Serbian company formation
Register a Serbian DOO in 5–7 Business Days
A Serbian DOO (limited liability company) can be registered in 5–7 business days with no minimum capital requirement. Foreigners can be the sole founder and director without residing in Serbia. The full process — notary, business register, tax registration, and bank account — takes approximately 2–3 weeks. Relocation Serbia manages every step on your behalf, including remotely via Power of Attorney.
- No minimum capital — legal minimum is €1
- Foreigners can be sole founder and director without Serbian residency
- Register remotely via Power of Attorney — no travel required for most nationalities
- Company formation qualifies you for a Serbian residency permit
- 15% corporate tax — among the lowest rates in Europe
10 YRS
Tax holiday in Free Economic Zones
22+
Free trade agreements via Serbia
€64K
Annual turnover before VAT registration
15
Free Economic Zones across Serbia
Turnkey formation package
Everything included in your company setup
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Our formation package covers every step from founding document to operational company — nothing is left for you to coordinate separately.
Founding Document
Bilingual Articles of Association drafted, notarised, and translated. Covers company structure, share ownership, and directorship.
Power of Attorney
Prepared, certified, and apostilled where required — allowing Relocation Serbia to complete registration on your behalf without you travelling to Serbia.
Business Register Submission
Full submission to the Serbian Business Registers Agency (APR), including all required forms and supporting documentation.
Tax Registration & Scheme Selection
Tax ID (PIB) obtained. Your accountant reviews your business model and assigns the most advantageous tax scheme — flat-rate lump sum or standard bookkeeping.
Registered Legal Address
A prestigious legal address in central Belgrade or Novi Sad — required for registration and ongoing compliance. Mail management included.
Corporate Bank Account
Coordination of account opening with a Serbian bank. We prepare the bank application and accompany you through the process where physical presence is required.
Qualified Electronic Signature
A qualified electronic signature (QES) is issued to the director — required for submitting statutory filings and signing documents with Serbian authorities.
Accountant Assignment
A dedicated accountant is assigned at formation to manage your monthly bookkeeping, payroll, and tax filings from day one of operation.
VAT Registration (where applicable)
If your turnover exceeds the €64,000 threshold or you elect voluntary VAT registration, we handle the full registration process with the Tax Administration.
Choosing your structure
Which legal entity is right for your business?
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Serbia offers several entity structures. For the vast majority of foreign entrepreneurs and companies, the DOO is the correct choice. Here is why — and when the others apply.
Recommended for most clients
DOO — Limited Liability Company
The standard choice for foreign entrepreneurs, remote workers, and international companies entering Serbia. Simple to register, fully owned by foreigners, and the most flexible structure for ongoing operation.
Best for: entrepreneurs, remote workers, service businesses, holding structures, companies testing the Serbian market.
For sole traders
Preduzetnik — Sole Trader
The simplest structure available. Suitable for individuals conducting business under their own name. Lower administrative overhead, but personal liability is unlimited — the owner is personally responsible for all business obligations.
Best for: freelancers and individuals with low liability exposure. Not suitable for companies or multiple founders.
For large operations
AD — Joint Stock Company
The equivalent of a public or private limited company. Required for companies raising capital from multiple investors via shares, or for regulated industries. Significantly higher registration requirements and ongoing compliance burden.
Best for: large-scale operations, companies planning public share issuance, or regulated financial/insurance businesses.
Dual benefit
Your company also qualifies you for Serbian residency
Registering a Serbian DOO is one of the most common pathways to a Serbian temporary residence permit. Once your company is registered, you can apply for residency as the company director. Relocation Serbia coordinates both processes simultaneously — so your permit is ready shortly after your company is operational.
Step by step
How your company registration works
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Six stages from first call to fully operational company. Here is exactly what Relocation Serbia handles at each one — and what you need to provide.
Formation call
We confirm the right entity structure for your situation, review your planned business activities to select the correct activity codes (delatnost), discuss the optimal tax scheme, and confirm whether a Free Economic Zone location is advantageous. You leave the call with a clear plan and document checklist.
Your only action: book the call and show up with a rough idea of your business activity.
Document preparation
We draft the bilingual founding document (Articles of Association), prepare the Power of Attorney for your signature, and arrange notarisation. If your country requires an apostille on the POA, we coordinate that process. You provide a copy of your passport and national ID — we handle everything else.
Most clients never need to visit Serbia for this stage. Remote completion is available for the majority of nationalities.
Notarial signing
The founding document is signed before a Serbian notary. For remote clients, the notarised Power of Attorney allows Relocation Serbia to sign on your behalf. For clients visiting Belgrade or Novi Sad in person, we schedule and accompany you to the notary appointment.
If you are visiting Serbia, the notary appointment typically takes 30–60 minutes.
Business register & tax registration
The complete application is submitted to the Serbian Business Registers Agency (APR). Registration is confirmed within 5–7 business days. Immediately upon confirmation, we complete your tax registration (PIB), obtain your company's identification number (MB), and register you for VAT if applicable.
You receive your registration certificate and tax ID. Your company is now a legal entity in Serbia.
Bank account opening
We coordinate the corporate account opening with a Serbian bank — Raiffeisen, Intesa, Komercijalna, or others based on your requirements. Some banks require the director's physical presence; we confirm this in advance and, where required, schedule the appointment during any planned visit to Serbia.
Bank approval is the bank's decision — we ensure your application is complete and properly presented to maximise approval speed.
Handover & ongoing compliance
You receive your registration certificate, tax ID, qualified electronic signature, bank account details, and legal address confirmation. Your dedicated accountant is briefed and monthly bookkeeping begins. We remain your point of contact for all ongoing compliance, renewals, and any changes to company structure or directorship.
Monthly bookkeeping, payroll, and tax filings are managed by us — you do not deal with Serbian tax authorities directly.
Tax & incentives
What your Serbian company pays in tax
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Serbia's tax regime is one of the most competitive in Europe for foreign-owned businesses. Here are the key rates and incentives that apply to a Serbian DOO.
Standard Tax Rates
Applicable to all Serbian DOOs operating outside Free Economic Zones.
- Corporate income tax: 15% on taxable profit
- Personal income tax on salaries: 10% flat rate
- Withholding tax on dividends to foreign shareholders: 20% (reducible under treaty)
- VAT rate: 20% standard (10% reduced for qualifying goods)
- VAT registration threshold: RSD 8 million (~€64,000 annual turnover)
- Social contributions on gross salary: approximately 35%
Free Economic Zone Incentives
Available to companies establishing operations within Serbia's 15 designated Free Economic Zones.
- 10-year corporate income tax holiday on qualifying profits
- Customs duty exemption on imported raw materials and production equipment
- VAT exemption on goods produced within the zone for export
- No VAT on services between zone users
- Streamlined import/export procedures via zone administration
- Available zones: Belgrade, Novi Sad, Niš, Subotica, Zrenjanin, Pirot, and others
Completed formations
COMPANY FORMATION OUTCOMES
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Anonymised snapshots from completed company formation engagements.
DOO registered remotely via Power of Attorney, bank account opened, and temporary residence permit approved — all within 53 days of the formation call. Client relocated and operational without a single visit to a Serbian government office.
Serbian DOO established as a subsidiary of an existing UK limited company. Corporate shareholder documentation legalised, accounts opened, and monthly bookkeeping and tax compliance set up under the Virtual CFO service.
DOO established within the Subotica Free Economic Zone — qualifying for the 10-year corporate tax holiday. Full compliance setup including import/export procedures, monthly bookkeeping, and payroll for 12 local employees.
Questions
Company formation FAQ
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The questions we answer on almost every formation call.
How long does company registration in Serbia take?
The Business Registers Agency (APR) typically confirms registration within 5–7 business days from submission. Add 2–4 days for document preparation and notarisation, and 5–10 business days for bank account opening. Total time from starting the process to a fully operational company with a bank account is approximately 2–3 weeks. The main variable is document preparation speed — which depends on how quickly you can provide your passport and ID copies.
Can I use my Serbian company to get residency?
Yes. Registering a Serbian DOO and being listed as director or employee is one of the most used residency pathways for foreigners. Once your company is registered and you have a confirmed legal address, you can apply for a temporary residence permit. We run both processes simultaneously — so your residency application is submitted as soon as the company is registered, minimising total time. The permit is typically approved within 4–6 weeks of submission.
Can a foreign company be the sole shareholder of a Serbian DOO?
Yes. A Serbian DOO can be 100% owned by a foreign legal entity — a UK Ltd, US LLC, German GmbH, or any other foreign company structure. In this case, the founding document reflects the foreign company as the sole shareholder, and the required corporate documents (registration certificate, articles of association) must be legalised and apostilled before submission. Relocation Serbia coordinates this process regardless of the parent company's jurisdiction.
What does the ongoing compliance for a Serbian DOO involve?
A Serbian DOO must maintain monthly bookkeeping records, file quarterly VAT returns if VAT-registered, process payroll and social contributions for any employees, submit annual financial statements to the APR, and file an annual corporate tax return to the Tax Administration. Relocation Serbia's accounting team manages all of this on an ongoing basis. You have one point of contact for all financial reporting and are notified of any changes to Serbian tax law that affect your company.
Does my Serbian company qualify for a Free Economic Zone?
Free Zone eligibility depends primarily on your business activity. Manufacturing, processing, logistics, and export-oriented service businesses most commonly qualify. Service businesses providing output exclusively for foreign clients may also qualify in certain zones. We assess your eligibility on the formation call based on your business model. If you qualify, we coordinate the Free Zone registration process alongside the standard DOO formation — the two processes run in parallel.
What happens if I want to close or dissolve my Serbian company?
A Serbian DOO is dissolved through a formal liquidation process regulated by the Business Registers Agency. The company must have no outstanding liabilities, all tax obligations must be settled, and a final financial statement must be prepared. Relocation Serbia manages the full dissolution process on your behalf — including final tax filings, creditor notifications, and APR deregistration. If you are considering dissolving your company, we advise starting the process at least 3–6 months before your intended close date.
Ready to register your Serbian company?
Book a 60-minute formation call. We'll confirm the right structure, tax scheme, and timeline — and start the process immediately.
5–7 day registration
Belgrade & Novi Sad offices