We are often asked by Seychelles IBC owners “what are my Accounting obligations”?
Seychelles Companies are not required to keep audited accounts. In theory a Seychelles IBCs is supposed to keep books of account but that requirement is not enforced (ie nobody ever actually checks or asks “Are you keeping Books of Account? If so please show me copies”.
The only requirement is you will have to tell your Corporate Service Provider where the Company’s “Accounting Records” are being kept.
To summarize by Accounting Records I mean the raw data from which a set of books of account could be created/drawn (By raw data I mean bank statements, receipts, invoices, vouchers, contracts, etc, see below).
Whether to keep accounts in effect is up to you; That said in our view every small business should keep books of account. Which is easy to do yourself these days. There so many DIY (Do It Yourself) Accounting packages on the market presently (eg MYOB, Quickbooks, MS Books etc), for anyone who can use a computer, it’s child’s play.
Here’s a synopsis of the relevant provisions of the new Seychelles IBC Act in so far as Accounting Requirements are concerned:
- Section 2 of the Act: “Accounting records”, in relation to a company, means documents relating to: (i) the company’s assets and liabilities; (ii) all receipts and expenditure of the company; and (iii) all sales, purchases and other transactions to which the company is a party (e.g., bank statements, receipts, title documents, agreements, vouchers, etc).
- Companies are not required by the Act to prepare or file annual accounts or to appoint an auditor. However, under section 174(1) of the Act a company is required to keep reliable accounting records that: (i) are sufficient to show and explain the company’s transactions; (ii) enable the financial position of the company to be determined with reasonable accuracy at any time; and (iii) allow for accounts of the company to be prepared (notwithstanding that a company is not required under the Act to prepare accounts). For such purposes, accounting records shall be deemed not to be kept if they do not give a true and fair view of the company’s financial position and explain its transactions.
- A company shall preserve its accounting records for at least 7 years from the date of completion of the transactions or operations to which they each relate.
- A company that contravenes the requirements to keep accounting records in accordance with section 174(1) of the Act is liable to a penalty fee of US$100 and an additional penalty fee of US$25 for each day or part thereof during which the contravention continues. A director who knowingly permits a contravention of the requirements to keep accounting records in accordance with section 174(1) of the Act is liable to a penalty fee of US$100 and an additional penalty fee of US$25 for each day or part thereof during which the contravention continues.
- Section 175(1) of the Act: A company’s accounting records shall be kept at its registered office or such other place as the directors think fit. Where a company’s accounting records are kept at a place other than its registered office, the company shall inform its registered agent in writing of the physical address of that place (section 175(2) of the Act). It is sufficient if the company provides the Registered Agent with an emailed scanned copy of the completed, signed and dated Notice.
- Where the place at which a company’s accounting records are kept is changed, the company is required to inform its Registered Agent in writing of the physical address of the new location of the accounting records within 14 days of the change of location (section 175(3) of the Act). It is sufficient if the company provides the Registered Agent with an emailed scanned copy of the completed, signed and dated Notice.
- A company that contravenes section 175 of the Act (location of accounting records requirements) commits an offence and is liable on conviction to a fine not exceeding US$2,500.
Would you like to know more? Then please Contact Us:
info@offshorecompaniesinternational.com
