Do I Need SSM Registration to Sell on Shopee, Lazada or TikTok Shop?

The Companies Commission of Malaysia (SSM) has stated publicly that the Registration of Businesses Act 1956 covers online business as well as shop-front trading. Selling regularly on Shopee, Lazada, TikTok Shop or a website for profit counts as carrying on a business, so the seller is expected to register.

The usual routes

• Sole proprietorship or partnership, registered with SSM through the EzBiz online portal.
• A private company limited by shares (Sdn Bhd), incorporated under the Companies Act 2016.

Why it matters in practice

• Marketplaces ask for business details when a store is verified, and the Consumer Protection (Electronic Trade Transaction) Regulations 2024 require sellers to show their business or company name and registration details where applicable.
• Registration costs RM30 for a registration under your personal name and RM60 for a trade name; the EzBiz steps are in the lesson on registering a business name with SSM.
• SSM registration is separate from tax registration. Income from the sales is taxable whether or not the business is registered.

One-off sales of personal belongings, such as selling a used phone, are generally different from running a store, but the line depends on how regular and profit-driven the activity is. If you are close to that line, ask SSM directly.