Company Registry Spotlight: Cyprus

Exploring the Company Registry in Cyprus: Insights into Business Landscape and Business KYC Compliance

The official company registry in Cyprus is managed by the Department of Registrar of Companies and Official Receiver (DRCOR), under the Ministry of Energy, Commerce and Industry. The registry, established nearly a century ago, has undergone modernisation including digitisation in 2013, providing an integrated platform to facilitate company registration and compliance. It aims to support local and foreign entrepreneurs by maintaining a transparent, accessible, and efficient public register that promotes regulatory compliance and business transparency. 

The primary portal for registration and registry services is accessible at https://www.companies.gov.cy/en/. 

Through this online platform, users can perform electronic searches, company name reservations, incorporations, and submit statutory filings such as annual reports and financial statements. Additional features include requests for certificates and extracts. The system supports effective management of business compliance requirements digitally, reducing reliance on physical document submissions. 

The registry provides access to a broad range of company data relevant for Know Your Customer (KYC) and Know Your Business (KYB) due diligence, including:

Legal entity types, such as:

• Private Limited Liability Companies by shares

• Public Limited Liability Companies by shares

• Limited Liability Companies by guarantee (with or without share capital)

• Variable Capital Investment Companies

Documents, including:

• Registry Extract

• Memorandum and Articles of Association

• Certificate of Incorporation

• Annual Accounts

• Annual Reports

Data, covering:

• Company information

• Registered office addresses

• Directors

• Shareholders

• Filing histories

Publicly accessible data that support verification of:

• Beneficial ownership

• Compliance status

Cyprus registers a variety of entities, including private and public limited liability companies, partnerships, sole proprietorships, and foreign company branches. The jurisdiction’s regulatory framework allows 100% foreign ownership across sectors, and incorporation processes are streamlined, typically taking 5 to 7 working days, with digital submission options accelerating the process. The business environment is bolstered by favourable tax policies and flexible corporate governance requirements. 

As of 31 May 2025, the total number of registered business entities in Cyprus—including companies, partnerships, business names, overseas companies, European companies, and European Economic Interest Groupings—stands at approximately 253,589, according to the Registrar of Companies. In the first quarter of 2025 alone, 3,650 new companies were incorporated, marking a 16.3% increase compared to the same period in 2024 (source). These figures highlight Cyprus’s continued growth as a dynamic business hub within the European Union (Registrar of Companies, Investment Cyprus). 

Recent improvements in the Cyprus registry include a comprehensive digital transformation, notably the implementation of an e-filing system that enables full electronic submission of registration and compliance documents. This digital shift has enhanced registry transparency, improved user experience, and made compliance procedures more efficient and accessible for both domestic and international stakeholders. 

Know Your Customer Limited (KYCL) integrates directly with Cyprus’s company registry through our REST API, enabling real-time, automated access to verified company data. This connection streamlines KYC and KYB compliance by providing instant updates on company status, ownership, and filings. It supports enhanced due diligence, reduces manual effort, and fortifies anti-financial crime measures through continuous monitoring. 

Cyprus’s Department of Registrar of Companies plays a crucial role in fostering a transparent and business-friendly environment through its digitised, comprehensive, and accessible company registry. Ongoing reforms and technological upgrades underscore its commitment to facilitating compliance, supporting local and foreign enterprises, and maintaining Cyprus’s competitive edge as a regional business centre.