● Lao-owned · Vientiane · 15 years in the Lao market
BUSINESS IN LAOS
Laos Business License Directory
A practical index of the operating licenses, permits and certificates listed by the Lao government, organized by sector.
QUICK ANSWER
Laos publishes an official Inventory of Business Licenses listing 399 formalities across 71 authorities. This directory organizes those records by sector, adds the responsible authority, listed processing time and listed fee, and gives more detail for the licenses investors ask about most. Treat every figure as a starting point, and confirm it with the authority before you budget or file.
At a Glance
OFFICIAL LISTING
399 formalities from 71 authorities
SOURCE
Inventory of Business Licenses, Department of Enterprise Registration and Management
COVERAGE
Departments in 18 ministries, the Bank of the Lao PDR and 4 Vientiane Capital departments
NOT COVERED
Some ministry departments and most provincial-level formalities
Browse by Sector
Choose the sector closest to your business, then read the list for all businesses too.
A record can appear in more than one sector.
Most-Requested Licenses
| License | Sector | Authority |
|---|---|---|
| Hotel & Accommodation License | Hotels, Restaurants & Food | Department of Tourism Business Management |
| Restaurant License | Hotels, Restaurants & Food | Department of Tourism Business Management |
| Tour Operator License | Tourism & Other Services | Department of Tourism Business Management |
| Capital Import Certificate | All Businesses | Monetary Policy Department |
| Food Safety Certificate | Hotels, Restaurants & Food | Food and Drugs Department |
| Food Import Permit | Wholesale, Retail & Trade | Food and Drugs Department |
| Imported Food Registration | Hotels, Restaurants & Food | Food and Drugs Department |
| Wholesale & Retail License | Wholesale, Retail & Trade | Department of Industry and Commerce |
| Internal Trade License | Wholesale, Retail & Trade | Department of Internal Trade |
| Import & Export Permit | Wholesale, Retail & Trade | Department of Foreign Trade |
| Fuel Station License | Wholesale, Retail & Trade | Department of Industry and Commerce |
| Construction License | Construction | Department of Planning and Finance |
| Housing Construction License | Construction | Department of Planning and Finance |
| Warehouse & Storage License | Transport & Logistics | Department of Planning and Finance |
| Freight Transport License | Transport & Logistics | Department of Planning and Finance |
| Logistics License | Transport & Logistics | Public Works and Transport Department |
| Freight Forwarder License | Transport & Logistics | Department of Planning and Finance |
| Cryptocurrency License | Finance & Insurance | Payment Systems Department |
| Payment Services License | Finance & Insurance | Payment Systems Department |
| Leasing Company License | Finance & Insurance | Non Bank Financial Institution Supervision Department |
| Microfinance License | Finance & Insurance | Non Bank Financial Institution Supervision Department |
| Securities Business License | Finance & Insurance | Lao Securities Commission Office |
| Digital Technology Business License | ICT, Telecom & Media | See record |
| E-Commerce License | ICT, Telecom & Media | See record |
| Telecommunications License | ICT, Telecom & Media | Telecommunication Regulatory Authority |
| Accounting Firm License | Professional Services | Accounting Department |
| Audit Firm License | Professional Services | Accounting Department |
| Law Firm License | Professional Services | Department of Justice System Promotion |
| Engineering Consulting License | Professional Services | Department of Planning and Finance |
| Factory Operation Certificate | Manufacturing | Department of Industry |
| Mining License | Mining & Quarrying | Mine Management Department |
| Agriculture & Forestry License | Agriculture & Forestry | Department of Planning and Cooperation |
| Phytosanitary Certificate | Agriculture & Forestry | Agriculture and Forestry Department |
| Private Hospital License | Healthcare & Pharma | Department of Healthcare and Rehabilitation |
| International School License | Education | Department of General Education |
| Investment License for Controlled Business | All Businesses | Investment Promotion Department |
| Concession Investment License | All Businesses | Investment Promotion Department |
| Representative Office Permit | All Businesses | Investment Promotion Department |
| Foreign Labour Quota | All Businesses | Skill Development and Employment Department |
| Environmental Compliance Certificate | All Businesses | Environment Department |
How to Read a License Record
Each government record is built around the same questions. Knowing them makes it easier to compare options and spot what is missing.
- Type: license, certificate, registration or other formality.
- Responsible authority: the department that reviews it. Lower-capital businesses may be handled at district or provincial level.
- Qualifications and documents: what the applicant must meet and submit, on first application and renewal.
- Legal framework: the laws and decisions the requirement rests on.
- Processing time, validity and fees: the listed review period, how long the formality lasts, and service and certificate charges in kip.
How Current Is This Data?
Check the “source updated” date on every record. Of the 396 records we could retrieve, 117 were last updated in 2017 or 2018 and only 49 in 2024 or later.
Three limits matter when you use this directory:
- Older fee references: many records still cite Presidential Ordinance 003/PO (2012), while the National Enterprise Database now cites Ordinance 002/PO of 17 June 2021 for registration fees. A listed fee may therefore have changed.
- Records left out: we excluded 5 unusable records (4 with no name and 1 test entry). Records 471, 580 and 581 returned server errors when we collected the data.
- Sector labels: 47 records carry no sector in the source. We placed them using their responsible authority and mark them with an asterisk.
Frequently Asked Questions
How many business licenses are there in Laos?
The government inventory lists 399 formalities from 71 authorities. That total includes licenses, certificates, registrations and other permits. It does not include every provincial or departmental formality, so the true number is higher.
Is enterprise registration the same as a business license?
No. Enterprise registration creates the legal entity. A business operating license authorizes a regulated activity. Some activities need both, and the inventory shows which formalities apply to each sector.
Which authority issues the most licenses?
By the inventory count, the Ministry of Health has the most at 63, followed by Vientiane Capital departments at 55 and the Ministry of Public Works and Transport at 52.
Are the listed fees final?
No. They are the fees published on each record, and some records are several years old. Confirm the current amount with the responsible authority before budgeting.
Related Guides
Not Sure Which Licenses You Need?
Tell us what you plan to do in Laos and we will map the registrations and licenses that apply.