How to Check a Company in Kazakhstan: Step-by-Step Due Diligence

Checking a counterparty before signing a contract tells you whether the company legally exists, who owns it, whether it pays taxes, and whether it is going through liquidation or bankruptcy. Most of this data is public in Kazakhstan — you just need to know where to look and what to look for.

Why check a counterparty

A contract with a troubled company has very tangible consequences:

• Financial losses — prepayment to a shell supplier, shipment to an insolvent buyer.
• Tax risks — deals with companies from unreliable-taxpayer lists can lead to VAT and CIT reassessments.
• Failed obligations — a counterparty in liquidation physically cannot perform the contract.
• Reputational risks — links to sanctioned entities or beneficiaries under criminal prosecution.

Step 1. Verify registration data

• BIN — the 12-digit business identification number. See the guide on what a BIN is.
• Status — active, in liquidation, liquidated, inactive.
• Registration date — companies younger than a year deserve extra scrutiny for large prepaid deals.
• Legal address — dozens of companies registered at one address is a classic shell-company sign.
• Activity code (OKED) — does the declared activity match your deal? See the OKED classifier.

Official sources are the e-government portal egov.kz and the State Revenue Committee registries (kgd.gov.kz). Statsnet aggregates all of them on a single company page.

Step 2. Study the director and founders

• How many other companies are registered to the same director or founder — one person heading dozens of LLPs signals a nominee director.
• Related companies through shared founders: affiliates, subsidiaries, hidden groups.
• Frequent changes of directors and owners right before a deal are a red flag.

Step 3. Taxes and debts

• Tax debt — published by the State Revenue Committee; debt above the threshold leads to account seizure.
• Tax payments by year — paid taxes show whether the company actually operates and at what scale.
• Official lists — unreliable taxpayers, sham enterprises, deregistered VAT payers.

Step 4. Courts, enforcement, bankruptcy

• Court cases — systematic claims from suppliers speak for themselves.
• Enforcement proceedings — unexecuted judgments, asset seizures, travel bans for the director.
• Bankruptcy and rehabilitation — contracting with a company in bankruptcy is almost always a bad idea.

Step 5. Financial health

Review revenue, profit and their dynamics. A sharp revenue drop, chronic losses, or zero reporting alongside active contracts are all risk signals.

Pre-deal checklist

1. The company is active — not in liquidation or bankruptcy.
2. The BIN exists and matches the contract.
3. The director in the contract matches the registry.
4. No large tax debt.
5. No mass lawsuits or enforcement proceedings.
6. The address is not a mass-registration one; the director is not a nominee.
7. Financials match the size of the deal.

FAQ

Can I check a counterparty for free?

Yes. Basic data — registration, status, BIN, activity — is free on egov.kz, kgd.gov.kz and Statsnet. Extended data (finances, connections, risks) is available in Statsnet by subscription.

What should I check first if I'm short on time?

Company status (active or not), tax debt, and bankruptcy proceedings. These three checks cut off the most dangerous scenarios and take a couple of minutes.

How do I check a foreign counterparty?

Statsnet covers several jurisdictions — Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Uzbekistan and others. For companies from other countries use the national registries of that jurisdiction.

Am I legally required to check counterparties?

There is no direct obligation, but under Kazakhstan's tax law the taxpayer bears the risks of deals with unreliable counterparties: courts consider whether you exercised due diligence when choosing a partner.