Are Cyprus nominee director and nominee shareholder services legal?

Yes. Nominee directors, nominee shareholders, and nominee company secretaries are legal in Cyprus and widely used for commercial privacy. Nominee shareholders hold shares under a Declaration of Trust for the beneficial owner. All beneficial owners (25%+) must be disclosed to the Cyprus UBO Register accessible to competent authorities under Cyprus AML Law 188(I)/2007.

What is a Declaration of Trust for Cyprus nominee shareholders?

A Declaration of Trust (or nominee shareholder agreement) confirms that the nominee holds shares purely on trust for the principal, has no beneficial interest, that all dividends and proceeds of sale belong to the principal, and that the nominee will vote in accordance with the principal's instructions. The Declaration is not filed publicly — it is held in our records and shared with the principal.

Does using a nominee director limit my liability?

No. A nominee director is a full legal director under Cyprus Companies Law Cap. 113 with all the standard director duties — fiduciary duty, duty of care, duty to act in the company's best interest. The nominee arrangement does not limit the legal exposure of either the nominee or the beneficial owner. Both must comply with director duties and AML obligations.

Do I still need to appear on the Cyprus UBO Register if I use a nominee?

Yes. Cyprus operates a Beneficial Ownership Register (UBO Register) under EU Anti-Money-Laundering Directives, accessible to competent authorities and (in limited cases) the public. Anyone holding 25% or more of a Cyprus company's shares (directly or beneficially through a nominee) must be disclosed to the UBO Register. Nominee arrangements do not exempt beneficial owners from UBO disclosure.

When are Cyprus nominee services typically used?

Common scenarios: (1) commercial privacy from competitors and third parties; (2) protecting executives whose identity could expose them to physical risk; (3) family succession planning where shares are held on trust during a transition; (4) joint-venture and SPV structures where parties prefer the operating identity to be neutral. Nominee services are not appropriate for evading regulatory disclosure, AML obligations, or tax residency rules.

What does a Cyprus nominee director / secretary cost?

Nominee directors typically run from €1,200 + VAT per year per director (natural person, with full Declaration of Trust + indemnity). Nominee shareholders from €350 + VAT per year per shareholder. Nominee company secretaries from €600 + VAT per year. Bundled with our company-formation Business package, nominee director + nominee secretary + registered office are included in the €3,699 setup + €2,500/year ongoing fee.

Cyprus Fiduciary Services

Cyprus Nominee Director, Shareholder & Secretary

Nominee fiduciary services for Cyprus private limited companies — natural or corporate nominee directors, nominee shareholders with Declaration of Trust, and nominee secretaries. AML/MOKAS-aligned, full UBO compliance.

Declaration of Trustevery nominee shareholder

ICPAC-coordinatedAML / CDD onboarding

UBO Registerfiled by us

MOKAS-alignedCyprus AML Law 188(I)/2007

Natural-person directorCorporate directorNominee shareholderNominee secretary

Capacities offered

Four fiduciary capacities, three legal anchors

Natural-person Cyprus director

ICPAC-network individual takes the legal directorship. Substance signal for CRS and bank-onboarding. From €1,200/year.

Corporate nominee director

A Cyprus corporate vehicle takes the directorship — neutral on the public register. Often paired with a natural-person director for substance.

Nominee shareholder

Shares held on Declaration of Trust for the principal. Beneficial ownership disclosed to the Cyprus UBO Register but not to the public share registry. From €350/year.

Nominee company secretary

ICPAC-network individual or firm fills the statutory secretary role. Required by Cyprus Companies Law Cap. 113 for every company. From €600/year.

Legal framework

Three statutes that anchor Cyprus nominee practice

Companies Law Cap. 113

Defines director duties (Articles 192–199A), AGM/EGM procedures, secretary's role, and shareholder rights. Nominee directors carry full Cap. 113 duties — the nominee arrangement does not limit director liability.

Verify source

Cyprus AML Law 188(I)/2007 + EU AMLD

MOKAS (the Cyprus Financial Intelligence Unit) supervises ASP licensing and CDD/KYC. Nominee service providers are obliged subjects under Cyprus AML Law. Full beneficial-owner identification is a precondition; nominee arrangements never substitute for AML compliance.

Verify source

UBO Register (companies.gov.cy)

Anyone holding 25%+ of a Cyprus company (directly or beneficially through a nominee) must be disclosed to the UBO Register. The register is accessible to competent authorities and, in limited cases, the public. Failure to file is a criminal offence under Cyprus AML Law.

Verify source

Appropriate use cases

When nominee structuring fits — and when it doesn't

Appropriate

Commercial privacy from competitors / third parties on the public register
Executive identity protection where listed directorship creates physical risk
Family succession transitions — temporary nominee while structure resolves
Joint-venture and SPV structures where parties prefer a neutral public identity
Cyprus substance director appointment for CRS / bank-onboarding signals

Not appropriate

Avoiding UBO disclosure — beneficial owners must be filed regardless
Evading AML / CDD obligations — nominees are obliged subjects under Law 188(I)/2007
Hiding tax residency — Cyprus tax authority looks through to beneficial owners
Sanctioned-jurisdiction structures — independent of nominee, the underlying party is screened
Substituting for substance — nominee directors don't create economic substance

Transparent fee schedule

Annual nominee fees, no "contact us for a quote"

Per-capacity annual rates below assume one Cyprus private limited company, low-to-moderate transaction volume, and standard Declaration of Trust documentation. All fees + VAT (19% Cyprus VAT applies where the principal is EU; check your invoicing jurisdiction).

Capacity	Annual fee (from)	What's included
Natural-person nominee director	€1,200 / yr	ICPAC-network individual; Director's Service Agreement; Deed of Indemnity; quarterly board attendance for Cyprus tax-residency substance
Corporate nominee director	€1,800 / yr	Cyprus corporate vehicle as legal director; commonly paired with a natural-person director (see row 1) for substance
Nominee shareholder	€350 / yr	Per shareholder; full Declaration of Trust; standing voting instructions; UBO Register filing for the principal
Nominee company secretary	€600 / yr	Statutory secretary under Companies Law Cap. 113; HE32 annual return; statutory minutes / resolutions
Bundle: nominee director + secretary + registered office	€2,500 / yr	All three above; included free in our Business formation package (€3,699 setup) for the first year

High-transaction-volume principals, regulated-activity structures, and crypto-asset / MiCA-touching arrangements are quoted on engagement-letter basis. Request a fixed-fee quote.

Deeper reading

Cyprus nominee services explainedFull legal framework + Declaration of Trust template guide.Learn more →Cyprus UBO Register guideWho must file, deadlines, public-access rules.Learn more →Cyprus Substance RequirementsWhy nominees alone don't satisfy substance — what does.Learn more →Company Formation pricingBusiness package bundles nominee director + secretary + registered office.Learn more →

Need a nominee structure that holds up under audit?

ICPAC-network nominees, full Declaration of Trust documentation, MOKAS-aligned AML onboarding, and UBO Register filing — fixed-fee.

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Cyprus Nominee Director, Shareholder & Secretary

Declaration of Trustevery nominee shareholder

ICPAC-coordinatedAML / CDD onboarding

UBO Registerfiled by us

MOKAS-alignedCyprus AML Law 188(I)/2007

Natural-person directorCorporate directorNominee shareholderNominee secretary

Capacity

Annual fee (from)

What's included

Natural-person nominee director

€1,200 / yr

ICPAC-network individual; Director's Service Agreement; Deed of Indemnity; quarterly board attendance for Cyprus tax-residency substance

Corporate nominee director

€1,800 / yr

Cyprus corporate vehicle as legal director; commonly paired with a natural-person director (see row 1) for substance

Nominee shareholder

€350 / yr

Per shareholder; full Declaration of Trust; standing voting instructions; UBO Register filing for the principal

Nominee company secretary

€600 / yr

Statutory secretary under Companies Law Cap. 113; HE32 annual return; statutory minutes / resolutions

Bundle: nominee director + secretary + registered office

€2,500 / yr

All three above; included free in our Business formation package (€3,699 setup) for the first year