How To Incorporate A Company On SSM’s Corporate Registry System (CRS)

While some businesses prefer to outsource Sdn Bhd registration, we know some at the start of their journey may not have that luxury.

Plus some who do might still rather do it themselves, by which we mean forcing some hapless intern 🙂

Whatever your motivations, this guide explains the steps to DIY Sdn Bhd registration as of September 2026 and how to make the process as smooth as possible.

Here’s how we’ve broken it down:

• a quick explanation on CRS vs MyCoID
• getting your details and documents sorted beforehand
• incorporating your Sdn Bhd, and
• a question at the end whether it’s worth the effort

Let’s begin.

CRS vs MyCoID

Depending on when you read this, there may be outdated information around, so it’s worth clarifying!

For a long time, MyCoID was the platform used to register Sdn Bhds until it was replaced by the Corporate Registry System (CRS) around mid-2026 – quite recent, and so many online guides still reference the old platform, including our old MyCoID guide.

As people still search for MyCoID, we’re leaving our old guide up to funnel readers here, but make no mistake, CRS is the current platform for Sdn Bhd registration that exists as a module on SSM4U (SSM’s digital hub).

Finally, we might as well mention MYDATA-SSM – it’s SSM’s free company search service. It’s not directly used in the Sdn Bhd registration process, but very useful to check if a company name has been taken.

Alright, now that’s out of the way let’s get to the steps.

Step 0: Get everything ready first (optional)

This is a purely preparatory step and you can skip it, but most company incorporation service providers don’t and we encourage you not to either!

Quite a few things to prepare here, and we’ll split them into two categories:

Decisions to make about your Sdn Bhd:

• three or four company names in order of preference
• at least one director aged 18 or above, ordinarily resident in Malaysia
• at least one shareholder, individual or corporate 
• your shareholding split, if there’s more than one owner
• paid-up capital amount, number of shares, and price per share
• up to three MSIC codes plus a short description of your business
• a Malaysian registered address, not a P.O. box
• your financial year end, which sets your compliance calendar
• whether you’re naming a Company Secretary now

Documents to gather:

• MyKad or passport copy for every director and shareholder
• proof of residential address for every director and shareholder
• contact number, email and occupation for each
• company registration documents for any corporate shareholders
• authorisation letters if your company name contains gazette words, control words, or a state or country name

Here are some resources that might come in handy:

• SSM company naming guidelines
• MYDATA-SSM where you can check if names are already taken
• how to choose MSIC codes and write a business description
• our user-friendly list of MSIC codes

Not only does preparing beforehand make the rest of the steps go faster, it prevents your application from stalling halfway while you go searching for available names, documents, and business codes!

Note: CRS can generate pre-approved names formatted as GIYYYYMMXXXXXX SDN. BHD. The tradeoff is your company is called something like GI202609001234 Sdn Bhd – if not a concern then this option can save a lot of time.

Step 1: Register your SSM4U account

Head to SSM4U and click Register Now, where you will be asked to select your ID type and enter your ID number, full name and email.

Set your password and complete your profile, then agree to their terms and confirm the registration. Check your inbox and click the verification link to confirm your email address.

That confirms your email and brings us to the next step, which nobody enjoys.

Step 2: Verify your identity

Your account stays unverified until you prove who you are, and an unverified account cannot yet access CRS.

If you are a local, you must either visit an SSM counter or a Tap.it kiosk. The latter is usually faster and less crowded and with just over 500 kiosks around Malaysia, there should be one near you.

If you are a foreigner, log into SSM4U and click Verify Now, then upload:

• a copy of your national ID or passport
• a photo of yourself holding your ID at neck level, and
• a utility bill or other supporting document

SSM typically processes these within three working days. Once you’re through, your dashboard status changes to Verified and the corporate registration services unlock.

Step 3: Search and reserve company name

This is where all the prep work in step 0 starts to pay off big time.

Log back into SSM4U and go to Application > Register of Company (ROC) > Name Search > New Incorporation.

Select the following parameters:

• Local Company
• Limited by Shares
• Private Company (Sdn Bhd)
• suffix SDN. BHD. 

Then search for your proposed name and if it’s available and you don’t want to complete the registration yet, you can pay RM50 to reserve it for 30 days.

Of course, you can also proceed straight to incorporation if you’re ready to complete it in one sitting.

Step 4: Fill in the form and pay SSM fee

Once again, those who took the time with Step 0 will have a breeze as the form simply asks for the details you’ve already decided, namely:

• business codes and description
• registered address
• directors, shareholders and shareholding details
• any authorisation letters your name requires
• Company Secretary certificate number (if you’ve appointed one) 

Tick the declaration, verify the submission details are correct and submit.

You will be asked to pay SSM’s RM1,010 incorporation fee on top of RM50 for every name reserved. Once payment clears, your application goes to SSM for review and you’ll get an email when it’s approved. 

That email contains your Section 15 Notice of Registration proving your Sdn Bhd legally exists.

And there you go, an incorporated Sdn Bhd – wasn’t so hard, was it? 

Too bad registering a Sdn Bhd is just the start!

What to do after registering a Sdn Bhd

You now have a registered company, but you cannot yet operate legally until several post-incorporation compliance steps have been taken.

Appoint a Company Secretary

Mandatory for every Sdn Bhd, and you cannot go more than 30 days without one. Their job is keeping your company compliant with the Companies Act 2016, which covers:

• filing annual submissions with SSM
• maintaining your statutory records and registers
• keeping meeting minutes and drafting resolutions
• handling all correspondence with SSM

Although you have 30 days, you’ll probably want one sooner as the bank will ask for a directors’ resolution that only a CoSec can prepare and certify.

See our guides to choosing a Company Secretary and comparing CoSec fee structures.

Open a corporate bank account

Your Company Secretary will need to certify true copies of:

• your Notice of Registration
• the Superform
• your Constitution, if you adopted one
• MyKad or passport copies for directors and signatories
• a directors’ resolution to open and operate the account
• beneficial ownership information, if requested
• a recommendation letter, if requested

Verification takes anywhere from a day to several weeks depending on how much risk the bank thinks it’s taking on – see our note on paid-up capital minimums in Malaysia to see how you can reduce this.

Register with statutory bodies

Some of these happen automatically at registration while others only once you cross a threshold, and your Company Secretary can tell you which you need.

Statutory Body	When Required	When to Register
Inland Revenue Board (LHDN)	Mandatory for all Sdn Bhd companies	Usually automatically upon incorporation but you should check
MyTax account activation	Mandatory to file taxes online	ASAP after incorporation
SOCSO (PERKESO)	Mandatory once you hire employees	Within 30 days of hiring first employee
EPF (KWSP)	Mandatory once you hire employees	Immediately when hiring employees
Employment Insurance System (EIS)	Mandatory once you hire employees	Within 30 days of hiring first employee
HRD Corp	Mandatory only if employing 10 employees and more but open to all	Within 30 days of becoming liable
Sales & Service Tax (SST) with RMCD	If you exceed taxable threshold or provide taxable services	Within 30 days of exceeding threshold

Apply for your business licences

Almost every business needs at least a composite licence from the Local Authorities covering its premises and signboard. 

Typical supporting documents:

• company registration documents
• applicant’s MyKad or passport
• premise floor plan with measurements
• location plan showing where the premise is
• photographs of the premise, inside and out
• signboard design with dimensions for each word
• Dewan Bahasa dan Pustaka (DBP) approval for the Malay used on the signboard
• photographs showing where the signboard will be installed

Your premise will likely be inspected, with officers often requesting minor renovations to meet safety requirements. Once all these are settled you can now start running your Sdn Bhd…and prepare for annual compliance requirements! 

Should you register yourself or engage a provider?

It’s a business decision at the end of the day, whether you want to pay more in Ringgit or time when registering your Sdn Bhd. If you’re in a position where you have to minimise costs, we hope this guide comes in handy.

If it’s time that is more valuable, get in touch and we’ll take it off your hands.

That’s it from us, and all the best with your Sdn Bhd registration 🙂

Let MISHU incorporate your Sdn Bhd

Our company incorporation services can handle every step of setting up your Sdn Bhd from reserving names to drafting bank resolutions and applying for MBSJ, MPSp, or DBKL licenses. Get in touch!