Company Formation in Serbia

Injac Attorneys advises foreign individuals and international companies on company formation and company registration in Serbia: 100% foreign ownership, remote incorporation through a Power of Attorney where the structure allows it, and legal support with banking and every step after registration.

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15%

Corporate income tax.

~5 Days

Registration.

100% Foreign

Foreign ownership permitted.

RSD 100

Minimum share capital of a DOO.

Key Takeaways

Foreign individuals and foreign companies can register a company in Serbia on the same terms as Serbian nationals, and the company can be 100% foreign-owned: no local partner, nominee or Serbian director is required. Most foreign founders use a limited liability company (društvo sa ograničenom odgovornošću, or DOO), which can be formed with share capital of as little as RSD 100. Since May 2023, applications to incorporate a DOO can only be filed online with the Serbian Business Registers Agency (APR), and a Serbian attorney holding a Power of Attorney can prepare and file them, so in most cases no one needs to travel to Serbia for the registration itself. The APR charges a fee of RSD 8,000 and must decide within five working days of receiving the application; in practice, obtaining and legalising foreign documents takes longer than the registration. After incorporation, the company must file an initial corporate income tax return, set up accounting and e-invoicing, keep its beneficial ownership record up to date and open a corporate bank account. Owning or managing a Serbian company does not by itself give anyone the right to live or work in Serbia.

Contents

How to Register a Company in Serbia

Whether you are starting a business in Serbia from scratch or setting up a subsidiary of an existing group, company registration is an electronic filing with the Serbian Business Registers Agency (Agencija za privredne registre, APR). The filing itself is quick. The decisions that go into it deserve more attention, because most of them are entered in the public register and can only be changed later through a further registration.

Before any document is drafted, the following points should be settled:

DecisionWhat needs to be settled
Legal formIn most cases a limited liability company (DOO). The alternatives are compared below.
Members (shareholders)Who will hold the shares (individuals, companies or both) and in what proportions. A DOO may have up to 50 members.
DirectorAt least one director to represent the company. Directors may be foreign nationals and do not need to live in Serbia.
Registered officeA registered address in Serbia, together with an e-mail address for official correspondence, which is also entered in the register.
Company nameA name that can be clearly distinguished from companies already registered. It can be reserved in advance.
Predominant activityThe main activity code under the Serbian classification of activities. The company may also carry on any other lawful activity, subject to a licence where a specific law requires one.
Share capitalThe amount each member subscribes (at least RSD 100 in total for a DOO), whether contributions are in cash or in kind, and when they will be paid.
GovernanceHow members take decisions, how directors are appointed and removed, and which transactions require the members’ approval.
Operating modelWhere management decisions will actually be taken, and whether the company will employ staff, invoice customers or hold assets. This drives the banking, tax and immigration consequences.

These choices are recorded in the founding act: a decision on incorporation where there is a single member, or a memorandum of association where there are several. The founding act is filed with the APR together with the registration application, as described in the step-by-step process below.

Can Foreigners Register a Company in Serbia?

Yes. Serbian company law applies to foreign and domestic founders in the same way. A foreign individual or a foreign company can establish a Serbian company, own all of its shares and appoint a foreign director.

  • Foreign individuals can be founders on the basis of a valid passport. Neither Serbian residence nor a Serbian personal identification number is needed to own shares or to act as director.
  • Foreign legal entities establish a Serbian company through their authorised representative, or through an attorney acting under a Power of Attorney, on the basis of an extract from their home commercial register.
  • No local partner is required. A foreign owner does not need a Serbian co-founder, nominee shareholder or resident director. Foreign investors enjoy national treatment under the Law on Investments.
  • Foreign directors can be registered without any nationality or residence condition. A director who lives abroad should plan in advance how the company will sign electronic filings and meet its bank’s identification requirements; see remote registration and corporate bank account.
  • Ownership is separate from residence. Owning or managing a Serbian company does not give a right to live or work in Serbia, and Serbian residence is not a condition for owning or managing one. A founder who intends to work in Serbia needs a separate permit; see Immigration to Serbia.

Serbian law recognises several forms of business entities. The choice of structure depends on the intended business activity, the ownership configuration, and the commercial objectives of the foreign investor. For most foreign founders, the answer is a limited liability company: in Serbian, društvo sa ograničenom odgovornošću (DOO), often called a Serbian LLC.

 

Limited Liability Company (DOO)

The limited liability company (društvo sa ograničenom odgovornošću, abbreviated DOO) is by far the most commonly used entity for company formation in Serbia by foreign investors. The DOO provides limited liability protection (shareholders are liable only to the extent of their capital contribution), operational flexibility, and straightforward governance. Key characteristics include a minimum registered capital of RSD 100 (less than EUR 1), a maximum of 50 shareholders (individuals or legal entities, domestic or foreign), management by one or more directors (who may be foreign nationals), no requirement for a supervisory board (for companies below certain thresholds), and the ability to conduct any lawful business activity.

The DOO is suitable for the vast majority of international use cases: subsidiaries of foreign companies, independent operating entities, holding vehicles, professional services firms, IT companies, trading companies, real estate SPVs, and single-person consulting operations. Unless the business requires a joint stock structure (for public capital raising or regulatory reasons), the DOO is the default choice.

Sole Proprietorship (Preduzetnik)

As opposed to forming an LLC, registering as a sole proprietor (preduzetnik) represents the simplest and most affordable path to company formation in Serbia. Initially, you must understand that a sole proprietor lacks separate legal entity status – the person and business are legally identical.

Among the advantages are lower registration costs, reduced administrative requirements, and simplified bookkeeping options. Sole proprietors can even opt for “flat rate” taxation according to a predetermined amount, eliminating the need to maintain complex accounting records.

Despite these benefits, consequently, the entrepreneur bears unlimited personal liability for all business debts and obligations with their entire personal property. Additionally, each individual can register only one sole proprietorship in Serbia.

The registration process for sole proprietors has been streamlined with online application options now available. Usually, the decision on registration comes within 3-5 days of application.

Joint Stock Company (AD)

The joint stock company (akcionarsko društvo, abbreviated AD) is designed for larger-scale operations. It requires minimum share capital of EUR 25,000 for open (public) joint stock companies or EUR 10,000 for closed joint stock companies. The AD is appropriate for businesses that intend to raise capital from the public, operate in regulated sectors requiring higher capitalisation (such as banking or insurance), or have complex governance structures with many shareholders. For most foreign investors, the DOO is preferable due to its lower capital requirements and simpler governance.

FormSeparate legal entityLiabilityMinimum capitalTypically used for
Limited liability company (DOO)YesMembers liable only up to their contributionsRSD 100Subsidiaries, holding companies, operating and trading companies, single-founder businesses
Entrepreneur (preduzetnik)No; the individual trades in their own nameUnlimited, with all personal assetsNoneIndividuals who live and work in Serbia
Joint stock company (AD)YesShareholders liable only up to their contributionsRSD 3,000,000Larger companies, some regulated sectors, companies planning to list shares

Branch Office

A branch office is an organisational unit of a foreign company registered in Serbia. The branch does not have separate legal personality — it operates as an extension of the foreign parent company, which retains full liability for all obligations arising from the branch’s activities. Unlike a representative office, a branch can conduct full commercial activities, including trading, invoicing, and generating revenue in Serbia.

Branch offices are relevant for foreign companies that want to conduct business in Serbia without establishing a separate legal entity. The branch is subject to Serbian tax on income earned in Serbia and must maintain accounting records and file tax returns. However, it does not require separate share capital, and its governance is determined by the parent company’s constitutional documents.

Representative Office

A representative office is a separate organisational unit of a foreign company registered in Serbia for the purpose of performing preparatory and auxiliary activities. Representative offices cannot conduct commercial transactions, generate revenue, or enter into contracts on their own behalf. Their activities are limited to market research, marketing, promotional activities, and facilitating negotiations on behalf of the parent company.

Representative offices are appropriate for companies that are exploring the Serbian market before committing to a full operational presence. The parent company retains full liability for the activities of the representative office.

For detailed guidance on representative offices, see: Representative Office in Serbia.

Subsidiary, branch or representative office?

International companies entering Serbia usually choose between these three options:

 
FeatureSubsidiary (DOO)BranchRepresentative office
Separate legal entityYesNoNo
May trade, invoice and contract in SerbiaYesYes, on behalf of the foreign companyNo; preparatory and auxiliary activities only
Liable for obligationsThe subsidiaryThe foreign companyThe foreign company
Serbian corporate income taxOn its worldwide profit, as a Serbian tax residentOn the profit attributable to the branchNot normally, while it stays within its permitted activities
APR registration feeRSD 8,000RSD 8,000RSD 8,000

A subsidiary ring-fences liability in Serbia and is the structure Serbian banks, counterparties and authorities deal with most often. A branch avoids a separate company but exposes the parent directly. A representative office is an exploratory step, not a trading presence. For detailed guidance, see Serbia Subsidiary for Foreign Companies and Representative Office in Serbia.

Considering a corporate presence in Serbia?

Whether you are establishing a subsidiary for market access, relocating a team, or structuring a holding entity, our corporate team can advise on the optimal structure and manage the entire formation process remotely.

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Step-by-Step Company Registration Process

For a foreign-owned DOO, setting up a company in Serbia follows five steps.

Step 1: Determine the structure

Settle the legal form, members, director, registered office, name, activity, capital and governance described above, and check that the structure suits the bank you intend to use and your tax position at home.

Step 2: Prepare the foreign documents

Obtain the documents that have to come from abroad: passports, a register extract for any corporate founder, and a Power of Attorney if you will not sign in Serbia. Documents issued or certified abroad need an apostille or legalisation, unless a treaty exempts them, and a certified translation into Serbian. For most clients this is the longest step.

Step 3: Prepare the incorporation documents

We draft the founding act, the appointment of the director and the registration application, and prepare the beneficial ownership data and supporting documents that are filed together with the application.

Step 4: File the electronic registration application

The application is signed with a qualified electronic signature and filed through the APR’s online system, and the fee is paid electronically. The APR must decide within five working days. Registration gives the company its registration number (matični broj) and tax identification number (PIB), and registers it as a contribution payer with the Central Register of Compulsory Social Insurance, all in the same procedure.

Step 5: Complete the post-registration requirements

Open the bank account, file the initial tax return, set up accounting and e-invoicing, pay in the share capital when due and register for VAT where required. These steps are described under post-registration requirements.

Can You Register a Company in Serbia Remotely?

In most cases, yes. Since 17 May 2023, applications to incorporate a DOO, a joint stock company or a partnership can only be filed online, and the application may be filed by an attorney acting under the founder’s Power of Attorney. Online company registration in Serbia therefore does not require the founder or the director to travel to Serbia.

A remote incorporation typically works as follows:

  1. The founder signs a Power of Attorney (an individual before a notary in their country of residence, a company through its authorised representative) and has it apostilled or legalised.
  2. The Power of Attorney and the other foreign documents are sent to us and translated into Serbian by a certified court interpreter.
  3. Paper originals are converted into electronic documents. A Serbian notary can do this, and so can the attorney who files the application; an attorney may certify electronic copies only when acting as the filing agent.
  4. We sign and file the application electronically, and the APR delivers its decision electronically.

Online registration covers the company itself. It does not cover everything that follows:

  • Bank onboarding. Company registration and opening a bank account are separate processes. Some banks can onboard a foreign-owned company through an attorney holding a Power of Attorney; others require the director or a beneficial owner to be identified in person. Policies differ between banks and change over time, so we confirm the position with the chosen bank before incorporation. See Open a Bank Account in Serbia Without Visiting.
  • Personal electronic signature. Foreign nationals can obtain a Serbian qualified electronic signature, but the certificate generally has to be collected in person. A director without one can authorise the company’s accountant or attorney to make electronic filings.
  • Residence and work. A founder who will live or work in Serbia applies separately.

Documents Required

Foreign individual as founder

  • Valid passport
  • Power of Attorney, signed before a notary and apostilled or legalised, if the founder will not sign in Serbia
  • Details identifying the beneficial owner (normally the founder), with a copy of their passport
  • Proof of residential address, which is usually required by the bank rather than for registration

Foreign company as shareholder

  • Recent extract from the commercial register of the foreign company, showing its registration details and authorised representatives, apostilled or legalised
  • Passport of the person signing on the company’s behalf
  • Power of Attorney signed by the authorised representative, apostilled or legalised
  • Corporate approval of the investment (for example, a board resolution) where the shareholder’s own rules require it or the bank asks for it
  • Documents showing the ownership chain up to the beneficial owners, such as shareholder registers and, where relevant, trust or foundation documents, together with the beneficial owners’ passports

Rules that apply to all foreign documents

  • Apostille or legalisation. Documents from countries party to the Hague Apostille Convention need an apostille; documents from other countries need full legalisation, unless a bilateral treaty with Serbia exempts them.
  • Certified translation. Foreign-language documents are translated into Serbian by a court interpreter (sudski tumač) registered in Serbia.
  • Electronic form. Paper originals are converted into electronic documents by a notary or by the filing attorney before submission.
  • Beneficial ownership. The documents on which the beneficial owners are identified, and a copy of any foreign beneficial owner’s passport, are uploaded to the Central Records of Beneficial Owners.
  • Recency. Register extracts should be recently issued. Banks in particular often refuse older extracts.

Company Formation Costs in Serbia

The cost of company formation in Serbia has three layers: the official registration fee, the third-party cost of preparing foreign documents, and the running costs that begin once the company exists. Only the first is a government charge.

 
ItemPaid toAmount
Incorporation of a DOO (also an AD, a branch or a representative office)APRRSD 8,000 (approx. EUR 68), including registration of the founding act
Company name reservation (optional)APRRSD 2,000
Registration of an entrepreneurAPRRSD 2,500
Share capitalThe company itself; this is not a feeFrom RSD 100. It may be paid after registration, within the period set in the founding act (at most five years).
Notarisation and apostille or legalisationNotary and authorities in the founder’s countryDepends on the country
Certified translationsCourt interpreter in SerbiaDepends on the number of documents
Qualified electronic signatureSerbian certification authorityOne-off charge, if the director obtains one
Registered addressLandlord or virtual office providerApprox. EUR 50–150 per month, if a service address is needed
AccountingLicensed accountantFrom approx. EUR 100–300 per month, depending on volume
Bank accountBankTypically EUR 5–20 per month, depending on the bank and package
Legal feesInjac AttorneysQuoted in writing once the structure and scope are clear

APR fees shown are those in force since 1 January 2026. The incorporation fee already covers registration of the founding act; there is no separate mandatory publication fee on incorporation. EUR amounts are approximate.

What drives the total is the structure, not the APR fee. A single individual founder needs few foreign documents. A corporate shareholder with a multi-layered ownership chain needs register extracts, beneficial ownership evidence and translations at each level, and usually a more detailed file for the bank.

How Long Does Company Registration in Serbia Take?

The APR must decide on a registration application within five working days of receiving it; an application filed on a non-working day is treated as filed on the next working day. That statutory period is rarely what determines the overall timeline. What usually takes longer:

  • Foreign documents: notarisation, apostille or legalisation, courier and translation, which can take anything from a few days to several weeks depending on the country.
  • Corporate founders: register extracts and ownership documents for each level of the structure.
  • The bank: formal account opening starts only once the company is registered, although we discuss the file with the bank before filing.

Company incorporated vs. company fully operational

MilestoneWhat it meansTypical timing
Company incorporatedThe APR has registered the company. It exists as a legal entity and has its registration number (MB) and tax number (PIB).Within five working days of filing
Company fully operationalThe bank account is open, the initial tax return has been filed, accounting and e-invoicing are in place, and share capital has been paid in where required.Usually one to two weeks after incorporation for straightforward structures; longer where the bank applies enhanced due diligence

In our practice, counting from receipt of complete documents:

  • Single individual founder: registration within 7–10 business days, and a bank account usually within one to two weeks after that.
  • Foreign company as founder: 10–15 business days to registration, allowing for legalisation, translation and a more detailed bank review.
  • Multi-layered ownership, trusts or regulated activities: 15–25 business days to registration, depending on the specific requirements.
 

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Post-Registration Requirements

Registration creates the company; the obligations below make it compliant and able to operate. Most of them run from the date of registration.

RequirementWhat it involvesWhen
Beneficial ownership (UBO)Recording the individuals who ultimately own or control the company in the Central Records of Beneficial Owners kept by the APR, together with the documents on which they were identified. We normally do this together with the incorporation application.Within 30 days of incorporation and of any change; the data must also be verified once a year
Qualified electronic signature (QES)A certificate for the director, or for a person the director authorises, to sign filings with the tax authority, the APR and the e-invoicing system.Before the first filings
Accounting and e-invoicingBookkeeping under Serbian accounting rules, in practice through a licensed accountant. VAT-registered companies, and companies supplying the public sector, issue and receive invoices through the national e-invoicing system (SEF).From incorporation
Corporate income taxAn initial tax return, on which the monthly advance payments of corporate income tax are based.Within 15 days of registration
VATRegistration becomes mandatory once turnover exceeds RSD 8 million in the previous 12 months. Voluntary registration is possible earlier and is often worthwhile where the company incurs significant input VAT or sells to VAT-registered customers.When the threshold is exceeded, or on voluntary application
Bank account and share capitalOpening the company’s current account and paying in the share capital within the period set in the founding act.Account usually within one to two weeks; capital as the founding act provides
Corporate complianceRegistering changes of directors, members, address or activity with the APR, adopting members’ decisions, and filing the annual financial statements and corporate income tax return.Changes as they occur; financial statements by 30 June and the tax return within 180 days of the year-end

These obligations continue for as long as the company exists. Where the owners and the director are abroad, we can take them over on an ongoing basis as part of our corporate and company secretarial services.

Corporate Bank Account

For most foreign-owned companies, it is the bank account, not the registration, that decides how quickly the company becomes operational. Registration is an administrative procedure with fixed requirements. Opening an account is the bank’s own decision, taken under its risk policy and Serbian anti-money laundering rules, and a bank is not obliged to accept a corporate client.

When reviewing a new corporate client, a Serbian bank typically looks at:

  • Ownership and control: the full chain of shareholders up to the ultimate beneficial owners, and the identity of the directors and authorised signatories.
  • Expected activity: what the company will do, its expected turnover, and the volume and type of payments.
  • Counterparties and countries: the main customers and suppliers, and the jurisdictions to and from which money will flow.
  • Source of funds: where the share capital and initial funding come from and, for the beneficial owners, how their wealth was acquired.
  • Consistency: whether the corporate documents, the stated business and the expected payment flows tell the same story.

Serbian banks differ considerably in their appetite for non-resident owners, particular industries and particular jurisdictions of incorporation. Matching the company to the right bank is the most important decision in the process, and we make it before the company is registered. Accounts are multi-currency, and since May 2026 Serbian banks have executed euro payments through the SEPA Credit Transfer scheme.

No law firm can guarantee that a bank will open an account. The decision belongs to the bank, which may ask for further information or decline without giving reasons. What careful preparation changes is the quality of the file and the choice of bank. The documents banks ask for and the most common reasons for refusal are covered in our guide to the Serbia bank account for non-residents.

Residence Permit Through Company Formation

Company formation does not automatically grant Serbian residence. A Serbian company can be owned and managed from abroad, and registering it gives its members and director no right to live or work in Serbia.

A founder or director who will actually work in Serbia for the company can apply for a single permit, which combines temporary residence with the right to work. The application is filed electronically and decided by the Ministry of Interior on the basis of the applicant’s own documents and circumstances. It is a separate procedure, not a consequence of the registration. The single permit can be issued for up to three years and renewed.

Founders who plan to relocate should decide the company structure and the permit route together. The conditions, documents and procedure are explained in our guide to Immigration to Serbia.

Taxation of Serbian Companies

A company incorporated in Serbia is a Serbian tax resident and is taxed on its worldwide profit. The main points for a foreign-owned company are:

  • Corporate income tax: a flat 15% on taxable profit, paid in monthly advance instalments, with the annual return due within 180 days of the end of the tax year.
  • VAT: 20% standard rate and 10% reduced rate, with mandatory registration above RSD 8 million of turnover in the previous 12 months.
  • Withholding tax: 20% on dividends, interest, royalties and certain service fees paid to non-residents, and 25% where the recipient is in a jurisdiction with a preferential tax system, reduced where a double tax treaty applies and its conditions are met.
  • Transfer pricing: transactions with related parties, including the foreign parent and other group companies, must be priced at arm’s length, and transfer pricing documentation is filed with the corporate income tax return.
  • Double tax treaties: Serbia has treaties with more than 60 countries. A treaty rate applies only if the recipient proves its tax residence in the prescribed form and meets the treaty’s conditions.

Company formation and international tax structuring are different exercises. Registering a Serbian company does not by itself move profit or tax residence to Serbia. Where the company is actually managed, where its people work and how intra-group transactions are priced determine where profit is taxed, and the owners’ home-country rules, such as controlled foreign company rules, continue to apply. These questions should be answered before the structure is registered.

A tax package published in Official Gazette RS No. 80/2026 leaves the 15% rate unchanged but amends a number of rules, including tax incentives, mostly with effect from 1 January 2027. Rates, incentives and deadlines are covered in more detail in our Serbia Tax Guide.

Why Establish a Company in Serbia?

Registering a company is straightforward in most European jurisdictions. What distinguishes Serbia is the combination of the following factors.

Corporate tax. The 15% flat rate is below the statutory rate in most EU member states, and Serbian tax law offers incentives for income from qualifying intellectual property and for new employment.

Investor protection. Foreign investors are guaranteed national treatment under the Law on Investments, and profit can be repatriated after tax, subject to the withholding tax rules described above.

Market access. Serbia has free trade agreements with the European Union (through the Stabilisation and Association Agreement), the CEFTA countries, EFTA, the United Kingdom, Turkey, the Eurasian Economic Union and China. Goods that meet the rules of origin can be exported from Serbia to these markets duty-free or on preferential terms. These are customs preferences, not exemptions from sanctions: groups with EU, UK or US parents remain bound by their own sanctions and export-control rules in respect of their Serbian subsidiaries.

Workforce. Universities in Belgrade, Novi Sad and Niš supply a large pool of engineers and IT specialists, and salary levels remain well below Western European averages. Serbia is an established location for software development and engineering centres.

Regional position. Serbia is a candidate for EU membership and is aligning its company, competition, data protection and financial legislation with EU law. From Belgrade, a company can serve the Western Balkans while working in the same time zone as most of the EU.

Investment environment. Serbia has for years attracted the largest share of foreign direct investment in the Western Balkans, with investors from Germany, Italy, the United States, China, Austria and France among the most active. For an overview of the legal environment for foreign investors, see Doing Business in Serbia.

Company Formation for Different Business Models

The registration procedure is the same in every case. What changes is the structuring, the documents and the bank’s review.

  • Subsidiary of a foreign company. A DOO owned by the parent and used for sales, services or an operating team in Serbia. Corporate approvals, intra-group agreements and transfer pricing should be settled before the first invoice. See Serbia Subsidiary for Foreign Companies.
  • Holding company. A Serbian DOO holding shares in operating companies or intellectual property. Whether it is efficient depends on treaty access, the tax treatment of dividends received and paid, and real substance in Serbia, not on the registration itself. See Holding Company in Serbia.
  • Founders from Russia and other CIS countries. The formation procedure is the same as for any foreign founder. The practical difference lies in bank due diligence, which is more detailed for these owners and varies considerably between banks. See Company Formation in Serbia for Russian Citizens.
  • Founder relocating to Serbia. An individual moving to Serbia to run the business, usually through a single-member DOO with the founder as director. Company formation and the single permit are separate procedures that should be planned together; see residence permit through company formation.
  • Representative office first. A foreign company testing the market can register a representative office for promotion and liaison, and establish a subsidiary once it is ready to trade. See Representative Office in Serbia.

How Injac Attorneys Assists

Filing the registration application is a small part of forming a company. Our work covers what comes before and after it, so that the company is correctly structured, able to bank, tax-compliant and ready to employ people and trade. Depending on the mandate, it includes:

  • Corporate structuring: legal form, ownership and governance, coordinated with your tax advisers where the Serbian company is part of a group.
  • Power of Attorney: drafted in the form Serbian authorities and banks accept, with instructions for signing, notarisation and apostille in your country.
  • Founding act: the decision on incorporation or memorandum of association, including rules on management, members’ decisions and share transfers.
  • APR filing: preparing, signing and filing the electronic application, and dealing with any request from the registrar.
  • Foreign documents: coordinating register extracts, legalisation and certified translations.
  • Beneficial ownership: identifying the beneficial owners and recording them with the supporting documents.
  • Electronic signature: arranging the director’s QES, or the authorisations needed where the director will not obtain one.
  • Bank account: selecting the bank, preparing the KYC file and handling the bank’s compliance questions.
  • Tax and accounting: VAT registration where required and coordination with a licensed accountant, with the initial filings in place.
  • Employment: employment contracts, internal rules and registration of employees, including foreign nationals.
  • Immigration: single permits for founders, directors and staff who will work in Serbia.
  • Ongoing corporate support: registration of changes, members’ decisions, share transfers, annual compliance and the yearly beneficial ownership verification.
 

Frequently Asked Questions

Can a foreigner register a company in Serbia?

Yes. Foreign individuals and foreign companies can establish a Serbian company on the same terms as Serbian nationals, without a local partner. See Can foreigners register a company in Serbia?

Yes. A Serbian DOO can be wholly owned by one or more foreign individuals or companies, and its director can also be a foreign national.

Decide the structure, prepare the foreign documents and the founding act, and file an electronic application with the APR. The five steps are set out in the step-by-step registration process.

Usually, yes. Incorporation is filed online, and a Serbian attorney can file it under your Power of Attorney. Opening the bank account is a separate process, and some banks identify the director or a beneficial owner in person. See registering a company remotely.

The APR decides within five working days of filing. Obtaining foreign documents usually takes longer than that, and the bank account adds time before the company is fully operational. See how long registration takes.

The APR fee for incorporating a DOO is RSD 8,000. Notarisation, apostilles, translations and legal fees depend on the structure, and running costs start once the company exists. See company formation costs.

RSD 100. The founding act sets when the capital must be paid in, which can be after registration but not later than five years from it.

No. Neither the members nor the director need to live in Serbia or hold a Serbian residence permit.

Not by itself. A founder or director who works in Serbia for the company can apply for a single permit for residence and work, which the Ministry of Interior decides separately. See residence permit through company formation.

A DOO is a separate Serbian company. A branch is part of the foreign company and trades on its behalf. A representative office is also part of the foreign company but may not trade. See which legal structure to choose.

In practice, yes. Share capital, salaries, taxes and payments to other businesses all go through the company’s account with a Serbian bank. See corporate bank account.

Record the beneficial owners, arrange the electronic signature, accounting and e-invoicing, file the initial tax return, open the bank account, pay in the capital when due and register for VAT where required. See post-registration requirements.

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Email:

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Address:

Makenzijeva 17,

11000 Belgrade - Serbia

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Email:

inquiry@injac.rs

Tel:

+381 11 2458 945

Address:

Makenzijeva 17,

11000 Belgrade - Serbia

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