Search and document delivery at a glance
- Search online
- Both name searches are available without an account. File and certification services require an account. [10] [8] [9]
- Search language
- The URSB eRegistry search form is available in English. [15]
- Digital documents
- Approved certified documents are sent to the email address of the applicant’s account. [2] [9]
- Document language
- Not specified
- Paper and collection
- Not specified
- International delivery
- Not specified
- Fees at a glance
- Free name search · company file UGX 25,000 · certified copy an additional UGX 35,000
- Access
- Guest name search · individual account for documents · registration with a +256 phone number
Choose the right register
The Uganda Registration Services Bureau (URSB) maintains the company and business-name registers. Its eRegistry portal also brings together other types of organisation. The previous address obrs.ursb.go.ug redirects to the current entry at eregistry.ursb.go.ug. Start with the public name check, then use the resulting registration number in the document service. [8] [9]
A result provides an initial identification. An official search report and a certified copy are separate services. Certification confirms that the copy matches the registered document. [4] [5]
Find basic details, including registration number and status, without an account.
Official entry to company files and certified copies.
Current searchable fee catalogue.
Names and abbreviations explained
- URSBUganda Registration Services Bureau
- Uganda’s registration authority, including for companies and business names. [8]
- OBRSOnline Business Registration System
- Name used for the previous online company-registration system in official guides. The current entry is called eRegistry. [4] [8]
- ERN / BRNEntity Registration Number / Business Registration Number
- Identifiers for the organisation or business. The portal displays and uses them for file requests and entity accounts. [10] [9] [8]
- CTCCertified True Copy
- A registry-certified copy of a specific filed document. The portal calls the service Certification. [5] [9]
- BOBeneficial Owner
- A natural person who ultimately owns or controls a company. The registered shareholder may instead be another person or a corporate entity. [6]
Search step by step
Identify a company free of charge
Open the name check
Open eRegistry and select Company / Business Name Search. Enter the company name or a distinctive part of it and click Check. Results include similar names. [8]
Compare the result and status
Compare ENTITY NAME, ENTITY TYPE and STATUS. Note the number under REGISTRATION NUMBER / RESERVATION NUMBER. Reserved means a name reservation. The list may also contain Struck Off and De-Registered entries; these must not be treated as currently registered companies. [8]
Use the second search route for unclear results
Search Non-Individuals Register on the home page also shows the specific legal form beside ERN and status. Advanced Search offers organisation categories and Company subtypes. Retry an unsuccessful filtered search without filters and in the name check before concluding that an entry is missing. [8]
Order the company file and certified copies
Sign in personally
Open Business Search & Certification and sign in using your own Individual account. The Entity account belongs to the organisation itself; do not use the researched company’s credentials. Have its ERN ready. [9] [10]
Choose the search type and obtain the company file
Choose the appropriate search type, enter the ERN and pay for the search. The company fee is UGX 25,000 for one company or each inspection of its file. After payment confirmation, the records on file can be viewed. The URSB guide also describes a downloadable Search Report. [9] [2] [4]
Request certification of individual documents
Select the documents you need. Certification of a Ugandan company document costs an additional UGX 35,000. Pay the certification fee and submit the application. Following approval, URSB sends the document to the email address associated with the applicant’s account. [9] [2]
Allow for processing time
The Client Charter 2025–2030 sets targets of three working hours for a search application requesting documents, 16 working hours for a search report and four working hours for certification. These are separate processing targets, not a promise of immediate delivery of the entire order. [3]
Request specific beneficial ownership information
Use Form 3
Page 11 of the 2023 regulations contains Form 3. It shows the details for an inspection or copy request: the company, precisely requested information, date and signature. Use it to prepare your request and ask URSB to confirm the currently applicable form. [6]
Confirm submission and payment allocation
Give URSB the ERN and the service required, and ask how to submit the application and allocate payment. The 2023 regulations and the official September 2025 report specify UGX 25,000 for inspection and per copy or extract; confirm the amount before paying. [6] [7] [9]
Observe the decision and access conditions
The Registrar may set the time and other inspection conditions. Form 3 provides for approval or refusal with written reasons. A public application right therefore does not mean an anonymous instant download of all ownership data. [6]
Documents and fees
| Document / information | Contents and purpose | Fee | How to get it |
|---|---|---|---|
| Free result list [8] | Initial identification by name, registration or reservation number, type and status. | Free (UGX 0) | Company / Business Name Search or Search Non-Individuals Register. |
| Company Record Search / Search Report [2] [9] [4] [3] | Inspection of a particular company’s file; the URSB guide describes a separate Search Report. | UGX 25,000 per company or file inspection. | Individual account, search service, ERN and search payment. Charter target: search report within 16 working hours. |
| Certified True Copy of a Ugandan company document [2] [9] [5] | Certified copy of the selected registered record, such as an incorporation certificate or constitution. | UGX 35,000 per document, in addition to the preceding paid search. | Select the document after file inspection, pay and apply for certification. Delivery by email after approval. |
| Certified Copy from the Foreign Company Register [2] [9] | Certified copy of a document belonging to a company incorporated outside Uganda and registered there. | USD 30 per document; the target register determines the tariff. | Document selection and Certification in the registry service. |
| Business Name: search and certified particulars [1] [11] [9] | Business-name records, particularly the Certificate of Registration or Statement of Particulars. | Search UGX 35,000; certification of the chosen document an additional UGX 35,000. | Search service using ERN, then select the certificate or particulars required. |
| Annual Return / filed financial documents [12] [2] [9] | Yearly registry particulars; balance sheets and other financial documents where filed and accessible. | Ordinary company search UGX 25,000; certified domestic company document an additional UGX 35,000. Filing fees are separate. | Select the year and document type in the file; observe the statutory financial-filing exemption for private companies. |
| BO inspection or BO copy/extract [6] [7] | Specifically requested particulars of beneficial owners. | 2023 regulations and official September 2025 report: inspection UGX 25,000; each copy/extract UGX 25,000. Confirm the current amount before ordering. | Form 3 to the Registrar; agree payment route and conditions with URSB. |
Companies and other register entries
Company categories displayed in the portal include Public Company, Single Member Company, Private Company Limited by Shares, Private Company Limited by Guarantee Without Shares and Foreign Company. In a company limited by shares, members’ liability is limited to unpaid amounts on their shares. A company limited by guarantee uses an undertaking to contribute on winding up. Public Company is a company-law category. [8] [5]
Business Name is a separate register category. Partnerships also have their own fees. Documents of a foreign company registered in Uganda have a different tariff from documents of a company incorporated in Uganda. The target register matters, rather than the applicant’s nationality. [1] [2]
The wider Non-Individuals Register displays organisation types outside this company guide. The current document-service description expressly covers companies, business names, building societies and the documents register. [8] [9]
What the search and file can tell you
The free name check provides the number, name, entity type and status. The broader home-page search provides ERN, specific legal form and status. Neither result list is the complete company file. Similar names, reservations and removed entries make it necessary to compare the identifier and status. [8]
The paid file route leads to registered documents. Choose the particular evidence your question requires, such as the incorporation certificate, the Memorandum and Articles of Association setting out the company’s constitution, or a filed annual return. The Search Report summarises the registry search; order the relevant Certification separately when you need a certified copy of a filed original. [9] [4] [5]
If identifiers or filters produce inconsistent results, try both public search routes. Repeat the search without the legal-form filter and ask URSB to confirm the company’s identity if needed. [8]
Fees and delivery scope
The Companies (Fees) Regulations 2024 charge UGX 25,000 to inspect the register in respect of one company or for each inspection of its file. Certification costs UGX 35,000 per company document. One search plus one such copy therefore totals UGX 60,000 for those two registry fees. The current portal catalogue confirms both component amounts. [2] [11]
Certification of each document on the Foreign Company Register costs USD 30. A business-name search costs UGX 35,000 in both the current URSB fee table and the portal; certification of the registration certificate or registered particulars costs another UGX 35,000 per document. The Client Charter still lists UGX 25,000 for a business-name search. Use the current service and fee tables for that service. [2] [1] [11] [3]
These are registry fees for the specified services. The published tariff does not separately label these search and certification items as VAT-inclusive or VAT-exclusive. Obtain separate confirmation of any payment, postage or legalisation charges. The Charter lists mobile money, Visa and banks as payment routes. The current document service describes delivery by email after approval. [2] [3] [9]
The 2023 regulations specify UGX 25,000 for inspection and UGX 25,000 per copy or extract using Form 3. The official UGEITI report of September 2025 confirms this route and these amounts. URSB’s annual report records a 2024 amendment; this fee statement does not incorporate its full text. Before ordering BO information, have URSB confirm the current form, fee and submission route. [6] [7] [14]
Access from abroad
Both public name-search routes work without an account. URSB requires an account for the file and certification service. The current Individual login uses a phone number and password. Account registration starts with email, phone number and a visible fixed +256 prefix. [8] [9] [10]
The account form is designed for Ugandan telephone numbers. If you do not have one, contact URSB on +256 200 404 700 to arrange account access before ordering. [10] [9]
URSB describes research about another company from an individual account. The separate Entity login serves the organisation itself and requires its BRN/ERN and password. [10] [4]
Annual returns and financial statements
An Annual Return is a yearly registry filing. For a company with share capital it includes registered-office, share, member, director and secretary particulars. It is not a profit and loss account. Check the return date and subsequent change filings when researching ownership or officers. [5]
An annual return does not automatically provide published financial statements. Section 131(1) of the Companies Act requires balance-sheet documents and the accompanying reports to be attached to the annual return. The consolidated text dated 31 December 2023 exempts private companies unless at least one shareholder is a public company (section 131(5)). [12]
For registered foreign companies, section 252 generally requires annual balance sheets and profit and loss accounts, together with group accounts for holding companies. An exemption remains where the company would qualify for the private-company exemption under section 131(5) if incorporated in Uganda and files a certificate signed by a director and the company secretary every calendar year confirming the conditions for that exemption. The former Commonwealth incorporation condition was removed in 2022. Documents that are not in English require a certified translation. This account follows the consolidated legislative text dated 31 December 2023. [12] [13]
The filing fees of UGX 55,000 for private companies with share capital, UGX 35,000 without share capital or USD 70 for foreign companies are not purchase prices for their reports. [2]
Shareholders and beneficial owners
Registered members and beneficial owners answer different questions. The BO regulations concern natural persons with ultimate ownership or control. They require information about the people and nature of control; a corporate name shown as the direct shareholder is insufficient for that purpose. [6] [5]
Regulation 8 of the 2023 regulations describes a paid application route for inspection and copies or extracts. Form 3 requires a specific description of the information sought. The Registrar may impose conditions. The official UGEITI report of September 2025 also describes this public application route. [6] [7]
The UGEITI report also publishes extractive-sector information for a particular reporting period. These sectoral disclosures provide neither current coverage of every company nor a substitute for a specific request for more recent registry information. [7]
Official samples and reading guides
Official Form 3 for BO inspection or an extract
Blank application on page 11 of the regulations. It shows applicant, target company, requested particulars and the Registrar’s decision area. Fees are on page 12. [6]
Official guide: company report and Certification
Two instruction tables on physical PDF page 33, printed page 31. They explain the distinction between a search report and certified documents; the eRegistry service supplies the current menu route. [4] [9]
Avoid common mistakes
- The public name check includes reservations. A reservation number and Reserved status do not establish incorporation. [8]
- The USD 30 fee concerns documents on the Foreign Company Register. It is not a foreign-applicant surcharge on a Ugandan company document. [2]
- Do not confuse the free basic list with file inspection, a Search Report or Certification. The current service requires separate search and certification payments. [8] [9]
- Do not order a business-name search using the older UGX 25,000 Charter figure; the current table and portal state UGX 35,000. [3] [1] [11]
Frequently asked questions
Can I find a company without signing in?
Yes. The current guest routes provide the basic fields described above. URSB requires an account and payment for the file and certified documents. [8] [9]
What does a company file plus one certified copy cost?
For a Ugandan company document, the two registry fees total UGX 60,000: UGX 25,000 for the search and UGX 35,000 for the copy. Additional copies and special services are charged separately. [2] [9]
Do I need the target company’s login details?
No. The guide describes third-party searches from a personal account. The separate Entity login belongs to the organisation’s account and requires its password. [4] [10]
Can I register with a German phone number?
The first screen currently shows +256 with no country selector. Ask URSB to confirm the appropriate route for a foreign number. The free guest name check remains available independently. [10] [8]
Can I obtain a balance sheet for every private company?
No. A private company must attach its balance sheet to the annual return only if at least one shareholder is a public company. Request the financial year you need and check which documents are on file. [12]
Are beneficial owners publicly searchable?
The 2023 regulations and official UGEITI report of September 2025 describe a paid public application route using Form 3. This is not an anonymous instant download. The Registrar decides on inspection and may set conditions. Confirm the current application procedure and fee with URSB. [6] [7]
Original sources
Sources reviewed: 15 September 2026. The guidance is based on the linked information published by registers and public authorities.
- Business, Company and Document Registration Fees Uganda Registration Services Bureau
- The Companies (Fees) Regulations, 2024, S.I. 40/2024 Ministry of Justice and Constitutional Affairs; Uganda Gazette, bereitgestellt von URSB
- URSB Client Charter 2025–2030 Uganda Registration Services Bureau
- URSB Information Guide Uganda Registration Services Bureau
- Companies Act, 2012: Originalgesetz Uganda Gazette; Originaltext beim Institute of Certified Public Accountants of Uganda
- Companies (Beneficial Owners) Regulations, 2023, S.I. 1/2023 Ministry of Justice and Constitutional Affairs; Uganda Gazette, bereitgestellt von UGEITI
- Uganda EITI Report for Fiscal Year 2022/23 Uganda Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative
- eRegistry: öffentliche Firmensuche und Namensprüfung Uganda Registration Services Bureau
- eRegistry: Business Search & Certification Uganda Registration Services Bureau
- eRegistry: Kontoerstellung und Anmeldung Uganda Registration Services Bureau
- eRegistry: Services & Costs Uganda Registration Services Bureau
- Companies Act, Chapter 106, konsolidierter Gesetzestext von ULII/Laws.Africa ULII / Laws.Africa
- Companies (Amendment) Act 2022, Act 16, amtliches Original bei UGEITI Uganda Gazette / UGEITI
- URSB Annual Report 2023/2024 Uganda Registration Services Bureau
- URSB eRegistry: Suchmaske URSB eRegistry