FROM MARCH 1, 2027: LIST OF CONDITIONAL BUSINESS SECTORS REDUCED FROM 198 TO 137
On August 24, 2026, the National Assembly passed Law No. 24/2026/QH16 amending and supplementing a number of articles of the Investment Law. The Law takes effect from March 1, 2027 and completely replaces Appendix IV on the List of Conditional Business Sectors.
According to the new list, the number of conditional business sectors is reduced from 198 to 137, reflecting the continued direction of cutting business conditions and narrowing the scope of areas subject to investment and business conditions. A comparison document shows that 49 sectors have been abolished, 20 sectors have been merged into 7 groups, 7 sectors have had their scope narrowed or names changed, 4 sectors have only had wording adjusted, and 01 new sector has been added.
1. 49 sectors no longer on the list of conditional businesses
One of the most notable changes is the complete removal of 49 sectors from the list.
Some typical areas include:
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Paintball gun business;
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Asset auction practice;
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Bailiff practice;
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Accounting service business;
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Duty-free goods business;
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Gas business;
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Alcohol business;
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Mineral business;
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Oil and gas activities;
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Waterway transport business;
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Maritime transport business;
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Seaport exploitation business;
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Clean water business;
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Publication distribution service business;
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Education quality accreditation;
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Some services in the fields of land, environment, and agriculture.
The detailed list is presented in the comparison table from page 3 to page 13 of the attached document.
The removal of a sector from Appendix IV means that such sector is no longer classified as a conditional business sector under the Investment Law. However, businesses still need to check other specialized regulations that may continue to govern the corresponding activities.
2. 20 sectors merged into 7 groups
The new Law also merges several similar sectors.
For example, activities such as:
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Insurance business;
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Reinsurance business;
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Insurance brokerage;
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Insurance agency
are merged into the group "Insurance business activities", excluding insurance auxiliary services.
Similarly, some activities related to casinos, betting, and prize-winning games are merged into one group; activities related to unmanned aircraft are also consolidated into a single, unified sector.
This merger helps reduce the number of items and limits the situation where many similar activities are separated into distinct conditional sectors.
3. Some sectors with narrowed scope
In addition to abolition and merger, some sectors continue to be conditional business sectors, but their scope of application has been adjusted.
For example:
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"Fertilizer business" is adjusted to "Fertilizer production";
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"Business of plant varieties, animal breeds" is adjusted to "Business of animal breeds, production of plant varieties";
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Some education sectors are merged and their scope redefined;
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Some activities in the fields of construction, insurance, and data are also adjusted in their nomenclature or scope of application.
This is a group that businesses need to pay special attention to, as their activities may still be subject to business conditions, but no longer apply to the entire scope as before.
4. Addition of a new conditional business sector
The new list adds:
Visa support service activities of authorized business establishments
this is sector number 137 in the new list.
For establishments that have performed this service before March 1, 2027, the Law assigns the Government to regulate transitional mechanisms.
5. What should businesses do before March 1, 2027?
The reduction of the list does not mean that businesses can automatically abandon all licenses, certificates, or conditions currently applied.
Businesses should review:
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Currently registered and actual operating sectors;
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Which sectors have been removed from Appendix IV;
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Which sectors have been merged or had their scope changed;
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Sub-licenses, certificates, personnel conditions, or material facility conditions currently applied;
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Transitional provisions and specialized documents that will be issued or amended accordingly.
For businesses preparing to invest or expand operations from 2027, reviewing the new list from the planning stage will help accurately determine which sectors still have conditions, which have been reduced, and which procedures still need to be carried out according to specialized laws.
OPLAW Insight
The reduction of the list of conditional business sectors from 198 to 137 is a significant change in the legal framework for investment and business in Vietnam.
However, a distinction needs to be made between:
"No longer belonging to the list of conditional business sectors"
and
"No longer subject to any legal requirements."
Even if a sector is removed from Appendix IV, businesses may still have to comply with requirements regarding technical standards, safety, environment, expertise, licenses, or other procedures under specialized laws.
Therefore, businesses should conduct a legal review for each specific activity, rather than relying solely on whether a sector has been removed from the list.
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What should readers know about FROM MARCH 1, 2027: LIST OF CONDITIONAL BUSINESS SECTORS REDUCED FROM 198 TO 137?
Law No. 24/2026/QH16 amending and supplementing a number of articles of the Investment Law, effective from March 1, 2027, reduces the number of conditional business sectors from 198 to 137. This article analyzes the main changes: 49 sectors abolished, 20 sectors merged, 7 sectors with narrowed scope, and 1 new sector a
What should readers know about FROM MARCH 1, 2027: LIST OF CONDITIONAL BUSINESS SECTORS REDUCED FROM 198 TO 137?
Law No. 24/2026/QH16 amending and supplementing a number of articles of the Investment Law, effective from March 1, 2027, reduces the number of conditional business sectors from 198 to 137. This article analyzes the main changes: 49 sectors abolished, 20 sectors merged, 7 sectors with narrowed scope, and 1 new sector a
What should readers know about FROM MARCH 1, 2027: LIST OF CONDITIONAL BUSINESS SECTORS REDUCED FROM 198 TO 137?
Law No. 24/2026/QH16 amending and supplementing a number of articles of the Investment Law, effective from March 1, 2027, reduces the number of conditional business sectors from 198 to 137. This article analyzes the main changes: 49 sectors abolished, 20 sectors merged, 7 sectors with narrowed scope, and 1 new sector a
What should readers know about FROM MARCH 1, 2027: LIST OF CONDITIONAL BUSINESS SECTORS REDUCED FROM 198 TO 137?
Law No. 24/2026/QH16 amending and supplementing a number of articles of the Investment Law, effective from March 1, 2027, reduces the number of conditional business sectors from 198 to 137. This article analyzes the main changes: 49 sectors abolished, 20 sectors merged, 7 sectors with narrowed scope, and 1 new sector a
What should readers know about FROM MARCH 1, 2027: LIST OF CONDITIONAL BUSINESS SECTORS REDUCED FROM 198 TO 137?
Law No. 24/2026/QH16 amending and supplementing a number of articles of the Investment Law, effective from March 1, 2027, reduces the number of conditional business sectors from 198 to 137. This article analyzes the main changes: 49 sectors abolished, 20 sectors merged, 7 sectors with narrowed scope, and 1 new sector a
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