A business license in Gibraltar is required for most companies, for various types of activities. Licensing and renewal submissions are made to the Office of Fair Trading, belonging to the Government of Gibraltar and can be assisted by our team.
The need to obtain a trade license in Gibraltar, where required, is just one of the steps for company creation. Understanding all the requirements is essential before starting any type of business activity here and our team of agents specialising in company formation in Gibraltar can assist you.
Table of Contents
Who needs to obtain a business license in Gibraltar?
All natural and legal persons who engage in the trading of goods and/or the provision of services must have a valid business license issued by the Office for Fair Trading.
Some of the activities that require licensing are listed below by our Gibraltar company formation experts:
- financial services;
- medical and healthcare;
- legal;
- gambling;
- trading of goods;
- food manufacturing, and others.
Licensing for these types of business activities takes place under special laws, such as the Financial Services Act 2019 and the Medical and Health Act of 1997, which govern these types of regulated activities.
The sale of goods authorized under the Leisure Areas Licensing Act is also subject to different requirements, as is the case with companies that engage in the sale of tobacco. They need a separate business license under the Tobacco Act 1997.
The license is applied for with the Office for Fair Trading, as per the rules set forth by the HM Government of Gibraltar.
What companies are not required to have a trade license in Gibraltar?
Trade licenses are not required when the company or natural person engaging in the activity is already licensed under a separate local law (such as some of the laws mentioned above by our team).
It may also be the case that a certain type of activity is not subject to licensing under the Fair Trading Act.
What are the requirements for proper premises for traders in Gibraltar?
If you wish to set up a company in Gibraltar that will engage in the trade of goods, you will need to have proper business premises. These are commercial real estate units, commonly a store.
A company that has a trade license in Gibraltar and is therefore considered a trader for business purposes cannot operate from home. Moreover, office space is not usually included as an acceptable commercial space for trading.
Some of the issues that are taken into account to ascertain the suitability of the premises include:
- the type of goods that are sold and their volume;
- the contact level with the clients and suppliers;
- the number of employees the company will need to properly engage in business.
Investors who open a company in Gibraltar and will perform their activities as online retailers will also need to meet the requirements for proper premises briefly listed above.
If you want to obtain a trade license in Gibraltar and need to determine if your premises are suitable for trading activities, our team can answer your questions. This is an important step, as the company will need to carry out its activities from this location.
In a waiver from the premises requirements, companies may be allowed to carry out their activities without having set up a location (as defined above) when they do not need premises to carry on their business. A special clause also applies to activities that may involve unfair advantage over similar businesses.
Our experts in company registration in Gibraltar can give you more details about the premises waiver and using multiple premises.
What are the fees for a business license in Gibraltar?
Our team highlights some of the most important business license fees. Please keep in mind that these can be subject to change:
- £179.50 for a single business class;
- £256.50 for trade business class; the same amount also applies to the service business class;
- £112.50 for renewing the license for a single business class.
General application guidelines for a business license in Gibraltar
Business owners who submit a business license application online with the Government must provide the following information:
- Copies of the applicant’s/company director’s passports or IDs;
- The lease agreement for business premises (if this is the case, as explained above);
- Photographs of the premises that will be used to conduct the licensed activity;
- Client account proof (for companies that will offer financial solutions that will involve handling money for clients).
The Office for Fair Trading can request additional information on a case-by-case basis and as needed for a particular business that will be licensed.
It is important to note that the application for a business license in Gibraltar can also be submitted by a person acting on behalf of an applicant. This is possible via a power of attorney that is issued specifically for this purpose. When using this option, the person acting on behalf of the license beneficiary will provide personal information and details about the relationship with the applicant.
Ongoing and personalized support for business license applications is offered upon request by one of our experts. We can also give you detailed information about the application for a trade license in Gibraltar.
At the same time, we can also assist business owners who wish to change the particulars of an existing business license. An application can be submitted with the help of our experts in company incorporation in Gibraltar to:
- Extend an existing business license;
- Transfer an existing business license to different premises;
- Transfer an existing business license to another holder;
- Change the conditions under which the license was initially granted.
Licensing solutions for companies in Gibraltar
Business and trade licenses are applied for only after company registration in Gibraltar with the Companies House. This is mandatory because the company registration number and the business name registration number (if applicable and issued by the Companies House) are required during the application for registration for licensing.
Our team not only helps investors with the pre-registration process. We also offer complete guidance for those who have registered their company and need to license it according to the provisions applicable to the industry in which they will operate.
Business licensing highlights in Gibraltar
The Office for Fair Trading keeps updated information on the number of business license applications. The highlights from the 2023-2024 data are summarized below by our team:
- There were 2,924 business licenses in issue when the report was published;
- Over the analysed year, there were 700 new business license applications;
- During the same period, the Office also performed 87 trader inspections.
Contact us if you want to apply for a trade license in Gibraltar. We can guide you throughout the application process.