Registered Business Address in Vietnam 2026: New Rules and What Makes an Address Valid
Since 1 July 2025, Decree 168/2025/NĐ-CP moved business registration authority to offices under the provincial Department of Finance and to commune-level offices. A registered business address must be real and verifiable, display company signage, and cannot be located in a residential apartment. Virtual offices are legal under Article 42 of the Enterprise Law 2020, provided they sit in a commercial building and come with a valid service agreement. Filings submitted in 2026 must use post-restructuring ward names.
On a company registration certificate, the registered address is a single line. It is also the line that causes the most rejected applications — and the detail that lands some companies on the tax authority’s watch list later.
Three things changed for anyone securing a registered business address in 2026. The receiving authority changed. Ho Chi Minh City’s administrative geography changed. And the disclosure requirements expanded.
Three Legal Changes to Know in 2026
The registration authority moved
This is the change most companies have not yet caught up with.
Under Decree 168/2025/NĐ-CP, effective 1 July 2025, business registration no longer sits with the Department of Planning and Investment. Authority transferred to business registration offices under the provincial Department of Finance, and to registration offices at ward, commune and special zone level.
Under Article 88.2 of Decree 168/2025/NĐ-CP, a company may file at any commune-level registration office within the city. The office covering the registered address is the one that formally processes it.
Applications are still submitted online through the National Business Registration Portal. The registration fee is VND 100,000 per filing.
Ho Chi Minh City’s administrative structure changed
On 1 July 2025, Ho Chi Minh City merged with the provinces of Bình Dương and Bà Rịa – Vũng Tàu. The district tier was abolished, and the city now runs a two-tier structure.
The former District 1 is now four wards: Sài Gòn, Tân Định, Bến Thành and Cầu Ông Lãnh.
An application filed in 2026 listing “District 1” instead of the current ward name will need correction. A small error, but one that costs days or weeks.
Beneficial ownership disclosure
Under Article 4.35 of the Enterprise Law 2020, as amended by Law 76/2025/QH15, companies must declare their beneficial owner — the individual who genuinely owns or controls the company, even where their name does not appear on the documents.
The requirement took effect on 1 July 2025. Companies must maintain this record and notify the business registration authority.
What Makes an Address Valid
Not every address can serve as a registered business address. Four conditions determine whether an application clears.
The address must be verifiable on site
Authorities may conduct physical verification. An address that exists on paper but where nobody recognizes the company name is a clear risk signal.
The practical test: if a partner arrived unannounced, would the receptionist at that address know your company?
Company signage must be displayed
This is a mandatory requirement, and the one most often missed when companies take a cheap address.
The signage must display the company name. Logo area cannot exceed 20% of the sign, and the sign cannot be used to advertise goods or services.
Missing signage at a registered address is among the most common findings when tax authorities conduct verification.
The address cannot be a residential apartment
Vietnam’s Housing Law prohibits using apartment units as business premises. This is unambiguous, with no exemption for small companies.
An address in a commercial office building is fully compliant.
A valid agreement must be on file
The application must demonstrate the company’s right to use the address. A lease agreement or confirmation letter from the building management is required documentation.
This document must also be producible when the tax authority requests it.
Are Virtual Offices Legal in Vietnam?
The question comes up constantly, and the answer is reasonably clear.
Under Article 42 of the Enterprise Law 2020, a company’s registered head office is defined as a “contact address.” There is no minimum floor area requirement, and multiple businesses may register at the same address.
Virtual offices are therefore legal — provided they satisfy the four conditions above.
Three factors determine whether a virtual office address functions as a compliant registered address:
Company signage is displayed at the address. Not every provider does this.
Official mail is received and forwarded. Tax notices, government correspondence and legal documents need to reach the company promptly.
A formal service agreement is on file. Documentation confirming the right to use the address, producible on request from the tax authority.
One important limitation: virtual offices apply to companies — limited liability companies, joint stock companies, and representative offices. Household businesses cannot use this route, as they require verified physical premises.
The Three Market Segments
Address providers are not interchangeable. Choosing the wrong tier usually results in extra cost or legal exposure.
Criteria | Budget | Standard | Hospitality-led |
Monthly cost | Under VND 500,000 | VND 1 – 2 million | Competitive, high value |
Location | Grade C buildings, side alleys | Grade B buildings | Central Grade A and B+ buildings |
Company signage | Usually absent | Grade B buildings | To standard |
Reception and guest handling | None or chaotic shared use | Administrative, basic | Hotel-standard training |
Mail handling | Unreliable | Basic | Dedicated team |
Legal risk | High — duplicated or flagged addresses | Medium | Low — provider due diligence |
Upgrade path | None | Limited | Move into physical space, same provider |
The cheapest address is typically one shared by hundreds of companies, without signage, and with nobody handling mail. Saving a few hundred thousand VND monthly is poor value against the risk of a flagged registration.
From Registered Address to Physical Office
This is the part companies rarely weigh when choosing an initial provider.
Many Dreamplex members begin with a registered business address and move into physical workspace as the team grows — without changing the registered address.
From a virtual address, a company can move to a hot desk, fixed desk, or private office at any location in the network. The registered address stays the same. The tax code stays the same. Only the team size changes.
Changing a registered address under Decree 168/2025/NĐ-CP requires a resolution from the owner or members’ council, forms under Circular 68/2025/TT-BTC, and clearance with the tax authority before filing. Avoiding that process is a genuine time saving.
What Dreamplex Provides
Dreamplex offers registered business addresses at six locations across Ho Chi Minh City and Hanoi — legally valid for business registration and tax code issuance.
Cost: from VND 30,000 per day. Minimum term of 12 months, matching the address stability that business registration expects.
Locations: Nguyen Trung Ngan and Tran Quang Khai (former District 1), Ngo Quang Huy and Le Hien Mai (former District 2), Tran Quoc Toan (former District 3), and Thai Ha in Dong Da, Hanoi.
Included in the package:
- Registered business address at your chosen location
- Company signage displayed at the address
- Mail receipt and forwarding by the Member Experience team
- One free coworking day per month
- Bookable meeting rooms at member rates
- Full membership access: events, community, workshops
The signage and mail handling are worth noting specifically. Both are legal requirements that most budget providers do not meet, and both are among the first things a tax authority checks when verifying an address.
Pre-Registration Checklist
1. Confirm the address is not in a residential apartment building
2. Check the address uses current ward naming following administrative restructuring
3. Ask the provider to confirm other companies have registered successfully at that address
4. Verify company signage will be displayed at the premises
5. Clarify the process for receiving and forwarding official mail
6. Ensure a formal service agreement is provided, producible for the tax authority
7. Prepare beneficial ownership information under Law 76/2025/QH15
8. Consider whether the provider supports an upgrade to physical space later
Securing a registered business address in 2026 is no more complex than before. But verification is stricter, and the receiving authority has changed.
The cheapest address is rarely the least expensive one. A rejected application, a flagged registration, or a tax notice that arrives late all cost considerably more than the monthly difference.
Ready to get your business settled and thriving?
- Book a Tour → Experience how Dreamplex helps enterprises reduce cost per employee while enhancing daily performance.
- Join Our Leadership Roundtable → “AI Teams, Human Workplaces: The New Balancing Act.” Learn how Vietnam’s top leaders are designing offices that scale with technology — and still put people first.
Dreamplex provides registered business addresses at six locations across Ho Chi Minh City and Hanoi, alongside serviced offices and coworking when the team needs physical space. Contact Dreamplex for a free consultation and explore special offers:
- Hotline: +84 909 90 34 99
- Email: sales@dreamplex.co
Dreamplex – Creating workspace that grows with your business
Private when you need focus. Open when you need energy. Human, always.
We create “A Better Day at Work” that perfectly meets the needs of fast-growing companies that understand that their young employees expect more from their workplace.
Well-designed private, branded offices, 5-star hospitality-level care, and a savvy c help those companies attract, engage, and retain Millennial and GenZ talent in Vietnam.
Dreamplex has 5 locations in Ho Chi Minh City, 1 in Hanoi, and looks to expand further in 2026 to create a better workplace for even more people-centric companies and their employees. Companies like Tiki, AIA, Sky Mavis, Samsung, and more trusted Dreamplex to offer the best office for their teams.
WE CREATE A BETTER DAY AT WORK.
