Countries › Dominican Republic › Guide › 3. Investing › International financial zones in the Dominican Republic: the Ley 480-08 framework

International financial zones in the Dominican Republic: the Ley 480-08 framework

Last verified: 2026-10-30 · Status: Stable

Ley 480-08 allows offshore style financial zones serving only non residents, with broad tax relief for 30 years from the decree that authorizes each zone. The law requires an Executive authorization and an operator fee equal to US$20 million at 2008 value. This guide found no evidence of any zone licensed or operating, so treat it as a legal framework, not a market.

USD figures use the Banco Central de la República Dominicana reference selling rate of RD$60.9007 per US dollar for 29 October 2026, the latest row in its published rate file on the verification date, rounded to the cent.

Key facts

Term from the authorizing decree	30 yearsLey 480-08 art. 45, as of 2026-10-30 · in force
Operator fee at 2008 value	20000000 USDLey 480-08 art. 39 literal e, as of 2026-10-30 · in force

The rule

1. The law creates a framework for zones offering financial and related services on an extraterritorial basis only to individuals not resident in the country and to companies with their main domicile abroad. Services may not be offered to the Dominican Government or to regulated Dominican financial institutions. The zones are outside the national monetary and banking system.Ley 480-08 de Zonas Financieras Internacionales, art. 2, 2008-12-11 official text · verified 2026-10-30

2. Setting up a zone and operating in it need a prior licence and ongoing supervision. The Executive authorizes each zone on a favourable reasoned report from the Consejo Nacional de Zonas Financieras Internacionales.Ley 480-08 de Zonas Financieras Internacionales, art. 36, 2008-12-11 official text · verified 2026-10-30

3. An operator must be a company of excellent international standing, able to run large projects, with a minimum capital and financial capacity, and must pay a fee equal to US$20,000,000 at 2008 value, indexed under the regulation.
Cost to do it: US$20,000,000 (RD$1,218,014,000) at 2008 value before indexing.Ley 480-08 de Zonas Financieras Internacionales, art. 39, 2008-12-11 official text · verified 2026-10-30

4. Permitted services include banking and investment business, brokerage, asset management, funds, corporate and project finance, and support services.Ley 480-08 de Zonas Financieras Internacionales, art. 42, 2008-12-11 official text · verified 2026-10-30

5. Users and operators have 100% relief from income and capital gains tax, interest and dividend taxes, withholding on payments abroad, company and municipal taxes, import duties, ITBIS, selective taxes, telecom taxes, property taxes and construction charges on operations under the law.Ley 480-08 de Zonas Financieras Internacionales, art. 44, 2008-12-11 official text · verified 2026-10-30

6. The incentives expire 30 years from the decree authorizing the zone. Regulated transactions in the zone count as made outside the country for tax and customs laws.Ley 480-08 de Zonas Financieras Internacionales, arts. 45 and 46, 2008-12-11 official text · verified 2026-10-30

Worked example

A group asks whether it can run a private bank for clients abroad from a zone. The law would allow it if an authorized zone exists and a licence is issued. Without one, the Ley 183-02 banking rules and foreign capital routes on investing/restricted-activities-and-ownership-limits apply instead.

Step by step

Confirm with the Ministry of Hacienda y Economía whether the council is operating.
Confirm whether any zone was authorized by decree before planning around this regime.

Common traps

Art. 39 literal c states the capital in words as one hundred million pesos and in figures as RD$100,000. The text conflicts, so do not rely on either without official confirmation.
This guide found no decree authorizing a zone, no regulations and no licence as of 30 October 2026.
A 2014 bill to change the law was reported in the press; its final result was not confirmed.
FATF standards and the reach of Ley 155-17 would be central to any licence.

Sources

Ley 480-08

← Film incentives in the Dominican Republic: the 25% transferable tax credit under Ley 108-10Public private partnerships in the Dominican Republic: Ley 47-20, the 40 year limit and the 2026 reform bill →

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