How to Start a Sporting Goods Business in Vietnam

In recent years, the trend of physical training and sports has developed strongly because sports bring us good health and a relaxed mind to work efficiently. Therefore, the business opportunity for sporting goods is huge. Business entities that want to establish a company in this field can refer to the following article by Viet An Law Firm to best complete the necessary legal procedures when going into operation. Learning how to start a sporting goods business in Vietnam requires careful planning. This is an exciting time to enter the sporting goods business.

Consulting on conditions before starting a sporting goods business

Before establishing the company, Viet An Law Firm would like to advise on the following necessary contents:

Consulting on conditions before starting a sporting goods business

Consulting on naming the enterprise

The company name must comply with the provisions of Articles 37 and 38 of the Law on Enterprise 2020. Specifically:

• The enterprise name includes two components in order: Enterprise type – Proper name;
• The enterprise type is written as “limited liability company/LLC”, “joint stock company/JSC”, “partnership/HD company” or “private enterprise/PE”.
• The proper name is written using letters in the alphabet, the letters F, J, Z, W, numbers, and symbols.

Note that the enterprise name must not fall into the following cases:

• Duplicating or causing confusion with the name of another registered enterprise;
• Using the name of state agencies, armed forces units, names of political organizations, etc., to make up the whole or part of the proper name;
• Using words and symbols that violate historical, cultural, moral traditions, and fine customs.

Therefore, clients need to conduct a preliminary search of the enterprise name to ensure it does not fall into prohibited cases and is capable of trademark registration and domain name registration.

Consulting on the head office address

The head office of the enterprise must be located in the territory of Vietnam; the head office is the contact address of the enterprise. Here, understanding how to start a sporting goods business in Vietnam means choosing the right legal location.

The company head office must not be an apartment building or collective housing (it is possible to register the company head office in mixed-use residential-office buildings).

Consulting on business lines

Some business lines, which latest update by Decision 36/2025/QD-TTg on new VSIC code from 15/11/2025, related to sporting goods that enterprises can choose to register include:

The above business lines are unconditional; the enterprise can operate immediately upon being granted the Enterprise Registration Certificate. This is a crucial part of business registration Vietnam.

For conditional business lines (conditions on practicing certificates, practicing licenses, legal capital, and other conditions), the enterprise does not need to meet them immediately when registering for company formation Vietnam, but must ensure all those conditions are met when going into operation.

Consulting on capital

The capital contribution term as prescribed is 90 days from the date of issuance of the Enterprise Registration Certificate. Therefore, members need to pay attention to registering the contributed capital amount within their capacity and suitable for the actual production and business situation of their enterprise, avoiding the case of having to adjust and reduce charter capital because this is a relatively complex and difficult procedure.

Consulting on subjects not allowed to contribute capital, establish, and manage enterprises

The Law on Enterprise 2020 has created an equal business environment among business entities, recognizing the right to freedom of business. Accordingly, individuals and organizations have the right to self-establish and manage enterprises within the framework permitted by law.

However, in reality, stemming from many different reasons, the Law on Enterprise also has provisions restricting the right to establish, manage, and contribute capital of some subjects under Clause 2, Article 17 of the Law on Enterprise 2020, such as:

• State agencies, armed forces units using state assets to establish enterprises to make private profits for their agencies and units;
• Cadres, civil servants, and public employees;
• Officers, non-commissioned officers, professional military personnel… of the People’s Army; officers, non-commissioned officers, police workers… of the People’s Public Security;
• Leading and managing cadres in state-owned enterprises;
• Minors, persons with restricted or lost civil act capacity, persons with difficulties in cognition and behavior control, and organizations without legal personality;
• Persons who are being held in temporary detention, serving a prison sentence, serving an administrative handling measure at a compulsory detoxification establishment or compulsory educational establishment, or being banned by the Court from holding certain posts, practicing certain professions, or doing certain jobs; etc.

Sequence and procedures for establishing a sporting goods company

Company formation process for a sporting goods business

When using the company establishment service of Viet An Law Firm, the procedural sequence will go through the following steps:

• Viet An Law Firm advises on the conditions for establishing a company.
• Viet An Law Firm checks and evaluates the company establishment requirements and the legal documents provided by clients.
• After signing the contract, Viet An Law Firm will prepare the dossier and guide clients to prepare the dossier in accordance with the law.
• Viet An Law Firm will represent clients to submit the dossier at the competent state agency, receive the Enterprise Registration Certificate, and carry out the seal engraving procedure for the company.

Some notes regarding business registration Vietnam:

• The request for publication of enterprise registration contents is made at the time the enterprise submits the enterprise registration dossier. The published contents include the contents of the Enterprise Registration Certificate and information on business lines.
• The person submitting the enterprise registration dossier according to Decree No. 168/2025/ND-CP submits the dossier at the Business Registration Office where the enterprise’s head office is located directly, via postal service, or via the electronic network.
• Currently, under the Law on Enterprise 2020, enterprises have the right to self-determine the form and quantity of seals. A regular company seal is required to display the enterprise name and enterprise code; in addition, the enterprise can engrave the company address (can leave the district or not). At the same time, the enterprise does not have to carry out the procedure of notifying the enterprise seal sample on the National Business Registration Portal as previously regulated.

Notes on the dossier for establishing a sporting goods company

Currently, depending on each type of enterprise, there are specific regulations on the dossier components under Decree 168/2025/ND-CP. However, it can be seen that the dossier components for company formation Vietnam mainly include the following documents:

• Application for enterprise registration.
• Company charter.
• List of members for limited liability companies.
• List of beneficial owner (if any).
• For foreign organizations, a copy of the Enterprise Registration Certificate or an equivalent document must be consular legalized;
• For foreign investors: Investment Registration Certificate under the provisions of the Law on Investment 2020.

To be advised on the procedures for applying for an Investment Registration Certificate for foreign-invested companies, please contact Viet An Law Firm for the fastest support.

Company establishment services of Viet An Law Firm

• Advising on conditions for company establishment;
• Advising on naming the company suitably with the trademark, domain name registration of the company, and searching to avoid overlapping company names;
• Advising on setting up the head office for the enterprise, on head office conditions related to invoice issuance and tax declaration;
• Advising on the business lines of the company, guiding and advising on procedures for conditional business lines regarding capital conditions, certificate conditions, and conditions after being granted the enterprise registration certificate;
• Advising on the capital level of the enterprise, conditions related to capital contribution procedures, tax declaration procedures, tax obligations, and the liability of the enterprise;
• Advising on the titles of legal representatives, responsibilities, rights, and obligations towards the legal representative;
• Advising on the obligations of shareholders when establishing an enterprise;
• Advising on issues arising after enterprise establishment;
• Advising on tax law, finance, and accounting in the enterprise’s operations;
• Advising on labor and insurance law in enterprise operations;
• Advising on intellectual property law, trademark registration, and handling brand disputes of the enterprise;
• Comprehensive advice on issues arising in enterprise operations.

The above is the advice of Viet An Law Firm on establishing a sporting goods company. If clients have any related questions or need advice on enterprise establishment procedures, please contact Viet An Law Firm for the best support! This comprehensive guide covers how to start a sporting goods business in Vietnam.