you file.