Cost of Opening a Company in Chile
OECD member, open market · 3–5 weeks · RUT · No local director required
Est. Formation Cost
$350–$1,700 (One-time formation costs only)
Cost of Opening a Company in Chile
Chile has the lowest formal incorporation cost of any LATAM market, thanks to the government's Empresa en un Día online portal, which is free and auto-assigns the RUT. The main cost for foreign founders is obtaining a Foreign Investor RUT and having documents notarized at a Chilean consulate. All costs below are third-party fees, separate from NavviPal's service fees.
Estimated Cost Breakdown
| Component | Description | Estimated Range | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Online Registration via Empresa en un Día | Constitution via the government portal (registroempresa.cl / TuEmpresa.cl) is free. The company's RUT is auto-assigned at registration. | $0 government fee | One-time. The traditional notary route adds CLP 50,000–70,000 in fees but is rarely necessary for standard formations. |
| Firma Electrónica Avanzada (FEA, Annual) | An Advanced Electronic Signature (FEA) is required to sign documents on the Empresa en un Día portal. It is the only unavoidable recurring government-related cost. | ~$6–$22 USD per year (CLP 6,000–20,000) | Annual, recurring. Issued by authorized CAs in Chile. |
| Inicio de Actividades Registration (SII) | Tax activity commencement filing with the Servicio de Impuestos Internos (SII). Required before issuing invoices or operating commercially. | $0 government fee | One-time. Must be completed online via the SII portal. |
| Foreign Investor RUT & Consulate POA | Each foreign founder needs a RUT de Inversionista Extranjero. This requires a Power of Attorney notarized at a Chilean consulate in the founder's country of residence, or in person at the SII in Chile. | $100–$400 USD per founder (consulate fees + local notarization) | One-time per foreign founder. Cost and timeline vary by country of origin and consulate. |
| Apostille & Sworn Translation of Foreign Documents | Foreign corporate documents and shareholder IDs must be apostilled and translated into Spanish. | Apostille costs vary by issuing jurisdiction and document origin. | One-time. Scales with number of foreign shareholders. |
| Registered Address (Annual) | A registered Chilean address is required for SII registration and ongoing correspondence. | $600–$1,800 USD per year (market rate) | Market rate — not NavviPal's fee. Annual, recurring. |
| Monthly Accounting & Bookkeeping (First Year) | Local contador fees for monthly bookkeeping, IVA filings, and annual income tax return (Formulario 22). | $300–$1,500 USD per month | Market rate — not NavviPal's fee. Recurring monthly. |
Est. Formation Cost
$350–$1,700 USD
$350–$1,700 USD in one-time formation costs. Government fees are near-zero via Empresa en un Día; most cost is driven by professional assistance for foreign founders obtaining their RUT and consulate POA.
Figures are approximate, in USD. Government fees are denominated in CLP (Chilean pesos) — the exchange rate fluctuates, confirm current rates before budgeting.
What Affects the Cost
Several variables can push your total formation cost toward the lower or upper end of these ranges:
Online vs. traditional route — The Empresa en un Día route is free; the traditional notary route adds CLP 50,000–70,000 in notary fees plus Conservador de Bienes Raíces registration.
Number of foreign founders — Each foreign founder needs a Foreign Investor RUT, which adds consulate and professional fees per person.
Professional assistance — Foreign founders typically need local legal support to complete the FEA setup, RUT application, and SII activation.
These are estimated third-party costs and do not include NavviPal's service fees. Figures are for reference only and subject to change.
Get an Exact Quote for Your Chile Entity
These are estimated third-party costs. NavviPal can give you a precise, itemized quote for your specific structure, shareholder composition, and timeline.