Uganda Registration Services Bureau

What Uganda Registration Services Bureau does

Uganda Registration Services Bureau (URSB) is a semi-autonomous statutory body of the Government of Uganda operating under the Ministry of Justice & Constitutional Affairs. Established in 2001, it functions as the sole mandated national agency for business registration, intellectual property (IP) administration, insolvency regulation, and movable property security interests. The bureau has scaled from 12 staff at founding to over 315 employees, expanded its service footprint nationally, and attained ISO 9001:2015 certification in 2025.

URSB's core offerings span four pillars: (1) Business Registration — incorporation of companies, foreign companies, legal documents, and the centralized Non-Individual Register (NIR); (2) Intellectual Property — registration and administration of trademarks, patents, industrial designs, geographical indications, copyright, and neighbouring rights; (3) Security Interest in Movable Property Registry (SIMPO) — a digital collateral registry integrated with the Motor Vehicle Registry for secured lending; and (4) Insolvency and Receivership services. The bureau operates 41 Technology and Innovation Support Centres (TISCs), runs the KiriEasy online business registration platform, and is implementing a nationwide NIR rollout. Technology architecture is conventional digital registry and workflow software — online portals, searchable databases, and inter-agency integrations — rather than AI-native systems.

The business model is fee-based: URSB collects government-mandated transaction fees for registration, search, and ancillary services, making it self-funding rather than reliant on direct budget appropriations. Customers are distributed across financial institutions (banks, SACCOs, microfinance, money lenders) using SIMPO for secured transactions, MSMEs and entrepreneurs using business registration services in high volume, innovators and creators using IP protection, and non-individual entities (NGOs, cooperatives, religious bodies) using the NIR. Partnerships with WIPO, ARIPO, URA, UIA, NSSF, JLOS, CMA, IDLO, and KACITA anchor URSB within Uganda's broader regulatory and business-support ecosystem.

Name

Uganda Registration Services Bureau

Legal name

Uganda Registration Services Bureau

Website

https://ursb.go.ug

Company type

Private

Founded year

2001

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

251–500 employees

Short description

Uganda Registration Services Bureau (URSB) is a semi-autonomous statutory agency under Uganda's Ministry of Justice & Constitutional Affairs responsible for business registration, intellectual property administration, insolvency regulation, and movable property security interests. It serves financial institutions, MSMEs, entrepreneurs, and non-individual entities through digital and in-person service channels.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Government Business and Intellectual Property Registration Services

NAICS

Public Administration (92)

akta.pro primary industry

Taxpayer Registration, Identity & Account Management (BPAIADAB)

akta.pro secondary industry

Records Management, Information Governance & Retention (BPAEAPAO)

Keywords

• Business registration services
• Intellectual property registration
• Movable property registry
• Copyright administration
• Insolvency services

Headquarters

HQ city

Kampala

HQ country

Uganda

HQ region

Africa

Offices7 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Registration Fees: Government-mandated fees for business registration, intellectual property registration (trademarks, patents, industrial designs), copyright registration, SIMPO registration, and legal document registration services.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels6 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

URSB is the Government of Uganda's statutory body that administers the registration of businesses, trademarks, patents, industrial designs, copyright and neighbouring rights. It also operates the Security Interest in Movable Property (SIMPO) registry that allows movable assets to be used as collateral to access credit, and administers insolvency appointments and receivership for distressed companies. Services are delivered through six regional service centres and online platforms including the URSB Registry Search and the kiriEasy online business registration system.

Product overview

URSB operates as a government registration bureau offering a portfolio of interconnected registration services. The core offerings include Business Registration (for companies and legal documents), Intellectual Property Registration (trademarks, patents, industrial designs, geographical indications), Copyright & Neighbouring Rights protection, and SIMPO (Security Interest in Movable Property Registry) for movable asset collateral registration. Additional services include Insolvency and Receivership regulation, and a public Registry Search function. Digital access is provided through KiriEasy online registration platform and SIMPO system. URSB maintains physical service centres across Uganda including the main Uganda Business Facilitation Centre (UBFC) in Kololo, Kampala, regional offices, and satellite locations to ensure accessibility of registration services.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Business Registration Statutory registration of companies, partnerships, non-governmental organisations, and business names in Uganda, providing legal personality to enable contracting, banking, licensing and access to public procurement. Delivered through six regional service centres and the kiriEasy online portal.
• Intellectual Property Registration Registration of trademarks, patents and industrial designs in Uganda, granting IP owners exclusive rights to use and enforce their marks, inventions and designs nationally. Customers include brand owners, inventors, manufacturers and SMEs filing through TISCs and the URSB Registry Search.
• Copyright and Neighbouring Rights Registration Registration of copyright and neighbouring rights for authors, composers, performers, producers and broadcasters in Uganda, providing legal evidence of ownership and supporting enforcement against infringement.
• SIMPO - Security Interest in Movable Property Registry National registry where banks, SACCOs, microfinance institutions and other lenders register collateral over movable property, and where borrowers' prior charges can be searched. Enables movable-asset-backed lending and reduces credit risk in Uganda's financial system.
• Insolvency and Receivership Administration Administration of insolvency appointments, business rescue and receivership for distressed companies in Uganda, including registration of insolvency practitioners and filing of insolvency notices. Customers are distressed companies, creditors, courts and licensed insolvency practitioners.
• URSB Registry Search Online public search platform that allows users to look up registered businesses, trademarks, patents, industrial designs, copyright titles and SIMPO security interests, supporting due diligence, IP clearance, and lending decisions.
• Non-Individual Register (NIR) Centralised digital register of all non-individual legal entities (companies, partnerships, NGOs, etc.) operating in Uganda, providing a single authoritative source of entity data for government, regulators and the public.
• kiriEasy Online Business Registration Online self-service platform through which entrepreneurs and businesses can register and formalise their entities in Uganda digitally, supported by mass registration clinics and integration with service centres.

Named customers10 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature4 records

Partnerships

17 partnerships are on record, tiered core, minor and major.

• IDLO (International Development Law Organisation)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 June 2026Implementing the Business Rescue and Aftercare Programme (BRAP) - a series of regional trainings across Uganda to support MSMEs with business recovery, resilience, and growth.
• Uganda National Students Association (UNSA)minorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 April 2026IP in Schools Project to equip learners with intellectual property knowledge. Student leaders to participate in IP awareness campaigns.
• Kyambogo UniversityminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 April 2026Exploration of partnership to boost innovation through Technology and Innovation Support Centre (TISC) and IP awareness expansion across faculties.
• Swangz Avenue / Swangz Creative AcademymajorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 February 2026Partnership to professionalise Uganda's creative industry. URSB hosted graduation ceremony for over 100 creatives trained in audio/video production, events management, and digital marketing.
• U.S. Mission UgandamajorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 June 2025Collaboration to equip Ugandan creatives with tools to protect their ideas and intellectual property.
• Korea Invention Promotion Association (KIPA)minorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 June 2025IP sharing project where Korean delegation visited Uganda to advance intellectual property cooperation.
• URA (Uganda Revenue Authority)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerGovernment partner shown on URSB's official partners section, collaborating on business formalisation and compliance initiatives.
• UIA (Uganda Investment Authority)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership for investment promotion and supporting commercialisation of innovations. Collaborated on banana processing technology commercialisation.
• NSSF (National Social Security Fund)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerGovernment partner for social security and formalisation of businesses.
• WIPO (World Intellectual Property Organization)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerURSB participates in WIPO Assemblies and collaborates on international IP standards. Uganda's Registrar General serves as Vice-Chair of WIPO General Assembly.
• ARIPO (African Regional Intellectual Property Organization)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerRegional IP cooperation. URSB participates in ARIPO committees and has helped Malawi develop their Companies and Intellectual Property Registration System.
• JLOS (Justice, Law and Order Sector)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerURSB is part of JLOS institutional framework. Headquartered at JLOS Towers with coordinated programmes for legal reforms.
• CMA (Capital Markets Authority)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaboration on capital markets development and benchmarking visits. CMA delegation visited URSB for knowledge-sharing.
• PACRA (Zambia)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerZambia's companies and intellectual property registry benchmarked URSB's systems to learn about digital improvements and reforms.
• Bank of UgandaminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerURSB conducted benchmarking visit to Bank of Uganda to foster stronger collaborations and learn industry best practices.
• Uganda Institute of Banking and Financial ServicesminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerOrganised Women in Leadership Programme for URSB staff members to strengthen leadership capabilities.
• KACITA UgandamajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership at Women in Business Conference to support women-led businesses through formalisation, innovation, and business protection initiatives.

Scale indicators8 records

Recent moves9 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Broad incumbents

• World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO): Global UN IP body administering PCT, Madrid and other international filing systems. Overlaps with URSB on IP standards and provides the international layer above national IP offices.
• United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO): Federal US IP agency with a much larger portfolio and global brand. Overlaps with URSB on IP examination/registration but operates at vastly greater scale across multiple rights types.
• African Regional Intellectual Property Organization (ARIPO): Regional IP body covering 20 African member states including Uganda. Overlaps with URSB's IP registration function at a regional level and provides a channel that competes with and complements URSB's domestic mandate.

Direct peers

• Delaware Division of Corporations: US state-level corporate registry handling the world's largest volume of business entity registrations. Direct functional peer in business registration infrastructure and registry services.
• Companies and Intellectual Property Authority (BIPA), Namibia: Namibian statutory body combining business registration and IP administration under one agency. Closest African structural analog to URSB's combined business + IP mandate.
• Companies House (UK): UK's statutory registrar for companies, providing business registration, filings and public search functions. Most direct functional analog to URSB's business registration mandate in a mature market.
• UK Intellectual Property Office: UK's national IP office handling patents, trademarks and designs. Directly comparable to URSB's IP registration function, including examination, registration and enforcement.
• IP Australia: Australian federal agency administering patents, trademarks and designs with digital-first service delivery. Comparable to URSB's IP examination, registration and search functions.
• PACRA (Patents and Companies Registration Agency), Zambia: Zambia's combined business and IP registration agency. Already named as a URSB benchmarking partner, indicating overlapping mandate, customer base and operating model.
• Kenya Industrial Property Institute (KIPI): Kenya's national IP registration body for patents, trademarks and industrial designs. Direct functional peer for URSB's IP registration services within East Africa.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/URSBHQ
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/uganda-registration-services-bureau
• Instagraminstagram.com/ursbhq
• Facebookfacebook.com/URSBHQ

Compliance1 record

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles2 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

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Frequently asked questions about Uganda Registration Services Bureau