Key Takeaways
- The CBRD maintains the Companies Register, and non-residents can search it online through the Mauritius Network Services e-Registry portal.
- Searches can be run by company name, business registration number or director details, returning core entity information and official extracts.
- Certified documents and search reports are available, though some data sits outside public searchability and certain limits apply.
- Global Business Companies and Authorised Companies are licensed by the FSC, so verifying them may require checks beyond the main register.
Company Search in Mauritius: What a Foreign Owner Can Actually Find
A company search in Mauritius starts at the Corporate and Business Registration Department (CBRD), the central register that holds incorporation data for every entity formed in the jurisdiction. Basic name and status checks are free and open to anyone abroad through the public search portal, without an account and without setting foot in Port Louis.
The register tells you whether a company exists, what type it is, and whether it is active, struck off, or in liquidation. It does not, for private companies, hand over directors and shareholders to the public; that is the defining trait of the Mauritius system and the point most foreign searchers misread.
This article explains where the records sit, what you can and cannot retrieve, how the second register run by the Financial Services Commission fits in, and what it costs to obtain certified documents. It is written for non-resident owners, investors, and their advisers running diligence on a Mauritius counterparty or preparing to incorporate one.
The Corporate and Business Registration Department (CBRD) and the Companies Register
The CBRD sits under the Ministry of Finance and is the single source for company data in the country. It administers the principal corporate statutes, including the Companies Act 2001, the Business Registration Act 2002, and the Foundations Act 2012.
Records are held in the Companies and Businesses Registration Integrated System (CBRIS), built and operated with Mauritius Network Services Ltd as the technology provider. Digital records reach back to the enactment of the Companies Act 2001, and older incorporations are included in the registry.
The entity population is unusual. Alongside ordinary domestic firms, it includes a large number of Global Business Companies and Authorised Companies licensed under the Financial Services Act and used to route cross-border investment, which is why a full search on a Mauritius company often means consulting two registers rather than one.
The department's office is at One Cathedral Square Building, Jules Koenig Street, Port Louis. Postal and counter dealings are possible, but for a foreign searcher the online channel does almost everything.
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Using the Mauritius Network Services e-Registry Portal for Online Searches
The public-facing search tool is hosted by Mauritius Network Services and reachable through the CBRD gateway. Basic name and status searches are free and require no registration.
Paid services work differently. To order certified extracts you must register an account on the CBRD online services platform, and a non-Mauritian individual creating an account needs only a passport copy and an international email address; no local identity document is required.
The portal and all official filings operate in English. Although government in Mauritius works in both English and French, corporate law and the companies registry run in English, which removes the translation friction many foreign users expect.
Two technical limits matter for advisers planning automated checks. The CBRD does not publish a public API for programmatic access, and its Terms of Use prohibit bulk scraping of the register; the FSC likewise offers no API for its licensee register.
What You Can Search By: Company Name, Business Registration Number and Director Details
The portal supports two ways into the data: a search by full company name, or an alphabetical browse of company names. A browse by chosen letter returns up to 100 names, which is fine for confirming an exact match but blunt for wider screening.
Every registered entity carries a Business Registration Number (BRN), a unique identifier you can enter as a direct search parameter. The BRN is the cleanest way to pin down the right company when names are similar.
Director name is not a search field. There is no open officer search comparable to the UK's Companies House, and for private companies director, secretary, and shareholding records are confidential.
Confirming who directs a private Mauritius company cannot be done from the public portal. The entity itself must provide the extract, or a licensed corporate service provider with full register access must obtain it on your behalf.
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Entity Information Retrievable from a Mauritius Company Search
Publicly available fields give you the skeleton of an entity. For each company you can read:
- Registered name and Business Registration Number
- Entity type and date of incorporation
- Registered address and principal activities
- Current status: active, struck off, in liquidation, or wound up
Some records also show stated capital, denominated in Mauritian rupees for domestic firms and frequently in US dollars for Global Business Companies, alongside a business activity description. Where the register exposes office bearers, directors, the company secretary, and the auditor appear, while resigned officers are dropped from the public view.
Entity type tells you a great deal about how to proceed. The register distinguishes private companies limited by shares, public companies, Global Business Companies, Authorised Companies, and Protected Cell Companies.
A foreign company operating locally registers as a branch, with a local representative named in the register. The parent stays governed by its home jurisdiction, so shareholder data on a branch record is limited by design.
Beneficial ownership is collected by the authorities under the anti-money-laundering framework but is not published anywhere in the search.
Official Company Extracts, Search Reports and Certified Documents
The free public search returns a company profile, any exposed office bearers, and a printable extract. Fuller material sits behind a confidentiality wall and is released only to the company, its representatives and authorised parties, to a third party with the company's consent, or on written request to the Registrar.
Working through an authorised agent widens what you can obtain. Certified documents available that way include the names of shareholders and their share details, records of share transfers, stated capital, directors with their appointment and resignation dates, the registered office address, the constitution, the legal certificate, and the certificate of incorporation.
Two outputs are issued automatically on registration. The CBRD delivers an electronic Business Registration Card on business registration, and an Electronic Certificate of Incorporation by email after a company is processed, carrying the assigned file number.
Certified documents are not produced instantly. The portal does not offer e-certified outputs on demand; orders are prepared after submission.
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Online Versus In-Person Access at the Registry
CBRIS runs entirely online and is built to provide services around the clock. The free public search is open to anyone worldwide without registration, and certified extracts can be ordered using an international email account, so no visit to Mauritius is needed.
Counter service exists for those who want it. Registration documents can be lodged in person at the office of the Registrar of Companies, and in-person access to the Registrar is available at the Port Louis office during standard government working hours. The FSC's licensee register is also open online without registration or any in-person visit.
Fees, Payment Methods and Turnaround Times
Basic searches cost nothing. Under the Companies (Payment of Fees to Registrar) Regulations 2015, no fee is charged for a basic search of information on a company, commercial partnership, foundation, or limited partnership through the public portal, and those searches return results instantly.
Paid products carry modest prices, with the standard search range reported at USD 0.00 to 3.00 as of May 2026. Certified extract orders typically take one to three business days to prepare.
| Item | Detail |
|---|---|
| Basic public search | Free, instant |
| Standard paid search products | USD 0.00–3.00 (as of May 2026) |
| Certified extract turnaround | 1–3 business days |
| Accepted payment | Credit card; bank transfer |
| Service charge | 1.725% on payments over MUR 25,000 |
| CBRIS login IDs | Three free; MUR 400 per additional ID |
Card payment is accepted for incorporation, name reservation, individual business registration, and annual fee payments, with bank transfer also listed for fee-bearing services. An indicative rate of roughly 44 Mauritian rupees to the US dollar was noted as of May 2026, but the rupee trades in a managed float, so confirm the figure at the point of purchase. Verify current pricing before submitting any paid order.
The Limits of Public Searchability in Mauritius
Confidentiality defines this regime, and it directly shapes know-your-business work. For the layered global-business structures the jurisdiction is known for, the people behind a company are usually invisible from public sources.
Director and shareholder data for private companies is protected under the Companies Act 2001 and is not released to third parties without the company's consent. Confirming an officer therefore means obtaining the extract from the entity itself or through a licensed corporate service provider with full register access.
Beneficial ownership is filed with the authorities, not published, and the public search will never surface it. That gap is the central blind spot when diligencing a Mauritius structure from outside.
Access to private company officer data is restricted to parties with a legitimate interest or those the company authorises, and the Data Protection Act 2017 governs any personal data drawn from registry records. The regime is enforced rather than nominal: in 2025 the Financial Services Commission revoked more than 25 authorised-company licences.
Searching Global Business Companies and Authorised Companies Licensed by the FSC
The country runs a two-track system. Domestic companies register with the CBRD, while offshore Global Business Companies are licensed by the Financial Services Commission, and a complete search on a GBC needs both registers because neither alone is sufficient.
The CBRD handles incorporation; the FSC handles licensing and ongoing supervision. The FSC's Register of Licensees, published under Section 26 of the Financial Services Act 2007, is free, instant, and authoritative for licensing status. A listing shows the management company name, licence status, licence type, and business address.
Authorised Companies sit slightly apart. An Authorised Company is the vehicle commonly used for international trading, asset holding, and consulting; it must be incorporated under the Companies Act, be majority-held by non-citizens, conduct business principally outside the country, and use a licensed management company as registered agent.
The Authorised Company replaced the former GBC2 and does not hold an FSC Global Business Licence, though it must still engage a licensed management company. Since 2019 reforms, GBCs must demonstrate economic substance locally, covering core income-generating activity, adequate staff, and qualified management, so substance claims warrant verification against FSC requirements rather than acceptance at face value.
Practical Tips for Non-Residents Conducting Due Diligence from Abroad
A clean search uses each register for what it does well. Treat the CBRD portal as the official filing record, the FSC register as the place to confirm GBC licence status, and a commercial data supplier only when you need a formatted, aggregated report faster than ordering directly.
- Register a CBRIS account with an international email and a passport copy when you need certified extracts; no local identity document is required.
- Expect to pay online by card for fee-bearing services; international cards are generally supported.
- For private domestic companies, plan around confidentiality: a compliance extract needs the company's cooperation or a licensed management company acting for it.
- Cross-check a GBC against both registers, since the incorporation record and the licence record answer different questions.
- Verify post-2019 substance claims against FSC criteria rather than relying on the company's own statement.
- Treat officer names extracted from the register as regulated personal data under the Data Protection Act 2017, and process them only on a lawful basis tied to your stated enquiry.
Setup and diligence can both run remotely, but the underlying KYC and compliance checks still have to be completed in full.
Conclusion
A Mauritius company search gives a foreign owner reliable confirmation of identity, type, and status at no cost, while the people and ownership behind a private company stay deliberately out of public view. That design means diligence often turns on a certified extract obtained with the company's cooperation, and on cross-checking any Global Business Company against the FSC licensee register. Knowing which of the two registers answers your question, and where their limits fall, is the difference between a search that confirms a fact and one that misses the gap. For most cross-border structures, the practical route to full records runs through a licensed agent rather than the public portal.
How Expanship Can Help Your Business in Mauritius
Expanship retrieves official extracts and licence confirmations from both the CBRD and the FSC registers, and, as a route to confidential officer and shareholder records, acts through licensed channels where the public search stops. The same team handles the wider work of forming and running a foreign-owned entity in the jurisdiction.
- Company incorporation and entity structuring
- Registered agent and registered office services
- Tax registration and ongoing filing
- Compliance management and statutory upkeep
- Accounting and bookkeeping
- Introductions to banking partners
To discuss a search or an incorporation, contact Expanship Mauritius.
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes. A basic search of company information on the public CBRD portal carries no fee under the Companies (Payment of Fees to Registrar) Regulations 2015, and results appear instantly without any account.
Not for private companies. Director, secretary, and shareholder data is confidential under the Companies Act 2001 and is not released to third parties without the company's consent, so confirming an officer requires an extract from the company itself or through a licensed corporate service provider.
No. You can register a CBRIS account with an international email address and a passport copy, then order certified documents online; certified extracts typically take one to three business days to prepare.
Use the FSC Register of Licensees, published under Section 26 of the Financial Services Act 2007, which is free, instant, and authoritative for GBC licensing status. Pair it with the CBRD record, because a complete search on a GBC needs both registers.
No. Beneficial ownership is filed with the authorities under the anti-money-laundering framework but is not published, so it cannot be retrieved from the public search and remains the main blind spot in diligence.
No. The CBRD does not publish a public API for programmatic access, its Terms of Use prohibit bulk scraping, and the FSC similarly offers no API for its licensee register.
Legal Disclaimer
The information provided in this article is for general informational purposes only and does not constitute legal, tax, or professional advice. While we strive to ensure the accuracy and timeliness of the content, laws and regulations are subject to change, and the application of laws can vary widely based on specific facts and circumstances.
Readers should not act upon this information without seeking professional counsel tailored to their individual situation. Expanship and its authors disclaim any liability for actions taken or not taken based on the content of this article.
For specific advice regarding your business setup, compliance requirements, or any legal matters, please consult with qualified legal and tax professionals in the relevant jurisdiction.
