Business licence fee abolished from 1 Jan 2026: what should enterprises note?
The business license fee is officially abolished from 1 Jan 2026 under Resolution 198/2025/QH15. Previous rates, who benefits, and notes on outstanding amounts.
Resolution 198/2025/QH15 abolishes the business license fee from 1 Jan 2026. From 2026, enterprises, branches, representative offices and household businesses no longer need to declare and pay this annual fee.
Previous Business License Fee Rates
Under Decree 139/2016/ND-CP (as amended), the business license fee was collected annually at a rate depending on charter capital or revenue:
Business license fee before and after 2026
| Item | Before 2026 | From 1 Jan 2026 |
|---|---|---|
| Charter capital over 10 billion VND | 3,000,000 VND/year | 0 VND |
| Charter capital up to 10 billion VND | 2,000,000 VND/year | 0 VND |
| Branches, representative offices | 1,000,000 VND/year | 0 VND |
| Household Business | 300,000 – 1,000,000 VND/year | 0 VND |
| Business license fee declaration | Filed upon establishment | Not required |
How Do Businesses Benefit?
- Newly established businesses no longer need to file a business license fee declaration as before.
- Fixed annual costs fall by 1 – 3 million VND for each enterprise, branch and representative office.
- Charter capital no longer affects the fee payable – businesses can register capital according to their actual needs.
Important Notes
Amounts Owed for Previous Years Must Still Be Paid
The abolition applies from 2026. Business license fees for previous years that a business has not paid or underpaid remain an obligation to be settled, together with late-payment interest if any. Businesses should check their obligations on the electronic tax system and resolve them fully.
Other Tax Obligations Are Unchanged
Businesses must still declare value-added tax and personal income tax, finalize corporate income tax and submit financial statements on time. See the deadlines under our full-service accounting and tax service.
Upon Dissolution, Closing the Tax Code
The tax authority still reviews business license fee obligations for previous years when a business carries out dissolution procedures or terminates its tax code.
Cost of Setting Up a Company in 2026
With the business license fee abolished and the enterprise registration fee reduced by 50% through the end of 2026, the government cost of setting up a company is currently very low. See the detailed table in our article on the cost of setting up a company in 2026.
Legal basis
- Resolution 198/2025/QH15
- Decree 139/2016/ND-CP
Content reviewed by Lawyer Đoàn Minh Đức (Director – Managing Lawyer); updated 17 Oct 2026.
This article is for reference only, based on regulations as of the update date. For advice on your specific case, please contact a lawyer.
