Trade Licence, TIN and BIN in Bangladesh: The Three Registrations Every New Business Needs
Before a bank account, a shop sign or a first invoice, a Bangladeshi business needs a trade licence, a tax identification number and, once sales cross the threshold, a VAT registration. This guide puts the three in the right order with the documents and fees for each.
- Trade licence: city corporation, pourashava or union parishad; renew every year
- e-TIN: free, online from NBR, needed for the licence and the bank
- BIN (VAT registration): mandatory above Tk 3 crore turnover; enlistment above Tk 50 lakh
- Order: TIN → trade licence → bank account → BIN
- Fee bands from about Tk 100 to Tk 40,000 by business type and area
In this guide: Step one: e-TIN · Step two: trade licence · Renewal, change and penalties · Step three: BIN (VAT registration or enlistment) · Other registrations by business type · Getting the order right
The short answer
A trade licence is issued by the city corporation (DSCC or DNCC in Dhaka), the pourashava or the union parishad where the business sits, for one financial year, against a fee set by the type and size of the business plus a signboard fee; it must be renewed annually. An e-TIN is the twelve-digit taxpayer number from the National Board of Revenue, free and issued online in minutes; most city corporations now ask for it with the licence application and banks ask for it to open the account. A BIN is the VAT registration number: compulsory once annual turnover exceeds Tk 3 crore (or for specified goods and services regardless of turnover), with turnover enlistment required between Tk 50 lakh and Tk 3 crore. Sole proprietors do all three in their own name; a company adds RJSC incorporation before the licence.
Step one: e-TIN
Go to the NBR e-return portal, register with your NID and mobile number and the TIN certificate is generated at once. A sole proprietor uses a personal TIN; a partnership or company gets its own TIN after RJSC registration. There is no fee. Keep the PDF: the trade licence office, the bank and every government tender will ask for it, and an annual income tax return becomes compulsory once you hold a TIN with business income.
Step two: trade licence
Apply to the ward office or online portal of the authority where the premises are. Usual documents: application form, NID and photographs of the owner, rent agreement or ownership deed of the premises, the latest holding tax receipt, TIN, and for a company the incorporation certificate with memorandum and articles, for a partnership the registered deed. Factories, clinics, travel agencies, pharmacies and some others need a sector clearance (fire, environment, DGHS, Civil Aviation) before the licence issues. The fee depends on the category in the authority’s schedule, roughly Tk 100 for the smallest trades to Tk 40,000 for large companies, plus a signboard fee by size and a small form and VAT component. Processing is normally a few working days once the inspector has visited.
Renewal, change and penalties
The licence runs to the end of the financial year (30 June) and must be renewed for the next, usually with a surcharge after the first quarter. Change of address, owner or business type needs an amended licence. Trading without a current licence invites fines under the city corporation ordinance and blocks bank, tender and import-export registrations, which all ask for a licence valid for the current year.
Step three: BIN (VAT registration or enlistment)
Under the VAT and SD Act 2012, a business whose annual turnover exceeds Tk 3 crore must register for VAT and obtain a BIN; one between Tk 50 lakh and Tk 3 crore must enlist for turnover tax; importers, exporters, suppliers to government and businesses in listed sectors must register regardless of turnover. Application is online at the NBR VAT portal with the trade licence, TIN, bank account, premises papers and a layout of the business. A registered business must issue VAT invoices (Mushak 6.3), file a monthly return by the 15th and keep purchase and sales books. Register before you cross the threshold, not after the first notice.
Other registrations by business type
- Company: name clearance and incorporation at RJSC before the trade licence; company TIN and BIN in the company’s name.
- Import or export: IRC or ERC from the Chief Controller of Imports and Exports, which needs the licence, TIN, BIN and a bank certificate.
- Factory: factory licence from DIFE, fire licence, environmental clearance where applicable.
- Restaurant, pharmacy, clinic, school: sector licences from the relevant directorate.
Our agreements guide covers the partnership deed and rent agreement these applications rely on.
Getting the order right
TIN first, because the licence form asks for it. Licence second, because the bank account needs it. Account third, because the BIN application needs a bank certificate. BIN fourth, before the threshold is crossed. Doing them out of order means repeat visits. Keep scanned copies of all three with their expiry dates in one folder; every later registration asks for the same set.
e-TIN
Free, online, the same day.
Trade licence
Ward office or portal; fee by category; annual renewal.
Bank account
Licence, TIN, NID and photos.
BIN
Register before turnover crosses Tk 3 crore; enlist above Tk 50 lakh.
Common questions
How do I get a trade licence in Bangladesh?
Apply to the city corporation, pourashava or union parishad where the business premises are, with the form, NID, photographs, rent agreement or deed, holding tax receipt and TIN. The fee depends on the business category; the licence runs to 30 June and is renewed yearly.
How much does a trade licence cost?
It depends on the authority's schedule and the type and size of business: roughly Tk 100 for the smallest trades up to about Tk 40,000 for large companies, plus a signboard fee. Check the current schedule of your city corporation.
Is a TIN compulsory for a business?
In practice yes. City corporations ask for a TIN with the licence application, banks ask for it to open a business account, and holding a TIN with business income makes the annual return compulsory. It is free from the NBR portal.
When do I need a BIN or VAT registration?
When annual turnover exceeds Tk 3 crore, or regardless of turnover if you import, export, supply to government or operate in a listed sector. Between Tk 50 lakh and Tk 3 crore you must enlist for turnover tax.
Can I run a business from home with a trade licence?
Yes, for trades the authority allows at a residential address; you still need the rent agreement or ownership papers and the holding tax receipt for the premises.
What is the order: TIN, trade licence or BIN?
TIN first, trade licence second, bank account third, BIN fourth. Each application asks for the previous one.
How long does a trade licence take?
Usually a few working days after the inspector's visit, longer if a sector clearance such as fire or environment is needed first.
What happens if I do not renew the trade licence?
Surcharges apply after the renewal window, the licence stops being valid for banks, tenders and import-export registrations, and the authority can fine or close the premises.
How much does trade licence renewal cost and when is it due?
The licence expires on 30 June each year; renew within the corporation’s window (usually by September) to avoid the late surcharge. The fee is the schedule fee for your category plus 15% VAT, advance income tax and any signboard tax. Our trade licence fees and renewal guide sets out the structure.
Do I need a BIN and a tax return to renew a trade licence?
Since 1 July 2026 the corporation must see your BIN (VAT registration or turnover enlistment) before renewing, and in a city corporation or municipality a proof of submission of income tax return is required under s.264 of the Income Tax Act 2023. A new licence needs only the TIN certificate.
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We prepare the partnership deed or company papers, get the licence, TIN and BIN done in order and keep the renewals on a calendar. A written assessment costs nothing.
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