How can I change the premise of a business?

·       To change the premise of the business, submit the Change Business Permit Form.

·       You should submit a copy of the certificate given by Male’ Municipality to the building of operation of business.

·       If a company submits the form, the position of the individual submitting the form should be specified and the form should have the company stamp. This individual should be a director of the company.

·       If an individual submits the form, a photocopy of the Identification Card should be attached.

·       The original ID Card is also required for reference.

·       If a company is submitting the request, a board resolution should be attached.

What if the monthly fee has not been paid?

·       Before issuing the license, the payment of the monthly business fee will be checked. If the monthly fee has not been paid, the duration of non-payment will be checked and you will be required to pay a fine.

·       The fine amount is 1/5 of the monthly fee for the first month and the complete monthly fee for the following months.

Do I need to cancel the license used for the previous premise?

·       The existing Business Permit issued for the previous premise should be cancelled before issuance of the new permit. The owner of the building should write a letter confirming that the business has been terminated and all the goods have been removed from the building.

·       Any previous Business Permits issued for the new premise should be cancelled before issuance of a new Business Permit.

·       In order to change the premise of the business, the previous permit issued for the previous premise should be cancelled. The new premise requires a certificate from the municipality and a signature of the owner of the building.

How much do I need to pay?

·       You will be required to pay the monthly fee in advance for a minimum of one month.

·       The monthly fee for a place on an island with a population higher than 10,000 is Mrf. 200.

·       If the population is less than 10,000 people, the monthly fee is Mrf.50.

·       The monthly fee for trading on uninhabited islands is Mrf.200.

·       The permit will be granted once the receipt of the monthly fee is submitted.

·       A revenue stamp worth Mrf.10 is required for the permit.

Do I need to renew the name registration?

·       If the business continues under the same name after the change of ownership, the name does not have to be registered. However, the name board at the previous premise should be installed at the new location or a new name board should be made in accordance with the Ministry regulations. 

What if a premise has an existing permit?

·       If a premise has an existing permit, it should be cancelled before issuing the requested permit.

·       If the premise is not currently used for trade purposes, a letter should be submitted by the previous traders using the premise stating that they have stopped using the premise and cleared it of all goods.

What if the owner of the premise you wish to use for trade purposes is deceased?

·       If the owner of the premise is deceased, the heirs should sign the request form stating that they have no objection to the premise being used for the trade purpose specified. The heirs can be verified by a court declaration.

·       If the court has not declared the heirs, a letter signed by the known heirs should be submitted. The letter should state that in the event that another heir is declared by the court, and that heir objects to the premise being used for trade purposes, the requesting party has no objection to the withdrawal of the issued permit or license.  

·       If any of the heirs is under 18 years of age, a legal guardian should sign the letter on his or her behalf, and specify the relationship between the heir and the guardian.