RCCM Senegal: everything you need to know about the trade register

What is the RCCM in Senegal?

The Registre du Commerce et du Crédit Mobilier, better known as the RCCM, is the register with which natural persons and legal entities carrying out a commercial activity in Senegal must be registered.

The RCCM was established by the provisions of the OHADA Uniform Act on General Commercial Law. Registration with the RCCM creates a presumption of trader status within the meaning of the Uniform Act.

This presumption does not apply to non-trader natural persons whose registration with the RCCM results from a statutory provision, nor to certain legal entities that are not deemed to be traders under the Uniform Act, the Uniform Act on Commercial Companies and Economic Interest Groups, or a specific statutory provision.

Registration with the RCCM requires the person concerned to include their RCCM number and place of registration on all invoices, purchase orders, price lists, commercial documents, and correspondence.

Who is eligible to register with the RCCM?

Any natural person or legal entity wishing to carry out a commercial activity may register with the RCCM. The process must be initiated by the person concerned or by a duly authorised representative.

The OHADA Uniform Act on General Commercial Law provides, however, that certain functions or professions are incompatible with carrying out a commercial activity.

Those concerned by these incompatibilities include in particular:

• civil servants and staff of public bodies and public-sector enterprises;
• ministerial officers and auxiliaries of justice: lawyers, bailiffs, auctioneers, exchange agents, notaries, court clerks, judicial administrators and liquidators;
• certified accountants, chartered accountants, statutory auditors and contribution auditors, legal advisers, and maritime brokers;
• more generally, any profession whose practice is subject to regulation prohibiting the simultaneous exercise of a commercial activity.

Which companies are concerned?

The OHADA Uniform Act on Commercial Companies and Economic Interest Groups provides that, with the exception of the société en participation, all commercial companies must be registered with the RCCM.

Registration with the Trade Register grants legal personality. It also provides access to a unique tax identification number, essential for conducting commercial transactions, paying taxes and levies, and benefiting from certain tax advantages.

It is therefore a critical step for all companies wishing to carry out a commercial activity in Senegal: SARL, SAS, SA, GIE, branch, foreign company established locally, or sole trader.

What is the role of the trade register?

The RCCM has several essential functions in Senegal's economic life:

• allowing those subject to the registration requirement to file their application, obtain their RCCM number, and complete the other formalities provided for by the Uniform Act;
• allowing sole traders to make their activity declaration and obtain their declaration number;
• allowing third parties to access information held by the RCCM;
• meeting the requirements of security, speed, transparency, and fairness necessary for the development of economic activities;
• receiving registrations relating to finance lease agreements and security interests provided for by the Uniform Act on Security Interests.

What documents are required for the trade register?

The documents to be submitted to the regional court of the place of business vary depending on whether the applicant is a natural person or a legal entity.

Registration for natural persons

The documents generally required are as follows:

• a criminal record extract (casier judiciaire) dated less than 3 months ago;
• a certificate of residence;
• a certified copy of the national identity card;
• a fiscal stamp of 2,000 FCFA;
• registration fees of 1,000 FCFA.

If you are a foreign national, you must provide a criminal record extract from your country of origin or a certificate of good conduct issued by the embassy or consulate, as well as a criminal record extract issued by the Dakar Court of Appeal, and a copy of your passport or consular card.

Registration for legal entities: GIE (Economic Interest Group)

For economic interest groups, the following documents may in particular be required:

• the minutes of constitution of the GIE;
• the internal regulations;
• the constitutive articles of the GIE;
• a copy of the identity card or passport of all members;
• the criminal record extract of the GIE's president;
• registration fees;
• stamp duty fees;
• OAPI fees, where applicable.

The following documents are generally to be drawn up in three copies and registered with the tax authorities: minutes, internal regulations, and constitutive articles of the GIE.

Registration for other legal entities: companies

For other legal entities, and in particular commercial companies, a form must contain the information required under Article 46 of the OHADA Uniform Act on General Commercial Law:

• the company name or trade name;
• where applicable, the acronym or trading name;
• the activity or activities carried out;
• the legal form of the entity;
• where applicable, the amount of share capital, indicating cash contributions and the valuation of contributions in kind;
• the address of the registered office and, where applicable, that of the principal establishment and any other establishments;
• the duration of the company or legal entity;
• information on shareholders with unlimited and personal liability for company debts;
• information on managers, officers, directors, or shareholders holding general authority to bind the legal entity;
• information on statutory auditors, where their appointment is required;
• any other information required by a specific statutory provision.

The file must also include:

• a certified copy of the articles of association or founding act;
• the declaration of regularity and conformity, or the notarised declaration of subscription and payment;
• the certified list of managers, directors, officers, or shareholders authorised to bind the company;
• a sworn statement signed by the applicant confirming they are not subject to any legal prohibition;
• where applicable, prior authorisation to carry out the activity.

How much does RCCM registration cost in Senegal?

Registration fees vary depending on whether the applicant is a natural person, a GIE, or another legal entity.

Profile	Indicated cost	Breakdown
Natural person	22,000 FCFA	Registration duty of 10,000 FCFA, fiscal stamp of 2,000 FCFA, and if a trade name is used, 10,000 FCFA for OAPI.
GIE	32,000 FCFA	Registration fees of 10,000 FCFA, fiscal stamp of 2,000 FCFA, and OAPI fees of 20,000 FCFA.
Commercial company	Variable	The cost depends on the legal form, share capital, documents to be registered, notary involvement, and additional formalities.

These costs are indicative and should be verified before initiating any formality, as administrative, fiscal, or publication fees may change.

What is the processing time for RCCM registration?

If you have all the required documents for RCCM registration, receipt of your identifiers can happen quickly — sometimes on the same day, depending on the information available and the completeness of the file.

It is strongly advisable to keep a photocopy and a digital copy of the document received to avoid any difficulty in the event of loss.

What is the NINEA and how do you obtain it in Senegal?

The Numéro d'Identification National des Entreprises et des Associations, better known as the NINEA, is the unique number by which a natural person or legal entity is registered in the directory of taxpayers, establishments, and associations.

In principle, any person carrying out an activity in Senegal must be included in this directory to have satisfactory identification for administrative, fiscal, and commercial purposes.

The NINEA application is submitted to the tax services centre of the applicant's fiscal domicile. The documents to be provided include in particular:

• a handwritten application;
• a photocopy of the national identity card for natural persons;
• a fiscal stamp of 1,000 FCFA;
• a photocopy of the trade register certificate;
• a photocopy of the lease agreement or title deed for the business premises.

Apart from the fiscal stamp included in the file, the NINEA is issued free of charge.

Is it possible to set up a company online? APIX and the Business Creation Office

The incorporation of capital companies can be carried out through the Bureau d'Appui à la Création d'Entreprise, also known as the BCE, which is attached to APIX.

The procedure generally includes:

• depositing the share capital with a notary;
• drawing up the articles of association, which must be signed by all founding shareholders or their authorised representatives;
• submission of the file by the notary through the electronic company creation platform, in particular Orbus-Entreprise;
• registration of the constitutive acts and registration of the company: trade register, NINEA, establishment declaration;
• legal notices relating to the incorporation or modification of companies.

APIX is the National Agency for the Promotion of Investment and Major Works. It supports investors, facilitates the implementation of investment projects, and contributes to the formalisation of companies in Senegal.

The APIX Business Creation Office aims primarily to help entrepreneurs formalise their activities quickly. Several government bodies are represented or associated with it: the Ministry of Justice, the Ministry of Finance, the tax authority, the Ministry of Labour, OAPI, and other services required for company creation.

The BCE enables the registration of articles of association, the establishment opening declaration, and the issuance of the trade register, tax identifier, and declaration of existence.

What are the common mistakes when registering with the RCCM?

The RCCM may seem like a simple administrative formality. In practice, it is directly linked to the company's ability to sign contracts, open a bank account, issue invoices, hire staff, respond to tenders, or raise funds.

Mistake	Risk	Best practice
Choosing a legal form without a strategy	Structure ill-suited to the activity, shareholders, or investors.	Choose between SARL, SAS, SA, GIE, or branch based on the actual project.
Drafting overly generic articles of association	Governance issues, poorly defined powers, deadlock between shareholders.	Tailor the articles to the activity, capital, directors, and shareholders.
Forgetting the NINEA	Fiscal, banking, and administrative difficulties.	Coordinate RCCM, NINEA, and establishment declaration in the same timeline.
Failing to protect the trade name	Risk of imitation or disputes over the name.	Check availability and consider trademark protection via OAPI.
Failing to anticipate regulated activities	Blockage or illegality if prior authorisation is required.	Identify from the outset any sector-specific licences, approvals, or authorisations.

For further reading on the legal structuring of a startup or company in Francophone Africa, see also our articles on the founders' shareholders' agreement, trademark protection at OAPI, and the term sheet in the fundraising process.

FAQ: RCCM, trade register, and company formation in Senegal

Further reading and resources

To go further on company formation, legal structuring, and asset protection in Francophone Africa, see also:

• Set up a company with African Legal Factory;
• The founders' shareholders' agreement;
• Protecting your trademark at OAPI;
• Register your trademark with ALF;
• The term sheet in the fundraising process;
• Fundraising in Francophone Africa: understanding the typologies;
• Have a commercial or tech contract reviewed;
• Subscribe to the ALF newsletter.