In brief: The number most people hear first when setting up a Jersey company is the incorporation fee, and it's a small one. The real cost of running a company properly involves several other categories: annual administration, compliance obligations under Schedule 2, and time-based charges for anything outside routine work. Knowing what sits in each category makes it much easier to compare providers fairly and budget accurately.
What the "headline" number usually refers to
Incorporating a Jersey company involves a government registry fee, paid to the Jersey Financial Services Commission regardless of which administrator you use. At the time of writing, that's £10 to reserve a company name and £200 for standard incorporation processed within five working days, rising for faster turnaround: £295 for three days, £375 for two days, £520 for one day, and £820 for a two-hour service.
That figure is often the first number people hear, and it's easy to assume it represents the overall cost of having a Jersey company. It doesn't. It's a one-off government charge for the act of registration itself. The ongoing cost of running the company, keeping it compliant, and maintaining proper administration sits in entirely separate categories, and that's where most of the actual cost of ownership lives.
The cost categories that actually add up
One-off set-up costs. Beyond the registry fee itself, there's usually an initial administration charge covering due diligence on the company's directors and beneficial owners, drafting of constitutional documents, and setting up the company's records with us.
Annual administration. This typically covers registered office provision, company secretarial support, director services where we provide directors, and the preparation and filing of the annual confirmation statement with the registry. This is usually the largest recurring cost, and it's the one most worth comparing carefully between providers, since what's included can vary.
Schedule 2 and AML-related fees. Schedule 2 of the Proceeds of Crime (Jersey) Law 1999 sets out which business activities count as "financial services business" for anti-money laundering purposes. Following a significant recast of Schedule 2 in 2023, the range of activities caught by this definition widened considerably. A structure that previously sat outside AML supervision may now fall within it, which typically means either resourcing an in-house Money Laundering Reporting Officer and Money Laundering Compliance Officer, or appointing an Anti-Money Laundering Services Provider, usually shortened to AMLSP, to fulfil those obligations instead. Where this applies, it's a genuine additional cost line, and one that catches some clients by surprise if their structure wasn't previously in scope.
Time-based charges. We bill routine annual work on a fixed basis but charge separately, usually at an hourly rate, for anything outside that scope. This might include handling an unusual transaction, responding to an ad hoc request from a bank or third party, restructuring, or additional due diligence triggered by a change in ownership. These charges are normal and expected, but it's worth understanding upfront what falls inside the fixed fee and what doesn't.
Questions worth asking beyond the headline number
A few questions tend to surface the real picture quickly:
- Is the annual administration fee fixed, or does it scale with the complexity of the structure?
- What exactly is included in that annual fee, and what would trigger a separate, time-based charge?
- Does this company fall within Schedule 2, and if so, is there a distinct AMLSP or compliance fee attached?
- Are government registry fees and third-party costs, such as bank charges, included in the quote or passed through separately?
- Is there a fee for winding up or transferring the company away in future, should circumstances change?
A provider that can answer these clearly, ideally in writing before you commit, is generally easier to budget against over the life of the structure. We set our fees out this way as a matter of course.
Why clear, published fees are worth paying attention to
It's a reasonable instinct to assume that a lower headline number means a better deal, or that a provider who publishes detailed fees is simply cheaper. Often it's closer to the opposite. Published, itemised fees mean the categories above are visible upfront rather than surfacing later as unexpected invoices. That's a difference in transparency, not necessarily a difference in overall cost or quality of service.
Frequently Asked Questions
Are government registry fees the same no matter which administrator I use? Yes. Registry fees are set by the Jersey Financial Services Commission and apply regardless of which firm handles your incorporation. Any variation you see in quoted incorporation costs comes from the administrator's own professional fee, not the government charge itself.
What is Schedule 2 and how do I know if it affects me? Schedule 2 of the Proceeds of Crime (Jersey) Law 1999 sets out which activities count as financial services business for anti-money laundering purposes. Following changes in 2023, more types of structure fall within scope than previously. It's worth asking us directly whether your company or structure is affected, since it isn't always obvious from the activity alone.
Why do administrators charge both a fixed annual fee and separate time charges? The annual fee typically covers predictable, recurring administration. Time charges cover work that falls outside that routine scope, such as one-off transactions or unusual requests. Together they tend to reflect actual effort more fairly than a single flat fee that either overcharges for a quiet year or undercharges for a busy one.
Is a cheaper quote automatically better value? Not necessarily. It's worth checking whether a lower quote covers the same scope of work, particularly around what counts as included administration versus what would be billed separately as a time charge later on.
This article is a general overview and isn't a substitute for advice specific to your structure. Fee levels, registry charges and AML requirements are reviewed periodically, so it's worth confirming current costs directly with us.
Want a clear, written breakdown of what a Jersey company would actually cost you, headline number and all? Get in touch and we'll put one together for you.