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Doing business
Doing business in Mauritius
The official bodies a foreign company, investor or professional deals with in Mauritius – linked to their own websites – plus the treaties that matter for contracts and disputes, and law firms there that list business work.
Key facts
Key facts for business in Mauritius
The short answer
Company registry in Mauritius: Corporate and Business Registration Department (CBRD). Tax authority: Mauritius Revenue Authority (MRA). Requirements, fees and timelines change – confirm them with the body concerned and a lawyer admitted in Mauritius before you act.
| Legal system | Mixed (French civil law and English common law) |
|---|---|
| Official languages | English (de facto), French (de facto) |
| Currency | Mauritian rupee (MUR) |
| Regional blocs | SADC, COMESA |
| OHADA business law | No |
| AfCFTA (continental free trade) | Ratified (instrument deposited) |
| New York Convention (arbitral awards) | Party – in force since 1996 |
| ICSID Convention (investment disputes) | Contracting state – in force since 1969 |
| Apostille Convention (public documents) | Party – in force since 12 Mar 1968 |
Treaty status from the official depositary records (UNCITRAL, ICSID, HCCH), regional blocs from their own websites, AfCFTA from tralac – checked October 2026. Not legal advice.
Official bodies
Who does what in Mauritius
| What for | Official body | Website |
|---|---|---|
| Registering a company | Corporate and Business Registration Department (CBRD) | companies.govmu.org |
| Investment promotion | Economic Development Board (EDB) Mauritius | edbmauritius.org |
| Tax | Mauritius Revenue Authority (MRA) | mra.mu |
| Central bank, currency and foreign exchange | Bank of Mauritius | bom.mu |
| Work and residence permits | Passport and Immigration Office | passport.govmu.org |
We could not confirm an official website for: courts and justice. We only link to sites we could open and confirm as the body’s own in October 2026.
Each link was opened and checked as the body’s own website in October 2026. Links to official sites only – never to agents or look-alike sites.
Getting started
What foreign businesses usually sort out first
- Choose how you will operate. A subsidiary, a branch, a representative office, or working through a local partner or distributor. The options and their conditions are set by national company law.
- Register the business. Company registration: Corporate and Business Registration Department (CBRD).
- Register for tax. Tax registration: Mauritius Revenue Authority (MRA).
- Check investment rules and incentives. Some sectors have licensing, local-ownership or registration rules, and some investors qualify for incentives. Investment agency: Economic Development Board (EDB) Mauritius.
- Permits for foreign staff. Work and residence permits: Passport and Immigration Office.
- Banking and foreign exchange. Rules on accounts, moving money in and out and paying dividends abroad come from the central bank (Bank of Mauritius) and the banks.
- Contracts and disputes. Agree the governing law, the courts or arbitration seat, and the language. Mauritius is a party to the New York Convention, so arbitral awards made in other member states can be recognized there under it.
A general checklist, not legal advice. What applies to you depends on your sector, structure and nationality.
Law firms
Law firms in Mauritius for business matters
Appleby (Mauritius)
Port Louis
Benoit Chambers
Ebène
Glover Chambers
Port Louis
Juristconsult Chambers
Ebène
NKM Chambers
Port Louis
Uteem Chambers
Port Louis
6 firms in Mauritius list corporate, tax, employment or other business work on their own websites. See every firm in Mauritius.
Checking a lawyer in Mauritius
Who admits lawyers: Supreme Court of Mauritius (admission under the Law Practitioners Act); Mauritius Bar Council (barristers), Mauritius Law Society (attorneys), Chamber of Notaries
Professional title: Barrister / Attorney-at-law
Official roll: lawsociety.mu
For attorneys, check the Mauritius Law Society's list of registered attorneys; for barristers, confirm with the Mauritius Bar Council or the Master and Registrar of the Supreme Court.
We could not confirm every detail from official sources, so use this as a starting point.
Sources: lawsociety.mu. Checked October 2026. Not legal advice.
Questions
Doing business in Mauritius: questions
Where do you register a company in Mauritius?
With Corporate and Business Registration Department (CBRD) (companies.govmu.org). Requirements change, so confirm them with the registry and a lawyer admitted in Mauritius.
Is Mauritius a party to the New York Convention?
Yes – in force since 1996 (UNCITRAL status table, checked October 2026).
Does Mauritius accept apostilles?
Yes – Mauritius is a party to the Apostille Convention, in force since 12 Mar 1968 (HCCH status table). A public document from another member state needs only an apostille from the issuing country.
What currency is used in Mauritius?
Mauritian rupee (MUR).