Dominican Republic launches platform to create businesses in 24 hours

The Dominican Republic government has launched ‘Empresas en 24 Horas’ (E24H), a digital platform designed to streamline the business formation process. Led by President Luis Abinader and the Ministry of Industry, Commerce and MSMEs, the tool aims to reduce the time required to establish a company from weeks to just 24 hours.

The platform integrates three essential administrative processes into a single digital workflow: the registration of a commercial name through the National Office of Industrial Property (ONAPI), the Mercantile Registry via the Chamber of Commerce and Production of Santo Domingo, and the National Taxpayer Registry (RNC) through the General Directorate of Internal Taxes (DGII).

Key features of the platform include a single application form, online payments, automatic validations, and WhatsApp-based pre-validation for commercial names. Currently operating as a public beta, the initiative is part of a broader ‘Zero Bureaucracy’ program intended to improve the investment climate and support entrepreneurship by reducing costs and physical travel between government offices.