What is an AOP Firm?
A firm is a for-profit business organization that includes Corporations, Partnerships, and Limited Liability Companies (LLC), that offer professional services.
AOP stands for Association of Persons and is also referred to as a Partnership. It is a type of firm which is managed by all partners according to the partnership deed or agreement signed by the partners at the time of the registration of the AOP.
It is not a separate legal entity which means that partners have unlimited liability. All partners can be held liable in case of debt, a default, any liability, or any other form of misconduct even on behalf of a single partner.
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Documents Required for AOP Registration
Below are the documents required for AOP partnership firm registration:
- Form-I (download from website)
- Partnership Deed on Rs. 1000/- Stamp Paper
- Receipt for submission of registration fee in NBP (National Bank of Pakistan)
- Affidavit on a Rs. 5/- Stamp Paper
- Copy of Lease Agreement/Ownership of the office address alongside a copy of a utility bill (Office of the AOP should be in a commercial area)
- Copy of CNIC of all the witnesses and partners
Note: All the documents should be duly attested by the Notary Public.
Partnership Firm/AOP Registration in Pakistan
AOP is a type of partnership firm and it should be registered with the registrar of firms working in the respective district or city.
The process of AOP registration of firms is governed by the Partnership Act, 1932. The registration of firms in the Partnership Act enlists certain requirements that are necessary to be followed to legally hold a partnership firm in Pakistan.
If you are a resident of Islamabad you will need to consult with the ICTA (Islamabad Capital Territory Administration) and carry out the following steps to register an AOP:
- Download the application form (Form-I) online
- On a Stamp Paper of Rs. 1000/- prepare a Partnership Deed
- Submit Rs. 1000/- registration fee in any branch of the National Bank of Pakistan (NBP) under the Head of Account: C-03545
- Prepare an Affidavit regarding the accuracy of papers and the existence of your office on a stamp paper of Rs. 5/-
- Visit Citizen Facilitation Center, located in G-11/4, to submit your application and with documents
AOP Firm Certificate
Below is the timeline for receiving the AOP certificate:
- After documents submission, the date and time are provided for the physical appearance of all the partners/witnesses
- Every partner is required to bring their original CNIC before the Registrar of Firms
- The partners can contact the office after 10 days to collect their certificate
If you are a resident of the Punjab province and want to start a business in that region you can access the Punjab online business portal for easy, at-home registration of firms in Punjab.
Through the portal, one can easily perform partnership firm registration, online.
The online business registration portal offers tracking of applications along with timely issuance of online registration certificates.
You can also visit the Facilitation Centers (e-Khidmat Markaz) for partnership firm registration and assistance.
AOP Registration with FBR
For AOP registration with FBR, you need to visit the Facilitation Counter of any Tax House in person. The following documents will be needed at the time of visitation:
- Original Partnership Deed, original Registration Certificate from Registrar of Firms
- CNICs of all members and partners
- Original letter of AOP (on letterhead) signed by all members/partners (the letter should authorize anyone of the members or partners for income/sales tax registration
- Registered SIM against CNIC (not already registered with the FBR)
- Email address of the AOP
- Original evidence of ownership/tenancy of business premises
- Original certificate of maintenance of bank account in the AOP’s name
- Original utility bill of business premises (paid and not older than 3 months)
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FAQs
- What is the difference between an AOP and a Firm?
An AOP is a type of Firm which is managed by all partners according to the partnership deed or agreement signed by the partners at the time of the registration of the AOP.
- How can I open an AOP in Pakistan?
To register an AOP in Pakistan you will have to visit the registrar of firms working in your respective district or city.
- What documents are required for AOP?
To register an AOP one requires a Partnership Deed and an Affidavit. You also need to fill out a registration form (downloaded from the web) and submit the registration fee to the nearest NBP branch.