Incorporate in Mauritius
Last updated: July 2026
Mauritius draws regional holdings: 15% headline corporate tax, often ~3% effective via credits and GBC exemptions, and Africa-India positioning. The price is the GBC licence, local substance, and cautious banking for foreign structures.
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Who it fits
- Holding or fund with documented Africa, India, or Indian Ocean flows
- Founders accepting GBC licence and FSC economic substance
- Intermediate structure in a treaty stack with planned dividend exit
When to skip
- Solo freelancer without regional flows. GBC is oversized
- Expecting premium banking without local network or KYC time
- Shell without post-2019 FSC substance
Business scores
See the numbers
| Criterion | Mauritius |
|---|---|
| Setup | 7.0 |
| Banking | 6.0 |
| Labour | 7.0 |
| Reputation | 6.0 |
| E-gov | 6.5 |
| Holding | 8.0 |
| CFC | 6.5 |
| Substance | 7.0 |
| Rates | Value |
|---|---|
| Corporate tax | 15% (≈3% effectif) |
| Exit / distribution | ≈10% |
Scores 0–10: higher is more favourable. CFC: high score = low risk the state taxes your foreign companies if you reside here. Detail: Ranking methodology. Compare this hub in Ranking.
How to read scores here
Mauritius runs 15% headline CIT with often ~3% effective rates for qualifying GBC companies via tax credits, sector exemptions, and Global Business licence mechanics. CFC is limited locally; EU residents still carry ATAD personally on holdings. Ease 7/10: efficient FSC and registry, but the GBC licence needs a full file: activity, planned substance, UBO, and business plan. Banking 6/10: local banks (MCB, SBM) cautious, slow onboarding for foreigners without island ties; international correspondents want a valid licence. Enforcement 7/10. FSC tightened substance post-2019 BEPS, annual reporting, substance tests, and licence withdrawal on non-compliance. Cost is high. GBC licence, management agent, accounting, substance (office, qualified employees) dominate long before headline tax. The hub serves Africa-India flows and regional treaty holdings, not European freelancer invoicing. Versus Cyprus or Malta, Mauritius plays Africa; versus Singapore, lower entry ticket but more fragile banking without local network. Liberty Stack scores Mauritius as a licence-driven hub where GBC status is the core product.
Cost of operating
Band: High
- Setup (USD): $2500–8000
- Annual (USD): $2500–8000
A GBC means an FSC licence (~$1,950/year) plus a management company and resident director/substance. Government fees alone set a high floor before private fees. Attractive for holdings/treaties; expensive if you only wanted a cheap shell. Do not compare it to a Wyoming LLC.
GBC licence and incorporation: $3k–8k year one depending on licence type, activity, and provider (often via licensed management company). Recurring: FSC renewal, GBC licence fees, mandatory management agent, accounting, economic substance (office, qualified employees or approved outsourcing), audit if FSC-required. Budget $5k–15k/year for a lean but compliant holding, without GBC you lose the ~3% effective-rate lever and fall back on the standard domestic company regime, far less attractive. Saving on substance triggers licence withdrawal and bank closure. Versus Dubai, Mauritius costs less on visas but more on FSC compliance. Budget UBO due diligence, annual FSC reports, and local payroll for substance staff: often the dominant line. A poorly prepared GBC renewal costs more to fix than continuous compliance. Tax credit mechanics need annual modeling with FSC-aware counsel.
Substance, banking, enforcement
Post-2019 reform, FSC requires real economic substance for each GBC licence: qualified employees, proportionate local spend, management decisions and board meetings in Mauritius for covered activities. Banks want valid GBC licence, documented UBO, source of funds, and credible Africa or India flows. A mirror holding without regional flows loses licence, account, and treaty credibility. Substance is not an empty Port Louis office: it is qualified staff, local payroll costs, outsourcing limited to explicitly permitted functions, and annual FSC reporting. For Mauritian residents, person and GBC align; for foreign founders, the GBC licence and substance sustain the effective rate and banking, not fake presence from Europe. FSC publishes substance checklists by licence category: model costs before incorporation.
CFC and tax residence
Mauritius does not run classic ATAD CFC to automatically attribute foreign structures of local residents. Remain a French or German tax resident and domestic CFC rules apply to any holding, including an under-substanced or Europe-managed Mauritian GBC. Live in Mauritius with a local GBC holding and tax layers can align, but a GBC without real Africa/India flows offers no European shield or treaty credibility. A ~3% effective rate on paper with management from Paris can mean CFC attribution and FSC licence withdrawal in parallel. The GBC licence does not replace personal residence coherence.
Practical setup path
Typical path: GBC via FSC/management company, substance (director, meetings, office), bank, then 15% CIT with credits/exemptions by income type. The “~3% effective” story is not automatic: it depends on income class and credits. Document Africa/India substance if that is your thesis. Compare to Cyprus/Malta for EU, Singapore for premium Asia.
Living here
Main cities
- Favourable weather
- Sea access
- Mid cost
- Car useful
- Favourable weather
- No sea access
- Mid cost
- Car useful
Liberty scores
Overall score (equal weights) : 5.6/10
See the numbers
| Criterion | Mauritius |
|---|---|
| Tax | 6.0 |
| Money | 3.5 |
| Economy | 7.0 |
| Property | 4.0 |
| Self | 6.0 |
| Space | 6.5 |
| Infra | 6.0 |
Ranking Liberty-mode scores 0–10. Higher is more favourable for that criterion.
Personal taxation
| Income tax | 0–15% |
| Inheritance | 0% |
Indicative Ranking labels: verify local law.
Homeschooling
Not coded
Status not yet classified in the dataset (missing indicative data).
Indicative status (self axis): verify local law.
Real estate
| Gross rental yield | 5 % |
| Entry ticket (30 m² studio) | 90,000 € |
| Rental income tax | 15% |
| Property capital gains | 0% |
| 5-year price trend | +25 % |
| Listings | Lexpress Property |
Get residence Compare in Ranking
Compare with
- Singapore Start a company
- UAE: Dubai (Freezones) Start a company · Settle here
- South Cyprus (Non-Dom) Start a company
FAQ
What is a GBC licence?
A Global Business Licence from FSC for international activities with tax benefits and substance obligations. Without it, you sit on the standard domestic company regime. Cross-check Liberty Stack Business scores and cost bands before you commit to formation fees.
Does the ~3% effective rate apply to everyone?
No. It depends on GBC type, tax credits, exemptions, and substance compliance. Model with FSC counsel before incorporation. Cross-check Liberty Stack Business scores and cost bands before you commit to formation fees.
Does Mauritius suit a European SaaS agency?
Rarely. Without Africa/India flows, GBC is costly and low credibility for EU clients. Compare Estonia or Portugal for European B2B invoicing. Cross-check Liberty Stack Business scores and cost bands before you commit to formation fees.
What FSC substance is required?
Qualified employees, spend, and management activity in Mauritius proportionate to licence type. FSC checklists are public: do not underestimate local payroll costs. Cross-check Liberty Stack Business scores and cost bands before you commit to formation fees.
Sources (cost)
How to read scores and cost bands: Ranking methodology.