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

TL;DR. Macau’s official company register is maintained by the Direcção dos Serviços de Identificação (DSI), the Identification Services Bureau of the Macau SAR Government, at dsi.gov.mo. Free public searches are available in Portuguese and Chinese (Traditional). Basic extract documents cost MOP 50-500 (~USD 6-62). The DSI is the correct registry for Macau entities. Do not use mainland China’s State Administration for Market Regulation (SAMR) for Macau company verification. Macau is a separate SAR jurisdiction with its own corporate law framework.

What is the official Macau business registry?

Macau (Macao) is a Special Administrative Region (SAR) of the People’s Republic of China, operating under the “One Country, Two Systems” constitutional framework with a high degree of autonomy. Corporate law, company registration, and business regulation in Macau are entirely separate from the mainland China system. The registry to use for Macau entity verification is the Conservatória do Registo Comercial e de Bens Móveis (Commercial and Movable Property Registry), administered by the Direcção dos Serviços de Identificação (DSI) at dsi.gov.mo.

The statutory basis for commercial registration in Macau is the Macau Commercial Code (Código Comercial), originally adopted under Portuguese colonial administration and maintained by the Macau SAR government with subsequent amendments. The Law No. 5/99/M (Commercial Registry Code) governs registration obligations for commercial entities.

The DSI Commercial Register covers:

• Private Limited Companies (Sociedades por Quotas, equivalent to Lda.)
• Public Limited Companies (Sociedades Anónimas, equivalent to SA)
• Sole Proprietorships (Estabelecimentos Individuais de Responsabilidade Limitada)
• General Partnerships (Sociedades em Nome Colectivo)
• Limited Partnerships (Sociedades em Comandita)
• Branch Offices and Representative Offices of Foreign Companies
• Economic Interest Groupings (Agrupamentos de Interesse Económico)

The Comissão de Coordenação do Desenvolvimento e da Qualidade and the Gaming Inspection and Coordination Bureau (DICJ) at dicj.gov.mo maintain separate licensing registers for gaming concessionaires and sub-concessionaires. Given Macau’s status as the world’s largest gaming jurisdiction by revenue, compliance buyers verifying entities in the hospitality, tourism, or gaming sectors should cross-reference DSI commercial registration with DICJ licensing status.

The Autoridade Monetária de Macau (AMCM) at amcm.gov.mo is the monetary authority, supervising banks, insurance companies, money changers, and other financial institutions licensed to operate in Macau.

What can you search?

The DSI online portal provides public searches by:

• Company name (in Portuguese, Chinese characters, or English trade name where registered)
• Commercial registration number
• Taxpayer Identification Number (NIPC, Número de Identificação de Pessoa Colectiva)

A free public search returns: entity name, registration number, entity type, registered office address, registration date, and current registration status. The information is displayed in Portuguese and Chinese.

Account holders with electronic identity credentials can access:

• Full memorandum and articles of association
• Shareholder list with capital contributions
• Director and manager appointments
• Secured creditor and pledge registrations
• Historical amendment filings

Data is updated on a filing-event basis. The DSI processes filings as received and the online system reflects confirmed filings within 1-3 business days of DSI processing.

How much does it cost?

Prices are based on DSI fee schedules published at dsi.gov.mo as of May 2026. MOP/USD conversion used: 1 MOP = approximately 0.124 USD (MOP is pegged to HKD at 1.03, and HKD is pegged to USD). Fee schedules may change; verify at dsi.gov.mo before ordering.

Do you need a local account or ID?

Free public entity searches on the DSI portal require no account and no Macau identity document. Access is open internationally.

For ordering certified extract documents online, a Macau electronic identity account is required. The Macau SAR Government’s ID Card Affairs Bureau issues electronic credentials primarily to Macau permanent residents and non-resident workers. Foreign compliance buyers without Macau credentials must order certified documents either through in-person visit to the DSI offices in Macau or through a licensed local service provider such as a Macau law firm or company secretarial firm.

In practice, most foreign compliance buyers rely on local intermediaries for certified document retrieval given the electronic credential requirement. This is a well-established market service in Macau’s legal and corporate services sector.

Is the website in English?

The DSI website at dsi.gov.mo provides content in Portuguese and Traditional Chinese. English navigation is limited and does not cover transactional services. The free entity search returns results in Portuguese and Chinese.

Official commercial register extracts are issued in Portuguese, reflecting Macau’s co-official language heritage. Chinese language versions may be available on request, but Portuguese-language documents are the legally authoritative form for commercial register purposes.

Foreign compliance buyers requiring English-language documents typically obtain certified Portuguese-language extracts and commission certified translation. Macau-based translation firms and law firms routinely provide certified Portuguese-to-English translations accepted by international financial institutions and regulatory bodies.

Given that Macau’s legal system retains civil law Portuguese-tradition foundations distinct from both mainland China’s legal framework and Hong Kong’s common law system, institutional buyers processing Macau entities for the first time should confirm with their legal team which document language and certification standard is required for their specific jurisdiction.

What’s the turnaround time?

Free online entity status information is available instantly. Electronic extract ordering, where Macau credentials are held, processes within 1-3 business days. Physical certified extracts ordered in-person at DSI offices in Macau are typically ready for collection within 3-5 business days.

Apostillized documents (Macau is a party to the Hague Apostille Convention through China’s extension, and Macau issues its own apostilles as an SAR) require processing by the Macau Public Administration and Justice Bureau and add approximately 3-5 additional business days.

Is there an API?

No public API is available from the DSI for third-party compliance or data integration purposes as of May 2026. The DSI has not published API documentation for external commercial use. Bulk data access, if available, would require a formal agreement with the Macau SAR Government.

The DSI’s online system primarily serves public verification needs through its web portal. Platform-level integration for financial institutions operating in Macau is typically handled through local banking relationships and regulatory reporting channels with AMCM rather than through direct registry API access.

What you legally cannot do

The Personal Data Protection Act of Macau (Law No. 8/2005, with the Office for Personal Data Protection, GPDP, at gpdp.gov.mo as the supervisory authority) governs the processing of personal data. Director names, shareholder identity information, and UBO data extracted from DSI records constitute personal data when processed by commercial entities outside a registry access context. Processing such data for commercial purposes requires a documented lawful basis.

Automated bulk extraction from the DSI portal is prohibited under the platform’s terms of use. Systematic scraping of registry data without authorization from the Macau SAR Government is not permitted.

Macau’s AML framework is governed by Law No. 2/2006 (Anti-Money Laundering and Counter-Financing of Terrorism) and subsequent amendments. The Gaming Inspection and Coordination Bureau (DICJ) and AMCM are the primary AML supervisory authorities for their respective sectors. Macau is a member of the Asia-Pacific Group on Money Laundering (APG) as an associate member.

Practical tips for foreign compliance buyers

• Do not search SAMR for Macau entities. The State Administration for Market Regulation of mainland China does not cover Macau. The DSI Commercial Register is the only authoritative source for Macau-registered companies. Macau entities operating in the gaming, hospitality, or financial sectors are separately regulated and may not appear in mainland databases.
• Cross-reference DICJ for gaming sector counterparties. Any Macau entity involved in casino operations, gaming equipment supply, or junket operations requires a valid DICJ license in addition to DSI commercial registration. The DICJ at dicj.gov.mo publishes a public list of current license holders.
• Use the NIPC as the anchor identifier. The Número de Identificação de Pessoa Colectiva (NIPC) is the stable unique identifier for legal persons in Macau. It is referenced in all tax, registry, and regulatory filings and is the most reliable key for cross-system lookup.
• AMCM licensing for financial sector counterparties. Banks, insurance companies, money service operators, and investment firms require AMCM licenses. Verify active licensing at amcm.gov.mo separately from the commercial register search.
• Portuguese-language documents are legally authoritative. Even where Chinese translations are available, Portuguese-language extracts are the authoritative form for commercial register purposes in Macau’s civil law system. Plan for certified translation needs in your due diligence workflow.
• UBO transparency is limited. Macau does not have a publicly accessible UBO register. Beneficial ownership data is held by regulated entities under AML obligations and by AMCM and DICJ for licensed sectors. For the global due diligence framework context on UBO registries, see the pillar guide.

Alternatives if you cannot access the DSI directly

• OpenCorporates has limited Macau coverage and is not a substitute for DSI certified extracts. Suitable for preliminary name-checking only.
• Macau law firms and company secretarial firms: Licensed Macau practitioners routinely obtain DSI certified extracts for foreign clients. Firms such as those affiliated with international legal networks in Macau are familiar with providing English-language compliance packages including certified translations.
• AMCM and DICJ public registries: For regulated-sector counterparties, the free public registries maintained by AMCM and DICJ provide authoritative licensing status without requiring DSI document ordering.

Local data suppliers

• Dun & Bradstreet Macau (dnb.com). D&B covers Macau entities as part of its Greater China regional offering. English-language company reports with D-U-N-S numbers are available for Macau companies. Reports include commercial register data, financial indicators where available, and risk scoring. Used by multinationals conducting counterparty due diligence across the Greater China region.

Use the DSI for registry-based entity verification and legal standing. Use D&B or a local credit information provider when you need risk scoring, payment behavior, or cross-jurisdictional entity resolution.

FAQ

Can a foreign company access the Macau DSI registry directly?

Yes. Free public entity searches are available internationally at dsi.gov.mo without any account. Certified extract ordering online requires a Macau electronic identity credential. Foreign buyers without Macau credentials routinely use local law firms or company secretarial agents in Macau to order certified documents on their behalf.

What is the NIPC number in Macau?

The Número de Identificação de Pessoa Colectiva (NIPC) is the unique tax and administrative identification number assigned to legal persons in Macau. It is issued by the DSI at the time of commercial registration and is the primary anchor identifier for all tax, regulatory, and registry filings. The NIPC is a numeric string and appears on all official company documents, tax certificates, and registry extracts.

What entity types are registered with the DSI Commercial Register?

The DSI registers private limited companies (Lda.), public limited companies (SA), sole proprietorships, general and limited partnerships, economic interest groupings, and foreign company branches and representative offices. NGOs and associations may be registered with other public bodies depending on their purpose. Financial institutions, gaming concessionaires, and insurance companies are additionally licensed by AMCM and DICJ respectively, though they maintain their commercial registration at DSI.

Does Macau have a beneficial ownership (UBO) registry?

Macau does not have a publicly searchable UBO registry. Under Law No. 2/2006 and subsequent AML regulations, reporting entities (banks, gaming operators, DNFBPs) are required to identify and verify beneficial ownership. This information is held by regulated entities and supervisory authorities (AMCM, DICJ) rather than disclosed in a public register. Macau’s UBO framework implementation is assessed as part of the Asia-Pacific Group on Money Laundering (APG) mutual evaluation process. FATF Recommendation 24 implementation remains a compliance gap relative to EU/UK standards.

How current is the data in the DSI Commercial Register?

The DSI updates the online register within 1-3 business days of processing a filed document. The DSI processes filings on a rolling basis as documents are submitted. Companies that have not filed amendments or annual returns may have stale data. There is no mandatory annual return filing requirement comparable to some common law jurisdictions; however, changes in directors, shareholders, and registered office must be filed promptly under the Commercial Registry Code.

Is Macau on the FATF grey list?

No. Macau is not on the FATF grey list or the FATF High-Risk Jurisdictions list as of May 2026. Macau participates in the global AML/CFT framework as an associate member of the Asia-Pacific Group on Money Laundering (APG). Compliance buyers should consult the most current APG mutual evaluation reports for Macau at fatf-gafi.org for detailed assessment of technical compliance and effectiveness ratings.

What is the difference between the DSI registry and gaming licensing in Macau?

The DSI Commercial Register records the legal existence and corporate constitution of all companies in Macau regardless of sector. Gaming licensing is a separate regulatory layer administered by the Gaming Inspection and Coordination Bureau (DICJ). A casino or gaming entity must be DSI-registered as a company AND hold valid DICJ concession or sub-concession licenses. Compliance buyers in the hospitality, junket, or gaming equipment supply sectors must verify both. The DICJ public register is the authoritative source for gaming license status.

Last verified: May 2026. Source: Direcção dos Serviços de Identificação, Macau SAR (dsi.gov.mo), Gaming Inspection and Coordination Bureau (dicj.gov.mo), Autoridade Monetária de Macau (amcm.gov.mo), Office for Personal Data Protection Macau (gpdp.gov.mo). For the full global due diligence framework, see our Global Business Due Diligence Guide.