Procedures for changing business lines under Vietnamese Law in 2026

Business line amendment procedures for enterprises under Vietnamese Law:

During the course of business operations, enterprises may wish to expand or restructure their activities to meet market demands and business development objectives. In such cases, enterprises are legally entitled to amend their registered business lines.

The procedure for changing business lines is an administrative procedure whereby an enterprise notifies the competent business registration authority of amendments to its business registration information when it intends to expand, modify, remove, or update its business activities.

Business lines under Vietnamese Law:

Pursuant to Decision No. 27/2018/QD-TTg on the Vietnam Standard Industrial Classification System, together with the list of business activity codes attached thereto, and Articles 7.1 and 7.2 of the Law on Enterprises 2020, enterprises are entitled to:

“Conduct business in any sector or profession not prohibited by law;

Exercise autonomy in business operations and in selecting the form of business organization; proactively choose business sectors, professions, locations, and methods of operation; and independently adjust the scale and scope of business activities.”

Accordingly, enterprises are free to select and register any business line provided under Decision No. 27/2018/QD-TTg. When business expansion becomes necessary, enterprises are fully entitled to amend or supplement their registered business lines in accordance with applicable laws and regulations.

Cases requiring business line amendments

Enterprises may need to carry out procedures for changing business lines in the following circumstances:

Addition of new business lines;
Removal of existing business lines;
Change of the principal business line;
Amendment or adjustment of the detailed scope of registered business activities.

How is the right to freedom of business protected by law?

Vietnamese law recognizes and protects the principle of freedom of business, allowing enterprises to conduct lawful business activities and adjust their registered business sectors in accordance with operational needs, subject only to restrictions imposed by applicable laws and regulations.

Required documents for business line amendment procedures

In accordance with applicable legal regulations, the dossier for changing registered business lines includes:

A Notice of Amendment to Enterprise Registration Information signed by the legal representative of the enterprise;
A Resolution and Decision, together with the Minutes of Meeting of the Members’ Council for a multiple-member limited liability company or partnership; the General Meeting of Shareholders for a joint-stock company; or a Resolution and Decision of the owner for a single-member limited liability company approving the amendment of business lines;
A Power of Attorney authorizing DHP Law Firm to carry out the business line amendment procedures on behalf of the enterprise.

Failure to register business Line changes may result in administrative penalties

Administrative Penalties Under Vietnamese Law

Pursuant to Article 44 of Decree No. 122/2021/ND-CP on administrative penalties in the field of planning and investment:

1. A fine ranging from VND 3,000,000 to VND 5,000,000 shall be imposed for registering amendments to the Enterprise Registration Certificate, Branch Operation Registration Certificate, Representative Office Registration Certificate, or Business Location Registration Certificate between 11 and 30 days after the statutory deadline.

2. A fine ranging from VND 5,000,000 to VND 10,000,000 shall be imposed for registering such amendments between 31 and 90 days after the statutory deadline.

3. A fine ranging from VND 10,000,000 to VND 12,000,000 shall be imposed for registering such amendments 91 days or more after the statutory deadline.

Accordingly, the registration of amendments to enterprise registration information is a mandatory legal obligation for enterprises.

Tax and Invoicing Risks Associated with Unregistered Business Lines

In addition to administrative penalties, enterprises that fail to register additional business lines may encounter difficulties in issuing lawful invoices for activities falling outside their registered business scope.

Where an enterprise issues invoices for business activities that have not been properly registered, such invoices may not be accepted by tax authorities during tax finalization, potentially resulting in tax compliance risks and related liabilities.

Therefore, enterprises should ensure that all intended business activities are properly registered and updated with the competent authorities before commencing operations.

Contact DHP Law Firm

For professional assistance regarding business line amendment procedures, online corporate legal consultation services, or other legal services, please contact us using the information below: