We incorporate private limited companies (Sdn Bhd) with SSM through the MyCoID portal — from name search and reservation to the incorporation application and the notice of registration. A Sdn Bhd needs at least one shareholder and at least one director who ordinarily resides in Malaysia, and must appoint a company secretary within 30 days after incorporation. PT Corporate Services handles the paperwork end to end from Kota Damansara, Petaling Jaya.
Key takeaways
- Incorporating a Sdn Bhd means reserving the name, lodging the incorporation application through SSM’s MyCoID portal, and receiving the notice of registration.
- The first entries — directors, shareholders, share capital, registered address — carry into every later filing, so getting them right on day one saves rectification later.
- A company secretary must be appointed within 30 days of incorporation, and a registered office maintained in Malaysia from the outset.
- The annual return then falls due within 30 days of each anniversary of incorporation, from the following calendar year onwards.
- We handle incorporation and the first statutory appointments together, so the file is complete from day one.
What is a Sdn Bhd?
A Sendirian Berhad (Sdn Bhd) is a private company limited by shares registered under the Companies Act 2016 (Act 777). It is a separate legal person from its shareholders, which is what limits their liability to the amount unpaid on their shares. In exchange for that separation the Act imposes the statutory obligations on this page: a qualified company secretary, a registered office, statutory registers, and annual lodgements with SSM.
“Notwithstanding subsection (1), the appointment of the first secretary shall be made within thirty days from the date of incorporation of a company.” — Companies Act 2016 (Act 777), Laws of Malaysia; official reprint published by Suruhanjaya Syarikat Malaysia (SSM), section 236(2).
What our incorporation service includes
Incorporation is more than submitting a form. Done properly, it sets up a company that is compliant from day one — correctly named, correctly structured, with its registers opened, its secretary appointed and its first resolutions passed. Our service covers the full sequence:
- Name search and reservation with SSM. Once a name is approved it is reserved for 30 days, and the reservation can be extended on payment of a fee.
- Preparing and lodging the incorporation application (the superform) under section 14 of the Companies Act 2016 through MyCoID, including the details of directors, shareholders, share capital and business activities.
- Receiving the notice of registration issued by SSM under section 15, and obtaining the certificate of incorporation under section 17 on request and payment of the prescribed fee, if you want one for banks or counterparties.
- Opening the statutory registers and minute books, and preparing the first board resolutions — typically covering the bank account, the registered office and the company's statutory books.
- Appointment of the company secretary within the 30-day statutory window, so the company is never in breach in its first month.
- Setting up the registered office, which every company must have in Malaysia from the date of incorporation.
What the Companies Act 2016 requires for a Sdn Bhd
A Sdn Bhd is a private company limited by shares — the standard vehicle for doing business in Malaysia. The entry requirements under the Companies Act 2016 are deliberately simple. The company needs at least one shareholder, who may be an individual or a corporate body. It needs at least one director who is a natural person, at least 18 years of age, not disqualified under the Act, and who ordinarily resides in Malaysia with a principal place of residence here. The same person can be the sole shareholder and sole director.
There is no minimum share capital requirement — a company can lawfully be incorporated with a paid-up capital of RM1, although in practice the figure should reflect what the business actually needs and what banks, licensing bodies and customers expect to see. A constitution is optional: under the Act, a company may be incorporated without one, in which case the default provisions of the Companies Act 2016 govern how it operates. Companies that want tailored share classes, pre-emption rights or specific governance rules can adopt a constitution at or after incorporation.
Two obligations begin immediately at registration: the company must have a registered office in Malaysia, and it must appoint a qualified company secretary within 30 days. Both are covered in our incorporation packages, and both are explained in detail on their own pages.
How incorporation works with us, step by step
- Structure conversation. We discuss who the shareholders and directors will be, the shareholding split, the intended activities and the capital. If anything about the structure looks likely to cause problems later, we flag it now. Start through the contact page or on WhatsApp.
- Fees confirmed upfront. We confirm the scope and fees before any work begins — no work starts on an open-ended basis.
- Name search and reservation. We run the availability search and lodge the reservation with SSM. Have two or three names ready in order of preference, because identical or undesirable names are refused and some words require consent.
- Details and verification. We collect identification documents and particulars for every director and shareholder, complete know-your-client checks, and map your business activities to the appropriate MSIC business codes.
- Lodgement and registration. We prepare and lodge the superform through MyCoID. Once SSM registers the company, it issues the notice of registration and the company legally exists from that date.
- Post-incorporation pack. We open the registers, prepare the first resolutions, complete the secretary appointment, put the registered office in place and hand you a company that is ready to open a bank account and trade.
What you will need to provide
- Two or three proposed company names, in order of preference.
- A plain-language description of what the business will do, which we translate into MSIC business codes.
- NRIC or passport copies for every director and shareholder, with residential addresses, email addresses and phone numbers.
- The shareholding split and the initial paid-up capital.
- Your decision on the registered office — many clients use ours at Menara Mitraland, Kota Damansara.
Common pitfalls when incorporating
Most incorporation problems are avoidable. The ones we see most often:
- Name applications refused because the name is identical to an existing one, or contains controlled words that require consent.
- Business activity descriptions that are too vague, or codes that do not match what the company actually does — which causes friction later with banks and licensing.
- Missing the 30-day deadline to appoint a company secretary, which puts the company in breach in its first month.
- Treating registration as the finish line. The compliance clock starts immediately: the annual return anniversary date is set by the incorporation date, registers must be maintained, beneficial ownership information must be obtained and kept up to date, and financial statements will eventually need to be lodged — see our SSM filings and compliance page for the full calendar.
- Using a residential address as the registered office without weighing the fact that it becomes public record and that official notices are legally served there.
Sdn Bhd incorporation — key facts
- Minimum one shareholder (individual or corporate).
- Minimum one director, aged 18 or above, ordinarily resident in Malaysia.
- No minimum share capital — RM1 paid-up capital is legally possible.
- A constitution is optional under the Companies Act 2016.
- A company secretary must be appointed within 30 days after incorporation.
- A registered office in Malaysia is required from the date of incorporation.
How long does incorporation take?
It depends mainly on name approval and SSM's processing. Complete, accurate submissions move fastest, which is why we prepare everything before lodgement and keep you updated at each stage. We do not promise a fixed date, because the final step sits with the Registrar.
Do I need a constitution?
No. Under the Companies Act 2016 a company may operate on the Act's default provisions alone. A constitution is worth adopting when you need custom share classes, transfer restrictions, pre-emption rights or specific board rules — and it can be adopted at incorporation or later by members' resolution.
Ready to incorporate, or unsure whether a Sdn Bhd is the right structure for what you are planning? Message PT Corporate Services on WhatsApp at +6016 538 5338 or email general@pwatan.my. We are at Menara Mitraland, Kota Damansara, we serve founders across the Klang Valley and Malaysia, and we confirm scope and fees upfront before any work begins. Compliance, handled.
Authoritative sources: Suruhanjaya Syarikat Malaysia (SSM) · MyCoID portal (SSM).