Setting Up a Business Location in Hanoi

In the context of an increasingly developing economy and the need to expand business scale, becoming more popular, establishing a business location is a form chosen by many enterprises to expand scale, access potential markets, and increase commercial presence. Hanoi City is the economic, political, and cultural center of the country, an ideal economic area that businesses prioritize. To ensure the smooth and legal setup of a business location in Hanoi, Viet An Law would like to provide the following guidance on the procedure for setting up a business location in Hanoi.

What is a business location?

Pursuant to Clause 3, Article 44 of the Law on Enterprises 2020, a business location is a place where an enterprise conducts specific business activities. Enterprises are permitted to establish multiple business locations. The business location code is a 5-digit code issued in order from 00001 to 99999; the business location does not have its own tax code. A business location has the following characteristics:

• Business location does not have its own seal;
• Accounting regime and tax code are managed depending on the parent company;
• Not allowed to be named on economic contracts;
• Not allowed to register or use invoices.

Conditions for setting up a business location in Hanoi

For an enterprise to set up a business location in Hanoi, the following conditions must be met:

• The enterprise has been granted a valid Certificate of Business Registration; it must not be in a state of having its tax code locked, dissolved, or bankrupt.
• The name of the business location must be in accordance with regulations:
• Written in letters of the Vietnamese alphabet, the letters F, J, Z, W, numbers, and symbols;
• Including the business name with the phrase “Business location”;
• The proper name of the business location must not use the phrase “company” or “enterprise”.
• The business lines of the business location must be consistent with the business lines of the enterprise. It is not allowed to register a business line that the enterprise has not registered. At the same time, the business location is not allowed to trade, import, or export goods;
• The address of the business location is located outside the address of the enterprise’s head office; The address of the business location is legally used, not located in an apartment building or collective house for residential purposes.
• The head of the location must be an individual aged 18 or older, with full civil capacity;
• Have a valid business location registration dossier.

Where to apply to a business location establishment in Hanoi?

Enterprises submit dossiers to establish business locations in Hanoi at the Business Registration and Corporate Finance Department of the Hanoi City Department of Finance. In case enterprises establish business locations in high-tech zones, they submit dossiers to the High-tech Zone Management Board.

Business location establishment dossier

Pursuant to Clause 2, Article 30 of Decree 168/2025/ND-CP, the dossier for establishing a business location includes:

• Notice of establishment of business location according to Form No. 17 issued with Circular 68/2025/TT-BTC;
• Power of Attorney for Viet An Law to submit documents;
• In case the legal representative of the enterprise does not have an electronic identification account to electronically authenticate the authorization for another person to apply, the application must be accompanied by a copy of the legal representative’s valid ID card, citizen ID card, passport, foreign passport, or other documents that can replace the legal representative’s valid foreign passport.

Application form

Enterprises submit their application for registration of establishment of business location to the Business Registration and Corporate Finance Department of Hanoi City Department of Finance online via the National Business Registration Information Portal at the website: https://dangkyquamang.dkkd.gov.vn/

Procedures for setting up a business location in Hanoi

• Step 1: Enterprises submit online business location establishment to the Business Registration and Corporate Finance Department of Hanoi City.
• Step 2: Hanoi City Business Registration and Corporate Finance Office sends a receipt and appointment to return the results of the application to the applicant’s email.
• Step 3: In case the dossier is invalid, the Hanoi City Business Registration and Corporate Finance Department will send a written notice of the content that needs to be revised or supplemented to the enterprise.
• Step 4: The enterprise must resubmit the revised and supplemented dossier within 60 days from the date the provincial business registration authority issues a notice requesting revision and supplementation of the dossier. After the above deadline, the dossier will be automatically canceled.
• Step 5: Hanoi City Business Registration and Corporate Finance Department issues a business location registration certificate to the enterprise.

Time limit for processing the application dossier

Pursuant to Clause 3, Article 30 of Decree 168/2025/ND-CP, the Hanoi City Business Registration and Corporate Finance Department is responsible for returning the results of the application within 03 working days from the date of receipt of a valid application. In case the application is notified by the business registration authority to be amended or supplemented, the application processing time will be extended.

What are the state fees?

Pursuant to Circular No. 47/2019/TT-BTC, Circular 64/2025/TT-BTC, from July 1, 2025, to December 31, 2026, when establishing a business location, an enterprise must pay a fee of VND 25,000 for the issuance of a new business location registration certification. In case an enterprise registers to establish a business location online, the above fee is exempted.

Can a branch establish a business location?

A company branch has the right to open multiple business locations in the province/city directly under the central government where the branch’s head office is located or in another province/city directly under the central government. The process of establishing a business location under a branch is similar to the process of establishing a business location under a company. Particularly for the registration dossier for establishing a business location, when declaring the notification of establishing a business location, an additional section 5 must be declared with information of the parent branch. At the same time, the person signing the notification of establishing a business location under a branch can be the legal representative of the enterprise or the head of the branch.

Notes when setting up a business location in Hanoi

• Enterprises can establish a business location at an address other than the province or city where the enterprise has its headquarters;
• Enterprises must send a notice of establishment of a business location to the Hanoi City Business Registration and Corporate Finance Department within 10 days from the date of issuance of the decision to establish a business location. If the enterprise fails to make the notice within 10 days, it will be subject to administrative sanctions according to the provisions of law.
• The business location sign must be posted at the business location headquarters.
• The enterprise must pay a business location license fee of 1,000,000VND/year.

Customers who need advice on setting up a business location in Hanoi, please contact Viet An Law for the best support!