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Setup checklist: from foreign documents to first tax filing in Chile

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Last verified: 2026-10-26 · Status: Stable

A foreign parent can have a Chilean company with its own RUT on the day the last founder signs in the free online registry, but the real critical path is the paperwork that comes first: apostilled or legalized powers and corporate documents no older than one year, and a RUT for each foreign shareholder through a mandatary resident in Chile. After incorporation come the start of activities filing, the municipal business licence, monthly tax filings from the first month and, once staff are hired, monthly social security payments. This page lists every step in order with the legal deadline, the official cost and the trap that usually causes delay.

USD figures use the Central Bank exchange rate of CLP 986.58 per US dollar published in the Diario Oficial for 23 October 2026 (Ley Nº 18.840 art. 44). UF amounts use UF 1 = CLP 41,221.08 (26 October 2026) and UTM amounts use UTM 1 = CLP 72,151 (October 2026), both as published by the Servicio de Impuestos Internos. Conversions are for orientation only.

Key facts

Fee to register a company in the Registro de Empresas y Sociedades	0 CLPLey Nº 20.659, art. 11, as of 2026-10-26 · in force
Time for all founders to sign the registry form after the first signature	60 daysLey Nº 20.659, art. 10, as of 2026-10-26 · in force
Maximum notary tariff for signing a registry form electronically	0.26 UFDecreto Exento Nº 11 of 2019, Ministry of Economy, art. 1 Nº 1, as of 2026-10-26 · in force
Diario Oficial fee per corporate extract (capital of 5,000 UF or more)	1 UTMLey Nº 20.494, art. 4, as of 2026-10-26 · in force
Capital below which corporate extracts are published free	5000 UFLey Nº 20.494, art. 4, as of 2026-10-26 · in force
Maximum age of documents supporting a RUT application	1 yearsResolución Exenta SII Nº 77 of 2025, as of 2026-10-26 · in force
Deadline to file start of activities with the SII	2 monthsDL Nº 830 (Código Tributario), art. 68, as of 2026-10-26 · in force
Monthly VAT payment and return deadline (day of following month)	12 dayDL Nº 825, art. 64, as of 2026-10-26 · in force
Municipal business licence, minimum annual rate on equity	0.25 %DL Nº 3.063, art. 24, as of 2026-10-26 · in force
Municipal business licence, maximum annual rate on equity	0.5 %DL Nº 3.063, art. 24, as of 2026-10-26 · in force
Municipal business licence, annual cap	8000 UTMDL Nº 3.063, art. 24, as of 2026-10-26 · in force
Pension contribution payment deadline (day of following month, electronic payment)	13 dayDL Nº 3.500, art. 19, as of 2026-10-26 · in force
Hague Apostille Convention in force for Chile since	2016-08-30 dateLey Nº 20.711; HCCH status table, as of 2026-10-26 · in force

The rule

1. A foreign individual or entity without domicile or residence in Chile that invests in the country must enrol in the RUT and appoint a mandatary with domicile or residence in Chile and sufficient powers. Supporting documents may be at most one year old; for example, powers of attorney must have been issued no more than one year before the RUT application. Powers granted abroad must be translated into Spanish if needed and either visaed by the Chilean consul and legalized at the Chilean Ministry of Foreign Affairs, or apostilled. For a foreign entity the SII also asks for its constitutive act or certificate of good standing, legalized or apostilled, and a certificate of tax residence or equivalent identification document.
Cost to do it: The SII charges no fee for the RUT. Consular, Foreign Ministry, apostille, sworn translation and local mandatary fees are set by each provider and are not fixed by the resolution.
Example: A power of attorney signed abroad on 1 December 2025 can no longer support a RUT application filed on 2 December 2026; it must be re issued. / Budget the time for a fresh apostilled power rather than the fee: the SII filing itself costs US$0.Resolución Exenta SII Nº 77 of 26 June 2025 (procedure to obtain a RUT and file start of activities), issued under Código Tributario art. 66 and 68, Resolution body and Annex I (RUT by the general procedure), 2025-06-26 official text · verified 2026-10-26

2. Public documents issued in a State party to the Hague Apostille Convention do not need legalization if an apostille has been issued for them. Apostilles cannot be issued for documents issued by diplomatic or consular agents or for administrative documents dealing directly with commercial or customs operations. The Convention entered into force for Chile on 30 August 2016; Argentina has been a party since 18 February 1988, so Argentine public documents qualify.
Example: A certificate of good standing issued by a public registry in a Convention State, apostilled in that State, can be filed with the SII without passing through the Chilean consulate. / Removing the consular step typically saves a separate appointment abroad; the cost depends on the issuing country.Ley Nº 20.711 (implements the Hague Apostille Convention), adding art. 345 bis to the Código de Procedimiento Civil, Art. 345 bis CPC (art. 1 of Ley Nº 20.711), 2014-01-02 official text · verified 2026-10-26

3. Company forms in the Registro de Empresas y Sociedades are signed by the founders, partners or shareholders with an advanced electronic signature, or before a notary who applies his or her own advanced electronic signature. Founders may act through a representative or attorney, and may appoint in the incorporation form one attorney to sign for all of them. All signatures must be completed within 60 days of the first one, or the form is treated as never signed.
Cost to do it: Notaries may charge only the tariff fixed by decree: 0.26 UF for electronically signing the registry form (whatever the number of parties appearing before the same notary for the same act), 0.18 UF to review and upload each party's signing documents and 0.07 UF for any other document (Decreto Exento Nº 11 of 2019, Ministry of Economy).
Example: One attorney signing before a notary with one uploaded power: 0.26 UF + 0.18 UF = 0.44 UF, about CLP 18,137. / About US$18.38 at CLP 986.58 per US dollar.Ley Nº 20.659 (simplified company formation), as amended by Ley Nº 21.366, Art. 9 and art. 10, 2021-08-25 official text · verified 2026-10-26

4. The online registry is single, nationwide, public and free. Once all parties have signed, the form is automatically incorporated into the registry from that date and the SII is deemed informed. The SII assigns the company a RUT without further formalities at the same moment, and the incorporation form can also be used to request start of activities and authorization of tax documents.
Cost to do it: Registry fee CLP 0 (US$0).
Example: If the last founder signs on a Tuesday, the company exists and has its RUT that Tuesday. / Registry fee US$0.Ley Nº 20.659, Art. 11 and art. 13, 2013-02-08 official text · verified 2026-10-26

5. A company formed by public deed outside the online registry publishes its extract in the Diario Oficial on the website the Diario Oficial runs for that purpose. Each extract costs one UTM, except constitutions, dissolutions and amendments of companies with capital below 5,000 UF, which are published free of charge.
Cost to do it: 1 UTM per extract (CLP 72,151 in October 2026, about US$73.13), or CLP 0 if capital is under 5,000 UF (about CLP 206.1 million or US$208,909).
Example: A company with capital of CLP 300,000,000 (over 5,000 UF) pays CLP 72,151 to publish its incorporation extract in October 2026. / About US$73.13 per extract.Ley Nº 20.494, Art. 4, 2011-01-27 official text · verified 2026-10-26

6. Any person or entity that starts activities that may produce income taxed under the income tax law must file a sworn start of activities declaration with the SII within the two months following the month in which activities begin. Taxpayers must be enrolled in the RUT.
Example: A company that starts operating on 10 November 2026 must file start of activities by 31 January 2027.Decreto Ley Nº 830 (Código Tributario), Art. 66 and art. 68, 1974-12-31 official text · verified 2026-10-26

7. VAT taxpayers must pay the tax accrued in a month by the 12th of the following month and file a sworn statement of all operations of that month, including exempt ones. Under the SII's published guidance, Formulario 29 (the monthly VAT, withholding and provisional payment return) must be filed from the month in which the taxpayer started activities, even if there were no purchases or sales. The deadline is the 20th for taxpayers that issue electronic invoices or electronic fee receipts and pay online, and the 28th for nil returns filed online by taxpayers who are up to date.
Example: A company that started activities in November 2026 files its first Formulario 29 for November by 12 December 2026, or by 20 December 2026 if it invoices electronically and pays online, even if it made no sales.Decreto Ley Nº 825 (VAT law); Decreto Nº 1.001 of 2006, Ministry of Finance (internet filing extension); SII guidance on Formulario 29, DL 825 art. 64 and 65, 1974-12-31 official text · verified 2026-10-26

8. Every profession, trade, industry or other lucrative activity pays an annual municipal business licence (patente municipal) in the municipality where it operates. The annual value is 2.5 to 5 per thousand of the taxpayer's equity (capital propio), never less than 1 UTM nor more than 8,000 UTM; for new activities equity is the initial capital declared. The licence covers 1 July to 30 June and may be paid in full or in two equal instalments in July and January.
Cost to do it: Between 0.25 and 0.5 percent of equity per year, floor 1 UTM (CLP 72,151, about US$73.13), cap 8,000 UTM (CLP 577,208,000, about US$585,060).
Example: Declared initial capital of CLP 100,000,000: licence of CLP 250,000 to CLP 500,000 a year depending on the municipal rate. / About US$253 to US$507 a year.Decreto Ley Nº 3.063 (Municipal Revenue Law), consolidated by Decreto Nº 2.385 of 1996, Art. 23, art. 24 and art. 29, 1996-11-20 official text · verified 2026-10-26

9. Once the company hires, employers must declare and pay pension contributions to each worker's pension fund administrator within the first ten days of the month following the month in which the pay accrued. If contributions are paid electronically the deadline runs to the 13th, even if that day is a Saturday, Sunday or holiday.
Example: October 2026 salaries: pension contributions due by 10 November 2026, or by 13 November 2026 if paid electronically.Decreto Ley Nº 3.500 (pension system), Art. 19, 1980-11-13 official text · verified 2026-10-26

Step	Legal basis	Deadline or timing	Official cost
1. Apostille or legalize parent documents and powers; translate into Spanish	Ley Nº 20.711 (CPC art. 345 bis); SII Res. Ex. Nº 77 of 2025	Documents must be no more than 1 year old when filed	Set by the issuing country and providers
2. RUT for each foreign shareholder through a mandatary resident in Chile	Código Tributario art. 66; SII Res. Ex. Nº 77 of 2025	Before signing the incorporation form	CLP 0 at the SII
3. Complete and sign the registry form (advanced electronic signature or notary)	Ley Nº 20.659 art. 9 and 10	All signatures within 60 days of the first	Registry CLP 0; notary up to 0.26 UF (about CLP 10,717 or US$10.86) plus 0.18 UF per party's documents
4. Company incorporated and RUT assigned	Ley Nº 20.659 art. 13	Same day as the last signature	CLP 0
5. Start of activities (can be requested in the incorporation form)	Código Tributario art. 68; Ley Nº 20.659 art. 13	Within 2 months after the month activities begin	CLP 0
6. Municipal business licence	DL Nº 3.063 art. 23, 24 and 29	Due once the activity starts in the municipality; paid in July and January	0.25% to 0.5% of equity a year; min 1 UTM, max 8,000 UTM
7. First Formulario 29	DL Nº 825 art. 64; SII guidance	12th of the following month (20th electronic invoicers paying online; 28th nil returns online)	Tax due, if any
8. First payroll contributions	DL Nº 3.500 art. 19	10th of the following month (13th if paid electronically)	Contributions due

Setup path for a subsidiary formed in the online registry, with legal deadlines and official costs. CLP at UF CLP 41,221.08 and UTM CLP 72,151; USD at CLP 986.58. Provider fees (translation, apostille, local counsel, mandatary) are excluded because no official tariff exists.

Worked example

A foreign parent decides on 1 November 2026 to open a Chilean SpA. It gets a board resolution and a power of attorney for a Santiago based attorney, both apostilled in its home country. If the home country is a Convention State, no Chilean consular step is needed (CPC art. 345 bis).
The attorney obtains a RUT for the parent at the SII with those documents, which must be under one year old (SII Res. Ex. Nº 77 of 2025). SII fee: CLP 0.
The attorney signs the SpA incorporation form for the parent before a notary. Notary tariff: 0.26 UF for the signature plus 0.18 UF to upload the power, 0.44 UF in total, about CLP 18,137 or US$18.38. The registry incorporates the company and the SII assigns its RUT the same day, at no charge (Ley Nº 20.659 art. 11 and 13).
With declared capital of CLP 100,000,000 (about US$101,360), the municipal licence costs CLP 250,000 to CLP 500,000 a year (about US$253 to US$507) depending on the municipality (DL Nº 3.063 art. 24).
Activities start on 10 November 2026; start of activities is due by 31 January 2027 (Código Tributario art. 68) and the first Formulario 29 for November is due on 12 December 2026, or 20 December 2026 for an electronic invoicer paying online.

Step by step

1. Pick the vehicle and draft the bylaws (see entities/choosing-an-entity). Decide who will be the local mandatary for the SII.
2. Order apostilled (or consular legalized) corporate documents and powers, and sworn Spanish translations. Date them close to filing: the SII accepts documents up to one year old.
3. Obtain the RUT of each foreign shareholder through the mandatary.
4. Fill in the incorporation form in the Registro de Empresas y Sociedades; ask in the same form for start of activities and authorization of tax documents.
5. Collect every signature within 60 days of the first, by advanced electronic signature or before a notary.
6. Open a bank account and bring in capital through the formal FX market (see fx/capital-contributions-and-repatriation).
7. Apply for the municipal business licence in the municipality where the activity is carried on.
8. Diarize the monthly cycle: payroll contributions by the 10th or 13th, Formulario 29 by the 12th or 20th (see start/tax-and-compliance-calendar).

Common traps

Stale documents. A power or good standing certificate older than one year is rejected for the RUT (SII Res. Ex. Nº 77 of 2025); re ordering an apostilled document from abroad can cost weeks.
Assuming an apostille always works. Documents issued by diplomatic or consular agents and administrative documents dealing directly with commercial or customs operations cannot be apostilled (CPC art. 345 bis); the issuing State must also be a party to the Convention.
Letting the 60 day signing window lapse. If any founder fails to sign within 60 days of the first signature, the form is deemed unsigned and the process starts again (Ley Nº 20.659 art. 10).
Skipping the first Formulario 29 because there were no sales. The SII requires the monthly return from the month of start of activities even with no movement.
Forgetting the municipal licence. It is a separate municipal tax with its own cycle (July and January) that is not handled by the registry or the SII.
Paying a notary more than the tariff. For registry signatures notaries may charge only the decree tariff (Ley Nº 20.659 art. 9; Decreto Exento Nº 11 of 2019).

Sources

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