Cyprus Business Licensing

Licensing of business activity

Licences, or permits are required for certain business activities in Cyprus, with the licensing authority depending on the activity in question.

Examples of these include:

• Sales permit (granted by the municipal authority of the area in question);
• Professional driving licence (granted by the Department of Road Transport);
• Food service permit;
• Child care licence;
• Alcohol and tobacco permit;
• Export/Import licence (overseen by the Department of Customs and Excise);
• Banking and insurance (overseen by the Central Bank)
• General business permit

Any individual or company planning to operate in the construction industry must obtain a permit from the local authority in the area where the construction is to take place. There are strict procedures required before a construction project can commence, including:

• Submitting copy of the site plan;
• Applying for a town planning permit;
• Applying for a building permit.

During construction, there are a number of inspection requirements to do with the building itself and the various services (sewage, electricity, water) that are to be connected to the new structure.

The Cost Of Business Licensing, Initially And Ongoing

The costs of business licenses will vary according to the activity being undertaken, as will the licensing authority. For construction projects, the town planning permit costs EUR3,251 and a building permit EUR3,500. There are also other charges to do with the connection of utility supplies. The charges may vary from one municipality to another.

Details of the various charges will be provided by the local authority governing the area in which the construction project is to take place.

This article is an extract from Personal Business Tax Guide , dated 4th January 2011, for the latest version please click here .