Form an Arts and Entertainment Service Company in Vietnam

Vietnam’s entertainment industry is experiencing rapid growth, driven by digital transformation and the rise of the creative economy. However, to form an arts and entertainment service company in Vietnam is a conditional business line subject to strict regulatory control. Many enterprises, including talent management agencies, encounter legal obstacles from the licensing stage, particularly in performance permits and content censorship. To avoid administrative penalties or business suspension, investors must clearly understand the latest legal framework. In this article, Viet An Law provides a comprehensive analysis of the legal conditions, business lines, and required sub-licenses.

Legal conditions to form an arts and entertainment service company in Vietnam

Legal conditions for establishing an arts and entertainment service company in Vietnam

Operating in the entertainment sector is classified as a conditional business line. Therefore, enterprises must satisfy the following requirements:

• Obtain an Enterprise Registration Certificate (ERC);
• Ensure business activities do not fall under prohibited sectors or violate Vietnamese cultural traditions and social ethics;
• Obtain sub-licenses (business eligibility licenses) for conditional activities, such as:
• Organizing tours;
• Karaoke entertainment services;
• Organizing performances involving foreign elements.

Note: These licenses must be obtained prior to operation.

Investment conditions for foreign investors

Under International Treaties (WTO, FTAs, AFAS, BIT Vietnam – Japan)

• No distribution rights for recorded products (WTO, FTAs);
• No production of video recordings (AFAS);
• For Japanese investors:
  • Cultural production and publishing projects require Government approval;
  • Investment form: Business Cooperation Contract (BCC).

Under Vietnamese Law

Audio and video recordings (domestic or imported) must obtain content approval licenses from competent authorities.

Procedure to form an arts and entertainment service company in Vietnam

Step 1: Determine the appropriate company type

• Type of enterprise: Depending on the scale, number of employees, and development orientation, investors should select an appropriate business structure, such as a Joint Stock Company (JSC), Single-member Limited Liability Company (LLC), or Multi-member Limited Liability Company, in accordance with regulations applicable to establishing an entertainment company in Vietnam.
• Company name: The company name must comply with naming requirements under Articles 37 – 41 of the Law on Enterprises 2020.
• Head office address: Pursuant to the Law on Enterprises 2020, the head office of an entertainment company must be located within the territory of Vietnam, serving as the official contact address of the enterprise and determined according to administrative boundaries; it must include a telephone number, fax number, and email address (if any). In accordance with Article 3 and Article 6 of the Law on Housing 2014 and Official Letter No. 2544/BXD-QLN dated November 19, 2009 of the Ministry of Construction, enterprises are not permitted to register their head office, branches, or representative offices in apartment buildings or collective housing designated for residential purposes.
• Charter capital and legal capital: Investors should carefully determine charter capital to mitigate potential legal and financial risks. Most business lines in the entertainment sector do not require statutory legal capital under current regulations on establishing an entertainment company in Vietnam.
• Business lines registration: Relevant business codes include 9000, 5911, 5912, 7310, 5920, 9329, etc.

Step 2: Enterprise registration

Investment registration

Pursuant to Article 33 of the Law on Investment 2020 and Article 31 of Decree No. 31/2021/ND-CP (as amended by Decree No. 239/2025/ND-CP), foreign investors must carry out investment registration procedures at the Department of Finance when establishing an entertainment company in Vietnam.

Processing time: Within 10 days from the date of receipt of a complete and valid dossier, the investment registration authority shall issue the Investment Registration Certificate (IRC). In case of refusal, a written notice stating the reasons must be provided to the investor.

Enterprise registration

Pursuant to the Law on Enterprises 2020 (amended in 2025) and Decree No. 168/2025/ND-CP, the enterprise establishment procedures include:

Required dossier:

• Application for enterprise registration in the prescribed form;
• Company Charter;
• List of members (for multi-member LLCs) or list of shareholders (for JSCs);
• List of beneficial owners (if any);
• Copies of legal documents of the company owner, members/shareholders, and legal representative;
• Notarized copies of the establishment decision or enterprise registration certificate for institutional investors;
• Copy of the Investment Registration Certificate for foreign investors;
• Power of attorney for carrying out enterprise registration procedures (if any).

Additionally, pursuant to Clause 2, Article 9 of Decree No. 168/2025/ND-CP, the business registration authority is not permitted to request any documents beyond those prescribed under the Law on Enterprises.

• Place of submission: Department of Finance where the company’s head office is located.
• Processing time: 05–07 working days.
• Result: Enterprise Registration Certificate (ERC).

Step 3: Post-licensing procedures

• Engraving the company seal;
• Opening a corporate bank account;
• Initial tax declaration with the tax authority;
• Registering for e-invoices (if applicable).

Step 4: Application for content approval license

Procedures:

Organizations applying for a content approval license must submit one (01) dossier either directly or via postal service to the Performing Arts Department or the Department of Culture, Sports and Tourism (or Department of Culture and Sports).

Dossier includes (pursuant to Article 10 of Decree No. 144/2020/ND-CP):

• 01 application form for content approval (Form No. 02);
• 01 list of authors, works, and performers;
• 01 music score and lyrics or literary script (for foreign works, a certified Vietnamese translation is required);
• 01 audio/video recording of the performance content;
• 01 certified copy of the decision permitting dissemination of works and approval for overseas Vietnamese performers (if applicable);
• 01 design sample of the audio/video recording cover;
• 01 certified copy of the establishment decision or enterprise registration certificate (for first-time applicants or entities with prior violations).

Legal Update: Decree No. 20/2026/ND-CP & Special Mechanisms for SMEs Vietnam

The Government has issued guidance on investment incentives under Resolution No. 198/2025/QH15 to promote private sector development.

✅SME incentives:

• 100% corporate income tax exemption for the first 03 years for newly established SMEs;
• Applicable from the year of licensing (including the 2025 tax period).

❌ Technical barriers (important notes):

• Not applicable to “restructured” enterprises (split, merged, or transformed entities);
• Not applicable if the founder/legal representative owns another enterprise or has dissolved a company within the past 12 months.

🎁 Additional support:

• Reduction of land rental fees and priority access to public assets;
• Tax incentives for investment funds financing startups;
• 100% subsidized management training programs for household businesses transitioning into enterprises.

👉 Enterprises established during 2025–2026 should review their legal dossiers promptly to benefit from available incentives.

Legal services by Viet An Law for establishing an entertainment company in Vietnam

• Advising on legal regulations and procedures related to enterprise and investment in Vietnam;
• Consulting on company establishment procedures, including obtaining IRC, ERC, business licenses, and sub-licenses;
• Advising on conditional business lines and specific requirements applicable to each investor nationality;
• Drafting and submitting dossiers, working with competent state authorities, and delivering finalized legal documentation to clients;
• Providing post-establishment advisory services, including contracts, taxation, Vietnamese and foreign labor, intellectual property, and franchising.

The above provides comprehensive guidance on how to form an arts and entertainment service company in Vietnam. Should you require further assistance, please contact Viet An Law for timely, accurate, and professional legal support.