Short answer: To check whether your business line is prohibited or conditional — authoritatively — use 3 official sources: (1) the National Business Registration Portal — dangkykinhdoanh.gov.vn; (2) the appendices to the Investment Law 143/2025/QH15 (Article 6 = prohibited, Article 7 + Appendix IV = conditional); (3) sectoral decrees for each field. As of 14/10/2026, 142 conditional business lines apply (down from 198 under Resolution 66.17/2026/NQ-CP); from 01/01/2027, a new Appendix IV lists only 137 lines, and N2O trading is newly prohibited.
1. Three official lookup sources
1.1. The National Business Registration Portal
Address: dangkykinhdoanh.gov.vn. Under Article 7.7 of the Investment Law 143/2025/QH15, the list of conditional business lines must be published on this Portal. It is the fastest, most current lookup for businesses: enter the industry code, see which category your line falls into and what the specific conditions are.
1.2. The appendices to the Investment Law 143/2025/QH15
The Investment Law 143/2025/QH15 (effective 01/3/2026, replacing Investment Law 61/2020/QH14) provides:
- Article 6 — List of prohibited business lines;
- Article 7 — List of conditional business lines (detailed in Appendix IV);
- Article 8 — Market access conditions for foreign investors (critical for FDI).
Correction note: some older materials write “Article 7 prohibited, Article 8 conditional” — wrong. The verified numbering is: Article 6 = prohibited, Article 7 = conditional, Article 8 = foreign-investor market access.
1.3. Sectoral decrees
The specific conditions for each line (charter capital, practicing certificates, sub-licenses…) sit in the sectoral decrees of each line ministry. Check Appendix IV to see whether your line is conditional, then the sectoral decree for the detailed conditions.
2. Comparison: “prohibited” vs. “conditional”
| Criterion | Prohibited (Art. 6) | Conditional (Art. 7) |
|---|---|---|
| Nature | Absolutely not permitted | Permitted when conditions are met (licenses, practicing certificates, approvals — Art. 7.2) |
| Examples | Lines listed in Article 6; from 01/01/2027, N2O trading (laughing gas) is added | Banking, securities, insurance, healthcare, education, transport… (per Appendix IV) |
| Authority to impose conditions | — | Only statutes and decrees or higher may impose conditions — curbing “sub-licenses” via circulars or dispatches |
| Violation | Heavy penalties, forced cessation | Penalties, possible suspension until conditions are met |
3. 2026–2027 changes: a three-milestone timeline
- 01/7/2026 — Resolution 66.17/2026/NQ-CP (issued 15/5/2026, effective until 28/02/2027): cut from 198 to 142 conditional business lines (56 removed). Removed lines not genuinely necessary for defense, national security, public order, social ethics or community health; lines manageable through technical standards via post-inspection. (Number verified against the official text.)
- 01/01/2027 — Law 24/2026/QH16 (24/8/2026, amending the Investment Law): a new Appendix IV with 137 lines (62 cut, 14 amended) — applicable from 01/01/2027; N2O trading newly prohibited from 01/01/2027;
- 01/3/2027 — Law 24/2026/QH16 takes general effect (the new Appendix IV applies early, from 01/01/2027).
As of writing (14/10/2026): the 142-line list under Resolution 66.17 applies; businesses should diary the 01/01/2027 transition.
4. Notes for operating businesses
- Lines removed from the conditional list: no more pre-inspection licensing, but possible shift to post-inspection management (technical standards) — not a free-for-all;
- Newly prohibited lines (N2O): operating businesses need an exit roadmap before 01/01/2027;
- Foreign investors: beyond Appendix IV, cross-check Article 8 on market access — some lines open to domestic investors carry ownership-ratio or investment-form limits for foreign investors.
Frequently asked questions
Where is the most authoritative lookup for prohibited/conditional lines?
dangkykinhdoanh.gov.vn, the appendices to Investment Law 143/2025/QH15 (Articles 6, 7, 8), and sectoral decrees.
Which article lists prohibited lines?
Article 6 of Investment Law 143/2025/QH15 (not Article 7 as some older materials misstate).
How many conditional business lines are there now?
142 (from 01/7/2026 under Resolution 66.17/2026/NQ-CP); 137 from 01/01/2027 under Law 24/2026/QH16.
Is N2O trading prohibited?
Added to the prohibited list from 01/01/2027 (Law 24/2026/QH16).
Sources
- Investment Law 143/2025/QH15 (effective 01/3/2026, replacing Law 61/2020/QH14): Article 6 (prohibited), Article 7 + Appendix IV (conditional), Article 8 (foreign-investor market access);
- Resolution 66.17/2026/NQ-CP (15/5/2026, effective 01/7/2026–28/02/2027): 198 → 142 lines;
- Law 24/2026/QH16 (24/8/2026, general effect 01/3/2027): new Appendix IV of 137 lines (applicable 01/01/2027), newly prohibiting N2O trading.
Note: Business-line lists change over time; check the National Business Registration Portal for the latest version before investing. Figures as of 14/10/2026.
Does your company need to determine whether its lines are prohibited or conditional? Contact FLAT Law Firm for lookup and advice.
Transparency note: This article was drafted by the FLAW AI Legal Council (an AI panel) and is not a substitute for advice from a licensed lawyer on your specific case.
This article is awaiting QA Council review.
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