Quick info guide

Online Registration

For online registration, you must create a user account first. Follow these steps:

o Step 1: Ensure you have a working email account; internet browser; and printer to print your reference number
o Step 2: To register, go to the Registrar General’s website 
o Select the Malawi Business Registration System (MBRS) link which takes you to the “User registration form” after selecting the “Register” link
o Complete the process by pressing the “Submit” tab
o Step 3: Log into the system using your user account and follow the steps to register. your business You can also make payments online. For details visit www.registrargeneral.gov.mw.

Registrar General offices

The Department of Registrar General has offices in all three administrative regions of Malawi.

Central Region
Pagat House
Paul Kagame Road
P.O Box 1780, Lilongwe
Web: www.registrargeneral.gov.mw
Email: info@registrargeneral.gov.mw
Contact person: Ada Kaposa Bakali
Tel: +265 (0) 999479968

Southern Region
Fatima Arcade
Haile Selassie Road
P.O. Box 100, Blantyre
Tel: +265(1)824355 / +265(1)824668 / +265(1)824785 / +265(1)824394
Contact person: Flora  Shawa
Tel: +265 (0) 991141857

Northern Region
1st Floor Amina House, IK Building
P.O. Box 912, Mzuzu
Contact Person: Violet T. Chibambo Mhango
Tel: +265 (0) 999148915

Registering a business in Malawi

The Department of Registrar General (in the Ministry of Justice and Constitutional Affairs) is responsible for business registration. There are three ways a woman entrepreneur in Malawi can register her business:

1. One is by registering online (www.registrargeneral.gov.mw);

2. Applying through the One Stop Service Centre at Malawi Investment and Trade Centre (MITC) or;

3. Submitting an application directly to the Office of the Registrar General or any of its branch offices.

Registration takes only five (5) days on average if done in person or online, and 14 days if done by mail.
angle-left Why you should register your business

Why you should register your business

Registering a business is beneficial in several ways. Some of the benefits include:

  1. Establishing business bank accounts: You need to provide proof that your business is properly registered with the Government to open a business bank account at any bank in Malawi. A business bank account is an important asset to a woman in business because it allows for the separation of personal activities from business activities. It is also more professional to give your clients a business name for payment instead of your own full name.
  2. Accessing loans: When you apply for business loans, you are going to have to prove that you are actually a business. Banks, microfinance institutions and other formal lenders will require to see your business registration along with other application requirements before approving you for a loan.
  3. Reputation with customers: Customers and clients, especially people you have never worked with before, need assurance that you are a legitimate business. A potential client may suspect your business of being a brief case operation if your business is not properly registered. When a business is registered it could put your clients at ease when making a decision about whether to spend money with your company.
  4. Supplier arrangements: A registered business also makes you eligible to receive supplier discounts that you would not normally receive as an unregistered operation. Suppliers commonly reserve wholesale rates for business owners who can show official paperwork from the state. Also, if you plan to try to get government contracts for your company, a business registration is one of the first requirements.
  5. Government assistance programs: business registration not only helps the government to know that a business exists, but also qualifies one for government assistance programs. 
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