Panama S.A. · Sociedad Anónima
Form your Panama corporation remotely, with clear documentation and legal support in English. Incorporation is handled in Panama; the structure is planned around your intended activity and ownership.
Formation from USD 2,500 · including the first-year government charge and resident agent
At a glance
A Panama Sociedad Anónima (S.A.) is a corporation governed by Law 32 of 1927. It can have one shareholder and requires at least three directors and a Panamanian resident agent. Our usual registration estimate is 5–10 business days after complete documents and compliance clearance. Incorporation can be handled without a trip to Panama; banking is a separate process.
Panamanian legal services: Karen Dorcy · Abogada, Republic of Panama · Licence No. 10179 · English service information updated 25 October 2026
Panama company formation costs
A defined incorporation package. Additional services quoted separately.
S.A. FORMATION PACKAGE
from USD 2,500 one-off
- Company name check and registration preparation
- Articles of incorporation (Pacto Social) under Law 32 of 1927, notarised in Panama
- Registration with the Public Registry of Panama
- Resident agent for the first year through the Panamanian legal team
- First-year annual government charge: USD 300 Tasa Única
- Incorporation documents digitally, with originals by courier
Advice and communication in English
Optional services
Arrange these according to your needs. Pricing and availability confirmed in your quotation.
- Nominee directors: at least three directors are required. Professional directors can be arranged where appropriate.
- Panama bank account support: preliminary compliance review, bank selection and application preparation
- Panama City business address: mail receipt and forwarding
- Tax registration (RUC/NIT): registration with the DGI
- Operating notice (Aviso de Operación): assistance where required for activity in Panama
From year two: USD 300 annual government charge plus USD 800 resident agent fee. Additional administration, accounting, licences and optional services depend on your activity and agreed scope.
1
shareholder can own the company
0
trips required for incorporation
5–10
business days to registration*
USD 300
annual government charge
ROLES, RESPONSIBILITIES AND DISCLOSURE
How a Panama S.A. is organised
Ownership, management and representation are different roles. We agree the allocation with you before preparing the documents.
REQUIRED
Shareholders
Accionistas
Shareholders own the shares and exercise the rights attached to them. A single shareholder can hold all shares; foreign ownership is possible. Incorporation formalities and the subsequent shareholding arrangement are documented separately.
Not listed as shareholders in the public company record
REQUIRED
Board of directors
Junta Directiva
At least three directors are required. Their powers and responsibilities follow the law and company documents. You may serve as a director; professional directors can also be considered.
Publicly registered
REQUIRED
Officers
Dignatarios
The company has a president, secretary and treasurer. The articles and resolutions define representation and signing authority. One person may hold more than one office where permitted.
Publicly registered
REQUIRED
Resident agent
Agente Residente
A qualified Panamanian lawyer or law firm acts as resident agent and fulfils applicable identification, beneficial ownership and accounting-record obligations. This role is separate from managing your daily business.
Publicly registered
OPTIONAL
Attorney-in-fact
Apoderado
A power of attorney may authorise specified business actions. Its scope, limits and acceptance by banks or counterparties must be checked; it is not a substitute for their compliance requirements.
Public if recorded in the registry
EXAMPLE
One possible arrangement
You hold all shares, three professional directors form the board, and a tailored power of attorney defines your authority. The resident agent handles its statutory responsibilities. Whether this arrangement fits depends on your circumstances.
- Discuss control and signing authority
Public company information includes the articles, directors, officers and resident agent.
Beneficial ownership is not anonymous: the resident agent must identify the relevant individuals and comply with applicable reporting rules. Banks conduct their own checks.
Incorporate a Panama S.A. in four steps
We coordinate the legal preparation, notarial formalities and registration.
Initial consultation
Confirm the intended activity, ownership and whether an S.A. is appropriate. If you are still comparing options, start with our Panama business structures hub.
Discuss your project with Karen Dorcy
Documents and compliance
Prepare identification, address evidence, details of the activity, beneficial owners and source of funds. References, certification and additional documents may be requested for your case.
Requirements confirmed before submission
Notarisation and registration
The Panamanian legal team prepares the articles, coordinates notarisation and files the incorporation with the Public Registry.
Handled in Panama
Handover
Receive the incorporation and registry documents and the agreed corporate records. Banking, address and operating requirements follow under the services you have commissioned.
Digital documents and courier delivery
* Indicative timing: 5–10 business days after complete documents and compliance clearance. Registry processing or additional checks may extend the timetable.
What you can use a Panama corporation for
The intended activity determines the documentation, licences, tax analysis and administration required.
INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS
Cross-border trade and services
The company can enter into contracts and conduct permitted business. Overseas customers do not by themselves establish foreign-source income; assess where the work and management occur.
HOLDING ACTIVITIES
Holding investments or property
A company may hold shares or assets. Review acquisition, transfer, tax and succession consequences before placing an investment or property into a corporate structure.
BUSINESS IN PANAMA
Operating locally
Local activity may require tax registration, an operating notice, sector licences and employment or immigration permissions. Incorporation alone does not authorise every activity.
Taxes and ongoing company obligations
Plan the annual obligations before incorporating. Formation does not remove tax or reporting requirements in other countries.
UPDATE: 25 OCTOBER 2026
Panama and the EU tax list
On 9 October 2026, the Council of the EU announced Panama’s removal from its list of non-cooperative jurisdictions for tax purposes. This does not determine your company’s tax treatment or automatically remove every domestic reporting obligation.
Tax treatment in Panama
Income source and the applicable rules must be assessed for your business. Law 526 of 2026 introduces an economic-substance regime concerning certain foreign-source passive income from tax year 2027. Ask whether your company falls within its scope before relying on a foreign-income exemption.
Accounting and record keeping
Maintain the required accounting records and supporting documents. Confirm with the resident agent which records must be supplied, in what form and by which deadline. Obligations vary with the entity’s activities and the applicable regulations; missing them can lead to penalties.
Law 52 of 2016, as amended by Law 254 of 2021, and implementing regulations
Beneficial ownership
The resident agent must identify beneficial owners and fulfil applicable reporting requirements. Private information is not a promise of anonymity from competent authorities, banks or your home-country tax authority.
Law 129 of 2020 and applicable amendments
Your home jurisdiction matters
For clients in the US, Canada, the UK and elsewhere, entity classification, place of management, foreign-company rules and reporting can materially affect the result. Obtain advice in the relevant jurisdiction; we coordinate the Panamanian documentation.
Cross-border legal and tax coordination
An unconditional promise of zero tax is not a sound basis for incorporation.
Panama company formation FAQ
Remote incorporation can usually be arranged through the Panamanian legal team, with the required identity checks, signatures and document certification. A separate bank application may have different requirements, including an interview or visit.
A single shareholder may hold all shares. At least three directors are required, together with the required officers. Incorporation subscribers, shareholders, directors and officers are distinct roles; we explain and document the proposed arrangement.
Our stated base from year two is USD 300 government Tasa Única plus USD 800 resident agent fee, totalling USD 1,100. Accounting, tax filings, professional directors, address services and other requirements may add to this depending on your activity and engagement.
Directors, officers and the resident agent appear in public company records. Shareholders are not publicly listed as such, but beneficial ownership must be identified and reported as required. This does not prevent lawful access by authorities or bank due diligence.
Tax depends on the source and nature of income and applicable rules. Review Panamanian obligations, the foreign-passive-income regime effective from 2027 where relevant, and taxation or reporting in your home jurisdiction. We do not promise a tax-free outcome.
Offshore is a description of cross-border use, not a separate S.A. legal form or an exemption from obligations. The company must have a legitimate purpose, identified beneficial owners and documented source of funds. Relevant laws and reporting requirements still apply.
Incorporation does not guarantee a bank account. Each bank decides whether to accept the company after reviewing its activity, ownership, source of funds and documentation. We can help prepare the application under a separate banking engagement.
English service information updated 25 October 2026. Panamanian legal services are provided by Karen Dorcy, Abogada, licence No. 10179. Your engagement and quotation define the scope; advice on tax consequences elsewhere comes from your adviser in that jurisdiction.
Legal framework and official guidance
- Law 32 of 26 February 1927: corporations
- Law 129 of 2020: beneficial ownership framework
- Law 52 of 2016 and Law 254 of 2021: accounting records
- Law 526 of 28 May 2026: economic substance and certain foreign-source passive income
- Panama DGI: annual Tasa Única
Who handles your incorporation?
Discuss whether an S.A. fits your project, the proposed scope and the expected timetable with Karen Dorcy.
Admitted in Panama · Licence No. 10179 · LL.M., Leibniz University Hannover · advice in English
A company should remain practical after incorporation: clear authority, current records and a structure that fits your plans.
Karen Dorcy, Abogada · Fischer & Cie. Private Office, Panama City