Overview
| Field | Value |
|---|---|
| Region | Asia-Pacific |
| ISO 3166-1 | MH / MHL |
| Registry | RMI Registrar of Corporations (administered by International Registries, Inc. on behalf of the Republic of the Marshall Islands) |
| Last updated | 2026-06-10 |
Identifiers
Collect two identifiers from each business customer in Marshall Islands and submit them as strings on the application body.| API field | Local name | Issuer |
|---|---|---|
businessInfo.taxId | Employer Identification Number (EIN) | Marshall Islands Social Security Administration (MISSA) |
businessInfo.businessEntityId | RMI Corporation / Entity Number | RMI Registrar of Corporations |
Sector regulators
RMI Registrar of Corporations (IRI) · Marshall Islands Monetary Authority (MIMA) — financial sector regulator (established by Monetary Authority Act 2025, replacing the former Banking Commission of Marshall Islands) · MISSA · Ministry of Finance — Division of Customs, Treasury, Revenue & Taxation · Office of the Attorney General (Foreign Investment)
Legal structures
| Local name | Abbreviation | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Non-Resident Domestic Corporation | NRDC | — |
| Resident Domestic Corporation | — | Share-capital corporation incorporated under the Business Corporations Act (52 MIRC Part I) that conducts business within the Marshall Islands. Subject to domestic gross-receipts tax and other local obligations. Requires a Foreign Investment Business License (FIBL) from the Office of the Attorney General if majority-owned by non-citizens. Equivalent to a US C-Corp. |
| Foreign Corporation | — | A corporation incorporated outside the RMI that registers with the Registrar of Corporations to do business within the Marshall Islands under Part XI of the Business Corporations Act. Not a separate legal entity from its foreign parent; the parent remains fully liable. Must maintain a local registered agent. Closest US equivalent: foreign corporation registered to do business. |
| Limited Liability Company | LLC | Formed under the Limited Liability Company Act (52 MIRC Chapter 4, enacted 1996, amended 2018), modeled on Delaware LLC law. Separate legal entity with members (owners) and optional manager(s). Can be member-managed or manager-managed per the Operating Agreement. Members have limited liability capped at unpaid contributions. No share capital; no resident-manager requirement; no filing of Operating Agreement required. Names of members and managers are not on any public register. Frequently used for asset protection, investment holding, and DAOs. Equivalent to a US LLC. |
| Limited Partnership | LP | Formed under the Limited Partnership Act (52 MIRC Part III). Requires at least one general partner with unlimited liability and one or more limited partners whose liability is limited to their capital contribution. Used for private equity, fund structures, and joint ventures. General partner may be a corporation or LLC. Equivalent to a US Limited Partnership (LP). |
| General Partnership | — | Formed under the Revised Partnership Act (52 MIRC Part II). Two or more persons carrying on business in common. All partners bear unlimited joint and several liability for partnership obligations. Registered with the Registrar of Corporations. Equivalent to a US General Partnership (GP). |
| Registered Limited Liability Partnership | RLLP | A general partnership that has registered as an LLP under the Revised Partnership Act (52 MIRC Part II). All partners have limited liability protection against the acts of other partners; each partner remains liable for their own conduct. Used by professional firms. Closest US equivalent: Limited Liability Partnership (LLP). |
| Sole Proprietorship | — | A single natural person conducting business in the Marshall Islands in their own name or under a registered trade name. Not a separate legal entity; the owner bears unlimited personal liability. Must obtain a Foreign Investment Business License (FIBL) if the owner is a non-citizen and an EIN from MISSA before commencing operations. Equivalent to a US Sole Proprietorship. |
| Foreign Maritime Entity | FME | A legal entity incorporated under the laws of a jurisdiction other than the RMI that registers with the Registrar of Corporations solely to own and operate vessels under the RMI flag pursuant to Section 119 of the Business Corporations Act. Not a standard business-operating entity; registration does not authorise general commercial activity within the RMI. Closest US equivalent: foreign corporation registered for a specific purpose. |
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 | Any one of: Certificate of Incorporation · Certificate of Formation |
| Constitutive Documents | Any one of: Articles of Incorporation · LLC Operating Agreement |
| Tax Registration | EIN Certificate |
| Operating Permit | Foreign Investment Business License |
| Ownership Records | Register of Members |
| Governance Records | Register of Directors and Officers |
| 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 Formation (LLC / LP) | Legal Registration |
| Articles of Incorporation | Constitutive Documents |
| LLC Operating Agreement / LLC Agreement | Constitutive Documents |
| Employer Identification Number Card / Certificate (MISSA) | Tax Registration |
| Foreign Investment Business License | Operating Permit |
| Register of Members / Shareholders Register | Ownership Records |
| Register of Directors and Officers | 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 | MIMA Licence (banks, FSPs, payment service providers), Insurance Licence (insurers and reinsurers) |
Collection notes
- Legal Registration: Issued by the RMI Registrar of Corporations upon filing of Articles of Incorporation (corporations) or Articles of Organization / Certificate of Formation (LLCs and LPs) under the Associations Law of 1990 (52 MIRC). The certificate states the entity name, registration number, date of incorporation or formation, and entity type. Issued rapidly — often within 24 hours — by the Registrar through IRI’s global offices. A certified copy or apostilled copy is available for international use. For resident domestic entities, foreign investment registration with the Office of the Attorney General is an additional prerequisite.
- Constitutive Documents: For corporations: Articles of Incorporation filed with and stamped by the Registrar of Corporations under the Business Corporations Act (52 MIRC Part I). Standard template available from IRI. Must state: corporate name, purpose (may be any lawful act or activity), registered address in the RMI, registered agent name, and authorised share capital. For LLCs: the LLC Operating Agreement (also called LLC Agreement) is the constitutive document defining members, managers, contributions, and governance; it is not required to be filed with the Registrar but must be maintained by the company. LPs use a Limited Partnership Agreement. Apostilled copies available.
- Tax Registration: Issued by the Marshall Islands Social Security Administration (MISSA) under the Social Security Act. Required for all employers and self-employed persons conducting business within the RMI before commencing operations. Application form MI-SS-02; fee USD 100 for corporations and associations; USD 200 for non-resident domestic entities electing to obtain one. The EIN (format: NNNNN-04) serves as the company’s reference for gross-receipts tax filings with the Ministry of Finance. Non-resident domestic companies (NRDCs/IBCs) that do not conduct domestic operations are generally exempt from domestic taxation and from the EIN requirement, but must obtain an EIN if they employ staff locally. The Ministry of Finance, Division of Customs, Treasury, Revenue & Taxation, handles tax administration.
- Operating Permit: Required under the Foreign Investment Business License Act (as amended 2015) for any non-citizen (individual or entity) wishing to invest in or conduct business within the Marshall Islands. Issued by the Registrar of Foreign Investment in the Office of the Attorney General, Majuro. Application reviewed by the Ministry of Natural Resources and Commerce (Investment Promotion Unit) and Ministry of Finance; fee USD 250; processing 7–10 working days. Grants the right to operate within the scope of the approved business activities. A Reserved List restricts foreign participation in small-scale retail, small agriculture, and water-taxi services. Citizen-owned businesses and non-resident domestic companies (NRDCs) conducting no domestic operations do not require a FIBL.
- Signing Authority: No statutory form prescribed. Corporations use a Board Resolution or Written Consent of Directors (valid under the Business Corporations Act as an alternative to a board meeting). LLCs use a Manager Resolution or Member Written Consent. For cross-border use, apostille is available — the RMI has been a party to the Hague Apostille Convention since 1992 (instrument of accession deposited 18 November 1991; entered into force 14 August 1992). Notarisation not required domestically but commonly requested by foreign counterparts.
- Good Standing: Issued by the RMI Registrar of Corporations through IRI’s global offices. Confirms the entity is registered, active, and in good standing — i.e. has filed all required documents and paid all government fees and registration charges. Available for corporations (cites the Business Corporations Act), LLCs (cites § 14 of the Limited Liability Company Act), and LPs. Issued within 30 minutes at any IRI office; apostilled version also available. Typically requested dated within 3–6 months for banking and onboarding purposes. Sealed and signed by an authorised officer of the Registrar with an official registry stamp.
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 of a corporation with day-to-day executive authority. Minimum one required under the Business Corporations Act (52 MIRC Part I); may be a natural person or entity of any nationality; no residency requirement. Named in the internal register of directors and officers. |
| Manager | CONTROLLING_PERSON | Individual or entity appointed to manage an LLC under a manager-managed Operating Agreement (Limited Liability Company Act, 52 MIRC Chapter 4). May be a member or a third party of any nationality; name not on any public register but must be disclosed to the registered agent. |
| Authorized Representative / POA Holder | LEGAL_REPRESENTATIVE | Natural person or entity authorized via board resolution, written consent of directors, or notarized power of attorney to act on behalf of the entity for specific purposes. |
| General Partner | CONTROLLING_PERSON | Partner in a Limited Partnership (52 MIRC Part III) bearing unlimited personal liability for partnership obligations. May be a corporation or LLC acting as general partner. |
Notes
- The RMI registry is administered entirely by International Registries, Inc. (IRI), a private US-based company with 28 global offices, on behalf of the Republic of the Marshall Islands government. All incorporation, good-standing, and certified-document requests go through IRI — there is no public online search portal with document download. Registry extracts can be ordered from IRI offices; processing for Certificates of Good Standing is typically within 30 minutes.
- The RMI is a major offshore corporate center: as of 2024, hundreds of thousands of Non-Resident Domestic Companies (NRDCs/IBCs) and LLCs are registered. The jurisdiction is also the world’s second-largest ship registry. Conduit will primarily encounter NRDCs and LLCs in cross-border contexts.
- Directors, shareholders, and members of NRDCs and LLCs are not required to be filed with or disclosed to the Registrar, and their names do not appear on any public record. The register of directors/members exists only as an internal document with the registered agent.
- Economic Substance Regulations 2018 (effective 1 January 2019) require NRDEs engaged in ‘relevant activities’ (banking, insurance, finance, leasing, headquarters, shipping, IP, fund management, distribution) to file an annual Economic Substance Report (ESR) within 12 months of their anniversary date via the RMI’s secure online portal. Non-compliance may result in penalties or annulment. Collect ESR confirmation where applicable.
- The RMI has been a party to the Hague Apostille Convention since 1992 (instrument of accession deposited 18 November 1991; entered into force 14 August 1992). Apostilled copies of corporate documents (Certificate of Incorporation, Articles, Certificate of Good Standing) are available from IRI offices and are widely accepted for international banking and regulatory purposes.
- For domestically-operating entities: a Foreign Investment Business License (FIBL) is required from the Office of the Attorney General for non-citizen investors. The FIBL process involves the Investment Promotion Unit at the Ministry of Natural Resources and Commerce.
- The Marshall Islands Monetary Authority Act 2025 (P.L. 2025-32, in force August 2025) established MIMA as an independent financial sector regulator replacing the former Banking Commission of Marshall Islands. MIMA consolidates oversight of banks, money-service businesses, payment systems, and insurance. Documents issued before August 2025 may carry the ‘Banking Commission’ name; treat these as still valid but note the regulatory successor.