All British Virgin Islands companies are governed by the provisions of the BVI Business Companies Act, 2004 (the "BCA") and are often referred to as "business companies" (a "BC").

In this briefing we discuss the creation of security interests over a BC's property. For additional information relating to the creation of security over shares in a BC, please see our briefing "BVI Shares Security."

The BCA expressly permits a BC to, by an instrument in writing, create a charge over its property.

Recognising the international nature and usage of BCs, the BCA helpfully provides that the governing law of a charge created by a BC may be the law of such jurisdiction as maybe agreed between the BC and the chargee, and that the charge shall be binding on the BC to the extent, and in accordance with, the requirements of that governing law.

This statutory recognition of the choice of law provides clarity in relation to a key and fundamental issue which could otherwise be uncertain if it were left to common law.

Requirements of the jurisdiction in which the secured assets are located (and, potentially, in the jurisdiction of incorporation of the secured party) with respect to perfection, validity and enforceability should of course also be considered when taking security.

Registration of Security

There are no filing or registration requirements in the BVI which affect the validity of a charge when a BC grants security over its property. However, particulars of the security interest created by a BC should be filed, in the approved form, with the BVI Registrar of Corporate Affairs (the "Registrar') in order to obtain a priority ranking for the secured party. This registration can be made by either the BC (or a person authorised to act on its behalf) or the secured party (or a person authorised to act on its behalf).

Upon receipt of the filing mentioned above, the Registrar establishes (or updates) the public Register of Registered Charges and issues a certificate of registration of charge. A copy is sent to the BC and to the secured party, although in practice, one original certificate is sent to the person who made the filing. The Registrar also states in the public Register of Registered Charges, and on the certificate of registration, the date and time on which the particulars of the security were registered. The certificate issued is conclusive proof that the filing requirements of the BCA have been complied with and that the security referred to in the certificate was registered on the date and time stated in the certificate.

Whilst the public filing of the particulars of a charge is optional (although advisable for priority purposes), the entry of the security interest in the BC's own private register of charges is mandatory under Section 162 of the BCA. Section 162 of the BCA provides that a BC shall keep a register of all relevant charges created by the BC showing:

  • the date of its creation or, if the charge is a charge existing on property acquired by the BC, the date on which the property was acquired
  • a short description of the liability secured by the charge
  • a short description of the property charged
  • the name and address of the trustee for the security or, if there is no such trustee, the name and address of the chargee
  • unless the charge is a security to bearer, the name and address of the holder of the charge, and
  • details of any prohibition or restriction, if any, contained in the instrument creating the charge on the power of the BC to create any future charge ranking in priority to or equally with the charge.

A copy of the register of charges is kept at the BC's registered office or at the office of its registered agent. A BC that fails to enter particulars of the charge in its register of charges commits an offence and is liable to a fine, but the validity of the security is not affected.

No deadline for the above filings exists (either with the Registrar or in respect of the BC's private register of charges). However, as a priority ranking is created from the time and date of public filing with the Registrar, the filing should be completed immediately to minimise the risk of a subsequent competing charge holder taking priority. The BC should be required to also promptly register the security interest on its private register of charges and provide a certified copy to the secured party.

Determining existence of and information relating to security

As there is no requirement for copies of the underlying security documents or register of charges to be filed with the Registrar, the usual way in which to determine whether prior security interests have been granted by a BC is a combination of two information requests: first, conducting a search of the records of the BC publicly available at the Registry of Corporate Affairs to determine if any particulars of security have been filed, and second, to request this information from the registered agent of the BC. The registered agent of the BC will only release this information upon receiving the consent of its client of record to do so.

Priority between Security Interests

Priority as between competing security interests created by a BC is determined by registration of the particulars of the security interest with the Registrar in the publicly available Register of Registered Charges as noted above. Section 166 of the BCA provides that if a relevant charge has been registered with the Registrar in accordance with Section 163 of the BCA, it will have priority over; (i) a relevant charge that is subsequently registered with the Registrar; and (ii) a relevant charge that is not registered with the Registrar. As such, the public filing governs priority.

For BC's which were former International Business Companies (a "re-registered company"), following their automatic re-registration on 1 January 2007 pursuant to the BCA, different provisions may apply. Paragraph 38 of Schedule 2 of the BCA provides that in the case of a reregistered company, security interests that were created by it before 1 January 2007 may be registered with the Registrar in accordance with Section 163 of the BCA.

As to the priority of security created by a re-registered company prior to 1 January 2007 under the old regime where registration in the company's private register of charges determined priority (and not subsequently registered under the new regime), Section 167 of the BCA provides that charges created prior to 1 January 2007 shall continue to rank in the same order in which they would have ranked had Section 166 of the BCA not come into force. This means that any security interests registered on its own private register of charges maintained by the re-registered company at the time it became a re-registered company ("previous regime security") will continue to enjoy a priority position as against any new security created by that company (whether particulars of that new security are publicly filed with the Registrar or not).

Therefore, in order to determine the priority of security interests in respect of a re-registered company, both the register of charges of the re-registered company and the private Registrar's public Register of Registered Charges will need to be examined. Specific advice should be sought if a re-registered company wishes to publicly file any previous regime security and in particular if it has any currently filed changes with the Registrar.

It is worth noting the exceptions to the above contained in Section 168 of the BCA. The order of priorities of charges can be varied by agreement or consent of the parties. Also, a registered floating charge will be postponed to a subsequently registered fixed charge unless the floating charge contains a prohibition or restriction on the power of the BC to create any future charge ranking in priority to or equally with the floating charge.

Consequences of non-compliance with Registration Requirements

Failure to file particulars of a security interest with the Registrar or to update its register of charges maintained at its registered office will not affect the validity of the security interest as against the BC or any liquidator or administrator on its insolvency but, may result in a loss of priority. An unregistered fixed security interest will generally rank behind registered security interests but before any subsequent unregistered security interests, statutory preferred creditors and the costs of a liquidator or administrator.

Release of Security

A charge should be released in accordance with its terms and governing law and the BC's records updated appropriately.

The registered agent of the BC should not amend the BC's records to show the discharge of a security interest without proof of the secured party's release.

In order to file a release of security that has been registered with the Registrar, a BC is required to file a notice in the approved form, specifying the property that has ceased to be affected by the charge which is signed by, or on behalf of, the secured party. It is usual practice for a deed of release or letter to be signed by the secured party which accurately sets out a description of the security it purports to release. We would recommend that, in order to ensure a smooth, timely process, the registered agent of the BC attends contemporaneously to the updating of the BC's own private register of charges together with the filing of the release with the Registrar.

In accordance with the BCA, following its approval of this filing, the Registrar will issue a certificate of discharge and send a copy to the BC and to the secured party. In practice, however, the Registrar tends to send one original certificate to the person who made the filing of the release. The Registrar, if satisfied that the notice has been correctly completed, states in the public Register of Registered Charges, and on the certificate issued, the date and time on which the notice filed was registered.

The content of this article is intended to provide a general guide to the subject matter. Specialist advice should be sought about your specific circumstances.