Open a Branch Office in Jersey

An option to set up the operation of a foreign company in the Channel Islands is to open a branch office in Jersey. Our agents specializing in company formation in Jersey can give you all the needed details about the available options and guide you through the process.

What are the steps for opening a branch in Jersey?

If you are interested in opening a branch here, you must follow the next steps:

• decide what the Jersey branch will do and check if the activity is permitted or regulated;
• gather the parent company’s incorporation documents, constitutional documents, director details and a board resolution approving the branch;
• arrange a Jersey address, representative or local contact, depending on the activity and license requirements;
• apply for a business license, if needed;
• register for tax, if required;
• once the license and registrations are in place, the branch can begin operating under the parent company’s responsibility.

If this process feels overwhelming, don’t worry. We are here to assist foreign companies with opening a branch office in Jersey. We can begin with a review of the planned activity, to determine if the branch can operate freely or if it requires a business license or sector-specific approval.

Our agents can also help with the preparation and review of the parent company documents.

Where necessary, they can indicate whether documents need to be certified, translated or adapted for local use.

We invite you to watch a video about the branch:

What documents do you need to open a branch office?

Once it is clear that the branch can legally carry out its activities in Jersey, the next step is to prepare the required documents:

• information about the parent company’s directors and shareholders;
• the board resolution confirming the decision to open a branch in Jersey;
• the certificate of incorporation of the foreign parent company;
• a short description of the activities the branch will carry out in Jersey;
• details of the local address, representative or contact person in Jersey;
• a business plan outlining the intended Jersey operations;
• financial documents, such as recent accounts and estimated financial projections etc.

For the business license application, Jersey guidance refers to an application form, a supporting business plan and additional information about both the existing business and the proposed Jersey business, including accounts, projected financials and staffing details.

If the foreign company comes to Jersey for a contract, the file may also need contract details, work dates, the address where the work will take place, staff accommodation details and immigration permissions.

If the branch has to submit a Jersey tax return, the foreign company must complete the Foreign corporate body registration form and then register for online tax services.

What are the main characteristics of a branch office in Jersey?

Most of the companies that usually want to test the local market sets up a branch office in Jersey.

Here is what you need to know about this kind of business:

• it is an extension of the foreign parent company;
• it’s not incorporated as a separate Jersey company;
• the parent company is responsible for the branch’s obligations and activities;
• it may need tax registration if it earns income in Jersey or creates a permanent establishment there.

If you are an investor, the branch can be useful to:

• test the Jersey market before making a larger investment;
• operate locally under the name of the parent company;
• avoid incorporating a separate subsidiary at the initial stage;
• keep strategic control and management with the foreign parent company;
• create a physical or commercial presence in Jersey.

This infographic gives you a quick overview of the main requirements for opening a branch office in Jersey:

Is a business license required for opening a branch office in Jersey?

When investors open a branch office in Jersey, it is understood that it will engage in the same business activities as the parent company abroad. This is why one of the industries that commonly use branches is the financial industry.

When an application is submitted for a business license, it will mean that the said business is automatically registered for social security contributions.

Industry-specific licenses apply for the following:

• agriculture;
• animals and pets;
• livestock;
• architecture;
• childcare;
• construction;
• cosmetic services;
• fishing and aquaculture;
• food and drink;
• gambling;
• healthcare;
• accommodation services;
• entertainment and public events:
• road works;
• retail;
• transport;
• waste management.

Businesses in the finance industry are regulated by the Jersey Financial Services Commission (JFSC) and are subject to special licensing conditions.

The following activities require specific licenses, and their licensing is overseen by the JFSC:

• banking;
• insurance;
• investment businesses;
• money service businesses;
• trust company businesses;
• non-profit organizations;
• general insurance mediation businesses, and others.

Investors who open a branch office in Jersey in 2026 in one of these industries can reach out to our team for information about the specific requirements issued by the JFSC.

What other requirements apply to branches in Jersey that hire employees?

Social security contributions can be seen as a separate issue from the general taxes the permanent establishment in Jersey is subject to.

These are paid by all businesses, separately from those paid by the employed individual. The business is the one to pay the employer’s Class 1 contributions for its employees, and the condition for the payment is set forth as soon as the permanent establishment receives its business license.

Employers in Jersey pay the income tax instalment scheme (ITIS) – as deductions from the wages of the employees, and the social security contributions which are only payable for those employees who meet the minimum earnings threshold.

If the branch does not require a special license to operate in Jersey, it will register for social security payments separately.

What business setup options are available besides opening a Jersey branch?

Our team provides complete assistance for the incorporation of companies in the Bailiwick of Jersey, as well as the Bailiwick of Guernsey. Both are popular destinations for offshore company creation. Companies incorporated in either of these locations can be used for many types of transactions. Our team can give you complete details about branch and company formation in Guernsey.

We assist investors who wish to open any type of company. While branches are used by foreign companies willing to expand their business activities, a Jersey company can be set up for many different business purposes including investment and trading, asset holding, or for trust purposes. Reach out to our team as soon as you decide to open a company in Jersey.

We assist investors who want to set up a company in Jersey irrespective of its form. You do not need to be interested in opening the branch of a foreign company to work with us, we can also give you details about Jersey company (their types, incorporation, and requirements), and will also provide a comparison, upon request, of the different business forms available to investors.

If you want to open a branch on another country, such as UAE, we can put you in touch with our local partners from BridgeWest Dubai. They can help you open a branch in Dubai in nearly two months after you submit the required documents.

Contact us for complete assistance if you want to open a branch office in Jersey in 2026, as well as for any other matters related to company incorporation.