Updated Fees for Accounting Firms, Realtors and Property Developers Holding LCCLs
The Ministry of Financial Services and Commerce (MFSC) advises that updated fees for accounting firms, realtors, property developers and exempt companies are effective today, 28 April 2026, pursuant to revenue measures proposed as part of the 2026/27 Budget.
The fees are specifically for:
- accounting firms with trade and business licences (TBLs);
- real estate and property development businesses with TBLs and local companies control licences (LCCLs);
- Caymanian property developers and
- exempt companies with TBLs.
The fee updates form part of a broader commerce reform and are intended to better reflect today’s business environment. Some fees have remained unchanged since 2014 and thus no longer suitably account for operating costs and prices for services which have risen during this lengthy time period, such as costs at the Department of Commerce and Investment (DCI), driven by increased demand for licensing, supervision and enforcement services over the years.
The fee updates are being made through the Trade and Business Licensing (Amendment of Schedule 1) Regulations (2026) and the Local Companies (Control)(Fees) (Amendment) Regulations, 2026.
Fees for accounting firms have been separated into the following new categories:
- audit firms;
- accountancy service providers; and
- insolvency firms.
Below are the updated fees in the various categories:
A. Trade and Business Licensing Act
|
Sector |
Current Fee CI$ |
Proposed New Fee CI$ |
|
|
Property Developers - own, develop and manage residential, tourism and commercial properties including luxury residences, tourism accommodations and commercial units throughout the Cayman Islands
|
|||
|
Property Developers (Fees for Caymanian licensees) |
750
|
5,000 |
|
|
LCCL holders with 15 or less employees
|
750
|
10,000
|
|
|
LCCL holders with 16 or more employees
|
750 |
20,000 |
|
|
Real estate agency or real estate agent
|
|||
|
a Caymanian owned and controlled real estate agency
|
750 for the agency fee plus an additional 750 for each affiliated agent |
750 for the agency fee plus an additional 750 for each affiliated agent |
|
|
a Caymanian real estate agent |
750 |
750 |
|
|
LCCL holders with TBLs in the real estate category |
750 |
10,000 |
|
|
Other
|
|
|
|
|
Exempt Companies |
800 |
12500
|
|
|
Accounting Firms - Audit Firms, Accountancy Service Providers and Insolvency Firms:
|
|||
|
Audit Firms |
|||
|
1-5 accountants and other professionals
|
50,000 |
||
|
6-15 accountants and other professionals
|
80,000
|
||
|
16-50 accountants and other professionals
|
150,000
|
||
|
51-100 accountants and other professionals
|
250,000 plus 2,500 for each accountant and other professionals |
||
|
101-150 accountants and other professionals |
375,000 plus 2,500 for each accountant and other professional |
||
|
151-250 accountants and other professionals |
475,000 plus 2,500 for each accountant and other professionals |
||
|
251 or more accountants and other professionals |
600,000 plus 2,500 for each accountant and other professional |
||
|
Accounting Service Providers |
|||
|
1-10 accountants and other professionals |
2,500 |
||
|
11-50 accountants and other professionals
|
25,000 |
||
|
51 or more accountants and other professionals |
60,000 |
||
|
Insolvency Firms |
|||
|
1-5 accountants and other professionals |
10,000 |
||
|
6-10 accountants and other professionals |
45,000 |
||
|
11-15 accountants and other professionals |
75,000 |
||
|
16-30 accountants and other professionals |
125,000 |
||
B. Local Companies Control Licensing Act
|
Category |
Current Annual Fee CI$ |
Proposed Fee CI$ |
|
Real estate
|
12,500
|
50,000 |
|
Property Developers |
12,500
|
100,000
|
Prior to implementation, the MFSC undertook stakeholder consultations with the Trade and Business Licensing Board, the Cayman Islands Institute of Professional Accountants, Caymanian developers and realtors including several micro and small businesses.
