Key facts
Key facts for business in Zambia
The short answer
Company registry in Zambia: Patents and Companies Registration Agency (PACRA). Tax authority: Zambia Revenue Authority (ZRA). Requirements, fees and timelines change – confirm them with the body concerned and a lawyer admitted in Zambia before you act.
| Legal system | Common law (with customary law) |
|---|---|
| Official languages | English |
| Currency | Zambian kwacha (ZMW) |
| Regional blocs | SADC, COMESA |
| OHADA business law | No |
| AfCFTA (continental free trade) | Ratified (instrument deposited) |
| New York Convention (arbitral awards) | Party – in force since 2002 |
| ICSID Convention (investment disputes) | Contracting state – in force since 1970 |
| Apostille Convention (public documents) | Not a party – documents usually need legalization |
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 Zambia
| What for | Official body | Website |
|---|---|---|
| Registering a company | Patents and Companies Registration Agency (PACRA) | pacra.org.zm |
| Investment promotion | Zambia Development Agency (ZDA) | zda.org.zm |
| Tax | Zambia Revenue Authority (ZRA) | zra.org.zm |
| Central bank, currency and foreign exchange | Bank of Zambia | boz.zm |
| Work and residence permits | Zambia Department of Immigration | zambiaimmigration.gov.zm |
| Courts and justice | Judiciary of Zambia | judiciaryzambia.com |
| Official business procedures portal | Zambia eRegistry – Business Regulatory Review Agency (BRRA) | businesslicenses.gov.zm |
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: Patents and Companies Registration Agency (PACRA).
- Register for tax. Tax registration: Zambia Revenue Authority (ZRA).
- Check investment rules and incentives. Some sectors have licensing, local-ownership or registration rules, and some investors qualify for incentives. Investment agency: Zambia Development Agency (ZDA).
- Permits for foreign staff. Work and residence permits: Zambia Department of Immigration.
- Banking and foreign exchange. Rules on accounts, moving money in and out and paying dividends abroad come from the central bank (Bank of Zambia) and the banks.
- Contracts and disputes. Agree the governing law, the courts or arbitration seat, and the language. Zambia 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 Zambia for business matters
Chalwe & Kabalata Legal Practitioners
Lusaka
Chibesakunda & Company
Lusaka
Malisa & Partners Legal Practitioners
Lusaka
Ngoma Legal Practitioners
Lusaka
Simeza, Sangwa & Associates
Lusaka
5 firms in Zambia list corporate, tax, employment or other business work on their own websites. See every firm in Zambia.
Checking a lawyer in Zambia
Who admits lawyers: Law Association of Zambia (LAZ) – practising certificates; admission by the High Court
Professional title: Advocate (Legal Practitioner)
Contact the Law Association of Zambia ([email protected]) to confirm the advocate holds a current practising certificate.
We could not confirm every detail from official sources, so use this as a starting point.
Sources: laz.org.zm. Checked October 2026. Not legal advice.
Questions
Doing business in Zambia: questions
Where do you register a company in Zambia?
With Patents and Companies Registration Agency (PACRA) (pacra.org.zm). Requirements change, so confirm them with the registry and a lawyer admitted in Zambia.
Is Zambia a party to the New York Convention?
Yes – in force since 2002 (UNCITRAL status table, checked October 2026).
Does Zambia accept apostilles?
Zambia is not a party to the Apostille Convention (HCCH status table, checked October 2026), so foreign public documents usually need legalization – typically through the issuing country’s foreign ministry and Zambia’s embassy or consulate. Confirm with the authority that will receive the document.
What currency is used in Zambia?
Zambian kwacha (ZMW).