Cost of Starting a Business in Vietnam: A Guide for Foreign Investors
What Is the Cost of Starting a Business in Vietnam? For foreign investors, registration fees are only part of the answer. You also need to budget for incorporation services, the capital you commit to the company, and the costs of operating and meeting compliance requirements after registration.
These amounts serve different purposes. Service fees pay for work performed by an advisor. Contributed capital goes into the company under its capital contribution plan. Office rent, accounting and staffing are operating expenses. Separating them gives you a clearer picture of both your setup costs and your first-year cash requirements.
What Is the Cost of Starting a Business in Vietnam?
There is no standard price for every foreign-invested company. Your total budget depends on your proposed business activities, investor documents, location, licensing requirements and the scope of your service provider’s quote.
| Cost to budget for | When it arises | How to plan for it |
| Incorporation service and applicable filing fees | Before and during registration | Request a quote that clearly states what is included. |
| Preparation of documents overseas | Before filing | Check the translation and consular legalization requirements for each document. |
| Additional licenses, if required | During or after registration | Assess them against your specific business activities. |
| Capital contribution | According to the applicable contribution schedule | Plan this separately from service fees. |
| Office and initial operating costs | Before or shortly after operations begin | Include deposits, rent, equipment and staffing. |
| Accounting, tax and compliance | After incorporation | Set a recurring budget that also covers annual obligations. |
Three budgets every investor should keep separate
Incorporation costs cover the work needed to establish the company. Contributed capital is the amount investors commit to the company in its registration documents; it is not a fee paid to an advisor. First-year operating costs cover the office, accounting, people and other resources the company needs to function.
After receiving an incorporation quote, ask two further questions: How much capital will you need to prepare, and which services will start generating costs after the company is registered?
1. One-Time Costs Before and During Incorporation
Advisory firms in Vietnam commonly quote a package price for company formation. However, the work included in each package can differ. Understanding the components is essential before comparing prices.
1.1 Government filing and publication fees
Some registration and publication procedures may carry official fees. Check which applicable charges are included in your advisor’s quote and whether the advisor will pay them on your behalf during the filing process.
These charges should not be confused with the former annual business license fee (lệ phí môn bài). According to government guidance, taxpayers have not been required to pay that annual fee since 1 January 2026. xaydungchinhsach.chinhphu.vn
1.2 Translation, notarization and consular legalization
Documents issued outside Vietnam may need additional preparation before they can be used in an application. Requirements depend on the investor, the type of document and the country where it was issued.
Distinguish between work carried out in Vietnam, such as applicable translation and notarization, and work that must be arranged overseas, such as consular legalization. Costs incurred in the investor’s home country are often outside the scope of a Vietnam-based advisor’s package. Request a tailored document checklist early to avoid having to prepare documents twice.
1.3 Legal advisory and company incorporation service fees
Advisory firms in Vietnam generally quote an all-in package for a defined scope of work rather than charging separately for every step. Depending on the proposal, the package may cover advice on the investment structure and business activities, preparation and follow-up of applications, applicable government fees, and certain notarization work in Vietnam.
As a planning estimate, USD 1,800–2,700 may cover advisory and incorporation services together with a company seal, digital signature and initial tax procedures. This is an indicative range for a particular scope of work, not a fixed price for every investor. The final quote depends on the complexity of the application, the services included, the provider’s experience and its specific commitments regarding scope, timing and responsibility for handling the application.
Before selecting a provider, ask for a written list of inclusions and separately charged items. Pay particular attention to document legalization overseas, additional licenses and post-incorporation support.
2. Cost of Starting a Business | After the Company Is Registered
Receiving the company’s registration documents is a major milestone, but further tasks may be needed before operations can begin.
| Post-registration task | Question to check against your budget |
| Company seal | Is it included in the package or purchased separately? |
| Digital signature | Who purchases and renews it, and what is its validity period? |
| Bank accounts | How far does the advisor’s support extend, and what documents or in-person steps does the bank require? |
| Initial tax procedures | Will the incorporation advisor handle these, or will they pass to the accounting team? |
| E-invoices | Are provider and software fees quoted separately? |
| Accounting setup | Who will establish the books, chart of accounts and document retention process? |
Assign responsibility for each task in writing. This helps ensure a clear handover from the incorporation team to the people managing the company’s accounting and tax work.
To get an accurate cost estimate, contact a consulting firm such as Vina TPT. We will help you break down the potential costs of establishing your company in Vietnam, including incorporation fees, additional expenses and post-licensing requirements. Our initial consultation is free, giving you a clearer understanding of the budget you need before moving forward.
3. Ongoing Compliance Costs for an FDI Company
After incorporation, the company needs a budget for accounting, tax and applicable reporting obligations. The cost depends on transaction volume, staffing, reporting needs and how much work the internal team will handle.
Accounting, tax filing and financial reporting
A basic accounting proposal may focus on bookkeeping and periodic tax filings. Management reports, bilingual reports and complex transactions may require a broader service scope. When requesting a quote, share your expected document volume, activities, hiring plans and reporting requirements.
An in-house accounting team also requires a budget for salaries, software, training and review. Compare the scope of work and responsibility, not just the monthly price of an outsourced service.
Statutory audit and investment reporting
Include the annual financial statement audit in your budget. Vietnam’s Ministry of Finance has confirmed that foreign-invested enterprises are subject to an annual financial statement audit regardless of company size. Investment reporting is a separate workstream: determine which reports apply and who will prepare the information needed for them. ttcg.mof.gov.vn
Payroll, insurance and expatriate administration
If the company plans to hire employees, budget for payroll, applicable insurance administration and employment documentation. If it will employ foreign nationals, assess immigration and work authorization services separately. These costs depend on your hiring plans and are not automatically included in an incorporation package.
Budgeting for Office Space, People and Operations
Your first-year budget should also account for premises, lease deposits, employees, computers, software, banking and day-to-day administration. The proposed registered address must be assessed against the company’s activities and the requirements of its application.
For suitable businesses establishing a presence in Ho Chi Minh City, Vina TPT Shared Office offers a combination of business address, workspace, and access to company formation, accounting and tax services. The address must be reviewed for each application. Under the applicable service proposal, office rental charges begin once the company has been established, helping investors plan costs during the registration period.
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Example: A First-Year Budget for a Foreign-Invested Service Company
Consider a small or medium-sized service company that plans to use one workspace, hire a limited number of employees and outsource its accounting. The table below is a budgeting template, not a quotation. Enter amounts from the proposals you receive.
| Cost item | Before or during incorporation | After registration | Classification |
| Incorporation package | According to the quote | — | One-time setup cost |
| Overseas document legalization | Based on the documents required | — | One-time, case-dependent cost |
| Additional licenses, if applicable | According to the quote | May also arise later | Case-dependent cost |
| Capital contribution | Prepare a funding plan | Contribute under the applicable schedule | Company capital; exclude from the setup-fee total |
| Office | A deposit may be required | Recurring rent | Operating cash requirement |
| Seal, digital signature and initial systems | Check the package scope | May require purchase or renewal | Initial or recurring cost |
| Accounting and tax | Select a provider | According to the contract | Recurring compliance cost |
| Audit | Plan and confirm the scope | Annual fee | Annual compliance cost |
| Payroll and employment administration | Plan if hiring | Monthly or per case | Operating and compliance cost |
| Contingency | Set aside an allowance | Review as operations begin | Budget reserve |
Calculate three separate totals: what you will pay to establish the company, the capital you need to contribute, and the cash needed for 12 months of operations and compliance. A trading company or business in a regulated sector may need additional budget lines for licenses, premises, goods and activity-specific requirements.
4. How to Avoid Unexpected Setup Costs
| Common issue | What to do early |
| Business activities are described too broadly or imprecisely | Define your products, services and sales model before requesting a quote. |
| Investor documents are prepared incorrectly | Request a checklist tailored to the investor and the country of issue. |
| The proposed address is unsuitable | Check the location against your activities before signing a lease. |
| The budget stops at incorporation | Forecast accounting, audit, office and staffing costs for the first year. |
| The quote does not clearly state exclusions | Request a written list of included and excluded services and a payment schedule. |
Frequently Asked Questions
Can a foreign investor own 100% of a company in Vietnam?
This may be possible, depending on the proposed activities and applicable market access conditions. Confirm the ownership structure before finalizing the budget and preparing the application.
Do I need to contribute all registered capital upfront?
No. You do not need to contribute the full amount when filing the incorporation application. For a limited liability company, the registered charter capital must generally be contributed within 90 days of the Enterprise Registration Certificate (ERC) being issued. Plan the transfer of funds before receiving the ERC.
Do service and trading companies have different setup costs?
They may. Business activities, licensing, location, goods and operating requirements can all affect the incorporation scope and first-year budget.
Can I use a shared office address to register a company?
Potentially, provided the address is suitable for the planned activities and the application requirements. With Vina TPT Shared Office, we can provide the relevant legal documents for the premises to support the company registration process. Our team will assess whether the address is appropriate for your proposed activities before preparing the application.
What information do I need to provide for an incorporation quote?
Tell us your proposed business activities, the specific products or services you will offer, and how the company will operate—for example, whether it will manufacture, import, distribute or provide services in Vietnam. Please also share the investor’s nationality or country of incorporation, the proposed ownership structure and location. This allows Vina TPT to identify the relevant procedures, define the service scope and flag costs outside a standard incorporation package.
Get a Cost Estimate for Your Vietnam Business Setup
Vina TPT supports foreign investors with company formation and the accounting, tax and administrative work that follows. Share your proposed activities and investment plan with our team. We can review the scope and prepare a proposal that clearly identifies included services, separately charged expenses, capital needs and ongoing costs.
