Overview
| Field | Value |
|---|---|
| Region | Europe |
| ISO 3166-1 | IM / IMN |
| Registry | Isle of Man Companies Registry |
| Last updated | 2026-06-10 |
Identifiers
Collect two identifiers from each business customer in Isle of Man and submit them as strings on the application body.| API field | Local name | Issuer |
|---|---|---|
businessInfo.taxId | Tax Reference Number (TRN) | Isle of Man Income Tax Division |
businessInfo.businessEntityId | Company Registration Number | Isle of Man Companies Registry |
Sector regulators
Isle of Man Financial Services Authority (IOMFSA) · Isle of Man Gambling Supervision Commission (IOMGSC) · Isle of Man Companies Registry (Department for Enterprise) · Isle of Man Customs & Excise (VAT) · Isle of Man Income Tax Division (Treasury) · Financial Intelligence Unit (FIU) — AML/CFT
Legal structures
| Local name | Abbreviation | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Private Company Limited by Shares (1931 Act) | Ltd | Incorporated under the Companies Acts 1931–2004; the traditional domestic vehicle closely following the UK Companies Act 1929 model; requires at least two individual directors; must produce audited annual accounts (for public companies) and file an annual return disclosing directors and shareholders; share transfer restrictions apply; widely used by Isle of Man residents and domestic businesses. Equivalent to a US LLC. |
| Public Company Limited by Shares (1931 Act) | Plc | Incorporated under the Companies Acts 1931–2004 as a public company; shares may be offered to the public and listed on a recognised exchange; subject to enhanced disclosure and audit obligations; requires at least two directors. Closest US equivalent: C-Corp. |
| Company (2006 Act) | Ltd / Corp | Incorporated under the Companies Act 2006; adopts the international business company model offering significant administrative flexibility; single director (individual or corporate body) permitted; single member permitted; no mandatory annual general meeting; accounting records required but no public filing of accounts; only director information disclosed on annual return (shareholder register not public); widely used for offshore, international holding, and commercial structures. Equivalent to a US LLC. |
| Company Limited by Guarantee | — | Available under both the Companies Acts 1931–2004 and the Companies Act 2006; no share capital; members undertake to contribute a specified amount on winding up; used for charities, non-profit organisations, trade associations, and clubs. Closest US equivalent: Nonprofit Corporation. |
| Protected Cell Company | PCC | An overlay structure available to companies incorporated under either the Companies Act 1931 or the Companies Act 2006; the company has distinct ‘cells’, each with its own assets and liabilities that are ring-fenced from the debts of any other cell; cells are not separate legal entities; used primarily for captive insurance, investment funds, and structured finance. Closest US equivalent: Series LLC. |
| Limited Liability Company | LLC | A hybrid entity established under the Limited Liability Companies Act 1996, modelled on the Wyoming LLC; has separate legal personality, limited liability for all members, and no share capital; managed by members in proportion to their capital contributions (no board of directors requirement); treated as tax-transparent (fiscally a partnership); constitutional document is the Articles of Organisation filed with the Companies Registry. Equivalent to a US LLC. |
| Foundation | — | Established under the Foundations Act 2011; a separate legal entity with no shareholders or members; governed by a Council; funded by an initial endowment from a Founder; name must include ‘Foundation’; objects may be persons, charitable purposes, or non-charitable purposes; must have a registered agent who is an Isle of Man licensed corporate service provider; may not engage in commercial trading unless incidental to its objects; used for private wealth management, estate planning, and philanthropy. Closest US equivalent: Statutory trust or business trust. |
| Limited Partnership | LP | Registered under the Partnership Act 1909 (as amended) and the Limited Partnership (Legal Personality) Act 2011; must have at least one general partner with unlimited liability and one or more limited partners whose liability is capped at their capital contribution; since the Limited Partnership (Legal Personality) Act 2011 came into operation (18 October 2011) a limited partnership may elect legal personality at registration; must be registered with the Companies Registry or it is treated as a general partnership; widely used for investment funds and private equity structures. Equivalent to a US Limited Partnership (LP). |
| General Partnership | — | Two or more persons carrying on business in common with a view to profit; governed by the Partnership Act 1909; no separate legal personality; all partners bear unlimited joint and several liability; no mandatory registration with the Companies Registry. Equivalent to a US General Partnership (GP). |
| Sole Trader | — | A single individual trading on their own account; no separate legal personality; personally liable for all business debts; must register with the Isle of Man Income Tax Division for income tax; any business name other than the owner’s own name may need to be registered; no formal registration with the Companies Registry required. Equivalent to a US Sole Proprietorship. |
| Branch of Foreign Company | — | A foreign-incorporated entity that establishes a place of business in the Isle of Man; must register with the Isle of Man Companies Registry as a foreign company under the Companies Act 1931 or Companies Act 2006; not a separate Isle of Man legal entity — the foreign parent remains fully liable; regulatory consent from the IOMFSA required if conducting regulated financial activities. Closest US equivalent: foreign corporation branch/representative office. |
How documents combine
For each evidence area, this table shows whether the listed documents are alternatives (any one of) or a bundle (all required). The artifact-by-artifact lookup follows below.| Evidence area | Documents needed |
|---|---|
| Legal Registration | All required: Certificate of Incorporation + Certificate of Organisation |
| Constitutive Documents | Any one of: Memorandum and Articles of Association · Articles of Organisation · Foundation Instrument |
| Tax Registration | Income Tax Division TRN Notification Letter (optional: VAT Registration Certificate) |
| Ownership Records | Register of Members |
| Governance Records | Register of Directors (optional: Annual Return (Directors Extract)) |
| Signing Authority | Any one of: Board Resolution · Power of Attorney |
| Address | Any one of: Lease Agreement · Utility Bill · Bank Statement |
| Good Standing | Certificate of Good Standing |
Documents to collect
The physical documents you’ll collect from your customer, with the evidence area each one proves. One document can prove multiple areas — for example, Brazil’s Cartão CNPJ covers both tax and business-registration proof, so it appears once with both areas listed.| Document | Proves |
|---|---|
| Certificate of Incorporation | Legal Registration |
| Certificate of Organisation (LLC) | Legal Registration |
| Memorandum and Articles of Association | Constitutive Documents |
| Articles of Organisation (LLC) | Constitutive Documents |
| Foundation Instrument and Rules | Constitutive Documents |
| Tax Reference Number Notification (Income Tax Division) | Tax Registration |
| VAT Registration Certificate (Customs & Excise) | Tax Registration |
| Register of Members | Ownership Records |
| Register of Directors | Governance Records |
| Companies Registry Annual Return (Directors Extract) | Governance Records |
| Board Resolution | Signing Authority |
| Power of Attorney | Signing Authority |
| Lease Agreement | Address |
| Utility Bill (≤90 days old) | Address |
| Bank Statement (≤90 days old) | Address |
| Certificate of Good Standing | Good Standing |
| Sector-Specific License | IOMFSA Banking Licence, IOMFSA VASP / Payment Services Licence (Class 8), IOMFSA Investment Business Licence, IOMFSA Insurance Licence, IOMFSA TCSP Licence (Class 4), Online Gambling Licence (IOMGSC) |
Collection notes
- Legal Registration: Issued by the Isle of Man Companies Registry upon incorporation under the Companies Act 1931 or Companies Act 2006 (or relevant entity-specific act). States company name, registration number, date of incorporation, and act under which incorporated. Standard processing within 24 hours; priority same-day service available. The Registry also holds the filed Memorandum and Articles as public records accessible for a fee (£2 per document). For LLCs, the equivalent is a Certificate of Organisation. For foundations, the Registry issues a registration certificate under the Foundations Act 2011.
- Constitutive Documents: The Memorandum of Association states the company name, registered office, objects (if restricted), share capital, and subscriber details; the Articles of Association govern internal management. Filed with the Companies Registry at incorporation under the Companies Act 1931 or Companies Act 2006 and publicly available for a fee. Under the 2006 Act, companies may adopt standard model articles or bespoke articles. For LLCs, the constitutional document is the Articles of Organisation. For foundations, the equivalent is the Foundation Instrument and Rules (under the Foundations Act 2011).
- Tax Registration: The Isle of Man Income Tax Division issues a Tax Reference Number (TRN) to companies and LLCs on incorporation or on application. The TRN appears on Income Tax Division correspondence and tax return forms. Format: C + 6 digits (+ optional 2-digit suffix) for companies. The Isle of Man has no VAT of its own; a UK-mirror VAT system is operated by Isle of Man Customs & Excise for businesses with taxable supplies above the VAT threshold (currently £90,000 as of 2026). Where a company is VAT-registered, collect the VAT certificate separately (IOMCE issues it; format GB 00XXXXXXX).
- Sector-Specific License: The Isle of Man Financial Services Authority (IOMFSA) is the principal financial regulator under the Financial Services Act 2008; it authorises banks, payment/virtual asset service providers (Class 8, renamed from ‘Money Transmission Services’ to ‘Virtual Asset Service Provider (VASP)’ effective October 2024), e-money issuers, investment businesses, insurance companies and intermediaries, collective investment scheme managers, and trust and company service providers. The Isle of Man Gambling Supervision Commission (IOMGSC), established under the Online Gambling Regulation Act 2001, licenses online gambling operators and software suppliers. IOMFSA licence classes include: Class 1 (banking), Class 2 (investment business), Class 3 (services to collective investment schemes), Class 4 (corporate service providers/trust companies), Class 7 (management or administration), Class 8 (VASP/payment services/e-money). The Financial Intelligence Unit (FIU) administers AML/CFT under the Anti-Money Laundering and Countering the Financing of Terrorism Code 2019.
- Governance Records: Every Isle of Man company must maintain a Register of Directors at its registered office. For 1931 Act companies, director details are publicly filed via annual returns at the Companies Registry. For 2006 Act companies, directors are disclosed on each annual return (names, addresses, appointment/resignation dates) and are publicly accessible via the Companies Registry search portal. The register lists at minimum: full name, address, date of appointment, date of resignation. For LLCs (which may have no directors), the register of managers or members serves this purpose.
- Signing Authority: No statutory form prescribed. A written board resolution passed by the directors authorising a specific signatory is standard practice. For LLCs, a members’ resolution or manager authorisation serves the same purpose. Powers of attorney may also be used and must be executed as a deed under Isle of Man law. The Companies Act 2006 (s.102) governs execution of documents by a company.
- Address: Conduit accepts a signed lease (no time limit), utility bill, or bank statement dated within 90 days as proof of registered or operating address. The same document satisfies both registered-office and principal-place-of-business checks.
- Good Standing: Issued by the Isle of Man Companies Registry for 2006 Act companies; certifies that the company is on the Register of Companies, that no winding-up or dissolution documents appear on file, and that no striking-off proceedings have been instituted. Standard fee £50 (48-hour production); priority service £100. For 1931 Act companies, a Certificate of Good Standing (or Certificate of Status) is also available. The certificate confirms the company’s registered name, number, date of incorporation, registered office, and registered agent.
Person roles
When you submit a person on the application body, set theirrole to one of Conduit’s canonical BusinessPersonRole values. Use this table to map a local corporate-governance title onto the right canonical role.
| Local role | Canonical API role | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Director | CONTROLLING_PERSON | Appointed officer with authority to manage and bind the company; named in the Register of Directors. 1931 Act companies require at least two individual directors; 2006 Act companies may have a single director (individual or body corporate). Director details are publicly accessible via Companies Registry annual returns. |
| General Partner | CONTROLLING_PERSON | In an Isle of Man Limited Partnership (Partnership Act 1909 / Limited Partnerships Act 2011): bears unlimited liability for the LP’s debts and manages the partnership. |
| Council Member (Foundation) | CONTROLLING_PERSON | Governance officer of an Isle of Man Foundation; manages the foundation in accordance with its Constitution and the Foundations Act 2011; must act within the objects of the foundation; must be at least 18 years old if an individual. |
| Authorised Signatory | LEGAL_REPRESENTATIVE | Natural person empowered by board resolution or power of attorney to sign documents and bind the company; no statutory form prescribed. |
Notes
- The Isle of Man is a self-governing Crown Dependency, not part of the UK or EU. It has its own Parliament (Tynwald), courts, and legislation. Documents are in English.
- Two parallel company law regimes coexist: Companies Acts 1931–2004 (traditional domestic model, mandatory disclosure of shareholders via annual return) and Companies Act 2006 (international business company model, shareholder register not public, only directors disclosed). Conduit will most commonly encounter 2006 Act companies in an international onboarding context.
- The Companies Registry sits within the Isle of Man Department for Enterprise (transferred from the Financial Supervision Commission in 2010 and from the General Registry before that). The online public search portal is at services.gov.im/companies-registry/. Document copies cost £2 each.
- The Isle of Man has a 0% standard corporate income tax rate. Licensed banking businesses and retail businesses with annual taxable profits exceeding £500,000 are taxed at 10%. Income from land or property situated in the Isle of Man and petroleum extraction activities or rights are taxed at 20% (petroleum rate effective 2024). No general sales tax or GST exists; a UK-mirror VAT system (administered by Isle of Man Customs & Excise) applies to businesses with taxable supplies above the UK VAT registration threshold (£90,000 as of 2026). The Isle of Man enacted the Global Minimum Tax (Pillar Two) Order 2024, implementing a 15% Domestic Top-up Tax (DTUT, a Qualified DMTT) and Multinational Top-up Tax (MTUT, a Qualified IIR), effective for fiscal years commencing on or after 1 January 2025, for MNE groups with consolidated annual revenue of €750 million or more. In-scope groups must register via the ITD’s Pillar 2 Online Service and appoint a Domestic Filing Entity; registration uses the existing TRN system.
- The Isle of Man is a leading global online gambling jurisdiction. The Gambling Supervision Commission (IOMGSC) is distinct from the IOMFSA. Gambling businesses require an OGRA (Online Gambling Regulation Act) licence from the GSC.
- All new company registrations must be submitted through a licensed Corporate Service Provider (registered agent); direct self-incorporation is not permitted. The registered agent must be an Isle of Man-licensed TCSP.
- An annual return is required: 1931 Act companies file within one month of the anniversary of incorporation disclosing shareholders, directors, and (for public companies) audited accounts. 2006 Act companies file annual returns disclosing only director information.