Countries › Paraguay › Guide › 4. Entities and setup › Incorporation checklist for Paraguay: documents, SUACE single window, registry, RUC, IPS, beneficial ownership and realistic timelines

Incorporation checklist for Paraguay: documents, SUACE single window, registry, RUC, IPS, beneficial ownership and realistic timelines

Last verified: 2026-10-28 · Status: Stable

Setting up in Paraguay runs through SUACE, the Ministry of Industry and Commerce single window created by Ley 4986/2013, which links the company registries, the tax administration (RUC), IPS social security and the Ministry of Labor. Realistic official timings: an EAS on the model bylaws in about 72 business hours (8 days with own bylaws), an S.A. or S.R.L. in about 15 business days through SUACE after the deed (30 days ordinary), a branch after its home documents are legalised and its power registered; the slow part is usually apostilles and sworn translations abroad. After registration come biometric signing at the tax office within five business days of the RUC, stamping books, opening the bank account and, within 45 business days, the shareholder and beneficial owner filing.

USD figures use PYG 5,847.90 per US dollar, the Banco Central del Paraguay reference quotation for 27 October 2026, the latest daily sheet published on the verification date. Amounts set in jornales or minimum wages use the daily minimum wage of PYG 117,077 and the monthly minimum wage of PYG 3,044,000 in force from 1 July 2026 (Resolución MTESS 670/2026). Conversions are for orientation only.

Key facts

Fastest incorporation route (EAS on model bylaws, MIC)	72 business hours hoursMIC SUACE company comparison sheet, as of 2026-10-28 · in force
S.A. registration time through SUACE (MIC)	15 business daysMIC SUACE company comparison sheet, as of 2026-10-28 · in force
S.R.L. registration time through SUACE (MIC)	15 business daysMIC SUACE company comparison sheet, as of 2026-10-28 · in force
Registry fees for an EAS on the standard bylaws (MIC)	0 PYGMIC EAS law presentation, as of 2026-10-28 · in force
MIC estimate of average cost to open an S.A. or S.R.L. (undated)	3600000 PYGMIC EAS law presentation, as of 2026-10-28 · in force
Deadline to sign and register biometrics at the tax office after the EAS RUC is issued (MIC)	5 business daysMIC EAS law presentation, as of 2026-10-28 · in force
Deadline for a new entity to file shareholders and beneficial owners	45 business daysLey 6446/2019 art. 3 and 5, as of 2026-10-28 · in force

The rule

1. The single window. According to the MIC, SUACE was created by Ley 4986/2013 as a single window to process the registrations legally required to open and close businesses, assist investors with migration and other procedures, and coordinate the MIC, the tax administration, the Dirección General de los Registros Públicos, the migration authority, the Ministry of Justice, IPS and the Ministry of Labor. An EAS founding instrument must be filed only through SUACE.MIC SUACE operational guide for foreign investors; Ley Nº 6480/2020, Guide, SUACE section; Ley 6480 art. 5 and 8, 2025-05 official text · verified 2026-10-28

2. Foreign corporate shareholder documents (EAS). For a foreign legal entity shareholder the MIC asks for its incorporation deed, a board minute recording the unanimous approval of the shareholders to become an EAS shareholder, a power before a notary with certified signature granted to a representative, apostilled or legalised in the country of origin, its home tax ID and the IDs or passports of all its shareholders, with translation by a registered public translator of anything not in Spanish, including apostilles. A representative forming the EAS for the shareholders needs a special power under Civil Code art. 884; a power granted abroad must be legalised or apostilled and translated by a translator registered with the Supreme Court. Foreign individuals without Paraguayan residence may be shareholders but, per the MIC, only if they are not part of the governing or management bodies.
Cost to do it: Apostille, notary and sworn translation costs in the home country and Paraguay; not set by Paraguayan law.MIC EAS documentary requirements, Points 1, 2 and 3, 2025-05 official text · verified 2026-10-28

3. S.A., S.R.L. and branch file. The SUACE file for legal persons includes the SUACE form, authenticated IDs of the legal representative, directors and partners, the notarial deed with copies, the Public Registries forms 01, 14 and 17, the Treasury legal opinion requested by the notary through the abbreviated SUACE route, and proof of the court registration fee and special fee for the Registry of Legal Persons and the merchant registration. An S.R.L. adds the deposit slip for paid cash capital; a branch adds a deed recording the legalised home bylaws and branch resolution under Civil Code art. 1197, with its power registered in the Public Registry of Commerce, and Paraguayan identity cards for foreign holders, directors or attorneys.SUACE general requirements for legal persons, General list, point I and point II, 2021-08-17 official text · verified 2026-10-28

4. Registration timelines. The MIC gives registration times of 72 business hours for an EAS on the model bylaws and 8 days with a private document or deed, and 15 business days through SUACE or 30 days ordinary for an S.A. or S.R.L. By law the Ministry legal opinion for an S.A. or S.R.L. is due within eight business days, followed by registration and three consecutive days of newspaper publication.MIC SUACE company comparison sheet; Ley Nº 388/94 art. 5 as amended by Ley Nº 3228/2007, Comparison sheet, registration time row; Ley 388 art. 5, 2025-05 official text · verified 2026-10-28

5. After registration. For an EAS, the MIC presentation describes the flow: the Ministry registry issues the registration certificate and sends the file to the tax administration, which issues the RUC and forwards the file to IPS and the Ministry of Labor for employer registration; within five business days of receiving the RUC by email the applicant must go to a tax office to sign the documents (not needed with a digital signature) and complete biometric registration, the only in person step. Banks must provide mechanisms to open an EAS account within a period set by regulation and assess EAS applications promptly.MIC presentation of the EAS law; Ley Nº 6480/2020, Presentation steps 3 to 6; Ley 6480 art. 35, 2020-01-08 official text · verified 2026-10-28

6. Within 45 business days. Every new legal person or structure files its shareholders or authorities, bylaws, last meeting electing authorities and beneficial owners with the Ministry registry within 45 business days of formation, with the foreign ownership chain where substantial capital is held abroad.
Cost to do it: Fine 50 to 500 daily minimum wages (PYG 5,853,850 to PYG 58,538,500) plus RUC block and banking freeze if missed.
Example: About US$1,001 to US$10,010.Ley Nº 6446/2019, Art. 3 and 5, 2019-11-29 official text · verified 2026-10-28

7. Books before use. Commercial books must be numbered and presented to the Public Registry of Commerce to be stamped before use, and kept by a registered accountant once capital exceeds 1,000 daily minimum wages.Ley Nº 1034/83, Art. 74, 77 and 78, 1983-12-06 official text · verified 2026-10-28

Stage	EAS (model bylaws)	S.A. or S.R.L.	Branch
Foreign documents (apostille, translation)	Shareholder documents and power	Shareholder documents and powers	Home bylaws, branch resolution, power
Founding instrument	Model bylaws signed on every page	Public deed	Deed recording legalised documents; power registered first
Legal opinion	None on the model	Ministry opinion within 8 business days	Ministry opinion (SUACE list)
Registration	About 72 business hours (MIC)	About 15 business days via SUACE, 30 ordinary (MIC)	Registry of Legal Persons and Public Registry of Commerce
Publication	SUACE website	Newspaper, 3 consecutive days	As required for the registry
RUC, IPS, Ministry of Labor	Automatic via SUACE; biometrics within 5 business days of RUC	Via SUACE	Via SUACE
Beneficial ownership	45 business days	45 business days	45 business days

Incorporation timeline by vehicle (official MIC times plus legal deadlines; verified 28 October 2026)

Worked example

A Spanish parent forms a single shareholder EAS: first apostilles and sworn translations of its documents, then filing on SUACE with the model bylaws; registration in about 72 business hours; RUC and employer registration routed automatically; biometric signing within 5 business days of the RUC email.
Bank account opened after registration under Ley 6480 art. 35; books stamped; beneficial ownership filed well before the 45 business day limit.
Official cost on this route per the MIC: no registry cost; the S.A. or S.R.L. route was estimated by the MIC at about PYG 3,600,000 (about US$616), undated, plus notary and publication.

Step by step

Choose the vehicle (see the entity chooser) and check activity licences and Central Bank restrictions.
Abroad: board resolution, certificate of incorporation or good standing, bylaws, powers of attorney; apostille or legalise; sworn translation into Spanish by a translator registered with the Supreme Court.
Paraguay: appoint a legal representative with a Paraguayan identity card or residence (the MIC requires it for members of governing and management bodies) and a registered accountant; reserve a domicile.
EAS: user registration and form on SUACE, model bylaws signed or digitally signed, 20 percent BNF deposit if cash capital exceeds 1,200 minimum wages. S.A. or S.R.L.: deed, Treasury opinion, registry, publication. Branch: power registered, deed, SUACE file.
After registration: RUC, biometric signing within 5 business days, IPS and Ministry of Labor employer registration, stamped books, bank account.
Within 45 business days: shareholder and beneficial owner filing; then set the annual compliance calendar.
If the investor will relocate, the residence and Investor Pass steps are on the immigration page.

Common traps

Foreign individuals without Paraguayan residence can be EAS shareholders but, per the MIC, not members of the governing or management bodies; appoint a resident legal representative.
The power used to form the company must be a special power (Civil Code art. 884 per the MIC); a general power may be rejected.
Every page of the model bylaws must be signed by all shareholders and the legal representative, with full name on the last page; missing initials cause rejection.
Translations must be by a public translator registered with the Supreme Court and must include the apostilles themselves.
Signing contracts before registration makes EAS members jointly and without limit liable (Ley 6480 art. 4).
The 45 business day beneficial ownership clock runs from formation, not from the RUC, and missing it blocks bank operations.

Sources

← Annual compliance for Paraguayan companies: books, accounts, meetings, IRE and financial statements, RUC update, reserves and registry updatesFX and capital flows in Paraguay: free exchange, repatriation and the taxes on money going out →

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