Required certification · Malaysia
SSM (Companies Commission of Malaysia)
Registration of businesses, companies and LLPs in Malaysia
Market position
Suruhanjaya Syarikat Malaysia (SSM, the Companies Commission of Malaysia) sits under the Ministry of Domestic Trade and Cost of Living and administers the Companies Act 2016, the Registration of Businesses Act 1956 and the Limited Liability Partnerships Act 2012. Sole proprietorships and partnerships register through ezBiz, companies incorporate through MyCoID and LLPs register through MyLLP; companies file annual returns and financial statements through MBRS.
Malaysia-specific note
A contractor first sets up its legal form with SSM: a sole proprietorship or partnership under the Registration of Businesses Act, or a Sdn Bhd under the Companies Act. CIDB's rules refer to these registrations; for example, CIDB's facilities category (F) is open only to ROC-registered companies (Sdn Bhd or Bhd) and certain other bodies at grade G4 and above.
Pros
- + Sets up the legal entity: sole proprietorship, partnership, company or LLP
- + Business registration costs RM30 or RM60 a year
- + Online registration through ezBiz, MyCoID and MyLLP
- + Company incorporation is a one-off RM1,000 fee
Cons
- − Business registrations must be renewed, with fees charged per year
- − Private companies lodge an annual return (RM150) and financial statements
- − Name reservation for a company costs RM50 per 30 days
- − A company limited by guarantee costs RM3,000 to incorporate
Typical Malaysia pricing
Business registration or renewal: RM30 per year (personal name) or RM60 per year (trade name), plus RM5 per branch per year. Company limited by shares (Sdn Bhd): RM1,000 to incorporate, RM50 per 30 days for name reservation, RM150 per annual return. Company limited by guarantee: RM3,000.
Why this matters for Malaysia trades
Under Act 520, every local and foreign contractor must register with CIDB (the Construction Industry Development Board), which grades contractors G1 to G7 with works limits from RM200,000 (G1) to no limit (G7), issues the SPKK certificate for government works and registers construction workers, site supervisors and project managers through the Green Card; working unregistered risks a fine of RM10,000 to RM100,000. LHDN/IRBM runs income tax, employers’ monthly PCB/MTD deductions and the MyInvois e-invoicing system. SSM (the Companies Commission of Malaysia) registers businesses, companies and LLPs; under Act 138 only a Professional Engineer or engineering consultancy practice registered with the Board of Engineers Malaysia (BEM) may submit engineering plans to an authority; and employers must register with and pay monthly contributions to EPF/KWSP and to SOCSO/PERKESO (including EIS), with HRD Corp registration and levy required at 10 or more employees in covered industries.
Malaysian construction and trades software selection is shaped by MyInvois, the national e-invoicing system run by LHDN/IRBM (the Inland Revenue Board), rolled out in phases by turnover from August 2024. Businesses with turnover up to RM5 million entered on 1 January 2026, but under LHDN’s e-Invoice Guideline of 30 August 2026 those below RM3 million are exempt unless a shareholder company, holding company, related company or joint venture has turnover of RM3 million or more, and an interim relaxation for the up-to-RM5 million phase runs to 31 December 2027, allowing consolidated e-invoices for taxpayers who meet its conditions. AutoCount, SQL Account, Bukku and other local accounting and ERP vendors listed here say they submit e-invoices to MyInvois. Add the Ringgit (MYR), SST, CIDB contractor grading from G1 to G7, and monthly EPF, SOCSO, EIS and PCB payroll deductions, with LHDN publishing a list of payroll software whose PCB calculation meets its specification.
Frequently asked
Is SSM (Companies Commission of Malaysia) a good fit for Malaysia trades?
Suruhanjaya Syarikat Malaysia (SSM, the Companies Commission of Malaysia) sits under the Ministry of Domestic Trade and Cost of Living and administers the Companies Act 2016, the Registration of Businesses Act 1956 and the Limited Liability Partnerships Act 2012. Sole proprietorships and partnerships register through ezBiz, companies incorporate through MyCoID and LLPs register through MyLLP; companies file annual returns and financial statements through MBRS. A contractor first sets up its legal form with SSM: a sole proprietorship or partnership under the Registration of Businesses Act, or a Sdn Bhd under the Companies Act. CIDB's rules refer to these registrations; for example, CIDB's facilities category (F) is open only to ROC-registered companies (Sdn Bhd or Bhd) and certain other bodies at grade G4 and above.
What does SSM (Companies Commission of Malaysia) cost in Malaysia?
Business registration or renewal: RM30 per year (personal name) or RM60 per year (trade name), plus RM5 per branch per year. Company limited by shares (Sdn Bhd): RM1,000 to incorporate, RM50 per 30 days for name reservation, RM150 per annual return. Company limited by guarantee: RM3,000. Pricing and availability can change by region; confirm current Malaysia pricing on the vendor's site before committing.