Changing or deciding to supplement business activities is a mandatory procedure an enterprise must carry out when adding, removing or adjusting its registered lines based on the Vietnamese business codes. Similar to managing your overall company registration or when you need to change company charter capital, submitting a change business registration dossier requires a notification of change, a decision/resolution, and the applicant’s identification documents. The processing time is approximately 3 working days, with state fees starting from 100.000 VND.
To keep pace with the market flow in 2026, add business lines procedure of great interest to many enterprises aiming to legitimize new business areas. Whether you need to carry out the steps to change, supplement or adjust regular business lines or conditional ones, the following article by Viet An Law Firm – Change and add business lines in Vietnam 2026: procedures, costs & time” – will provide you with a comprehensive overview. This will help your enterprise proactively optimize its legal roadmap in a swift and highly cost-effective manner.
| Content | Details |
|---|---|
| Processing time | 03 working days |
| Dossier | Notice + Decision + Related documents |
| Fee | 100.000 VND |
| Place of submission | Department of Finance |
| Submission method | Online |
“Change business sectors” means a business line adjustment that it has registered with the competent authority, including:
When is it necessary to change business registration?
Furthermore, according to Clause 1, Article 31 of the 2020 Enterprise Law, amended and supplemented by Clause 13, Article 1 of Law No. 76/2025/QH15, “change business registration” and activities is one of the cases requiring notification of changes to business registration.
To carry out the add business lines procedure, businesses need to prepare the following documents:
| No. | Type of document in the dossier | Quantity | Content |
| 1 | Notice of changes to enterprise registration contents | 01 copy | According to the current prescribed form |
| 2 | Copy or original of the resolution or decision of: | 01 copy | – The company owner, for single-member limited liability companies
– The Members’ Council, for limited liability companies with two or more members, partnerships – The Members’ Council, for limited liability companies with two or more members, partnerships (Note: This line is duplicated in the original text) |
| 3 | List of beneficial owners (if any) | 01 copy | Applicable to cases where companies established before July 1, 2025 have not updated this content |
| 4 | Letter of authorization for the submitter | 01 copy | Only submitted if the legal representative does not directly perform the procedure |
| 5 | Copy of the submitter’s personal identification documents | 01 copy | Valid Citizen Identity Card (CCCD)/Passport |
Change and add business lines in Vietnam 2026: Procedures, costs & time
Viet An Law Firm advises on the business conditions for the proposed changes and the legal procedures related to the update enterprise industry codes. If clients use Viet An Law Firm’s services, our lawyers will assist in drafting the documents for the client to sign, after which we will proceed with the next steps.
The business receives the Certificate of Change to the business registration details directly at the business registration authority or via postal service.
| No. | Fee Category | Details |
| 1 | Business registration fee | 50.000 VND
– Free of charge: 100% for applications submitted online from 01/07/2025 |
| 2 | Business registration publication fee | 100.000 VND |
| 3 | Legal service fee | Varies by company |
| Phase | Workflow | Estimated Timeframe | Important Notes |
| 1. Internal preparation | Drafting documents (Meeting minutes, Decisions, Notices), looking up industry codes, and submitting for signature/approval. | 01 – 02 working days | It is necessary to accurately look up the 4-digit industry code according to the latest Vietnam Standard Industrial Classification (VSIC) to avoid application rejection. |
| 2. State authority processing | Business Registration Office (Department of Finance) receives, reviews the application, and issues the Confirmation Document. | 03 working days | Only counted from the date the State authority receives a valid application. If there are errors, the Department of Finance will issue a notice requesting amendments, and the timeframe will restart from the beginning upon resubmission. |
| 3. Total standard time | Completing the process from preparation to receiving the updated industry code results. | 05 – 07 working days | Applicable to standard business lines (unconditional). Additional postal delivery time may apply (if any). |
| 4. Additional procedures (If any) | Applying for “sub-licenses” at specialized regulatory authorities. | An additional 15 – 30 working days (Depending on the type of license) | Only applicable to conditional business lines (e.g., clinics, transportation, travel/tourism…). This must be performed after Step 2 is completed. |
For foreign-invested enterprises (FDI), adding Vietnamese business codes requires consideration of market access conditions under WTO commitments, international trade agreements, and investment law regulations. In some cases, enterprises must amend the Investment Registration Certificate (IRC) before changing business lines on the Enterprise Registration Certificate (ERC). Reviewing investment conditions from the outset helps reduce the risk of application rejection or prolonged processing time.
To add or change the company charter capital, a joint stock company must issue a Resolution or Decision of the General Meeting of Shareholders or the Board of Directors, according to the authority stipulated in the company’s charter. The dossier submitted to the business registration authority must include all internal documents proving the approval of the change in accordance with the provisions of the Enterprise Law.
For a single-member limited liability company, the owner makes a decision on changing the business lines. For limited liability companies with two or more members, the addition of business lines must be approved by the Board of Members, and a meeting minutes, resolution, or decision must be prepared as prescribed. Businesses need to review business conditions, the 4-digit industry code, and relevant specialized licenses before commencing new business activities.
No. Businesses do not need to change their Business Registration Certificate when adding or changing business lines. The business registration authority will update the business line information in the National Business Registration Database.
Yes. Currently, businesses can submit applications to add business lines online through the National Business Registration Portal without having to submit paper applications in many localities.
It is not recommended. Businesses need to complete the procedure for adding business lines before starting business and issuing invoices for the new business lines to avoid tax risks and administrative penalties.
Usually, from 3 working days from the date the business registration authority receives a valid application. The total processing time is usually around 5-7 working days, including document preparation time.
Yes, possibly. If the added business lines change the content of the investment project or are business lines that must be registered on the Investment Registration Certificate (IRC), the FDI enterprise needs to adjust the IRC before making changes to the Enterprise Registration Certificate (ERC).
Yes, the enterprise may be subject to administrative penalties if it fails to notify changes in business lines within the prescribed time limit or conducts business in lines not registered with the competent authority.
It is mandatory. According to the Law on Enterprises, when there is a change in business lines, the enterprise must notify the Business Registration Authority within 10 days from the date of the change. If the enterprise generates revenue from services/products that have not been registered, the Tax Authority has the right to reject the validity of the issued invoices, and the enterprise will be subject to administrative penalties for failing to notify the change in business registration.
The cost of adding business lines usually includes the fee for publishing the business registration content as prescribed and service fees (if using a consulting firm). The specific cost depends on each case and the scope of work performed.
Yes. The enterprise must pay the fee for publishing the business registration content as prescribed when carrying out the procedure for changing or adding business lines.
Not mandatory. Businesses can handle the procedure themselves or use the services of lawyers or consulting firms to save time, minimize errors, and reduce the risk of having to amend or supplement the application.
Yes. When carrying out the procedure for changing or adding business lines, businesses are required to look up and record the 4-digit industry code according to the current Vietnamese Economic Classification System. In the case that the business wants to operate a specific business segment within that 4-digit code, the standard procedure is: Record the 4-digit industry code first, then add a detailed explanation below (ensuring that the explanation does not contradict legal regulations).
The national data system on business registration and the Tax authority’s system have been synchronized and interconnected. Once a business completes the procedure for removing business lines at the Business Registration Office, the information will be automatically updated to the Tax database. However, the internal Administration and Accounting department needs to pay special attention to reviewing the list of goods and services, and absolutely refrain from issuing electronic invoices for the removed business lines to avoid the risk of violating tax laws.
With many years of experience in corporate legal consulting, Viet An Law Firm provides consulting and processing services for changing business lines quickly, accurately, and in accordance with legal regulations. Our services help businesses save time, minimize legal risks, and ensure that business information is updated promptly on the National Business Registration System.
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