Tourism businessesWork Permits for Dive Instructors in Egypt: Hiring Foreign Staff in Sharm Hotels and Dive CentresA foreign dive instructor or hotel employee in Sharm El Sheikh needs approvals from the labour office, the Ministry of Tourism and,…
Hotels & resorts · Sharm El Sheikh and South Sinai
Hotel License in Egypt:
Tax and Accounting for Hotels and Resorts
A hotel licence in Egypt comes from the Ministry of Tourism under Law 8/2022, at the end of a longer chain: company, tax card, VAT, the manager's licence, chamber membership and staff approvals. We map that chain for hotels and resorts in Sharm El Sheikh and South Sinai, then keep the books, VAT and payroll right every month.
- Chartered Accountant (محاسب قانوني)
- Office 314, Al Azizia Mall, Sharm El Sheikh
- Arabic, English, Italian, Russian
- Same-day replies, 09:00–23:00 daily
01What we do for you
Our work for hotels and resorts
From the first financial model to the yearly return, handled from Office 314 in Sharm El Sheikh.
01Feasibility and financial modelRooms, seasons, payroll and taxes in one model for your bank or partners.Feasibility studies02Company set-up in Sharm and South SinaiThe JSC for a non-Egyptian project, security forms and the Decree 128/2022 approvals.Company formation in Sinai03Licences and registrationsRegister, tax card, chamber membership and a renewal calendar for every licence.Licences and registrations04VAT, e-invoice and e-receiptRegistration, monthly returns, e-invoices for tour operators and e-receipts for guests.VAT service05Payroll and social insuranceSalaries tax, social insurance, Universal Health Insurance and quarterly returns.Payroll service06Monthly accountingBooks that agree with the e-documents, ready for the books-for-all rule from 2028.Accounting service07Audit-ready statementsAnnual statements prepared for the auditor every JSC must appoint.Audit support08Due diligenceTax, licences and approvals checked before you buy into a hotel company or take over a lease.Due diligence09Work permits for foreign staffThe Labour permit and the Ministry of Tourism's approval for each foreign employee.Work permits
02Licence map
How to open a hotel in Egypt: the licence map, from company to opening day
Each authority asks for what the previous one issued. Statutory clocks as of October 2026; real timing depends on a complete file.
- 01
A company in the right legal form
In Sharm El Sheikh, Dahab and the Gulf of Aqaba tourism sector (Decree 128/2022), a non-Egyptian hotel project must be an Egyptian joint-stock company: at least 3 founders and EGP 250,000 of issued capital. Foreign founders and managers file security forms.
- 02
Commercial Register entry
Made at incorporation and renewed every five years. A late renewal is accepted within 90 days, at double the fee.
- 03
Tax card
The tax card carries the number used for every later filing. The 8-month temporary card, available since 29 July 2026, cannot issue e-invoices, so a hotel that invoices tour operators should plan on the normal five-year card.
- 04
VAT registration
Compulsory once turnover reaches EGP 500,000. The standard rate is 14% and returns are monthly.
- 05
Ministry of Tourism: preliminary approval and hotel licence
A hotel under construction starts with the Ministry's preliminary approval. Then come the statutory clocks: a decision within 30 working days or deemed initial approval, 45 days for other agencies or deemed approval, and the licence within 30 days once the requirements are met. Licensed accreditation offices can also certify compliance.
- 06
Manager, alcohol and shisha licences, chamber membership
The manager needs the Ministry's manager licence; alcohol and shisha need their own. Tourism chamber membership is compulsory under Law 27/2023. The fees are in the table below.
Security forms, Sinai approvals and documents issued abroad add time. These are statutory clocks and practitioners' ranges, not promises.
03Why us
Why clients in Sharm choose us
Hotels and Resorts, handled by one chartered accountant from your first question to the final registration. Hotel license in Egypt cost depends on category and size; we also handle hotel accounting in Egypt and work with hotel management companies in Egypt. Related guides: Work Permits for Dive Instructors in Egypt.
+100 businesses servedHotels, restaurants, dive centres, shops and investors in Sharm El Sheikh trust us with their files.
A chartered accountant on your fileYour file is prepared and followed by a Chartered Accountant (محاسب قانوني) and tax expert.
On the ground in SharmOffice 314, Al Azizia Mall, close to the authorities your file goes through. Open every day, 09:00–23:00.
Four languagesArabic, English, Italian and Russian, with the same facts in each.
FAQ
Questions about hotel licences, tax and accounting
How long does it take to license a hotel in Egypt?
Law 8/2022 sets the clocks: the Ministry of Tourism decides within 30 working days or the application is deemed initially approved, other agencies have 45 days, and the licence follows within 30 days once requirements are met. Forming the company comes first; practitioners report 1–2 weeks once documents are ready. Sinai approvals and construction add their own time.
How much does a hotel licence cost in Egypt?
Law 8/2022 sets ranges for each fee: the licence fee covering all agencies, the inspection fee, the manager licence and the alcohol or shisha licence. The Ministry of Tourism decides where your hotel falls, and we confirm the current amounts in your quote. Chamber membership adds a joining fee. We quote our own fee separately.
Can a foreigner own a hotel in Sharm El Sheikh?
Not the land. Under Decree 128/2022, land and buildings in Sharm El Sheikh may be owned only by Egyptians or wholly Egyptian-owned entities, and state land is granted by usufruct. A non-Egyptian hotel project must be an Egyptian joint-stock company, and changes of shareholders need security approvals. How your hotel fits depends on its contracts and approvals.
What taxes does a hotel pay in Egypt?
As of October 2026: corporate income tax of 22.5%, VAT at 14% once turnover reaches EGP 500,000, entertainment tax of 25% on hotel shows, withholding tax on supplier and foreign payments, salaries tax and social insurance on payroll, Universal Health Insurance in South Sinai, and built-property tax on the building. Distributed dividends are taxed at 10%.
Can a hotel in Egypt employ foreign staff?
Yes, with two approvals: the Ministry of Tourism's own approval for foreign staff in hotel establishments, and a work permit under Labour Law 14/2025, with fees set by ministerial decision. Investment Law projects may employ foreigners up to 10% of the workforce, or 20% where qualified Egyptians are not available. A 10% cap is also reported.
Related guides
Tourism businessesWork Permits for Dive Instructors in Egypt: Hiring Foreign Staff in Sharm Hotels and Dive CentresA foreign dive instructor or hotel employee in Sharm El Sheikh needs approvals from the labour office, the Ministry of Tourism and,…Free consultation
Tell us about your case. The first consultation is free
Send us a few lines on WhatsApp or call. During office hours (09:00–23:00, every day) we reply the same day, in Arabic, English, Italian or Russian.