Companies or entities incorporated in Barbados are no longer required to file annual returns due after September 1, 2026.
The announcement came in a press release yesterday by Business Barbados, the regulatory body advising domestic and external companies of important changes to statutory filing requirements, and followed the implementation of the Beneficial Ownership Transparency and Register Act, 2026.
The Act came into effect on September 1 and applies to all entities incorporated, registered, organised, continued, or carrying on business in Barbados, including external companies.
“The implementation of the Beneficial Ownership Transparency and Register Act, 2026 represents an important change in the compliance obligations of companies operating in Barbados. Beneficial ownership information, which speaks to the natural person behind an entity, must now be filed annually. This is critical to Barbados maintaining compliance with its international anti-money laundering and counterterrorist financing obligations,” Tamiesha Rochester, officer-in-charge of Business Barbados, said in the release.
Penalties
She continued: “Entities incorporated between July and December in any given year are therefore not required to file a 2025 Annual Return and should not proceed with this filing. While all future Annual Return filings have been discontinued in accordance with the new requirements, entities must still address any Annual Returns that became due before September 1, 2026. We encourage domestic and external companies to review their records and ensure that all outstanding statutory filings, fees and applicable penalties are addressed.”
The regulator has set up a Business Compliance Team (BCOM) to assist domestic threshold companies, companies with annual revenue below $1 million, with the filing of Beneficial Ownership information. The team is also able to provide further information on beneficial ownership and ongoing requirements relevant to various corporate structures and circumstances.
(PR/AC)