DBD company certificate
A registrar-issued document showing registry particulars such as name, directors and signing authority.
Authority: Department of Business Development, Ministry of Commerce
DBD company certificate compared with an English translation or affidavit for overseas use
Quick answer
The three serve different roles. A DBD certificate is registry data certified by the registrar. An English translation renders that text for a foreign recipient. A director’s affidavit is a statement of facts made by the signatory. For overseas use the order is usually the registry document, then the translation, then the certification layer the destination requires.
What each option is
Certified English translation
A translation of the registry document, which may need the translator’s signature certified as the recipient requires.
Authority: The translator and whichever body the recipient requires for certification
Director’s affidavit or declaration
A statement of facts signed by a director; the certifier attests to the signing, not to the truth of the content.
Authority: A Notarial Services Attorney under the Lawyers Council of Thailand regulations
Comparison table based on published requirements
| Criterion | DBD company certificate | Certified English translation | Director’s affidavit or declaration |
|---|---|---|---|
| What the document proves | The particulars in the registry on the date of issue | That the source text has been rendered into another language | That the signatory made the stated declaration and signed before the certifier |
| Issuer or certifier | The DBD registrar | The translator, plus the certifying body the destination names | A director as declarant, with a Notarial Services Attorney certifying the signature |
| Language | Primarily Thai | English or the destination language | Drafted from the outset in the language the recipient requires |
| Extra layers for overseas use | Usually a translation plus the legalisation layer the destination requires | The translator’s signature may need certifying before legalisation | Usually legalisation or an apostille depending on the destination’s Convention status |
| Validity window set by recipients | Most recipients set a number of months from the registrar’s issue date | Follows the validity of the attached source document | Follows the signing date and the recipient’s conditions |
| Best suited to | Proving corporate existence and signing authority | Filing with recipients that do not accept Thai-language documents | Confirming specific facts the registry does not record |
Which route fits which case
- DBD company certificate: When the recipient wants registry evidence of corporate status or signing authority.
- Certified English translation: When the recipient requires English or the destination language.
- Director’s affidavit or declaration: When the recipient wants a declaration of facts the registry does not record.
Mistakes that get files sent back
- Filing a certificate issued longer ago than the recipient allows
- Believing signature certification confirms the truth of an affidavit’s content
- Translations spelling the company or director differently from the certificate and passport
- Wrong sequence: going to legalisation before producing the required translation
- Not checking the destination’s Convention status before choosing the certification layer
Frequently asked questions
- Can the company certificate be issued in English?
- Practice depends on DBD notices and the request channel; if the recipient needs English, check with DBD and prepare a translation in an accepted format.
- Are both the certificate and an affidavit needed?
- Not always; if the facts already appear in the registry, an additional affidavit is often unnecessary.
- Must the signatory sign in person?
- Signature certification by a Notarial Services Attorney is based on signing in the certifier’s presence with identity documents shown.
- Can this set be used for an ABTC application?
- It can support an application if it matches the issuing authority’s published checklist, so read that list first.
- How long does it take?
- No fixed period; it depends on the issuing office and the certification layers the destination requires.
- How can we ask for details?
- Contact our staff by phone, LINE or e-mail with the destination country and the recipient’s requirements.
Official sources
Checked on 2026-08-03; confirm with the authority before filing.
Related pages
Ask our team
The exact steps depend on the receiving authority in each case. Contact our team to confirm the checklist and timing.