Open a company
in Paraguay

EAS, SRL or S.A.: which company type suits you in Paraguay?

If you are starting alone or with few partners, the EAS (Empresa por Acciones Simplificadas, a simplified joint-stock company) is usually the fastest route: it allows a single partner, has no legal minimum capital and is formed online through SUACE in about 10 days. The SRL (limited liability company) and the S.A. (corporation) require at least 2 partners, a public deed and registration with the RUN, and take 45 to 50 business days. In every case, the legal representative needs a Paraguayan cédula.

Sources: SUACE/MIC guide for foreign investors (May 2025), Law 6480, arts. 2 and 10 and the EAS FAQ. Timeframes: EC reference based on the processes we handle. Data verified as of 09/26/2026.

Important: according to the SUACE FAQ, foreign partners without a permanent residency card "CANNOT be MEMBERS OF THE MANAGEMENT BODY" of an EAS. Temporary residency is not enough. A foreign partner without residency can still be a shareholder and appoint the representative through an apostilled power of attorney.

More detail in the guide opening a company in Paraguay as a foreigner.

How long does it take to open a company in Paraguay?

The EAS is the fastest process: about 10 days. The S.A. and the SRL take 45 to 50 business days, because they go through a public deed, publication and registration with the RUN. These are EC's reference timeframes; after that come the RUC, electronic invoicing and the bank account, whose timing depends on each agency and each bank.

EC reference timeframes, based on the processes we handle; they are not deadlines set by public agencies. No firm can guarantee the timing of public agencies or banks.

Once your documents are complete, you receive each certificate as soon as it is issued and always know which stage the process is at.

How much does it cost to open a company in Paraguay?

There is no single fee: the cost depends on the company type and on your case. For an SRL or S.A., notary fees, publication and RUN registration are added; for an EAS, the process is online and simpler. We send you a written quote for your case, with EC's fees and the official charges listed separately.

What changes the quote:

• the company type (EAS, SRL or S.A.) and the number of partners;
• whether documents come from abroad and need an apostille and translation;
• whether you need a legal representative in Paraguay;
• recurring services after formation, such as monthly accounting.

Note: for an EAS, if the cash capital contribution exceeds 1,200 minimum wages (≈ Gs 3,652.8 million at the minimum wage in force since 07/01/2026), 20% must be deposited at the BNF, the state-owned bank (EAS FAQ).

What obligations does the company have after it opens?

Once formed, the company files VAT (IVA) and RG 90 every month, files the 10% IRE (corporate income tax) and its financial statements once a year, pays IPS contributions monthly if it has employees and meets the MTESS annual obligation. When it distributes profits, it withholds the IDU (dividend tax). As a new legal entity, it issues electronic invoices from day one.

Table updated as of 09/26/2026. For the 2025 period, the first year of the Libros de Información Laboral, the MTESS extended the deadline to 10/31/2026 (MTESS Res. 805/2026). Profits allocated to reserves only pay IDU when distributed.

Note: the 8% IDU applies to partners resident in Paraguay. For the DNIT, an individual is a tax resident when they hold permanent residency (Decree 3181/19, art. 2); the cédula alone is not enough.

To hire staff, the company registers with IPS and with the MTESS REOP, reports new hires and terminations within 30 business days and reports payroll every month; the minimum wage is Gs 3,044,000 since 07/01/2026. The company must also report its beneficial owners to the MEF administrative registry (Law 6446/2019); the applicable deadline is checked at incorporation. See our accountant in Ciudad del Este service and the guide to taxes in Paraguay.

Can you open a business bank account in Paraguay?

Yes, but the decision always rests with the bank and nobody can guarantee it. Besides the company documents, banks ask for the source of funds and a signatory with a Paraguayan cédula who appears in person. For owners living outside Paraguay, that signatory is usually the main bottleneck.

Requirements published by a Paraguayan bank for corporate accounts:

• RUC and tax compliance certificate
• registered articles and the minutes appointing the representative
• the partners' documents
• proof of source of funds and of the business address

Where it usually stalls: without someone who holds a cédula and is available to go to the bank, the application rarely moves forward. That is why we define who will be the representative before forming the company.

Important: we do not promise that the account will be opened. We prepare the documents for the bank account, introduce the company and support the signing; approval is the bank's decision.

Can I open the company without living in Paraguay?

Yes. The company can be opened remotely with an apostilled special power of attorney, as long as there is a legal representative with a Paraguayan cédula in Paraguay; for an EAS, that person also needs permanent residency. But opening a company does not change your tax residency: if you keep living in another country, that country may tax your income and the dividends you receive.

What you should know:

• Foreign documents are submitted apostilled or legalized.
• If you want to be the EAS representative yourself, you need permanent residency. The usual path goes through temporary residency first (Migration Law 6984/2022). As an investor, direct permanent residency is available through the Paraguay Investor Pass or via SUACE; Law 6984 also provides for other specific cases, such as foreign relatives of repatriated Paraguayans (art. 48). See residency and Paraguayan ID.
• For the DNIT, the cédula is not the same as tax residency: an individual is a tax resident with permanent residency.
• If your country has a double taxation treaty with Paraguay, it appears on the DNIT treaty list.

Important: EC advises on the Paraguayan side. How dividends from a Paraguayan company are taxed in your country must be confirmed by a licensed accountant in your country of residence. Legal representation does not replace real operations in Paraguay.

If you cannot be in Paraguay, our legal representative service covers local management.

What incentives are there for investing in Paraguay?

The main regime is Law 7548/2025, which replaced the former Law 60/90: exemption from import duties and VAT on capital goods for approved projects. It is not automatic, and the IDU exemption only applies to investment projects of US$13 million or more.

Law verified as of 09/26/2026.

Small trading or service businesses fall under the general regime (IRE, IVA and IDU). Before forming the company, we assess case by case whether your project qualifies for any incentive.

How does a Ciudad del Este company selling to tourists work?

Stores selling to tourists can register under the Régimen de Turismo de Compras (shopping tourism regime; Decree 2063/2024, amended by Decree 3237/2025): an effective VAT of 1.25% plus a 1% IRE advance on the customs value. DNIT registration is valid for 2 years (RG 26/2025). According to ABC Color (05/15/2026), 624 of the 963 registered companies are in Ciudad del Este.

Source: DNIT — new Shopping Tourism regime, verified as of 09/24/2026.

Because the regime changes how VAT and IRE are calculated, it directly affects monthly accounting and requires tracking the registration renewal. We handle it at our office in Ciudad del Este.