Cambodia special economic zones: how to choose

Short answer

Special economic zones (SEZs) in Cambodia are industrial areas that act as hubs for manufacturing, trade and logistics. Counts differ because sources count approved zones, operational zones and zone administrations separately and publish on different dates: 35 operational zones in 11 of 25 provinces as at March 2026, 39 zones in total on a government SME portal, and the CDC’s own SEZ page still publishing first-half-2024 data. Incentives reported include tax holidays of up to nine years and import duty exemptions. Choose a zone on your supply chain and logistics needs, not on incentives alone.

What an SEZ offers

ASEAN Briefing (April 2025) describes SEZs as areas that act as hubs for manufacturing, trade and logistics and that support job creation, industrial diversification and international trade. Knight Frank’s 2026 Cambodia Industrial Guide sets out the legal basis: Sub-Decree 148 on the establishment and management of special economic zones, under which the Special Economic Zones Board reviews and grants incentives for zones in Cambodia.

How many zones there are — and why the numbers differ as of 2026

Zone counts vary by definition and by date, so always check the current list rather than a number quoted in an article:

As at March 2026: 35 operational special economic zones in 11 of Cambodia’s 25 provinces, on the US State Department’s 2026 Investment Climate Statement. The 2025 statement gave 32 operational zones in nine provinces, and noted that many more zones had been approved but were not yet operational.
Total zones approved: 39, including the port of Sihanoukville, on the government-backed KHMERSME portal, which gives no as-of date.
CDC SEZ Smart Search: 26 operating SEZs, 20 SEZ administrations, 745 investment projects, more than 180,000 employees and roughly USD 8.9 billion of investment capital — first-half-2024 data, still live on the CDC page.

The gap is definitional and chronological: one count is operational zones, another is all approved zones, and a third counts zone administrations and developers separately. The 2026 statement also records that a new law on special economic zones was under inter-ministerial consultation in March 2026, so the rules are moving too. Ask the CDC or the Special Economic Zone Board for the list behind any number you are shown, and note the date it was published.

Incentives reported

Knight Frank’s 2026 industrial guide summarises the zone framework under Sub-Decree 148. Zone developers can receive an exemption from profit tax for a maximum of nine years and import duty exemptions on equipment, construction materials and machinery for building zone infrastructure. Zone investors receive the incentives set out in the Law on Investment and its sub-decrees, plus 0% VAT on imported inputs where the output is re-exported, with a refund mechanism if it is placed on the domestic market.

ASEAN Briefing also reports tax holidays of up to nine years, import duty exemptions on raw materials and equipment, VAT incentives and reduced profit tax rates compared with investments outside zones. Incentives depend on your project’s registration and activity. See our guide on QIP incentives.

One-stop services

SEZ one-stop centres handle permit processing, customs clearance and business registration, although processing times can vary (ASEAN Briefing). Investors file applications with the CDC or the relevant SEZ governing body.

Who tends to locate in zones

ASEAN Briefing reports that manufacturing accounted for 69% of total approved capital in 2024, with textiles and garments, electronics, automotive components and agribusiness the typical sectors, and renewable energy and logistics emerging. The CDC’s own SEZ totals — 745 projects and around 180,000 employees — point the same way: zones are manufacturing-led.

A practical checklist for choosing a zone

Logistics: distance and transport links to the ports, border crossings and airports you will use.
Utilities: reliability and cost of power and water, and capacity for your load.
Labour: local labour availability and the other employers competing for it.
Cluster: neighbouring tenants in your industry and your suppliers.
Land terms: lease length, renewal, fees and the legal form of your right to the plot.
Services: what the one-stop centre actually handles on site, and who operates it.
Visit: see at least two zones in person and speak to current tenants.

Where Invest Cambodia fits

A shortlist and tour of zones is part of our business visits service and our market research location shortlist.

Questions investors ask

Do I have to locate in an SEZ to get incentives?

No. Incentives under the Law on Investment depend on registering a qualified project with the CDC. Zones offer additional services and infrastructure and may carry their own terms.

How many special economic zones does Cambodia have?

It depends on the definition and the date. There were 35 operational zones in 11 of the 25 provinces as at March 2026, a government SME portal counts 39 in total without an as-of date, and the CDC own SEZ page still publishes first-half-2024 data of 26 operating zones with 745 projects. Ask the CDC or the Special Economic Zone Board for the current list.

What do zone developers get?

Under Sub-Decree 148, zone developers can receive an exemption from profit tax for a maximum of nine years and import duty exemptions on equipment, construction materials and machinery used to build zone infrastructure.

What do investors in a zone get?

The incentives set out in the Law on Investment and its sub-decrees, and in the 2026 Cambodia industrial guide, 0% VAT on imported inputs where the output is re-exported, with a refund mechanism if it is placed on the domestic market. Incentives still depend on your project registration with the CDC, not on the address.

Which zone should we choose?

On logistics to the port and the border, power and water reliability, the labour pool within commuting distance, and whether the licences your activity needs can be obtained there. A zone solves a problem you have; it does not create demand for your product.

Can I buy land in a zone directly?

Zones are not a way around the foreign land ownership rules. Land in a zone is still owned by Cambodian citizens or by a Cambodian entity with at least 51% Cambodian voting shares, and investors take registered leases. See our guide on <a href="/guides/foreign-land-ownership/">foreign land ownership</a>.

Are the zone statistics reliable?

They differ by definition and by date, which is why we publish each figure with its source and as-of date and explain the discrepancy rather than repeat one number. The CDC page is the authoritative list, and it is worth asking for the list behind any figure you are shown.

Official tools to use alongside this guide

Sources

General information only, not legal, tax or investment advice. Laws, rules and figures change. Confirm the current position with licensed Cambodian professionals before acting.

Special economic zones in Cambodia: how to choose