Limited Liability Company
Bermuda, a self-governing British Overseas Territory nestled in the North Atlantic, is renowned for its position as a premier global financial jurisdiction. With a legacy of regulatory excellence and a legal framework rooted in English common law, Bermuda provides a politically stable and economically sound environment for international commerce. One of its defining advantages is its tax-neutral status—the jurisdiction does not impose taxes on corporate profits, dividends, capital gains, or personal income. This makes it an attractive base for multinational enterprises, investment funds, and high-net-worth individuals engaged in global structuring and wealth management.
A particularly versatile corporate vehicle available in Bermuda is the Exempted Limited Liability Company (Exempted LLC), formed under the Bermuda Limited Liability Company Act 2016. The structure is designed as a hybrid between a traditional partnership and a corporation. It grants limited liability to its members while offering the contractual flexibility typical of partnerships. Unlike standard companies limited by shares, the internal governance of an LLC is primarily dictated by the LLC Agreement—a private contract among members that can be highly customized to meet their business and fiduciary needs. This allows LLCs to tailor operational, profit-sharing, and decision-making protocols with minimal statutory interference.
Membership interests in a Bermuda LLC serve as the basis for ownership and are typically accompanied by economic and voting rights. The management of the LLC may be entrusted to the members directly, or to appointed managers or a management board, offering further structural flexibility. The LLC Agreement can define voting thresholds, rights to profit distributions, transfer restrictions, and rules regarding succession or dissolution. Importantly, Bermuda law allows for the modification or complete waiver of fiduciary duties for managers—something not permissible in traditional corporate structures, thereby allowing members to mitigate personal liability risks in highly customized arrangements.
Unlike some jurisdictions that impose strict capitalization rules, Bermuda imposes no minimum or maximum capital contribution requirements for LLCs. Capital contributions can be structured flexibly through contributions in cash, assets, or services, and may be treated as gifts to avoid inflating the assessable capital on which government fees are based. This opens the door for economically efficient entity setup and maintenance while preserving operational effectiveness. These features have made Bermuda LLCs particularly favored among private equity firms, joint ventures, and investment funds seeking bespoke legal relationships and tax-neutral operations.
Establishing a Bermuda LLC typically takes about two weeks. The process begins with conducting due diligence on all stakeholders, including the submission of certified identity documents and proof of address for each beneficial owner and manager. Following this, an application for a non-objection certificate must be submitted to the Bermuda Monetary Authority (BMA), which is generally processed within a week. Concurrently, foundational documents such as the LLC Agreement and certificate of formation are prepared. Upon BMA approval, these documents are filed with the Registrar of Companies, which typically issues the Certificate of Formation within one to two business days.
In recent years, Bermuda has aligned its regulatory framework with international standards by enacting the Economic Substance Act 2018 and related regulations. Entities engaged in “relevant activities”—such as banking, insurance, shipping, fund management, intellectual property, and finance and leasing—must now maintain an adequate economic presence on the island, including physical offices, local employees, and demonstrable local control and management. High-risk IP businesses face enhanced requirements, while passive holding companies are subject to more limited obligations. All covered entities are required to file Annual Economic Substance Declarations to confirm compliance.
Bermuda’s Exempted LLC is a powerful and adaptive structure that continues to attract Fortune 500 companies, private equity groups, and cross-border investors. It is frequently used for purposes including asset and IP holding, investment funds, aircraft and ship leasing, international trading, and corporate financing. Coupled with Bermuda’s regulatory integrity, tax neutrality, and global reputation, the Exempted LLC remains a go-to choice for businesses seeking efficient and compliant offshore solutions.
Legal
Country code - BM
Legal basis – Common law
Company law - Limited Liability Company Act
Company form – Limited Liability Company (LLC).
Liability - The liability of the members of the company is limited to the amount of their capital contributions.
Capital – There are no minimum capital requirements as well as no maximum limit.
Economic Substance – Under the Economic Substance Act 2018 and the Economic Substance Regulations 2018, Exempted and local companies, permit companies, exempted and local LLCs and partnerships that carry out ‘relevant activities’ are required to meet certain substance tests – such as control and management from within Bermuda, adequate physical presence, employees and operating expenditures in Bermuda, and conduct their core income-generating activities in Bermuda.
'Relevant activities' include:
- banking i.e. banking business
- insurance i.e. insurer
- finance and leasing i.e. business of providing financing or leasing of assets
- fund management i.e. management of collective investment schemes
- distribution and service center business i.e. reselling goods to affiliated companies or providing services to affiliated companies. Affiliated company is defined as a company which is part of the same group (e.g. parent-subsidiary, sister entity with common parent company, etc).
- headquartering i.e. providing management services to affiliated companies
- intellectual-property business i.e. holding and exploiting IP assets, generating identifiable revenue from such assets. Please note that the provision of services for developing IP assets or holding or using IP assets for ordinary commercial or service business is not considered an intellectual property business. IP businesses are those that generate separate and identifiable revenue from IP assets (e.g. patent licensing).
- shipping i.e. transportation by sea of persons, animals, goods or mail, the renting or chartering of ships for such transportation, management of ship crew, sale of travel tickets, the use, maintenance or rental of containers, including trailers and other vehicles or equipment for the transport of containers, used for the transport of anything by sea
- and pure equity holding company, companies that only own equity interests in other companies, and only earn dividends and capital gains (subject to a limited economic substance test, where the company does not need to be directed and managed from within Bermuda, or conduct its core income-generating activities in Bermuda)
Companies conducting relevant activities need to file an Annual Economic Substance Declaration.
Companies that are not compliant with substance requirements may face civil penalties up to BMD 250,000. Making false economic substance declarations may carry out penalties up to BMD10,000 or imprisonment for two years, or both.
Bermudian companies that do not carry out relevant activities are not required to meet economic substance requirements.
Members – At least one member, who may be an individual or a legal entity of any nationality. There are no limitations on the number of members and tiers and levels of members may be dictated by the LLC’s operating agreement. The Register of Members may be accessed by any person visiting the registered office.
Manager – At least one manager, who may be a natural or legal person of any nationality. An LLC may be managed either by its owners or by third parties. Details of managers are available for public inspection. The Register of Managers may be accessed by any person visiting the registered office.
Registered Address – An LLC must have a registered office in Bermuda provided by a regulated corporate service provider.
Electronic Signature – Permitted.
Re-domiciliation – A foreign entity can easily be re-domiciled as a Bermuda LLC, and vice-versa.
Compliance – Bermuda LLCs are required to prepare and maintain accounting records, to reflect the financial position of the company. Accounting records should be kept for 5 years from the date of its preparation and may be kept anywhere. An annual financial summary must be kept in the registered office but it does not need to be filed with the Registrar.
The LLC Agreement is not required to be filed or registered with the Registrar of Limited Liability Companies
An annual return and an annual fee must be filed and paid to the Registrar every January.
An LLC must prepare financial statements annually and shall have such financial statements audited. However, members and manager may agree to waive the audit requirement by resolution, with the exception of companies carrying out a regulated activity and holding a license issued by the Bermuda Monetary Authority (e.g. financial service businesses).
LLCs subject to economic substance requirements are required to submit an annual economic substance declaration together with financial statements.
- Members not disclosed
- Members not disclosed
- Corporate members permitted
- Corporate manager permitted
- Local manager required
- Registered office or agent required
- Annual meeting required
- Redomiciliation permitted
- Electronic signature
- Annual return
- Audited accounts
- Audited accounts exemption
- Exchange controls
- Common law Legal basis
- 1 Minimum members
- - Minimum registered capital
- - Minimum paid up capital
- USDAny Capital currency
- 100% Foreign-ownership allowed
- 2017 AEOI
Taxes
Corporate income tax – Bermuda does not levy corporate income tax. All trading income, investment income, capital gains, compensations, rents, and royalties, as well as sales of goods or supplies of services, are exempted from taxation.
No withholding tax is levied on dividend, interest and royalty payments to non-residents.
Other taxes - Bermuda does not levy personal income taxes, including capital gains and investment income, which are exempt from taxation.
An annual tax is levied on the annual rental value of land and stamp duties may apply on estates transferred upon death at progressive rates from 5% up to 20% on estates with a value exceeding BMD 2,000,000.
- Tax transparent entity
- Offshore Income Tax Exemption
- Offshore capital gains tax exemption
- Offshore dividends tax exemption
- CFC Rules
- Thin Capitalisation Rules
- Patent Box
- Tax Incentives & Credits
- Property Tax
- Wealth tax
- Estate inheritance tax
- Transfer tax
- Capital duties
- 0% Offshore Income Tax Rate
- 0% Corporate Tax Rate
- 0% Capital Gains Tax Rate
- 0% Dividends Received
- 0% Dividends Withholding Tax Rate
- 0% Interests Withholding Tax Rate
- 0% Royalties Withholding Tax Rate
- Average cost Inventory methods permitted
- 0% Personal Income Tax Rate
- 0% VAT Rate
- 0 Tax Treaties
Country details
The Bermuda Islands are a British overseas territory located in the North Atlantic Ocean off the east coast of the United States. The closest American continent point is the Cape Hatteras in North Carolina, located 1,030 km to the northwest, while the city of Miami is 1 770 km to the southwest. It has just over 67,000 inhabitants and its capital is Hamilton.
Bermuda forms the northern peak of the legendary Bermuda Triangle, a large maritime area in which it is said that they have been disappeared numerous ships and aircraft in unexplained circumstances. The archipelago is in an adverse climate area prone to be hit by hurricanes.
Its official currency is the Bermudian Dollar (BMD), pegged to the US$ at a 1:1 ratio.
The executive power in Bermuda resides in the monarch and is exercised in his name by the Governor. The governor is appointed by the King on the proposal of the British Government. The head of government is the prime minister.
The cabinet is proposed by the prime minister and officially appointed by the governor. The Legislative Branch consists of a bicameral parliament inspired by the Westminster system. The Senate is the Upper House, composed of eleven members appointed by the governor on the proposal of the prime minister and the leader of the opposition.
The House of Assembly, or lower house, has thirty-six members elected by the population with the right to vote by secret ballot.
The country has one of the highest per capita income worldwide. Its economy is based on insurance and reinsurance, banking and financial services, as well as tourism, which accounts for approximately 28% of GDP. Bermuda has a robust international business and financial sector, which accounts for 60% of its GDP.
The industrial sector is small, and agriculture is severely limited by the lack of adequate land.