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ARTICLE · 07 SEPTEMBER 2026

Cayman Business Licensing Reforms

Stuarts Humphries
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The Cayman Islands has introduced significant reforms to its business licensing framework, including the option for eligible Caymanian-owned businesses to obtain multi-year Trade and Business Licences valid for up to five years, alongside revised fee structures across professional services, real estate, and property development sectors.

Cayman IslandsCorporate/Commercial Law
Chris Humphries
Chris Humphries
Megan Wright
Megan Wright
Buck Grizzel
Buck Grizzel
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The Cayman Islands has implemented targeted changes to its business licensing framework, including multi-year Trade and Business Licences for eligible Caymanian-owned and operated businesses and revised fee categories under the Trade and Business Licensing Act (2026 Revision) and the Local Companies (Control) regime.

The Trade and Business Licensing (Amendment of Schedule 1) Regulations, 2026 and the Local Companies (Control) (Fees) (Amendment) Regulations, 2026 each came into force on 28 April 2026. The reforms should be read within the statutory scope of the Trade and Business Licensing Act: a licence is required where a person carries on a trade or business in or from within the Cayman Islands, unless the Act does not apply or another statutory regime is engaged. They do not mean that every exempted company, international entity, asset manager or developer requires a Trade and Business Licence irrespective of its activities and status.

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