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How to start a business in Tunisia as a foreigner (2026)

Starting a business in Tunisia as a foreigner: moderate.

Tunisia permits foreign investors to form companies through a structured, largely digitised process anchored by APII one-stop shops and the national RNE portal, with the core legal-procedural cycle achievable in roughly 48-96 hours after capital deposit. However, foreign equity is capped at 49% in most non-industrial onshore sectors, full foreign ownership in non-industrial activities requires classification as an 'offshore' entity (≥66% foreign equity and ≥70% of output exported), and several sectors (banking, telecom, transport, natural resources) require prior government authorisation. The World Bank B-READY 2025 report placed Tunisia in the 4th (low-performing) quintile, with an operational efficiency score of 52.46 out of 100.

Last verified Official sources first · MethodologyCompare Tunisia with other countries

Legal framework

Investment Law No. 2016-71 of 30 September 2016 (promulgating the Investment Code); Companies Code (Code des sociétés commerciales); RNE (Registre National des Entreprises) for company registration; APII (Agency for Promotion of Industry and Innovation) one-stop shop

Key points: starting a business in Tunisia

  1. Foreign ownership, onshore

    For 'onshore' companies (i.e., primarily serving the domestic market), foreign equity is capped at 49% in most non-industrial sectors including local trade, restaurants, and commercial agencies. Industrial onshore investment may reach 100% foreign ownership but requires prior government approval.

    state.gov trade.gov

  2. Foreign ownership, offshore regime

    A company is classified 'offshore' when foreign capital represents ≥66% of equity AND ≥70% of production is exported. Offshore companies may be 100% foreign-owned and enjoy free repatriation of profits and capital without Central Bank approval; onshore firms with less than 66% foreign equity must apply to the Central Bank of Tunisia for each repatriation.

    state.gov investmentpolicy.unctad.org

  3. Restricted and authorised sectors

    The 2016 Investment Law maintains a 'negative list' of sectors requiring prior government authorisation: natural resources, construction materials, land/sea/air transport, banking, finance, insurance, hazardous industries, health, education, and telecommunications. Foreign ownership of agricultural land is prohibited; foreign equity in agricultural businesses is capped at 66%.

    state.gov investmentpolicy.unctad.org

  4. Registration steps and timeline

    Core steps are: (1) reserve company name via the RNE portal; (2) draft and notarise statutes; (3) open a blocked bank account and deposit share capital; (4) file statutes and lease with the Tax Office to obtain a Tax Identification Number; (5) declare the investment project to APII (or TIA for projects ≥TND 15 million); (6) submit the full incorporation file at the APII one-stop shop, which simultaneously handles commercial registry, labour inspectorate, tax, and social-security enrolment. APII issues its agreement within 48 hours; legal procedures conclude within a further 48 hours after capital transfer.

    state.gov registre-entreprises.tn

  5. Minimum capital and legal forms

    A Société à Responsabilité Limitée (SARL/LLC) requires a minimum share capital of TND 1,000 (≈USD 320) and can be formed with a single shareholder and one director of any nationality. A Société Anonyme (SA/PLC) requires at least seven shareholders, three directors, and TND 5,000 minimum capital (TND 50,000 if publicly offered). No minimum capital is mandated for wholly export-oriented offshore SARLs beyond what the statutes specify.

    state.gov sailglobal.com

  6. World Bank B-READY 2025 performance

    In the World Bank's Business Ready 2025 report (which replaced the discontinued Doing Business index), Tunisia scored 62.56 on Regulatory Framework, 43.02 on Public Services, and 52.46 on Operational Efficiency, placing it in the 4th quintile (low-performing economies) among the 101 economies assessed, reflecting persistent gaps between formal rules and practical implementation.

    worldbank.org en.africanmanager.com

Sources

  1. state.gov/reports/2025-investment-climate-statements/tunisia/
  2. state.gov/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/638719_2025-Tunisia-Investment-Climate-Sta
  3. investmentpolicy.unctad.org/investment-laws/laws/179/print/3
  4. worldbank.org/en/businessready/economy/tunisia
  5. registre-entreprises.tn/rne-public/
  6. trade.gov/country-commercial-guides/tunisia-market-challenges
  7. sailglobal.com/entity-register-guides/tn/register-guides-tn-en
  8. en.africanmanager.com/tunisia-in-world-banks-business-ready-2025-second-to-last/

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Orientation, not legal advice: verify against the primary sources linked above. Last verified 24 May 2026. Methodology & how to cite · State of Technology Regulation 2026