Company registers
Egypt's commercial register offices and the Internal Trade Development Authority
Short answer
- Operator
- Jihaz Tanmiyat al-Tijara al-Dakhiliya (Internal Trade Development Authority) 6
- Supervising minister
- Wazir al-Tamwin wa al-Tijara al-Dakhiliya (Minister of Supply and Internal Trade), as reported by Al-Ahram 1
- Register unit
- Al-Idara al-Markaziya lil-Sijill al-Tijari (Central Administration for the Commercial Register), as reported by Al-Ahram 1
- Post office services
- From a protocol reported in March 2026, as reported by Al-Ahram 2
- Register number
- Raqm al-sijill al-tijari al-muwahhad (unified commercial register number, UCR) 2
- Register law
- Law No. 34 of 1976, in force from 1 August 1976 4
Two bodies, two stages
Egypt splits company formation and the commercial register between two bodies. The General Authority for Investment and Free Zones (GAFI) incorporates companies and, since September 2023, does so only online for sole proprietorships, partnerships and limited liability companies under Investment Law No. 72 of 2017 5. The commercial register offices that keep and update entries, and issue extracts, are run by ITDA 6. ITDA's site describes the service as managing databases of traders and companies and providing certified digital services 6.
As reported by Walaa Morsi of Al-Ahram, ITDA describes the register as a base of accurate and updated data on commercial establishments across the country 1.
The office network
As reported by Walaa Morsi, ITDA's vice-chair toured 25 commercial register offices in four governorates in June 2026. They were Cairo, Giza, Qalyubia and Sharqia 1. The head of the Central Administration for the Commercial Register and the directors of register, review and governance departments took part 1. The tour checked technical readiness, performance rates and the speed of transactions 1.
The offices named in the report show several types of service point 1.
| Type of office | Examples named in the report |
|---|---|
| Premium offices (mumayyaz) 1 | Cairo, North Cairo, South Cairo, Giza, October and Obour 1 |
| Extract units (wahdat mustakhrajat) 1 | Cairo and Giza 1 |
| Offices inside chambers of commerce 1 | Cairo 1, Cairo 2, Giza and Shubra al-Khaima 1 |
| Investment offices 1 | Cairo, October and Tenth of Ramadan 1 |
| Other sites 1 | A Bank of Alexandria branch in al-Tagamoa and an office at Mall of Arabia 1 |
Post office services from 2026
As reported by Fatima Suwairi of Al-Ahram, ITDA and al-Hay'a al-Qawmiya lil-Barid (National Postal Authority) signed a protocol, reported on 10 March 2026 2. It lets people obtain a mustakhraj al-sijill al-tijari (commercial register extract) at post offices across the country 2.
The New Capital office
As reported by Walaa Morsi, ITDA began offering some commercial register services in the New Capital in June 2026 3. The services run from the National Postal Authority branch in the financial district, the first time such services were offered in the New Capital 3. The report links the step to the post office protocol and says it aims to ease pressure on the traditional register offices 3.
The law behind the register
The register rests on qanun raqm 34 li-sanat 1976 bi-sha'n al-sijill al-tijari (Law No. 34 of 1976 on the commercial register) 4. WIPO Lex lists it as in force from 1 August 1976 and holds a text amended up to Law No. 98 of 1996 4. Later amendments could not be confirmed from an official Egyptian source for this page, so the WIPO Lex text may be out of date. ITDA fee schedules and the official list of register offices could not be opened. The Ministry of Supply site returned an error.
Common questions
Who issues commercial register extracts in Egypt?
The commercial register offices of the Internal Trade Development Authority, which lists the commercial register among its services 6.
Can I get an Egyptian commercial register extract at a post office?
Yes. A March 2026 protocol made extracts available at post offices, as reported by Fatima Suwairi of Al-Ahram 2.
What is the UCR in Egypt?
The unified commercial register number. Post offices can look it up under the 2026 protocol 2.
Is GAFI the same as the commercial register?
No. GAFI incorporates companies online, and ITDA runs the register offices 5,6.
Which law governs Egypt's commercial register?
Law No. 34 of 1976, listed by WIPO Lex as amended up to 1996 4.
Rules and fees change. Check the official source linked on this page before you act on it. Spotted an error? Email hello@maghrebregisters.com.
Sources
- Bawwabat al-Ahram: Jihaz tanmiyat al-tijara al-dakhiliya yuwasil tatwir manzumat al-sijill al-tijari (The Internal Trade Development Authority continues to develop the commercial register system), by Walaa Morsi (15 June 2026)
- Bawwabat al-Ahram: Itahat khadamat jihaz tanmiyat al-tijara al-dakhiliya abr makatib al-barid (Internal Trade Development Authority services made available through post offices), by Fatima Suwairi (10 March 2026)
- Bawwabat al-Ahram: Jihaz tanmiyat al-tijara al-dakhiliya yutliq ba'd khadamat al-sijill al-tijari bil-Asima al-Jadida (The Internal Trade Development Authority launches some commercial register services in the New Capital), by Walaa Morsi (21 June 2026)
- WIPO Lex: Law No. 34 of 1976 on Commercial Register, Egypt, as amended up to Law No. 98 of 1996 (qanun raqm 34 li-sanat 1976 bi-sha'n al-sijill al-tijari)
- GAFI: Electronic Incorporation Services, Launch Your Investments Through a Unified Digital Platform
- Jihaz Tanmiyat al-Tijara al-Dakhiliya: Jihaz Tanmiyat al-Tijara al-Dakhiliya (tashghil tajribi) (Internal Trade Development Authority, trial operation)
Related
- Company registers in Egypt: the commercial register and GAFI incorporation
How Egypt's commercial register works: law 34 of 1976, GAFI incorporation, online-only filing since September 2023, entry fees and extracts.
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The official gazettes of Morocco, Algeria, Tunisia, Egypt, Libya and Mauritania: titles, publishers, editions, prices and online access.
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Transliterated Arabic terms from Libyan and Egyptian register, company and gazette sources, with English meanings and the source that uses each one.
- Trade register deadlines and penalties in Morocco, Mauritania, Algeria, Libya and Egypt
Side-by-side deadlines and fines for trade register filings in Morocco, Mauritania and Algeria, with what Libyan and Egyptian sources state.