Company formation · One owner
One Person Company in Egypt
or Sole Proprietorship?
A single owner in Egypt has two routes. A one person company (OPC) is a separate company with a minimum capital of EGP 1,000, fully paid. A sole proprietorship is you, trading in your own name. Below we compare both with an LLC and set out the steps, including what changes in Sharm El Sheikh.
- Chartered Accountant (محاسب قانوني)
- Office 314, Al Azizia Mall, Sharm El Sheikh
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- Same-day replies, 09:00–23:00 daily
01What's included
What we do for a one-owner business
Formation is day one. After that we keep the company compliant from Office 314 in Sharm El Sheikh: tax card, VAT and e-receipts, the books and the annual return.
02Process
How an OPC is set up, step by step
This is the Law 159 route for a one person company. A sole proprietorship can be set up at GAFI under Investment Law 72/2017 instead, and a foreign owner files the same security-inquiry forms.
- 01
Check the form against your case
Nationality, activity, exact location (Sharm and Dahab fall under Decree 128/2022; El Tor and Saint Catherine under Law 14/2012) and residency plans. Every later step depends on this.
- 02
Name and registered office
A name certificate, and a lease or ownership document for the head office.
- 03
Documents and security forms
Passport or national ID, and a security-inquiry form for every foreign founder and manager. A foreigner filing for you under a power of attorney needs valid Egyptian residency.
- 04
Pay in the capital
The full capital, at least EGP 1,000. An OPC's capital must be fully paid, so this comes before the filing.
- 05
GAFI filing and Commercial Register
The company's articles, Bar Association certification, notarisation and the Commercial Register entry, which is when the OPC becomes a legal person.
- 06
Tax card, VAT and e-receipts
Standard activities get the normal 5-year tax card. VAT registration is compulsory from EGP 500,000 turnover. E-invoices apply to every ETA taxpayer, and in Sharm consumer sales need e-receipts.
Timings are GAFI's stated times and what practitioners report, as of October 2026, not a promise. Advance security clearance (reported for some nationalities), legalised foreign documents and Sinai approvals can add time. GAFI hotline: 16035.
03Why us
Why clients in Sharm choose us
One Person Company or Sole Proprietorship in Egypt, handled by one chartered accountant from your first question to the final registration. An OPC in Egypt has one owner and limited liability; a sole trader in Egypt (sole proprietorship) is simpler, but the owner answers with personal assets.
08FAQ
Questions about one person companies in Egypt
One person company capital in Egypt: what is the minimum?
The minimum is EGP 1,000, and it must be fully paid, unlike a JSC, which pays in 10% at incorporation. Figures of EGP 50,000 still circulate online; they are wrong. You can choose a higher capital, but several GAFI fees are a percentage of capital, so a bigger number can raise the registration fees. Rules as of October 2026.
Can a foreigner own a one person company in Egypt?
Yes, in most activities outside Sinai. Foreigners can own 100% of most investment projects, and GAFI asks for a security-inquiry form for every foreign founder and manager. Commercial agency is restricted to Egyptians. In Sharm El Sheikh and Dahab a non-Egyptian project must be an Egyptian JSC (Decree 128/2022). A company with foreign ownership also files GAFI FDI reports.
Is a sole proprietorship simpler than a one person company?
On paper, yes. It is not a company, so Law 159's capital and auditor rules do not apply. The trade-off is liability: owner and business are the same person, so business debts reach your personal assets. Profit is taxed at the personal income-tax bands, and from tax period 2028 every business, sole proprietors included, must keep regular books.
How long does it take to register a one person company?
GAFI states one working day for an OPC incorporated in person at its investor service centres. Practitioners report one to two weeks once documents are ready. Advance security clearance, reported for some nationalities, documents legalised abroad and the extra approvals in Sinai can make it longer. We give you a realistic range for your case, not a promise.
Can I open a one person company in Sharm El Sheikh?
If you are Egyptian, yes: Decree 128/2022's JSC rule covers non-Egyptian projects. Expect e-receipts, which every taxpayer in the Sharm area selling to consumers must issue. If the owner is not Egyptian, the decree requires an Egyptian JSC for an investment project in Sharm, Dahab and the Gulf of Aqaba tourism sector, so plan for a JSC instead.
09Related services
Where to go next
Free consultation
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A few lines are enough: one owner or more, nationality, activity and town.