Finance Ministry Extends Deadline for Converting Bearer and Order Shares to Registered Shares

Minister of Finance Yassine Jaber announced the extension of the maximum deadline granted to companies and shareholders who failed to replace bearer shares and order shares with registered shares, making the new deadline inclusive of December 6, 2026.

This measure comes in light of legal provisions that prohibited joint-stock companies and limited partnership companies by shares from issuing bearer or order shares, and obligated companies that had previously issued this type of share to replace them with registered shares within the specified legal deadlines.

The announcement noted that successive legislations had extended the deadlines granted for the replacement process, before legal, judicial, and contractual deadlines were suspended during specific periods under current laws, which necessitated a recalculation of the available time for rights holders.

Accordingly, the Ministry of Finance clarifies that the new maximum deadline for replacing bearer shares with registered shares ends on December 6, 2026, inclusive, calling upon relevant taxpayers, including companies and shareholders, who have not regularized their status in accordance with the law, to take advantage of the new deadline and complete the required procedures within it.

For those concerned and interested, they can refer to the official website of the Ministry of Finance www.finance.gov.lb