Register a company with SECP: preparation to incorporation
This guide covers preparing an ordinary company incorporation application. A founder should be able to explain who owns the company, who will manage it, where it will operate and what it will do before entering those details into a portal.
Choose the company type
SECP describes one member for a single-member company, at least two persons for a private company and at least three for a public company. Name reservation and incorporation may be combined or handled separately under its published registration process. SECP: company registration
| Decision | Write down before filing |
|---|---|
| Ownership | Proposed members, their shares and identity details |
| Management | Proposed directors and chief executive |
| Business | The principal activity in a clear sentence |
| Address | Accurate office/contact information and available evidence |
| Capital | The intended authorised and subscribed amounts, checked for consistency |
| Name | Preferred names and alternatives, with reasons they fit the business |
Do not choose large capital figures simply to make the company appear substantial. Agree the commercial intention first, then confirm the legal and fee consequences for that choice.
Prepare identities and supporting papers
SECP's online-incorporation FAQ describes a generated application and memorandum/articles, promoter identity attachments, submission and payment. Its manual-filing list includes Form-II, constitutional documents, identities, a paid challan and authority where required. Foreign participation and regulated activities need their additional requirements checked. SECP: incorporation FAQs, including NTN integration
- Collect clear identity copies and check every spelling and number against the proposed application.
- Confirm that each person's role is correctly described; ownership and management should not be inferred from a phone conversation.
- Agree who will monitor the application and respond to a return or objection.
- Keep any required consent, authority or special approval with the application folder.
- Resolve disagreements over ownership before submitting signed documents.
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- Start at SECP's official registration page. Follow its eZfile/LEAP link and select the appropriate user-registration or sign-in route.
- Prepare the name request. Follow the name-selection requirements displayed; retain alternatives in case your preference is unavailable or questioned.
- Complete the company details. Enter the agreed activity, participants, addresses and capital information.
- Review the generated documents. Compare the names, shares and business description with your preparation sheet. Do not treat auto-generated text as already approved by the founders.
- Complete required approvals and submission. Follow the current signing and authorisation prompts for the participants.
- Pay the generated demand through an offered official channel. Retain both the application reference and payment evidence.
- Monitor the decision. Resolve any returned item against its stated reason and keep the corrected submission.
Use SECP's stepwise manual beside the application if a field or signing stage is unclear. Screenshots in a manual may differ from a later portal release, so confirm the action shown in the live account. SECP: stepwise online incorporation manual
Separate fees from capital and service charges
Before paying, record the fee description, selected route, capital basis, amount and payment reference. Check SECP's current fee schedule/calculator linked from its registration area and compare it with the generated demand. This guide does not publish an unverified flat “total registration cost”.
If using an adviser, request separate lines for official payments and professional services. Ask whether handling a name objection, a returned application or additional approvals is included. Those questions make quotations comparable without assuming that the cheapest quote covers the same work.
Confirm incorporation and the NTN outcome
SECP says the digitally signed incorporation certificate is emailed and available for download. Its FAQ also states that incorporation information is sent to FBR for NTN registration, with issuance dependent on complete and accurate information. Save the certificate and check the NTN outcome rather than assuming either a separate application is always necessary or that the handoff always succeeded. SECP: incorporation FAQs, including NTN integration
Example: two founders receive a payment receipt but cannot find a certificate. Their next action is to inspect the incorporation application's status and any pending objection. A paid fee alone should not be presented to a bank or customer as evidence of incorporation.
Create the company's operating file
Keep the certificate, approved constitutional documents, ownership records, application history and NTN evidence together. Assign responsibility for accounting records, future SECP filings and tax compliance. Review activity-specific licences and employer registrations before assuming the incorporation certificate covers the entire business.
Sources
This guide is written against the official and clearly labelled professional references below. Rates, thresholds and portal procedures change between reviews, so open the primary source before relying on a figure.
- SECP: company registration
- SECP: incorporation FAQs, including NTN integration
- SECP: stepwise online incorporation manual
Questions people also ask
Can one person form a private company?
SECP describes a single-member company route for one member. A private company otherwise requires at least two persons. Choose the structure before preparing the application.
Must I always apply separately for a company NTN?
SECP’s incorporation FAQ states that the incorporation data is forwarded to FBR and NTN issuance depends on complete and accurate information. Check that result before beginning a separate application.
Does paying the incorporation fee mean the company is approved?
No. Keep the payment receipt, but confirm the application decision and obtain the incorporation certificate.
What fee should I budget?
Use SECP’s current fee schedule or calculator for the selected filing route and authorised capital, then confirm the generated payment demand. Ask an adviser to itemise professional charges separately.
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