Jersey is a Crown Dependency with its own company law, its own tax system and a single registry run by the Jersey Financial Services Commission (JFSC). International groups use Jersey companies for holding, financing, funds and property structures. The annual compliance cycle is short but strict. The central filing is the annual confirmation statement, and the central risk is a change in directors, owners or controllers that is not reported on time.

This guide covers the Jersey private company incorporated under the Companies (Jersey) Law 1991, and notes where public companies, limited partnerships and foundations differ. It is written for founders and for legal, finance and operations teams.

Updated November 9, 2026. Fees and procedures change, and the JFSC publishes guidance for each year's confirmation round, so confirm the current figures with the JFSC and with Revenue Jersey.

Entity compliance Jersey: the quick answer

• Submit the annual confirmation statement through the JFSC's myRegistry portal between 1 January and the last day of February each year.

• Appoint a nominated person, such as a director or the company secretary, to complete the confirmation.

• Notify the JFSC of changes to beneficial owner or significant person information within 21 days.

• Keep accounting records, file the tax return with Revenue Jersey and meet any economic substance requirement that applies to your activity.

What determines a Jersey company's compliance requirements?

Tax residence, activity and structure decide the work. A Jersey company that is tax resident in Jersey files a company tax return. Most companies are taxed at a zero standard rate, while financial services businesses, utilities and Jersey property activities are taxed at higher rates, so confirm which category your company falls into. Companies that carry on relevant activities, such as holding, finance and leasing, face economic substance rules.

Administration also matters. A company administered by a regulated trust company or corporate services provider is treated differently in the fee schedule from a company run by its owners. Professional sources describe a fee of about GBP 220 for an ordinarily administered company and about GBP 330 for one administered by a trust company business, but fees rise with Jersey inflation, so check the current schedule.

Annual entity requirements in Jersey: the core checklist

1. Annual confirmation statement

Under the Financial Services (Disclosure and Provision of Information) (Jersey) Law 2020, every company, foundation and partnership on the register must give the JFSC an annual confirmation statement. The JFSC states that the period runs from 1 January to the end of February. The statement replaced the annual return, and it confirms the registered office and details of the directors, the secretary, the beneficial owners and controllers, the significant persons and the members. The JFSC notes that the confirmation is made as at the date it is submitted. A fee applies, with an exception for registered charities. Entities that are dissolved or in winding up before or during the period do not need to file.

2. Nominated person

The company must appoint at least one nominated person to complete the confirmation. A director or the company secretary often does this, and many companies use a service provider. Choose a person who can verify the information, because the filing is a statement of fact to a regulator.

3. Beneficial owners and significant persons

A beneficial owner is generally an individual who ultimately owns or controls the entity, and professional sources describe a threshold of 25 percent for many entities, with different treatment for some. Significant persons include directors and certain other roles, and some of that information is public. The company must notify the JFSC within 21 days of learning of a change, error or inaccuracy, which runs separately from the annual cycle. Failure to file the confirmation or to notify changes is an offence with penalties set out in the JFSC's guidance.

4. Solvency and other confirmations

Some companies must confirm particular matters in the statement, such as the solvency position for certain structures. Special purpose vehicles that hold consent under the Control of Borrowing Order must make a confirmation about that consent. Check the JFSC guidance for the current round and keep the supporting evidence.

5. Accounts and meetings

Jersey companies keep accounting records and prepare annual accounts, even though a private company does not file its accounts with the registry. Professional sources describe an annual general meeting requirement that a private company can dispense with by resolution, so confirm the position against your articles. Keep the accounts, the resolutions and the registers at the registered office.

Tax and indirect tax obligations

Companies tax resident in Jersey file a tax return with Revenue Jersey, and professional sources describe a standard company rate of zero percent, with 10 percent for financial services and 20 percent for utilities and Jersey property, subject to current law. Jersey has no capital gains tax and no inheritance tax. Goods and services tax applies at a low rate to local businesses above a threshold, and an international services entity regime can relieve companies that mainly serve non-residents. Confirm eligibility and the annual fee.

Payments of dividends and interest to non-residents generally do not carry Jersey withholding tax, while other countries may tax the recipient. Controlled foreign company rules, treaty access and the substance of the Jersey company matter for the parent, so document where the board meets and decides.

Foreign-owned groups

Jersey allows foreign ownership without approval. Incorporation usually runs through a regulated service provider, and some share issues or borrowing require Control of Borrowing consent. A company needs a registered office and a secretary in Jersey. Professional sources recommend at least one director who is resident in Jersey for substance and tax residence reasons, and you should confirm the current requirement.

Banks and regulators apply due diligence and ask for beneficial owner evidence. Intercompany loans, services and royalties need contracts and pricing support.

First-year and event-triggered obligations

In the first year, the company is incorporated, its beneficial owners and significant persons are recorded with the JFSC, it registers with Revenue Jersey for tax, opens a bank account and sets up its accounting records. A company incorporated late in the year should check whether it falls inside the next confirmation period.

Events that trigger filings include a change of directors, a change of secretary or registered office, a share transfer, a change of name, a continuance, an amalgamation and a dissolution. Each is filed in myRegistry, and ownership changes may also need a 21-day notice.

Employment and local requirements

Jersey employers register with Revenue Jersey, deduct tax and social security contributions and give written terms of employment. Local law sets minimum wage, holiday and notice rules, and the island manages local employment and housing through a licensing system. Many Jersey companies have no employees and rely on directors and service providers, which makes governance records especially important.

Record-keeping and governance in Jersey

Keep the statutory registers of members and directors, the board minutes and the accounting records at the registered office, and check the retention period in the law and in your service provider's terms. Directors should record decisions about substance, such as where meetings are held and who attends. A parent that controls several Jersey vehicles should keep one list of nominated persons, filing credentials and confirmation dates, because the January to February window falls just after year-end.

Build a compliance calendar for Jersey

A compliance calendar turns the rules above into dated tasks with named owners. Start from the financial year-end and the incorporation anniversary, then add the recurring monthly and quarterly items. Review it each quarter, because deadlines, extensions and registry systems change.

• November to December: review directors, owners, controllers and registered office.

• 1 January to end of February: file the annual confirmation statement and pay the fee.

• Within 21 days of a change: notify the JFSC of beneficial owner or significant person changes.

• After year-end: prepare accounts and hold or waive the annual meeting.

• Per Revenue Jersey calendar: file the tax return and any substance information.

• Throughout the year: update the registers and the filing credentials.

Common mistakes

• Treating the confirmation as the only reporting duty and missing the 21-day notice.

• Appointing a nominated person who cannot verify the information.

• Assuming a zero tax rate means no tax filing.

• Ignoring economic substance for a holding or finance company.

• Forgetting that fees increase each year.

• Leaving the registered office or secretary lapse.

Entity compliance Jersey: frequently asked questions

When is the Jersey annual confirmation statement due?

Between 1 January and the last day of February each year.

What is a nominated person?

A person, such as a director or secretary, appointed to complete the annual confirmation.

How quickly must changes be reported?

Changes to beneficial owner or significant person information must be notified within 21 days.

Do Jersey private companies file accounts publicly?

No. They keep accounts, but a private company does not file them with the registry.

What is the standard Jersey company tax rate?

Professional sources describe zero percent for most companies, with higher rates for financial services, utilities and property.

Is there VAT in Jersey?

No. Jersey has a goods and services tax at a low rate.

How CoverPin can help

CoverPin helps finance, legal and operations teams track entity obligations across countries. See our international entities overview, learn about compliance advisory, or browse more guides in our legal and compliance resources.

This article is general information, not legal, tax or accounting advice. Confirm current requirements with the relevant authority or a qualified local adviser before acting.