How to Change a Cyprus Company Name (2026): Name Approval, Special Resolution & the Registrar Filing

Rebranding, a group reorganisation, or simply outgrowing a placeholder name chosen at incorporation — whatever the reason, changing a Cyprus company's name is a well-defined administrative process, not a re-incorporation. The Companies Law lets any company change its name by special resolution with the Registrar's approval, and crucially the change does not affect the company's rights, obligations or ongoing legal proceedings.Companies Law Cap. 113, s.19 (change of name)

This guide walks through the exact 2026 sequence — name approval, the special resolution, the filing and the certificate — with the Registrar's current forms, fees and timing, and the practical clean-up (bank, VAT, licences, letterhead) that trips people up after the legal step is done. The name-approval mechanics are the same ones you first met when you registered the company in Cyprus.

Can I change my Cyprus company name?

Yes. Any Cyprus company may change its name by a special resolution of its shareholders, provided the Registrar of Companies approves the new name. The change is administrative — it does not dissolve the old company or create a new one.

The power sits in section 19 of the Companies Law, Cap. 113: a company may, by special resolution and with the approval of the Registrar, change its name. The same section confirms the point that matters most in practice — the change of name does not affect any rights or obligations of the company, and does not render defective any legal proceedings by or against it. Proceedings begun in the old name may continue in the new one.Companies Law Cap. 113, s.19

The Department of the Registrar of Companies and Intellectual Property (still widely referred to by its legacy initials DRCOR, and whose e-filing portal keeps the DRCOR address) administers the process through its e-filing system or by hand/post submission.Department of Registrar of Companies and Intellectual Property (DRCOR/DRCIP)

What are the steps to change the name?

Three steps in strict order: (1) apply for and obtain Registrar approval of the proposed new name; (2) pass a shareholders' special resolution approving the change; (3) file the resolution so the Registrar registers the change, issues the certificate of change of name and publishes it in the Official Gazette.

1. Name approval.Submit the Registrar's form for name approval/change with the proposed name (ideally with an alternative in reserve).
2. Special resolution.Once the name is approved, the shareholders resolve to change the name — a special resolution requiring at least a 75% majority of votes cast.
3. File and register. File the special resolution with the Registrar within 15 days; the Registrar registers the change, updates the register, issues the certificate of change of name and gazettes it.Cyprus company name change procedure, DRCOR

How does name approval work?

Before any resolution is passed, the proposed name must clear the Registrar's approval check. It must not be identical or too similar to an existing entity, and must not be misleading or undesirable. Name approval is filed on the Registrar's form for name approval/change, at €10 per proposed name (plus €20 per name for the accelerated procedure).

The approval stage is the same gatekeeping used at incorporation. Sensitive words — anything implying banking, insurance, investment services or a connection with the state — require supporting approvals or licences before the name will be cleared. Because a rejection sends you back to the start, most practitioners submit a preferred name plus one fallback, and check availability against the public register first.DRCOR Forms & Fees — form for name approval/change

What resolution do shareholders pass?

A special resolution — carried by at least three-quarters (75%) of the votes cast by members entitled to vote — approving the change of name to the approved new name. It is passed at a general meeting on proper notice, or by written resolution where the articles allow.

Under Cap. 113 a "special resolution" is one passed by a majority of not less than 75% of eligible votes, on notice specifying the intention to propose it as a special resolution. The resolution should recite the current name, the approved new name, and take effect subject to the Registrar's registration. Keep the signed resolution and the notice on file — the resolution is the document that is filed with the Registrar.Companies Law Cap. 113, s.135 (special resolutions)

What is filed and what certificate issues?

The special resolution is filed with the Registrar within 15 days of being passed, via the e-filing portal or by hand/post. The Registrar then registers the change of name, updates the companies register, issues a certificate of change of name and makes the relevant publication in the Official Gazette.

The certificate of change of name is your proof of the new legal name and the document banks, regulators and counterparties will ask to see. The company's registration number does not change — only the name on the record — so the certificate links the old and new names to the same entity. Special (and extraordinary) resolutions must be delivered to the Registrar within 15 days of passing, a general Cap. 113 filing rule that applies to the name-change resolution too.Companies Law Cap. 113, s.143 (filing of resolutions)

What are the fees and timeline?

Registry fees are low: €10 per proposed name for approval (plus €20 per name to accelerate), and €40 to register the change of name (plus €20 for the accelerated procedure). The special resolution must be filed within 15 days of passing; the overall process usually takes a couple of weeks, gated mainly by name approval.

These are Registrar fees only; drafting the resolution and handling the filings are separate professional costs. Fees are periodically revised, so confirm the current figures on the Registrar's Forms & Fees page before filing. For how these sit alongside the rest of a Cyprus structure's running costs, see our Cyprus company formation cost guide.DRCOR Knowledgebase — Forms & Fees

Does a name change affect contracts and the bank?

No, not legally. Because the entity is unchanged, existing contracts, licences, leases, loans and liabilities all remain valid in the new name — there is no need to re-sign them. But you must notify counterparties and update records so the paperwork matches the register.

Section 19 is explicit that a change of name leaves rights and obligations intact and does not disturb pending legal proceedings. In practice, though, a mismatch between the register and your invoices or bank mandate causes friction, so the certificate of change of name should be circulated to the bank, the VAT and Tax Department, any licensing regulator (for example CySEC-authorised entities), insurers, landlords and material suppliers. Regulated firms in particular should check their licence conditions, as some require prior notification of a name change.Companies Law Cap. 113, s.19 (rights and obligations unaffected)

What must I update after the change?

After the certificate issues, update everything that carries the old name: the company stamp, letterhead and invoices, the VAT/TIC records, bank mandates, contracts register, website and email, any regulatory licence, domain names and trade marks, and your internal statutory registers.

• Registrar-facing filings: ensure future filings — annual returns, financial statements and other submissions in your annual compliance cycle — use the new name.
• Tax & VAT: notify the Tax Department so the TIC and VAT registration display the new name (the numbers themselves stay the same).
• Banking: provide the certificate of change of name to update account titles, cards and mandates.
• Public identity: company seal, stationery, signage, website, social profiles, domains and any registered trade marks.
• Contracts: a name-change notice to counterparties is courteous and avoids confusion, even though re-execution is not required.