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

TL;DR. Tanzania’s official company registry is BRELA (Business Registrations and Licensing Agency), with its Online Registration System (ORS) at ors.brela.go.tz. Free public searches by company name or registration number require no account. A separate beneficial ownership portal operates at bo.brela.go.tz. Tanzania remains on the FATF list of jurisdictions under increased monitoring as of May 2026; compliance buyers should factor this into AML risk calibration on Tanzanian counterparties.

What is the official Tanzania business registry?

BRELA (Business Registrations and Licensing Agency) is the Tanzanian government agency responsible for registering companies, business names, and intellectual property. It operates under the Ministry of Industry and Trade. The Companies Act (Cap. 212) provides the statutory basis for company registration in mainland Tanzania. Zanzibar has a separate business registration authority, the Zanzibar Business and Property Registration Agency (BPRA), operating at orsz.bpra.go.tz.

The BRELA Online Registration System (ORS) is accessible at ors.brela.go.tz. The ORS was introduced to digitize registration and make company status searchable by the public. BRELA also maintains a dedicated beneficial ownership portal at bo.brela.go.tz, which is the formal filing destination for UBO declarations under the Companies (Beneficial Ownership) Regulations 2021.

The registry covers companies registered under the Companies Act, business names, foreign company branches, limited liability partnerships, and other commercial entities on the Tanzanian mainland. Historical filings are held by BRELA, with digital records available for entities that have registered or updated their information through the ORS system.

What can you search?

The ORS public search at ors.brela.go.tz allows searches by:

• Business name (full or partial)
• Registration or incorporation number
• Company status

Each entity record may include: company name, registration number, entity type, date of registration or incorporation, current status (active, struck off, dissolved, in receivership), registered office address, and filing history for entities that have transacted through the ORS.

One important limitation: only business names and companies that have registered or updated their information through the ORS will appear in public search results. Entities registered under older paper-based processes may not appear. If a search returns no result, it does not necessarily mean the entity is unregistered; it may simply predate ORS digitization or not yet have migrated.

Data is updated on a filing-event basis. Director changes, address updates, and annual return filings appear in the ORS as BRELA processes them.

How much does it cost?

All prices are from BRELA published fee schedules as of 2025. TZS/USD conversion used: approximately TZS 2,590 per USD 1 (May 2026; verify at point of transaction). The filing fee of TZS 22,000 per document applies to each document filed with BRELA. Company registration at minimum capital (below TZS 1 million) requires a registration fee of TZS 95,000 plus filing and stamp duty. Fees for certified copies of incorporation documents and company extracts are not prominently published; contact BRELA or the ORS portal for current pricing.

Do you need a local account or ID?

No Tanzanian identity document or local account is required to conduct a public name or company number search on the ORS. The public search is accessible to any user globally without registration.

To file documents, complete registrations, or access certain paid services on the ORS, a registered account is required. Tanzanian nationals use their TIN (Taxpayer Identification Number) for account creation. Foreign users wishing to file directly should contact BRELA for the appropriate process, as local representation may be required for certain filings.

Is the website in English?

Yes. The BRELA ORS at ors.brela.go.tz operates in English. All search fields, entity type descriptions, and status labels are in English. Swahili is Tanzania’s national language, and some BRELA publications and local communications are in Swahili, but the ORS public interface is English-facing. Registered company names may include Swahili words, which use Latin script and are readable without transliteration.

What’s the turnaround time?

Public searches return results instantly. For certified copies of incorporation documents, articles of association, or company extracts, processing through BRELA typically takes 1 to 3 business days. In-person requests at the BRELA offices in Dar es Salaam may be faster for straightforward document requests. Allow additional time for entities that require manual retrieval of older paper-based records.

Is there an API?

No. BRELA does not publish a developer API or structured data feed as of May 2026. Automated bulk access to the ORS is not officially supported. OpenCorporates indexes some BRELA data but lags official records and is not adequate for compliance-grade verification.

What you legally cannot do

BRELA’s terms of use prohibit bulk automated scraping of the ORS public interface. Registry data may not be redistributed commercially without BRELA’s consent. Tanzania’s Personal Data Protection Act (Cap. 447) governs personal data processed from registry records, including director and officer information. The Office of the Personal Data Protection Commissioner is the supervisory authority. Compliance buyers conducting KYC, AML, or CDD lookups are within permitted use but should maintain documented purpose records for audit trail compliance. Note that under the Companies (Beneficial Ownership) Regulations 2021, companies that have not submitted UBO information to BRELA are blocked from conducting transactions with the registrar; confirm UBO filing status when verifying counterparties.

Practical tips for foreign compliance buyers

• ORS coverage gap. Not all Tanzanian companies appear in the ORS public search. Older entities registered before ORS digitization may require a manual record check with BRELA directly. Treat a “no result” as inconclusive, not as confirmation of non-registration.
• Zanzibar is separate. Companies incorporated in Zanzibar are registered with BPRA, not BRELA. If your counterparty is based in Zanzibar or has a Zanzibar address, check ors.bpra.go.tz separately. The two registries are not integrated.
• UBO compliance is enforced. As of April 15, 2025, BRELA blocks companies that have not submitted UBO information from performing any transactions with the registrar, including filing annual returns, changing company details, or obtaining certified copies. When verifying a counterparty, confirm their UBO filing status via the bo.brela.go.tz portal. A company unable to file annual returns is in a precarious compliance position.
• Beneficial ownership portal. The BRELA beneficial ownership portal at bo.brela.go.tz maintains UBO filings for all companies subject to the Companies (Beneficial Ownership) Regulations 2021. UBO information must be filed at incorporation and updated within 30 days of any change. The threshold for disclosure is substantial control or economic interest, consistent with FATF Recommendation 24.
• FATF grey list status. Tanzania is on the FATF list of jurisdictions under increased monitoring as of May 2026. Tanzania was placed on the grey list in October 2022 and has been implementing an AML/CFT action plan. Progress has been made in risk-based supervision and beneficial ownership enforcement, including the UBO compliance deadline in April 2025. Monitor fatf-gafi.org for updates on Tanzania’s status, as exit is subject to FATF plenary confirmation. This is directly relevant to correspondent banking relationships and enhanced due diligence requirements for Tanzanian counterparties.
• TIN cross-reference. The Tanzania Revenue Authority (TRA) issues TINs (Taxpayer Identification Numbers) to all registered businesses. Cross-referencing the BRELA registration with TRA records at tra.go.tz provides a more complete compliance picture, particularly for verifying that a company is actively filing tax returns. For the full due diligence framework, see our Global Business Due Diligence Guide.

Alternatives if you cannot access BRELA directly

• Aggregator search (free, indicative only): OpenCorporates indexes some BRELA data but lags official records considerably. Useful for a quick name-check; not for compliance-grade verification.
• Tanzania Business Portal: The Tanzania National Business Portal at business.go.tz provides an entry point for business registration services and links to BRELA for company filings.
• Tanzania Investment Centre (TIC): The TIC at tic.go.tz maintains records of foreign investment projects in Tanzania. For foreign-owned or investment-registered entities, TIC records may supplement BRELA filings.

Local data suppliers

• Creditinfo East Africa (creditinfo.co.tz). Part of the Creditinfo Group, operating across East Africa. Provides credit reports and business intelligence on Tanzanian entities, drawing on payment history and registry data. Use for credit risk scoring alongside BRELA’s incorporation record.

Use BRELA for the authoritative legal filing record. Use a credit bureau when you need payment behavior, credit risk indicators, or trade data in addition to the registration extract.

FAQ

Can a foreign company access the Tanzania registry directly?

Yes. The ORS public search at ors.brela.go.tz is accessible globally without an account or local identity document. Free entity name and registration number lookups are available to anyone. For certified extracts or company incorporation documents, contact BRELA directly or engage a local registered agent in Dar es Salaam.

What is the company registration number in Tanzania?

Tanzanian companies receive a registration or incorporation number at the time of registration, assigned sequentially by BRELA. The format varies by entity type: limited companies typically receive an alphanumeric code indicating company type and a sequential number (e.g., CO-XXXXXXX for a private limited company). Business names receive a separate business name registration number. This number is the stable identifier and does not change on name changes.

What entity types are registered with BRELA?

BRELA registers private limited companies, public limited companies, unlimited companies, companies limited by guarantee, branch offices of foreign companies (external companies), business names (sole proprietors and partnerships trading under a name), limited liability partnerships (LLPs), and cooperative societies in some instances. Zanzibar-incorporated entities are registered with BPRA, not BRELA.

Does Tanzania have a beneficial ownership (UBO) registry?

Yes. Tanzania operates a mandatory UBO filing system under the Companies (Beneficial Ownership) Regulations 2021, administered through the BRELA beneficial ownership portal at bo.brela.go.tz. All companies are required to declare UBO information at incorporation and update within 30 days of any change. As of April 2025, non-compliant companies are blocked from BRELA transactions. The UBO register is not fully publicly searchable as of May 2026; compliance buyers can request UBO information through formal certified extracts from BRELA. See openownership.org for Tanzania’s implementation status under the global beneficial ownership transparency index.

How current is the data in BRELA ORS?

The ORS reflects filings as processed by BRELA. Only entities that have registered or updated through the ORS appear in public searches; older paper-based entities may require manual confirmation. Annual returns and changes filed through the ORS take effect within a few business days of BRELA processing. For real-time status confirmation, particularly for high-value transactions, request a certified extract directly from BRELA.

Is Tanzania on the FATF grey list?

Yes. Tanzania is on the FATF list of jurisdictions under increased monitoring as of May 2026. Tanzania was placed on the grey list in October 2022 after a Mutual Evaluation found deficiencies in AML/CFT supervision, investigation, and prosecution. Tanzania has been implementing a FATF action plan and has made progress on beneficial ownership enforcement and risk-based supervision. FATF grey list exits require plenary confirmation; compliance buyers should check fatf-gafi.org for Tanzania’s current status before finalizing risk assessments on Tanzanian counterparties.

What is the difference between BRELA and OSHA or TRA?

BRELA handles company and business name registration. The Tanzania Revenue Authority (TRA) at tra.go.tz handles tax registration, TIN issuance, and tax compliance. The Occupational Safety and Health Authority (OSHA) handles workplace licensing. For a full compliance picture, cross-reference BRELA registration with TRA and any applicable sector regulator. A company registered with BRELA but deregistered with TRA may still appear active in the BRELA ORS.

Last verified: May 2026. Source: BRELA Online Registration System (ors.brela.go.tz); BRELA Beneficial Ownership Portal (bo.brela.go.tz); Tanzania Financial Intelligence Unit (fiu.go.tz); FATF Increased Monitoring List May 2026 (fatf-gafi.org). For the full global due diligence framework, see our Global Business Due Diligence Guide.