Jersey Company Search Guide 2026: How to Verify a Jersey Business

TL;DR. Jersey’s Companies Registry is operated by the Jersey Financial Services Commission (JFSC) at jerseyfsc.org/registry. Basic company searches are free and in English with no account required. Jersey is the largest of the UK Crown Dependencies, not part of the UK or EU, with its own sophisticated company law and a zero-rate corporate tax regime. A beneficial ownership register exists but is not publicly accessible. FATCA and CRS are fully in force.

What is the official Jersey business registry?

The Jersey Companies Registry is operated by the Jersey Financial Services Commission (JFSC), which is both the financial services regulator and the registry authority for companies, partnerships, foundations, and other legal entities incorporated in Jersey. The registry portal is at jerseyfsc.org/registry.

Jersey is the largest of the Channel Islands Crown Dependencies. It is a self-governing Crown Dependency of the British Crown with its own government (States Assembly), legal system (Jersey customary law, influenced by Norman law and English common law), and tax regime. Jersey is not part of the UK, not part of the EU, and was not subject to Brexit in the same way as the UK. It has its own arrangements with the EU for trade in goods through its former Protocol 3 position (now superseded by post-Brexit arrangements).

Jersey’s company law is principally governed by the Companies (Jersey) Law 1991 (as substantially amended). Jersey is widely regarded as having one of the most sophisticated and modern company law frameworks among Crown Dependencies, regularly updated to accommodate innovations in international finance.

Principal entity types in Jersey include:

• Private company: the most common form, equivalent to a private limited company.
• Public company: for listed or broadly held entities.
• Limited Liability Partnership (LLP): used by professional services firms and some fund structures.
• Limited Partnership (LP): a major vehicle for private equity, real estate, and infrastructure funds.
• Incorporated Limited Partnership (ILP): a Jersey innovation with separate legal personality, popular in fund structures.
• Separate Limited Partnership (SLP): another Jersey-specific fund vehicle.
• Foundations: under the Foundations (Jersey) Law 2009, used for wealth planning and charitable purposes.
• Cell companies: incorporated cell companies (ICC) and protected cell companies (PCC) for insurance and fund structures.

What can you search?

The JFSC Registry public portal provides:

• Company name and registration number search (free, no account required)
• Entity status: registered and active, dissolved, in liquidation, struck off
• Registered office address
• Date of incorporation
• Entity type (company, LP, LLP, foundation, etc.)
• Registered officer names and appointment dates (where filed)
• Filed documents available for viewing or download (subject to document-level fees)

Jersey has a central beneficial ownership register under the Beneficial Ownership (Companies) (Jersey) Law 2017 (and equivalent legislation for other entity types). The register is held by the JFSC and is not publicly accessible. Access is available to Jersey authorities, law enforcement, and foreign competent authorities through Jersey’s network of information exchange agreements. Jersey has an extensive network of Tax Information Exchange Agreements (TIEAs) and is a signatory to the OECD CRS. Jersey is compliant with FATCA under the UK-US IGA extended to Jersey.

In 2023, Jersey committed to considering a public UBO register. As of May 2026, the UBO register remains non-public, with the public access question still under review in line with international developments following the 2022 CJEU ruling on EU UBO registers.

How much does it cost?

Fees are set by the JFSC and may be updated periodically. GBP/USD conversion: approximately 1.27 (May 2026; verify at point of purchase). Current fee schedules are published on the JFSC registry portal.

Do you need a local account or ID?

No account is required for basic free company searches. Ordering certified documents and extracts requires creating a portal account using an email address; no Jersey address or identity document is required from foreign applicants. Document orders are payable online by credit or debit card.

Is the website in English?

Yes. Jersey’s official language for commercial and legal purposes is English. The JFSC registry portal is fully in English. All entity types, filing labels, status indicators, and document metadata are in English. Jersey law documents and company constitutions are drafted in English (with some Norman French terms in older legal contexts that are well-understood in practice).

What’s the turnaround time?

Free online searches are instant. Certified document orders are typically processed within 1-3 business days. The JFSC is recognized for professional, efficient registry services oriented toward the international finance community.

Is there an API?

No public developer API is available for the Jersey Companies Registry as of May 2026. Programmatic access to Jersey entity data for compliance platforms must be arranged through direct engagement with the JFSC or through licensed Jersey Trust Companies (the equivalent of Guernsey’s corporate service providers) who maintain their own client databases.

What you legally cannot do

Jersey’s data protection law is the Data Protection (Jersey) Law 2018, aligned substantively with the EU GDPR. The EU has granted adequacy status to Jersey for data protection purposes. Restrictions include:

• Automated bulk scraping of the JFSC Registry portal for commercial redistribution is not permitted.
• Personal data of directors, officers, and shareholders may not be used for unsolicited commercial marketing.
• The beneficial ownership register is not publicly accessible; any unauthorized attempt to access it is a criminal offence under Jersey law.
• Certified Jersey registry documents presented in foreign proceedings must carry appropriate apostille authentication. Jersey is a party to the Hague Apostille Convention through the UK’s international instruments.

Practical tips for foreign compliance buyers

• Trust Company Business is the structural backbone. Jersey’s financial services industry is substantially built on trust and corporate services (Trust Company Business, or TCB). JFSC-licensed trust companies act as administrators, registered offices, and registered agents for international Jersey structures. When assessing a Jersey entity, always check whether the registered office is a JFSC-licensed trust company (listed on the JFSC’s licensee register).
• Funds are a primary use case. Jersey is the world’s leading offshore funds jurisdiction by some measures, particularly for private equity and real estate funds. Jersey LPs, ILPs, and SLPs appear frequently in international fund UBO chains. When conducting due diligence on a fund structure, the fund documents (offering memorandum, limited partnership agreement) are typically available from the fund administrator, not the registry.
• Jersey Finance (industry body) publications are useful context. Jersey Finance (jerseyfinance.je) publishes industry statistics and regulatory updates that provide context for the types of structures prevalent in Jersey.
• JFSC register of licensees is public. The JFSC publishes a complete register of all licensed financial services firms, trust companies, banks, investment managers, and insurance businesses at jerseyfsc.org. This is the primary check for any regulated Jersey counterparty.
• Enforcement register. The JFSC publishes enforcement decisions, including public reprimands, financial penalties, and license revocations. Review the JFSC enforcement register as part of any enhanced due diligence on Jersey-based service providers.
• FATCA and CRS. Jersey financial institutions report US persons under FATCA and exchange financial account information automatically with over 100 jurisdictions under CRS. This is administered by Revenue Jersey (the Jersey tax authority). For financial account due diligence, direct inquiries to the financial institution, not the company registry.
• Jersey law vs. English law. Jersey law is not English law. A Jersey company incorporated under the Companies (Jersey) Law 1991 is governed by Jersey law, not English company law. Material legal differences exist (for example, Jersey law does not require a company secretary; certain consent requirements differ). Legal advice for material transactions involving Jersey entities should come from Jersey-qualified advocates.

Alternatives if you cannot access the registry directly

• JFSC licensee register (jerseyfsc.org): complete free public access to all licensed financial services entities in Jersey.
• Jersey Finance (jerseyfinance.je): industry statistics and regulatory updates.
• Licensed Jersey Trust Companies: the most direct route for certified documents and enhanced due diligence engagement.
• OpenCorporates: has partial Jersey Companies Registry coverage; use only for indicative name checks.

Local data suppliers

Jersey does not have a dedicated domestic commercial credit bureau. Due diligence on Jersey entities is typically handled by:

• JFSC-licensed trust companies and Jersey law firms (advocates): St. Helier-based practitioners with direct registry access and UBO inquiry capability under the AML framework.
• International compliance and risk platforms (LexisNexis Risk Solutions, Refinitiv World-Check): include Jersey-registered entities in sanctions screening and adverse media databases.
• Dun and Bradstreet: has partial coverage of larger Jersey-registered operating entities.

FAQ

Is Jersey part of the United Kingdom?

No. Jersey is a Crown Dependency of the UK Crown, not part of the UK. It has its own democratically elected government (States Assembly), its own laws, and its own tax regime. The UK government is responsible for Jersey’s defense and international relations, but Jersey makes its own domestic legislation. Jersey has its own currency (the Jersey pound, at par with the pound sterling).

What is Jersey’s corporate tax rate?

Zero percent for most companies. Jersey operates a zero rate corporate income tax for most companies. Financial services companies pay 10%. Income from Jersey land and buildings is taxed at 20%. There is no capital gains tax and no inheritance tax. This zero-rate regime is the primary commercial driver of Jersey’s international finance role.

Does Jersey have a public beneficial ownership register?

No. Jersey’s beneficial ownership register is centralized at the JFSC and accessible only by competent authorities and through international exchange arrangements. The register is not publicly accessible. Jersey has been reviewing public access in the context of international developments (including the 2022 CJEU ruling on EU UBO registers). As of May 2026, no date has been set for implementing public access.

Is Jersey on the FATF grey list?

No. Jersey is not on the FATF Increased Monitoring list. Jersey cooperates with FATF processes through the UK as the responsible state for international relations. Jersey has undergone MONEYVAL evaluations and is recognized as having solid AML/CFT technical compliance. See fatf-gafi.org for current status.

How does Jersey’s registry differ from the UK Companies House?

The UK Companies House serves England, Wales, Scotland, and Northern Ireland. The Jersey Companies Registry is entirely separate, operated by the JFSC, and covers only entities incorporated in Jersey. Entity types and governing law differ: UK companies are governed by the Companies Act 2006; Jersey companies are governed by the Companies (Jersey) Law 1991. A UK company number and a Jersey company number are issued by different authorities and are not interchangeable. A search on the UK Companies House will not return Jersey entities.

Last verified: May 2026. Sources: Jersey Financial Services Commission (jerseyfsc.org); States of Jersey (gov.je); Jersey Finance (jerseyfinance.je); FATF (fatf-gafi.org). For the full global due diligence framework, see our Global Business Due Diligence Guide.