European Company Registration: How to Register a Business in Europe
European company registration is the process of incorporating a company in a European country and entering it in that country’s commercial register, where it gains legal personality and a registration number. For most founders it means setting up a national entity, such as a GmbH in Germany or Austria, an AG in Switzerland, or a private limited company elsewhere. It can also mean the European Company (SE), a single EU-wide legal form. This guide covers both, with a focus on Germany and the wider DACH region, and explains a faster route if you need a company quickly.
Two points up front. First, “European company registration” is sometimes used to mean looking up a company’s registration number rather than registering a new one; we cover that too. Second, you do not have to live in the EU to own a European company.
What “European company registration” means
The phrase carries more than one meaning, so it is worth separating them before you start.
- Registering a national company. You incorporate a company under one country’s law, for example a Gesellschaft mit beschränkter Haftung (GmbH) in Germany, and the company is entered in that country’s commercial register (the Handelsregister, Firmenbuch, or Zefix). This is what most people mean.
- The European Company (SE). A single legal form that exists across the EU under Council Regulation (EC) No 2157/2001. It is designed for businesses operating in more than one member state, not for a typical single-country start-up.
- A registration number check. A “European company registration number check” is a lookup of an existing company in an official register, not an act of registration. We explain how to do that further down.
Knowing which of these you need saves time. Most founders want a national company; some larger, cross-border groups want an SE; and many people who land on this page simply need to verify a company that already exists.
Can a foreigner or non-EU citizen register a company in Europe?
Yes. Under the EU principle of freedom of establishment, there is generally no nationality or residency requirement to own a company in Europe. An American, an Indian, a British, or a UAE-based founder can hold the shares of a German GmbH or a Swiss AG. Ownership and residence are separate questions: owning a company does not by itself give you the right to live in the country, and living there is not required to own.
If you do want to relocate, that is a separate immigration step. Company ownership can support an application such as the EU Blue Card or a German business visa, but the residence permit is granted under immigration law, not company law. Founders from particular markets can follow our country guides, for example for India, the United States, the United Kingdom, and the UAE.
Which country should you register in?
There is no single “best” country; the right choice depends on your market, your tax position, and how much capital you want to commit. The table below compares the main options we work with, using current figures.
| Country | Common form | Minimum capital | Effective corporate tax (approx.) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Germany | GmbH | €25,000 (≥€12,500 paid in) | ~30% |
| Austria | GmbH / FlexCo | €10,000 (≥€5,000 cash) | 23% |
| Switzerland | GmbH / AG | CHF 20,000 / CHF 100,000 | ~11.85%–20% |
| Liechtenstein | AG | CHF 50,000 | low (varies) |
| Low-tax EU | Ltd / OÜ etc. | low to none | Hungary 9%, Bulgaria 10%, Ireland 12.5%, Estonia 0% on retained |
A word of caution on “easiest” and “cheapest”. The country with the lowest capital requirement is not automatically the best home for your business. Banking, substance requirements, language, reputation with clients, and tax all matter more over time than the size of the opening deposit. Hungary has the lowest headline corporate tax in the EU at 9%, but large groups should also note the OECD Pillar Two 15% global minimum tax that applies to groups above €750 million in revenue.
Germany, Austria, Switzerland and Liechtenstein (DACH)
The German-speaking region is where most of our clients register, for its market size, stability, and reputation. Germany’s GmbH needs €25,000 in share capital; Austria reduced its GmbH minimum to €10,000 from 1 January 2024; Switzerland’s GmbH needs CHF 20,000 and the AG needs CHF 100,000; Liechtenstein’s AG needs CHF 50,000. We cover each in detail in our guides to company formation in Germany, Switzerland, Austria, and Liechtenstein, and we compare them head to head in Germany vs Switzerland vs Austria.
Low-tax EU options
If tax efficiency is the priority, several EU members offer low corporate rates: Hungary at 9%, Bulgaria at 10%, Ireland at 12.5%, and Estonia, which taxes only distributed profit (0% on retained earnings). These can suit holding or trading structures, but they come with their own substance and reporting expectations. Our guide to low-tax countries in Europe walks through the trade-offs.
Legal forms: GmbH, AG, SE and equivalents
The legal form you register shapes your liability, capital, and credibility. The most common options are:
- GmbH — the private limited liability company in Germany, Austria, and Switzerland. It is the closest European equivalent to a US LLC, though it is a distinct legal form with its own rules.
- AG — the public limited company (stock corporation), used for larger or capital-raising businesses.
- UG (haftungsbeschränkt) — Germany’s “mini-GmbH”, which can start below €25,000 and builds a reserve until it reaches that figure.
- SE (Societas Europaea) — the EU-wide European Company, covered in its own section below.
- Equivalents elsewhere — the Sàrl/SARL (France, Luxembourg), the BV (Netherlands), and the Ltd (Ireland, formerly the UK) all play a similar limited-liability role.
If you are weighing the German forms against each other, see types of companies in Germany and what a GmbH is.
The company registration process step by step
While the details differ by country, registering a company in Europe follows a recognisable path:
- Choose the country and legal form that fit your business purpose, market, and tax position.
- Reserve the company name and confirm the business activity is permitted.
- Draft the articles of association, and a shareholders’ agreement if there is more than one owner.
- Sign the incorporation deed before a notary, which is required for a GmbH, AG, or SE across the DACH region.
- Deposit the share capital into a company bank account, with proof for the register.
- Register in the commercial register (Handelsregister, Firmenbuch, or Zefix). On entry, the company acquires legal personality and its registration number.
- Complete post-registration steps: the tax number and VAT (USt-IdNr), an EORI number if you trade goods across borders, beneficial-owner reporting, and your accounting set-up.
Why a notary is involved
In Germany, Austria, Switzerland, and Liechtenstein, the formation deed for a limited company must be recorded by a notary, and so must any later transfer of shares in a GmbH. The notarial requirement exists to give legal certainty and to deter fraud, which is why every legitimate incorporation runs through a notary.
KYC and beneficial-owner reporting
Anti-money-laundering rules apply to company formation. In Germany the basis is the Geldwäschegesetz (GwG). You will be asked to identify the ultimate beneficial owners, confirm the business purpose, and provide proof of identity and address. After registration, the beneficial owners are reported to the transparency register (Transparenzregister in Germany), and the equivalent applies in other countries.
The European Company (SE / Societas Europaea)
The SE, or Societas Europaea, is a single legal form that operates across the EU under Council Regulation (EC) No 2157/2001. It is built for businesses with a genuine cross-border footprint rather than for a single-country start-up. The key facts:
- Minimum subscribed capital is €120,000 (Reg 2157/2001, Article 4).
- There are four formation routes (Article 2): merger, the creation of a holding SE, the creation of a subsidiary SE, or conversion of an existing public company.
- The SE must keep its registered office and head office in the same member state (Article 7), and a cross-border element is required.
One practical advantage is that an SE can move its registered office to another member state without being dissolved, subject to conditions. If an SE fits your structure, see our page on buying an SE.
- €25,000 — Germany — GmbH
- €10,000 — Austria — GmbH
- CHF 20,000 — Switzerland — GmbH
- CHF 50,000 — Liechtenstein — AG
Bar length is scaled to an approximate EUR equivalent; capital is stated in each country’s statutory currency. Sources: GmbHG §5, Austrian GesRÄG 2023, Swiss CO, Liechtenstein PGR.
Registration requirements and share capital
Across the DACH region, the recurring requirements are share capital, a notarial deed, at least one managing director, and a registered address. The capital figures are set by law:
- Germany: a GmbH needs €25,000 in share capital (GmbHG §5). Before registration, at least a quarter of each share and a total of at least €12,500 must be paid in (GmbHG §7). The company exists only once it is entered in the Handelsregister (GmbHG §11), and it must have at least one managing director, a Geschäftsführer (GmbHG §6). A UG may start below €25,000 and reserve a quarter of its annual surplus until it reaches that figure (GmbHG §5a).
- Austria: a GmbH needs €10,000, with at least €5,000 paid in cash, following the 2024 reform.
- Switzerland: a GmbH needs CHF 20,000 fully paid; an AG needs CHF 100,000 with at least CHF 50,000 paid in.
- Liechtenstein: an AG needs CHF 50,000, fully paid.
A registered office in the country is required, and some countries expect a locally resident director. Switzerland, for instance, requires a resident director regardless of who owns the company.
Can you register online or remotely from abroad?
In many cases, yes. Several countries now allow elements of registration to be completed online, and where a notarial deed is required, it can often be handled by a remote notarial appointment or by power of attorney. That means a founder outside the EU can register or take over a company without travelling, with the timing depending mainly on how quickly identity and corporate documents are reviewed. We coordinate the cross-border paperwork on your behalf, and our guide on how to buy a company in Germany as a foreigner sets out the practical steps for buyers abroad.
- 1. Consultation — We propose the right company and structure for your goals.
- 2. Due diligence — We confirm the company is clean, debt-free and compliant.
- 3. Notarial transfer — Ownership passes to you — remotely if needed (GmbHG §15).
- 4. Setup — Banking, tax, registered address and director are put in place.
Timeline and cost: what to expect
Forming a brand-new company usually takes a few weeks, from drafting the articles to the register entry and the tax and VAT registrations that follow. The single slowest part for foreign founders is often opening a bank account.
On cost, it helps to separate the share capital from the fees. The capital is not a fee: it belongs to the company and stays available for the business once you own it. The fee element covers the notary, the commercial-register entry, and any advisory or registration services, with optional extras such as a bank account, a VAT number, a virtual office, or a local director. Country-specific figures sit on the formation country pages above and in our shelf company cost guide; contact us for a transparent quote.
Not sure which country or form fits your plans? Request a free callback with our lawyers, with no commitment. Talk to our team.
The faster route: buying a ready-made (shelf) company
If you need a company quickly, registering from scratch is not your only option. A shelf company, or Vorratsgesellschaft, is a clean, never-traded entity that is already incorporated and entered in the register. Instead of waiting out formation, you take over the shares and start operating within days. Because the company already exists in law, you skip the registration wait entirely, and the share capital is already paid in and verified.
This is the route many of our international clients choose. You can browse shelf companies for sale in Europe or a German GmbH for sale. We run due diligence on every company before transfer, so you know it carries no debts, no contracts, and no history.
How to check a European company registration number
If your goal is to verify a company rather than create one, you can look it up in an official register. The national registers of all EU countries have been interconnected since June 2017 through the Business Registers Interconnection System (BRIS), and they are searchable through the European e-Justice portal in 24 languages. You can search by company name or registration number to confirm a company’s status, legal form, and registered office. For companies outside that system, or for full filings, you can also search the relevant national register directly, such as the German Handelsregister.
Ongoing obligations after registration
Registering the company is the start, not the finish. A European limited company carries continuing duties that vary by country but generally include keeping proper accounts, preparing and filing annual financial statements, submitting corporate and VAT tax returns, and keeping the commercial register and beneficial-owner records up to date when ownership or management changes. Planning for these obligations from the outset keeps your company in good standing and avoids penalties. Müller Konsult can handle accounting, filings, and compliance for you after registration.
Frequently asked questions
What is European company registration?
It is the process of incorporating a company in a European country and entering it in that country’s commercial register, where it gains legal personality and a registration number. It usually means a national company, such as a GmbH, but can also mean the EU-wide European Company (SE).
Can a foreigner register a company in Europe?
Yes. Under freedom of establishment there is no nationality or residency requirement to own a European company. Living in the country is a separate immigration matter and is not needed in order to own a company there.
Can an American start a business in Europe?
Yes. A US citizen can own a company in Europe on the same terms as any other non-EU national. The company can be owned and run from abroad, with a residence permit needed only if you intend to relocate.
Which is the easiest EU country to register a company?
Several are straightforward; Austria and Estonia are often cited for low capital and digital processes. “Easiest” depends on capital, tax, language, and banking, so the simplest registration is not always the best long-term choice.
What is the cheapest country to register a company in Europe?
By capital, Estonia and Ireland are low and Austria sits at €10,000. By tax, Hungary is lowest in the EU at 9%. The cheapest entry point is not necessarily the cheapest outcome once banking and ongoing costs are counted.
Can I register a company online or remotely from abroad?
Often, yes. Many countries allow online steps, and where a notarial deed is required it can usually be done by a remote appointment or power of attorney, so you may not need to travel.
How long does company registration take?
Forming a new company typically takes a few weeks once documents are ready. Buying a ready-made shelf company is faster, usually a matter of days, because it is already registered.
What is the SE (Societas Europaea)?
The SE is an EU-wide European Company under Regulation 2157/2001. It needs €120,000 in subscribed capital (Article 4), has four formation routes (Article 2), and must keep its registered and head office in the same member state (Article 7).
How much share capital do I need?
It depends on the country and form: €25,000 for a German GmbH (§5), €10,000 for an Austrian GmbH, CHF 20,000 for a Swiss GmbH, CHF 100,000 for a Swiss AG, and €120,000 for an SE.
What is the equivalent of an LLC in Europe?
The closest equivalents are the private limited liability companies: the GmbH in Germany, Austria, and Switzerland, the Sàrl, the Dutch BV, and the Irish Ltd. They all give limited liability to their owners.
Is a GmbH the same as an LLC?
Functionally they are similar, since both give limited liability, but the GmbH is a distinct German legal form with its own capital, notary, and register requirements rather than an exact copy of a US LLC.
How do I check a European company registration number?
Use the European e-Justice portal, which connects the national registers through BRIS, or search the relevant national register directly. You can verify a company’s status, legal form, and registered office by name or number.
What is the EU business register?
It is the network of national commercial registers, interconnected since June 2017 through BRIS and searchable via the e-Justice portal. There is no single central EU register; the national registers are linked.
Do I need a local director or registered address?
A registered address in the country is required, and some countries expect a locally resident director. Switzerland requires a resident director regardless of ownership; elsewhere a nominee or local director is optional.
What are the ongoing obligations after registration?
A European company must keep accounts, prepare and file annual financial statements, submit corporate and VAT tax returns, and keep its register and beneficial-owner records current. We can manage these for you after registration.
Can I buy a ready-made company instead of registering one?
Yes. A shelf company is already registered and clean, so you take over the shares and skip the formation wait. It is the fastest way to have a usable European company.
Where is best in Europe for low tax?
Hungary (9%), Bulgaria (10%), and Ireland (12.5%) have low headline rates, and Switzerland’s Zug canton is competitive at roughly 11.85%. Large groups should account for the OECD Pillar Two 15% minimum tax.
Do I need a notary to register a company?
Yes, for a GmbH, AG, or SE across the DACH region the formation deed must be notarised, and any later GmbH share transfer must be too. This is a legal requirement, not an optional service.
This guide is general information, not legal, tax, or immigration advice, and rules change. We confirm the current position for your situation before you act.
Official sources
- European Company (SE), Council Regulation (EC) No 2157/2001 — europa.eu Your Europe
- EU business registers search (e-Justice / BRIS) — e-justice.europa.eu
- German Limited Liability Companies Act (GmbHG), official English text — gesetze-im-internet.de
Ready to register or buy a European company?
Contact Müller Konsult to choose the right country and legal form, complete the registration, or take over a clean ready-made company. We guide international founders through every step. Müller Konsult · Königsallee 27, 40212 Düsseldorf · +49 211 5403 8800 · info@gmbhforsale.com · Request a callback
Reviewed by Stefan Stelthove, Corporate & Commercial Lawyer, Müller Konsult. Last updated 7 June 2026.
Related: Company formation in Germany · Germany vs Switzerland vs Austria · Buy an SE (European Company) · Shelf company for sale in Europe · Low-tax countries in Europe
