Starting a business in Tunisia

Legal Forms of Companies

The individual company

Number of partners: 1 person
Capital (max/min): No minimum capital
Shareholders and liability: The individual businessman is liable for company debts on his personal property.

Limited liability company (SARL)

Number of partners: 2 partners minimum.
Capital (max/min): TND 1,000 minimum. The minimum nominal value of a share must be TND 5.
Shareholders and liability: Their liability is limited to the amount of capital contributed.

Public limited company (SA)

Number of partners: Minimum 7 partners.
Capital (max/min): Minimum capital: TND 5,000. 1/4 of the capital must be paid upon creation. The balance must be paid up within a maximum of 5 years.
TDN 50,000 if the company does make a public invitation.
Shareholders and liability: Their liability is limited to the amount of capital contributed.

General partnership

Number of partners: Minimum 2 partners, with a maximum of 50.
Capital (max/min): No minimum capital.
Shareholders and liability: Their liability is unlimited.

Limited joint-stock partnership

Number of partners: There are 2 types of partner, the active partners and the silent partners.
Capital (max/min): No minimum capital.
Shareholders and liability: The liability of the active partners is unlimited. The liability of the silent partners is limited to the amount of capital contributed as long as they do not participate in the management of the company.

Business Setup Procedures

Source: Doing Business - Latest available data.