You are using an outdated browser and your browsing experience will not be optimal. Please update to the latest version of Microsoft Edge, Google Chrome or Mozilla Firefox. Install Microsoft Edge

August 27, 2025

Myanmar to Enforce Registered Office and Directors’ Address Requirements

Myanmar’s Directorate of Investment and Company Administration (DICA) has issued an announcement reinforcing compliance obligations under the Myanmar Companies Law (MCL). This follows recent updates to reporting requirements and signals increased regulatory scrutiny regarding registered office addresses and directors’ residential information submitted online via MyCO, Myanmar’s company registration system.

Key Compliance Areas

Under the MCL, every company must maintain a registered office for official communication and legal correspondence. Any change to this address must be reported to the DICA registrar.

In April 2023, DICA introduced additional reporting obligations for newly incorporated companies. The additional rules require companies to submit their Annual Return accompanied by verification documents within two months of incorporation. These documents include a recommendation letter from the relevant township police station or ward administrator confirming the operational status and physical location of the registered office. Directors’ residential addresses must also be verified through similar documentation, and foreign directors are required to submit the arrival notification form issued by the Immigration Department.

For companies operating through a virtual office, clarification from a DICA official indicates that the virtual office address must correspond with the registered address submitted via MyCO. A recommendation letter confirming the validity and operational status of the virtual office must be submitted.

Legal Consequences

The recent announcement signals that DICA will begin enforcing these requirements in earnest. Failure to comply with the additional reporting obligations may result in inspections and enforcement actions by the DICA registrar, or complaints from third parties. It may also lead to penalties or other legal consequences as prescribed under the MCL.

Recommended Actions

It is strongly advised that all newly incorporated companies and their directors:

  • Review their MyCO submissions for accuracy.
  • Secure the required supporting documents within the Annual Return deadline.
  • Ensure that all address information reflects the company’s actual and lawful operating premises.

RELATED INSIGHTS​ 

February 7, 2023
Nwe Oo, a senior associate in Tilleke & Gibbins’ office in Yangon, contributed an updated Myanmar chapter to the recently published Foreign Investment Review 2023, a global guide to the legal and regulatory environment for foreign investment in 29 jurisdictions worldwide. Published and distributed by Lexology Getting the Deal Through (GTDT), the guide discusses law and policy on oversight of foreign investment, regulatory frameworks, procedural requirements, and other important concerns for foreign investors. The Myanmar chapter covers the following topics: Law and Policy: Government policies and practices, main laws and their scope of application (including details on investment promotional measures), definitions, rules for state-owned enterprises and sovereign wealth funds, relevant authorities and oversight, and national interest provisions. Procedure: Jurisdictional thresholds, national interest clearance, securing approval, the review process for competition clearance and associated penalties, involvement of authorities, facilitation of clearance, and post-closing regulatory powers. Substantive assessment: Substantive tests for clearance, authorities’ consultation with other countries and other relevant parties, transactional prohibitions and objections, mitigating arrangements and challenges to a decision, and protection of confidential information. Recent cases, updates, and trends: Relevant recent case law, key recent and ongoing developments. A PDF of the Myanmar chapter can be downloaded through the button below. Tilleke & Gibbins also contributed the Cambodia, Laos, and Vietnam chapters to Foreign Investment Review 2023. To browse the full guide covering all 29 jurisdictions, please visit the Getting the Deal Through website.
February 7, 2023
Dino Santaniello, head of Tilleke & Gibbins’ office in Vientiane, provided an updated Laos chapter for Foreign Investment Review 2023, a global guide to the legal and regulatory environment for foreign investment in 29 jurisdictions worldwide. Published and distributed by Lexology Getting the Deal Through (GTDT), the guide discusses law and policy on oversight of foreign investment, regulatory frameworks, procedural requirements, and other important considerations for foreign investors. The Laos chapter aims to give investors an understanding of what to expect when establishing operations and operating in the Lao market, covering: Law and Policy: Government policies and practices, main laws and their scope of application (including details on investment promotional measures), definitions, rules for state-owned enterprises and sovereign wealth funds, relevant authorities and oversight, and national interest provisions. Procedure: Jurisdictional thresholds, national interest clearance, securing approval, the review process for competition clearance and associated penalties, involvement of authorities, facilitation of clearance, and post-closing regulatory powers. Substantive assessment: Substantive tests for clearance, authorities’ consultation with other countries and other relevant parties, transactional prohibitions and objections, mitigating arrangements and challenges to a decision, and protection of confidential information. Recent cases, updates, and trends: Relevant recent case law, key recent and ongoing developments. A PDF of the Laos chapter can be accessed through the button below. Tilleke & Gibbins also contributed the Cambodia, Myanmar, and Vietnam chapters to Foreign Investment Review 2023. To browse the full guide covering all 29 jurisdictions, please visit the Getting the Deal Through website.
February 7, 2023
Attorneys from Tilleke & Gibbins’ office in Phnom Penh have contributed an updated Cambodia chapter to Foreign Investment Review 2023, a global guide to the legal and regulatory environment for foreign investment in 29 jurisdictions around the world. Published and distributed by Lexology Getting the Deal Through (GTDT), the guide is focused on law and policy regarding foreign investment oversight, regulatory frameworks, procedural requirements, and other notable concerns for foreign investors. The Cambodia chapter was updated by Jay Cohen, partner and director of Tilleke & Gibbins’ Phnom Penh office, and Nitikar Nith, associate. The chapter focuses most closely on the law and policy section, which explains the government’s policies and practices regarding foreign direct investment, the main investment laws and their scope, and the relevant authorities responsible for regulating mergers, acquisitions, and other business transactions. The chapter also brings up key recent developments, such as the prospect of Cambodia establishing a competition regulator. A PDF of the Cambodia chapter can be downloaded through the button below. Tilleke & Gibbins also provided the Laos, Myanmar, and Vietnam chapters to Foreign Investment Review 2023. To browse the full guide for all 29 jurisdictions, please visit the Getting the Deal Through website.
February 6, 2023
Thailand’s Department of Business Development (DBD) has clarified that even after the amended Civil and Commercial Code (CCC) comes into effect on February 7, 2023, companies with articles of association pursuant to the previous CCC will still have to follow the previous requirements for publication of shareholders’ meeting notices. The amended CCC removes the requirement for companies to publish a notice in a local newspaper when calling a general meeting of shareholders. Instead, companies can call a general meeting of shareholders either by sending a notice by post with acknowledgement of receipt to every shareholder whose name appears in the register of shareholders or by delivering the notice in person. However, the amended CCC still requires companies that have issued share certificates to bearers to publish a notice at least once in a local newspaper or via electronic means, as prescribed by the relevant ministerial regulations. Notwithstanding these updated requirements, the DBD has issued a clarification explaining that the amended CCC coming into effect on February 7 will not usher in a blanket change to the way most companies are required to notify shareholders about a general shareholders’ meeting. If a company’s articles of association were made pursuant to a prior version of the CCC, that company will still need to publish a notice calling for a general meeting of shareholders in a local newspaper—even after the new amendment becomes effective. If companies would like to change their practice so that they no longer have to publish this notice, they will need to amend their articles of association after the effective date of the amended CCC. For more information on the new requirements of the amended CCC, or on any aspect of corporate laws and corporate governance in Thailand, please contact Prisna Sungwanna at [email protected], or Kobchai Nitungkorn at