Conditional Business Lines in Vietnam and 5 Important Changes From March 2027

From 1 March 2027, the list of conditional business lines in Vietnam will contain 137 lines, under the Appendix to Law No. 24/2026/QH16 dated 24 August 2026 of the National Assembly amending and supplementing a number of articles of the Law on Investment. This list of conditional business lines in Vietnam replaces the 142-line list currently applied on a temporary basis. Most of the cuts have already taken effect since 1 July 2026, so companies can start checking now.

Milestone	Content	Legal basis
1 July 2026	The list is cut from 198 to 142 lines, applying until the end of 28 February 2027	Resolution No. 66.17/2026/NQ-CP
1 January 2027	Ban on trading N2O gas for human inhalation, except for certain purposes	Clause 2, Article 2 of Law No. 24/2026/QH16
1 March 2027	The new list contains 137 lines	Clause 1, Article 2 of Law No. 24/2026/QH16

Below are the 5 key changes to conditional business lines in Vietnam from 1 March 2027 and what companies should check.

1. Conditional Business Lines in Vietnam Get a New List

Resolution No. 66.17/2026/NQ-CP dated 15 May 2026 of the Government on cutting and amending conditional investment and business lines is effective only until the end of 28 February 2027. From 1 March 2027, the reference for checking conditional business lines in Vietnam is the Appendix to Law No. 24/2026/QH16. Compared with the 2025 Law on Investment (Law on Investment No. 143/2025/QH15), the Ministry of Finance states that the new law cuts 62 lines and amends 14 lines.

The figures 198, 142 and 137 belong to three different lists of conditional business lines in Vietnam, so read the exact name of each line in the new Appendix.

2. Two More Lines Removed From the List

Based on our comparison, the new list of conditional business lines in Vietnam no longer contains two lines that were in the 142-line list: petroleum activities, and the purchase and sale of goods by foreign service providers in Vietnam. Under point a, Clause 3, Article 3 of Law No. 24/2026/QH16, organisations and individuals may invest and do business in a repealed line without having to meet investment and business conditions.

Accounting services are not in this group, because this line left the list of conditional business lines in Vietnam on 1 July 2026 and remains absent from the 137-line list.

3. Some Lines Merged or Reworded

Preschool, general, university and continuing education are merged into one line. Activities relating to unmanned aircraft are also merged into one line. These remain conditional business lines in Vietnam, but companies should reread the new scope of each line.

4. One Line Added

Visa application support services provided by authorised businesses are the 137th line among conditional business lines in Vietnam. Clause 2, Article 3 of Law No. 24/2026/QH16 assigns the Government to regulate transitional handling for activities carried out before 1 March 2027.

5. Licences Already Issued and Applications Pending

Under points b and c, Clause 3, Article 3 of Law No. 24/2026/QH16, for lines repealed from the list of conditional business lines in Vietnam, companies may continue to use licences and certificates already issued until they expire if they wish, and do not need to apply for issuance, adjustment or extension. Applications validly received before 1 March 2027 but not yet decided will be stopped and returned.

Clause 3, Article 2 of Law No. 24/2026/QH16 requires ministries to set out alternative management measures before 1 March 2027 where necessary. A line that leaves the list of conditional business lines in Vietnam may therefore still be subject to sector-specific rules or other management measures.

Conditional Business Lines in Vietnam and Foreign Investors

The list of conditional business lines in Vietnam applies to all investors. Foreign investors must also check the list of restricted market access in Appendix I to Decree No. 96/2026/ND-CP dated 31 March 2026 of the Government detailing and guiding the implementation of a number of articles of the Law on Investment, under Article 8 of the Law on Investment No. 143/2025/QH15. Law No. 24/2026/QH16 does not amend Article 8.

Two lines show a clear difference. Accounting services have left the list of conditional business lines in Vietnam, but “auditing, accounting, bookkeeping and tax services” remain in the group with conditional market access in Appendix I. The purchase and sale of goods by foreign service providers is also in this group.

In addition, Decree No. 342/2026/ND-CP dated 3 September 2026 of the Government detailing the Commercial Law and the Law on Foreign Trade Management regarding the purchase and sale of goods and activities directly related to the purchase and sale of goods by foreign investors and foreign-invested economic organisations in Vietnam, effective from 18 October 2026, still requires a Business Licence for certain activities of foreign-invested economic organisations.

What Companies With Conditional Business Lines in Vietnam Should Check Before 1 March 2027

The table below is our professional suggestion for reviewing conditional business lines in Vietnam.

Task	Timing	Legal basis
Compare each registered line with the new Appendix	Before 1 March 2027	Appendix to Law No. 24/2026/QH16
List licences and their expiry dates	Before 1 March 2027	Point b, Clause 3, Article 3 of Law No. 24/2026/QH16
Review applications pending a decision	Before 1 March 2027	Point c, Clause 3, Article 3 of Law No. 24/2026/QH16
Follow alternative management measures from the line ministry	Until 1 March 2027 and after	Clause 3, Article 2 of Law No. 24/2026/QH16
If foreign-invested, also check Appendix I	When investing or expanding business lines	Article 8 of the Law on Investment No. 143/2025/QH15; Decree No. 96/2026/ND-CP

How Pham Consult Supports Reviews of Conditional Business Lines in Vietnam

If your company has conditional business lines in Vietnam, Pham Consult provides a business registration change service, which includes changing business lines. The actual scope is confirmed in the service contract. To get started, contact us or call +84 909 660 105.

Legal sources were checked on 05/11/2026. This article is for general information only and does not constitute legal, tax or accounting advice; regulations may change after the date of publication, so please seek professional advice for your specific situation before making any decision.