For a real estate business registration in Pakistan, you would need to go through a series of steps. Firstly, you would need to select a business structure, such as a sole proprietorship, partnership firm, or a limited liability company. Next, you would have to reserve a company name for your business with the Securities and Exchange Commission of Pakistan (SECP).
Additionally, you must register for tax purposes with the Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) to obtain a National Tax Number (NTN) and Sales Tax Registration Number (STRN). It is also imortant to register with relevant real estate regulatory bodies like the All Pakistan Real Estate Agents Association.
Furthermore, opening a business bank account in the name of your real estate business is important. You also have to obtain any required licenses and permits from regulatiry authorities.
To register a real estate company in Pakistan, following documents are required to be submitted for the company registration process:
Following the issuing of the incorporation certificate, the company is required to have the following documents:
Real estate company registration in Pakistan is a lengthy process because it involves certain registrations such as company registration with SECP, registration with FBR, business bank account, registration with the Real Estate Regulatory Authority and registration with All Pakistan Real Estate Association etc. Although requirements depend upon the type of a company as well as nature of the business, but here are general steps to register a real estate business in Pakistan;
First step is a selection of a unique and appropriate name for your company and then its reservation at the online portal of SECP. There are few restrictions and prohibitions for selecting name so make sure it complies with the guidelines provided by the SECP.
Second step is the preparation of the Memorandum of Association (MOA) and Articles of Association (AOA) for your company. Memorandum of Association is a constitution of the company that confirms certain details such as name of a company, object and scope, registered office address of company, capital and authorized share amount and details of shareholders. Whereas, Articles of Association is a document that prescribe the rules about the company structure and management of the company.
Once the documents are prepared then it comes to the preparation of Form-II under Companies (Incorporation) Regulation of 2017 to be filed alongwith certain details and required documents. This form can be filed through online as well as manually, depending upon the circumstance and nature of company. However, if filed online then it requires obtaining a digital signature.
After submission of all the documents alongwith Form-II, you need to pay the registration fees online through the SECP’s portal or by any other means. After depositing fee, transaction receipt is also required to be submitted in the office of Company Registrar. A Company Registrar Office of SECP will review the application and annexed documents and afterwards in case of no objections, a certificate of incorporation and a registration number will be issued.
After incorporation of a company, the same is also to be registered in the Federal Board of Revenue and a National Tax Number (NTN) is to be issued on the name of a company because company is a legal person that is subject to payment of income tax, sales tax, and any other applicable taxes with the Federal Board of Revenue (FBR).
Once you have the certificate of incorporation and NTN Certificate, you can open a business bank account in the name of your company. After opening an account, the bank will issue an Account Maintenance Certificate. Opening a bank account is mandatory as authorized capital amount is to be deposited and all the financial transactions of the company shall be done through business bank account.
After opening a bank account, all the required documents including Incorporation Certificate, NTN Certificate, Account Maintenance Certificate, Memorandum and Articles of Association, Form-A/B and Form 29 are to be filed in the office of Company Registrar, SECP for compliance of filing statutory returns.
Lastly, you would need to register your company with the All Pakistan Real Estate (Agents) Associations. This association is basically connects developers, brokers, and consumers in real estate market which recognizes professional real estate agents, promoting accountability, supporting transparency in transactions and serves as bridge for legislative reforms between government and public.
In Pakistan, there is a procedure for registering real estate. The stages that must be taken by a real estate firm in Pakistan are as follows:
This document must be presented with the following four documents:
The key step after completing these stages is to submit an application to the SECP office for the issuance of the company’s “registration certificate.” This will necessitate the payment of the registration cost.
The Registrar may then specify the amount of time needed to complete the “incorporation certificate.”
Following the issuing of the incorporation certificate, the company is required to have the following documents:
Finally, the business might approach the Federal Board of Revenue. The corporation can get itself registered for taxes such as:
Section 3 of the Real Estate Agents and Motor Vehicle Dealers Regulation of Business Ordinance, 1980, which deals with the prohibition of real estate business without registration.
According to this section, no individual can conduct or carry out real estate business activities unless they are registered with the designated registering authority and possess a valid certificate issued by that authority. However, there is a provision for individuals who were already engaged in real estate business on the date when this ordinance came into effect. These individuals have a grace period of 90 days to apply for registration without facing any penalties.
Furthermore, if a person who was already operating as a real estate agent fails to apply for registration within the specified 90-day period, the registering authority has the discretion to accept their late application.
This provision aims to regulate the real estate sector by ensuring that all individuals involved in real estate business are registered and compliant with the law. It provides a transition period for existing businesses to come into compliance with the registration requirements.
Section 09 of the said Ordinance deals with the cancellation and suspension of registration, while Section 10 focuses on offenses and penalties.
Section 09 of the Ordinance states that the registering authority has the power to cancel or suspend a certificate if a real estate agent breaches any conditions of the certificate or engages in malpractices such as maintaining incorrect transaction accounts, conducting transactions despite knowing title defects, or charging higher commissions than allowed. The authority can impose a suspension of up to three months for a first breach and up to six months for subsequent breaches. Importantly, the individual must be given a chance to explain their side within 15 days of receiving the notice before any order is passed.
While Section 10 of the Ordinance, outlines the penalties for violating the ordinance. Anyone found guilty of violating the ordinance could face simple imprisonment for up to six months, a fine ranging from ten to 5000, or both.
These sections aim to regulate the real estate dealer sectors by establishing consequences for non-compliance and malpractices, ensuring accountability and adherence to the law.
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