Brunei Company Search Guide 2026: How to Verify a Brunei Business

TL;DR. Brunei’s official company registry is the Registry of Companies and Business Names (ROCBN) under the Ministry of Finance and Economy, accessible at roc.gov.bn and through the One Common Portal at ocp.mofe.gov.bn. The interface is fully English, an account is required to search, and document retrieval takes 2-3 business days. Company incorporation costs BND 300 (~USD 222). Brunei is not on the FATF grey list and operates the Brunei International Financial Centre (BIFC) as its offshore financial jurisdiction.

What is the official Brunei business registry?

The Registry of Companies and Business Names (ROCBN) is the statutory authority for company registration in Brunei Darussalam, operating under the Ministry of Finance and Economy (MOFE). ROCBN administers registration under the Companies Act (Cap. 39) for companies, and under the Business Names Act (Cap. 92) for sole proprietorships and partnerships.

The primary online access point is roc.gov.bn, which is integrated with the One Common Portal (OCP) at ocp.mofe.gov.bn. The OCP consolidates ROCBN services alongside other MOFE functions, reflecting Brunei’s e-government integration strategy.

Brunei also operates the Brunei International Financial Centre (BIFC) as its offshore financial services hub, functioning under the Autoriti Monetari Brunei Darussalam (AMBD), the central bank and integrated financial regulator. Licensed financial institutions, fund managers, and insurance entities operating under BIFC are regulated by AMBD separately from ROCBN’s commercial registry function. Compliance buyers dealing with Brunei-domiciled investment vehicles, trusts, or financial intermediaries should verify both ROCBN registration and AMBD licensing status.

ROCBN records cover: private limited companies (Sdn Bhd), public limited companies (Bhd), sole proprietorships, partnerships, foreign company branches, and limited liability partnerships (LLPs). The registry holds historical records dating to Brunei’s Companies Act enactment, providing continuity for entities incorporated prior to the digital era.

What can you search?

ROCBN supports search across:

• Company name
• Company registration number: the primary entity identifier
• Director or officer name
• Business name (for sole proprietorships and partnerships)

Data available per entity profile includes: registered company name, registration number, date of incorporation, company type, registered address, status (active, struck off, in liquidation, wound up), directors and company secretary particulars, and share capital. Annual return filings and historical documents are retrievable as PDF attachments for registered users.

The ROCBN database also holds records for companies incorporated under the International Business Companies (IBC) framework, which is distinct from domestic companies and caters to international investors using Brunei as an offshore jurisdiction.

Data freshness is filing-event based. Director changes, address updates, and capital amendments are reflected in ROCBN within the processing timeline for each submitted form.

How much does it cost?

The incorporation fee of BND 300 is confirmed from ROCBN’s published service information. Specific fees for registry search outputs (business profiles, certified extracts) are not published on the ROCBN or OCP portal in English-language documentation as of May 2026. Third-party providers (for example Schmidt & Schmidt, systemday.com) charge GBP 100-150 (~USD 125-190) for Brunei company search reports sourced from ROCBN. Exchange rate used: 1 BND = approximately 0.74 USD (May 2026, indicative only; BND is pegged 1:1 to SGD).

Do you need a local account or ID?

Yes. ROCBN and the OCP portal require users to create an account before accessing registry search and document services. Account registration requires an email address and basic personal information. A Brunei national identity document (IC) or local entity is not required for foreign buyers to create an account; a passport number is typically accepted for individual account registration. Payment is accepted online through the portal or in cash at the ROCBN counter.

Is the website in English?

Yes. The ROCBN portal at roc.gov.bn and the OCP at ocp.mofe.gov.bn are fully in English. All search interfaces, company status labels, form descriptions, and document types are in English. Company names registered in Brunei may include Malay-language names (common for businesses operating in the domestic market) as well as English names; the registry displays both where filed.

What’s the turnaround time?

Registry search results and document extracts are reported to be delivered within 2-3 business days following request submission, based on third-party provider documentation. New company incorporations via roc.gov.bn can be completed in as little as one business day for straightforward applications. Counter services at ROCBN’s office in Bandar Seri Begawan are available during standard government working hours.

Is there an API?

No public API for ROCBN company data is documented as of May 2026. The roc.gov.bn and ocp.mofe.gov.bn portals do not publish developer documentation for third-party data integration. Compliance platform integrations targeting Brunei registry data rely on manual lookups or licensed agents.

What you legally cannot do

ROCBN’s Terms of Use prohibit automated bulk extraction of registry data. Redistribution of company information from the ROCBN database for commercial purposes without MOFE authorization is not permitted. Brunei enacted the Personal Data Protection Order 2021, which governs the processing of personal data including director and shareholder details obtained from the registry. Compliance buyers must document the stated legal basis for each registry inquiry. Using ROCBN data for unsolicited marketing or mass outreach is prohibited.

Financial institutions and intermediaries regulated by AMBD are subject to the Anti-Money Laundering Order 2000 (as amended) and must conduct customer due diligence under AMBD’s AML/CFT rulebook. The Financial Intelligence Unit of AMBD is the national FIU for Brunei.

Practical tips for foreign compliance buyers

• Company number is the anchor. The ROCBN registration number is stable and does not change with name changes or restructuring. Always reference the registration number in compliance documentation.
• BIFC context. If the Brunei entity you are researching is in financial services (fund management, insurance, banking, Islamic finance), verify its licensing with the Autoriti Monetari Brunei Darussalam (AMBD) at ambd.gov.bn in addition to confirming ROCBN registration. BIFC-licensed entities are regulated under a separate AMBD framework.
• IBC vs. domestic company. Brunei’s IBC framework is designed for international business and has lighter public disclosure requirements than domestic Sdn Bhd companies. If the entity is an IBC, the compliance file should note this distinction and apply appropriate EDD based on the offshore nature.
• BND peg. The Brunei Dollar (BND) is pegged at 1:1 to the Singapore Dollar (SGD) under a Currency Interchangeability Agreement between Brunei and Singapore. This simplifies USD conversion calculations; use the SGD/USD rate for BND.
• FATF status. Brunei is not on the FATF grey list or black list as of May 2026. FATF conducted a mutual evaluation of Brunei in November 2022, and the resulting report was published in 2023. Brunei is not under increased monitoring. For the broader due diligence framework, see our Global Business Due Diligence Guide.
• Annual return compliance. Brunei companies are required to file annual returns with ROCBN. A company that has not filed recent annual returns may be at risk of strike-off. Check the filing history in the registry extract.

Alternatives if you cannot access ROCBN directly

• Aggregator search (free, indicative only): OpenCorporates indexes some Brunei company data but coverage is limited. Useful for a quick name check; not for compliance-grade verification.
• Third-party extract providers: Schmidt & Schmidt (schmidt-export.com) and System Day (systemday.com) offer Brunei company search reports retrieved from ROCBN, typically within 1-2 business days at GBP 100-150 (~USD 125-190) per report.

Local data suppliers

• AMBD regulated institutions list (ambd.gov.bn). For financial sector counterparties, AMBD publishes a public register of licensed banks, insurers, fund managers, and money service businesses regulated under Brunei’s financial services framework. This is the authoritative source for verifying whether a Brunei financial entity holds the required regulatory license.
• Schmidt & Schmidt (schmidt-export.com). German-based commercial register extract provider covering Brunei; sources documents directly from ROCBN. Suitable for compliance buyers needing certified Brunei company documents without engaging a local agent.

Use ROCBN for the authoritative legal filing record on domestic companies. Cross-reference with AMBD for any counterparty operating in Brunei’s financial services sector.

FAQ

Can a foreign company access the Brunei ROCBN registry directly?

Yes, with account registration. Foreign buyers can register an account at roc.gov.bn or ocp.mofe.gov.bn using a passport and email address. The portal is fully in English and does not require a Brunei IC or local entity. Document retrieval takes 2-3 business days.

What is the company registration number in Brunei?

ROCBN assigns a unique registration number to each incorporated entity. This number is the primary identifier and remains stable across name changes, share restructuring, and changes of directors. Format details are numeric, issued sequentially, and displayed on the Certificate of Incorporation.

What entity types are registered with ROCBN?

ROCBN registers private limited companies (Sdn Bhd), public limited companies (Bhd), sole proprietorships, partnerships, limited liability partnerships (LLPs), International Business Companies (IBCs), and foreign company branches. Licensed financial entities are additionally regulated by AMBD but are also registered in ROCBN.

Does Brunei have a beneficial ownership (UBO) registry?

Brunei has UBO disclosure requirements under its AML framework. The AMBD AML/CFT rulebook requires licensed financial institutions to identify and verify beneficial owners of corporate customers. A centralized public UBO registry accessible to foreign compliance buyers is not documented as operational as of May 2026. UBO information is held within ROCBN company files for domestic companies and within AMBD records for licensed financial entities.

How current is the data in ROCBN?

ROCBN data is updated on a filing-event basis. Director changes, address updates, and share capital changes are reflected following processing of the relevant statutory form. Companies are required to file annual returns, providing a periodic refresh of key corporate data. Delays may occur for entities that are delinquent in their filing obligations.

Is Brunei on the FATF grey list?

No. Brunei is not on the FATF grey list or black list as of May 2026. The FATF Mutual Evaluation Report for Brunei Darussalam was based on an on-site visit in November 2022 and published in 2023. Brunei made a high-level commitment to address identified deficiencies and is not under formal increased monitoring. See fatf-gafi.org for the most current status.

What’s the difference between ROCBN and AMBD for compliance purposes?

ROCBN (roc.gov.bn) is the commercial company registry for all Brunei legal entities. AMBD (ambd.gov.bn) is the financial regulator for banks, insurers, fund managers, Islamic finance entities, and money service businesses. A Brunei financial intermediary must be registered with ROCBN and hold an AMBD license. For counterparty due diligence on a Brunei financial entity, checking both sources is required.

Last verified: May 2026. Sources: Registry of Companies and Business Names Brunei (roc.gov.bn); Autoriti Monetari Brunei Darussalam (ambd.gov.bn); FATF Mutual Evaluation Report Brunei Darussalam 2023 (fatf-gafi.org). For the full global due diligence framework, see our Global Business Due Diligence Guide.