Start as a sole trader in Jersey

Your status decides whether you can run your own business. The Government of Jersey states that people with Entitled or Entitled for Work Only status have full access to the labour market and business licences are available to them. People with Licensed or Standard status may only work in a specific role, so they cannot simply set up as a sole trader. A narrow exemption from the business licence for very small sole traders is described in step 2.

Entitled status is gained, among other ways, through 10 years of continuous ordinary residence. Entitled for Work Only is gained through 5 years of continuous residence. If you are not sure which one you have, look at your registration card or ask the Population Office.

A sole trader is one person who owns and runs the business as one entity. You do not need to register with the Jersey Financial Services Commission (JFSC) if you trade in your own legal name. You do need to register a business name if you trade under any name that is not your legal name. The same business licence application registers the name for you.

A limited company is a different route: it must be incorporated with the JFSC before the business licence. This guide covers the sole trader route only.

Anyone running a business that involves work or services offered to the public needs the right licence under the Control of Housing and Work (Jersey) Law 2012. The licence application also registers your business name and puts you in touch with Social Security about Class 2 contributions.

You may not need a licence if all of these are true: you are a sole trader, you have no employees, you work for less than 8 hours a week, and your status is Permanent Entitled, Entitled, Entitled for Work Only, Licensed or Licensed for Lease Only. Standard status is not included. The Government of Jersey lists these statuses on its Business Advice Hub page, which reflects the Control of Housing and Work (Licences and Exemptions) (Jersey) Order 2026. Check the current page before relying on the exemption.

• If you will work with children or vulnerable adults, a DBS check is needed, and it must be dated within 6 months.
• A sole proprietor with no staff files a manpower return every six months. Employers file monthly, together with their tax and social security returns.
• The business name must have an operating address in Jersey. The JFSC reviews names and does not guarantee acceptance. The fee amount is in the JFSC fees order.

Open the official licence application

Class 2 contributions are different from the ones employees pay. The standard calculation uses your income from two years earlier and is updated each January. If you do not choose an option you can be billed at the maximum rate, which is £1,297 a month in 2026.

Startup Plan: a reduced fixed amount of £252.58 a month in 2026, based on an annual income of £24,248. It is for businesses opened in the last 2 years, with no Startup Plan in the past 5 years, and a valid business licence. You reapply each year between 16 January and 28 February.

Contact the Business Hub on 01534 444444 or businesshub@gov.je (Monday to Friday, 8:30am to 5pm).

Under the Data Protection (Jersey) Law, data controllers established in Jersey must register, and failing to register is a criminal offence. Sending invoices to customers means you use their personal information, so a sole trader with customers will normally need to register.

You register online by creating a user profile on the JOIC portal. The JOIC fee table adds no extra charge for revenue under £5 million.

Open the JOIC registration portal

Below the threshold you do not have to register. You can choose to register voluntarily, which lets you recover GST on purchases but means you must charge GST and keep detailed records. Once you must register, you are liable for GST from the date you first met the threshold, whenever you actually register. Registered businesses keep transaction records for at least six years.

Register through Revenue Jersey: 01534 440300 or gst@gov.je.

You complete the self-employment section of your personal return. You must keep accurate records of your income and expenses during the year, including your sales, purchases and personal drawings. The filing deadline is midnight on 31 May if the return is on paper, or midnight on 31 July if it is filed online. Payment is a separate date: if your income is mainly self-employed you receive a payment on account request, with instalments in May and November and any balance due by 30 November.

If you hire staff you must also register as an employer with Revenue Jersey and make monthly tax deductions from their pay.

Income Support does not depend on contributions. The amount depends on your household's income and needs. Starting a business changes your income, so if you claim it, ask Employment, Social Security and Housing how your business income is treated. This guide does not give rules for this, because the pages we checked do not set out figures.

Contact: 01534 444444 (Monday to Friday, 8:30am to 5pm), gov.je/essh, or in person at Union Street.

• Business bank account. Strongly advised so you can track your finances. The Business Hub says opening one can take 1 to 6 months and banks may ask for proof that the business is genuine.
• Insurance and premises. Employer's liability insurance is mandatory if you hire staff. Check that your premises have the right planning and building permissions.
• Industry licences. Some sectors need their own licence or regulation. Check the Business Advice Hub list for your sector.
• Records from day one. Keep every sale, purchase and drawing. Revenue Jersey expects accurate records, and registered GST businesses must keep them for six years.

This is where a tool like Jersey Business Manager can help: it keeps your invoices and records on your own computer, in one place. It does not file anything for you.