Business licences & permits in Vietnam.
Many business activities in Vietnam need a special licence or permit on top of your normal company registration. Forra works out which ones apply to you, handles the applications, and tracks renewal dates so you stay allowed to trade.
Your company papers are only the start.
When you register a company in Vietnam you get two certificates — an Enterprise Registration Certificate (ERC) and an Investment Registration Certificate (IRC). These prove your company exists. But on their own they don't let you operate in regulated sectors. If your work falls on Vietnam's list of regulated activities — over 240 of them under the 2020 Investment Law — you also need a sector-specific licence, called a sub-licence, before you can begin. Trading without one risks fines and suspension.
An activity you already do may have become regulated after you registered, or you may have grown beyond your original licence. Forra checks what you do today against today's rules — not just what was required when you set up.
Sectors that usually need a sub-licence.
These are the most common sectors where you need a licence before you start. The list is a guide, not the full picture — Forra confirms exactly what your business needs before any application begins.
Retail & distribution
Retail business licence (extra approval may be needed for more shops)
Restaurants, cafés & catering
Food safety & food establishment certificate
Education & training
Operating licence for a school or training centre
Clinics & medical services
Facility operating licence; practitioner certificates
Logistics & freight forwarding
Freight forwarding licence; customs brokerage where needed
Technology & telecoms
Telecom service or network infrastructure licence
Financial services & fintech
Licence from the central bank or finance authority
Advertising
Advertising activity licence (for foreign-invested firms)
Tourism & travel agencies
International travel business licence
Pharmaceuticals & medical devices
Drug or medical-device trading licence
Construction & real estate
Construction activity licence; real-estate trading licence
What you do matters more than your sector. Selling, distributing, making, or servicing the same kind of product can each need a different licence. Forra confirms which ones apply to your actual activities.
From eligibility check to licence in hand.
Forra runs the whole process for you — from confirming what's required, through preparing documents and dealing with the authorities, to collecting the licence and tracking renewals.
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Eligibility check
We review your licence (IRC), what you actually do, your company type and ownership to work out which licences you need. If your activities have changed, we'll tell you whether your IRC needs updating first.
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Licence roadmap & timeline
If you need several licences, we map out the order to apply in, how long each takes, and the earliest date you can legally start each activity. This stops you starting work before you're approved.
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Document preparation
We prepare the full application pack for each licence.
- Application form in Vietnamese (sector-specific format)
- Notarised copies of your ERC and IRC
- Lease for your business premises
- CVs and qualifications of responsible managers
- Proof of financial capacity, where required
- Sector-specific extras (food-safety plans, equipment lists, staff qualifications, etc.)
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Submission & follow-up
5–45+ working daysWe submit everything to the right authority and handle all follow-up. If they ask for more documents or a site visit, we coordinate it and attend on your behalf. Times range from about 5 working days for simple licences to 45+ for tightly regulated activities.
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Collection, handover & renewal tracking
Once approved, we collect the licence and hand it over with a plain summary of what it covers, its conditions, and when it expires. We log every licence and remind you at least 90 days before it lapses — then start the renewal for you.
Is your business licensed for everything it does?
Run through this list. If any item is unclear or missing, Forra can run an eligibility check and tell you which licences you need — before you start, or before an inspection.
- Your company licence (IRC) covers everything you actually do
- You obtained every required sub-licence before you started
- Each regulated activity had its licence in place before it began
- Staff qualifications and certificates meet the licence conditions
- You still meet every licence condition — staffing, premises, and so on
- Every expiry date is tracked and renewals start on time
What clients ask about business licensing.
How do I know if my business needs a sub-licence?
Vietnam's 2020 Investment Law lists over 240 regulated activities. But the list alone won't tell you exactly which licence you need or who issues it — that depends on your specific activity.
The reliable way is to have Forra check your licence (IRC) against the current rules. We do this as a free first check before quoting for any work.
What if we've been operating without a required licence?
Trading without a required licence breaks the rules. Penalties vary but can include fines (commonly tens of millions of VND), suspension of the unlicensed activity, and in serious cases the loss of your trading rights.
The best move is to apply as soon as you spot the gap and, where possible, fix it before an inspection. Forra manages this and advises whether it's wise to come forward voluntarily in your situation.
How long does a sub-licence take?
It depends on the licence and the authority. A rough guide:
- Retail licence: 10–20 working days
- Food safety certificate: 15–30 working days
- Education / training licence: 30–60 working days
- Telecom / technology licences: 30–90 working days
- Financial services licences: 45+ working days
These assume a complete pack first time. Missing documents reset the clock, so we prepare everything in full before submitting.
What if we add a new activity later?
Adding a new activity usually means two steps: first update your IRC to add the new business code, then get any sub-licence that activity needs. The IRC update has to come first, because the sub-licence application refers to it.
Forra handles both as one coordinated process — and if you're already a client, we flag the need to update your IRC whenever you expand.
Find out which licences your business needs.
Book a free eligibility check with a Forra licensing advisor. We'll review your IRC scope and actual activities, and give you a clear list of what's required and what it takes to get it.