BRELA Business Registration in Tanzania — Founder's Guide (2026)
BRELA (Business Registration and Licensing Authority) is where you register a Tanzanian company. Here's the 2026 process for sole proprietorships, partnerships, and limited companies.
Choose your structure
Sole proprietorship: easiest, fastest, but unlimited personal liability. Partnership: 2+ owners, partnership agreement required. Private limited company (Ltd): separate legal entity, limited liability — recommended for most growth-oriented businesses.
Application process
Online at brela.go.tz or via a registered agent. Provide: proposed company name (BRELA does name search to confirm availability), Memorandum and Articles of Association, director details, share capital, registered address. Processing typically 5–10 business days.
After BRELA
Apply for TIN at TRA. Open business bank account. Register with NSSF if you'll have employees. Apply for VRN if turnover will exceed TZS 200M. Apply for TRA VFD certificate. See the full new-business stack →