In brief
On 12 April 2021, the Lao Government has issued the Decree on E-Commerce No. 1296/GOV. The main reason of this issuance is to uplift the safety of the E-commerce transaction as a reliable activity; and to allow foreign individual or legal entity to operate E-commerce business in Laos, the foreign investor is able to hold the share maximum 90 per cent of shares, with the capital of ten billion Kip or over.
Currently, The Ministry of Industry and Commerce (MOIC) is now working for the registration on this issue, they are now setting up the regulation and fees.
Moreover, the investor who process E-commerce business before this Decree has issued, they shall get the notification at the MOIC within 90 days.

Documentation
Required documents for filing the E-Commerce Business License are as follows:
1. E-Commerce Registration Application from Ministry of Industry and Commerce (which is not available yet);
2. A copy of Enterprise Registration Certificate;
3. Business plan;
4. Technical Standards of Electronic Channel Certificate (at Ministry of Technology and Communication);
5. Electronic Payment Service Provider License (at Bank of Lao PDR).

Duration
Ministry of Industry and Commerce shall consider and issue the license for E-commerce business registration certificate within 5 working days after receiving the application. However, the E-commerce Business Registration system is not available yet.
In this regard, a copy of Enterprise Registration Certificate and Business Plan are required in obtaining this license, as stated on Decree.

Yours sincerely,
Somphob Rodboon
Managing Partner
Somphob.R@ilawasia.com
ILAWASIA Co., Ltd.

Viphavanh Syharath
Associate
Viphavanh.S@ilawasia.com
ILAWASIA Co., Ltd.

Vanisha Chaidee
Associate
Viphavanh.S@ilawasia.com
ILAWASIA Co., Ltd.