Book Business Registration: How to Set Up a Bookstore in Vietnam

In the digital era, reading culture remains a cornerstone of Vietnamese spiritual life, making the book industry a unique blend of commercial value and cultural significance. Current trends show a powerful shift: while traditional bookstores continue to provide essential experiential spaces, the rapid expansion of online retail is vital for reaching modern readers. To help investors harmonize these two models and launch legally, Viet An Law provides a comprehensive guide on book business registration: how to set up a bookstore in Vietnam, featuring the latest industry codes under Decision No. 36/2025/QD-TTg.

Essential requirements for establishing a book business in 2026

Regulations on valid corporate names

According to Article 37 of the Law on Enterprise 2020 (amended and supplemented in 2025), when naming a company, organizations and individuals should note the following:

• The Vietnamese name consists of two components: the type of enterprise and the proper name;
• The company name must not be identical to the name of another company;
• Do not use the names of state agencies, socio-political organizations, etc., to name the company;
• Do not use words or symbols that violate historical traditions, culture, customs, and morals.

Head office address

Article 42 of the Law on Enterprise 2020 (amended and supplemented in 2025) states that the head office of an enterprise must be located within the territory of Vietnam, determined according to the administrative boundaries of the unit.

Required registered capital for setting up a bookstore

• Depending on the industry and scale of business, enterprises can register a charter capital level appropriate to their financial capacity.
• Enterprises must ensure that they contribute the full amount and the correct type of assets as committed when registering the enterprise within 90 days from the date of issuance of the Enterprise Registration Certificate, excluding the time for transporting, importing the contributed assets, and completing administrative procedures to transfer ownership of the assets.
• If, after 90 days from the date of committed capital contribution, the actual contributed capital is insufficient, the enterprise must proceed with the procedure to reduce its charter capital.

Classification of industry codes for book business (Updated under Decision 36/2025/QD-TTg)

According to Decision 36/2025/QD-TTg on book business, the book business sector, when registering, is divided into the following groups:

Classification of industry codes for book business

Specifically, companies operating in this field can consider the following business lines:

Comprehensive procedures for establishing a book business company

Company establishment procedures in Vietnam

Step 1. Prepare the company registration dossiers

• Application for enterprise registration.
• Company charter.
• List of founding members/shareholders; list of foreign shareholders; list of beneficial owners of the enterprise (if any).
• Copies of the following documents:
• Legal documents of the individual in the case of an individual member, or the legal representative;
• Legal documents of the organization in the case of an organization member and the document appointing an authorized representative; legal documents of the individual for the authorized representative of an organization member;
• For foreign organization members, a copy of the legal documents legalized by consular authorities is required;
• Investment registration certificate for foreign investors.
• Power of attorney for Viet An Law

Step 2. Dossier submission

Competent authority

After completing the enterprise registration dossiers, organizations and individuals need to submit the dossiers to:

• The business registration authority is the Department of Finance of the province or centrally-administered city where the company’s head office is located.
• The management board of the high-tech zone registers enterprises, branches, representative offices, and business locations with addresses within the high-tech zone.

Application method: From July 1, 2025, enterprises will submit applications directly through the National Business Registration System.

Information disclosure fee: 100,000 VND/per application

Time limit: Within 3 working days from the date of receiving a complete application, the business registration authority will review the validity of the application and issue the Enterprise Registration Certificate.

Step 3. Post-establishment procedures

Publication of enterprise registration information

After completing the company establishment procedures and receiving the Enterprise Registration Certificate, companies need to publish their business registration information in accordance with Article 32 of the Law on Enterprise 2020, as amended and supplemented in 2025, within 30 days from the date of establishment.

Engraving a company seal

• After obtaining the Enterprise Registration Certificate, companies need to have a seal made for use in transactions (or they can use a digital signature instead of a seal).
• According to Article 43 of the Law on Enterprise 2020, amended and supplemented in 2025, companies are free to decide on the type, quantity, form, and content of their seals.

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Procedures for obtaining a publication printing license (Conditional business line)

Printing and publishing is a conditional business line according to the Investment Law 2020, amended and supplemented in 2025. Accordingly, a book trading company that also engages in printing and publishing activities needs to comply with the following:

Conditions regarding premises and printing equipment

• Documents proving land use rights/factory lease.
• Ownership or lease of printing equipment.

Based on the provisions of Clause 2, Article 13 of Decree 195/2013/ND-CP, as amended by Clause 5, Article 1 of Decree 150/2018/ND-CP, the preparation of documents and materials for requesting a license to operate a printing and publishing business is guided as follows:

Regarding documentation proving the production facility:

• Certified copy;
• Or a copy and presentation of the original for verification of the land use right certificate;
• Or a contract or other documents proving the allocation, lease of land, or lease of premises or factory for production.
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Regarding documentation for the equipment:

• A copy of the equipment ownership or lease agreement must be provided;
• If the equipment is not yet available, the application for a license must include a list of the equipment planned for investment.

Requirements for the head of a printing facility

Qualifications required (College degree in printing or higher) or professional training certificate from the Ministry of Information and Communications. A copy of the professional training certificate/document is required.

• The diploma issued by a specialized printing training institution to the head of the department must be a certified copy of a college diploma in printing or higher;
• Or a certificate of professional training in managing printing and publishing activities issued by the Ministry of Information and Communications;

Application for a license

The application dossier for a printing and publishing license is stipulated in Clause 2, Article 32 of the Law on Publishing 2012 as follows:

• Application for a printing and publishing license using the prescribed form;
• Certified copy of one of the following: business registration certificate, enterprise registration certificate, investment certificate, or decision on the establishment of a printing facility;
• Documentation proving the availability of production space and equipment to carry out one of the stages of prepress, printing, and post-printing processing of publications;
• Curriculum vitae of the head of the printing facility using the prescribed form;
• Certified copy of a diploma issued by a specialized printing training institution or a certificate of professional training in managing printing and publishing activities issued by the Ministry of Information and Communications;
• Certified copy of a certificate of eligibility for security, order, and environmental hygiene issued by a competent state agency.

Application process and procedures

Competent authority

• Printing facilities belonging to central government agencies or organizations will receive licenses from the Ministry of Information and Communications.
• Local printing facilities will be licensed by the Provincial People’s Committee.

Processing time

• After receiving all valid dossiers, the state management agency for publishing will issue a license to operate the printing of published products within 15 days.
• If the license is not granted, the agency must provide a written response clearly explaining the reasons.

Submission method

• Submit online at the electronic portal of the Department of Publishing, Printing and Distribution https://ppdvn.gov.vn
• Submit in person at the agency or via postal service

For clients needing assistance with company formation, enterprise registration changes, corporate law consulting, investment law, etc., please contact Viet An Law for the best support!