How the Romanian SRL formation process works

How the Romanian SRL formation process works

The Romanian SRL formation process is more predictable than most foreign founders expect, but it only runs smoothly when the right checks happen in the right order. This page sets out, step by step, how we take a case from a first message to a registered company, and where the realistic decision points and waiting times sit. Nothing here is automatic, and we do not ask for payment before we understand your situation. The first thing we do is review your case so that the document list and the quote you receive actually match your citizenship, your residence, and the structure you want.

Because we work almost exclusively with foreign citizens, the process is built around the questions that tend to complicate a file: where you live, how your identity documents read, who the shareholders are, and how everything can be signed from abroad. Getting those answers early is what keeps the Trade Register part of the work uneventful later on. For the legal side of each step, from name reservation to the registration certificate, see our guide to company registration in Romania.

Step one: confirm the service and scope

Start with your citizenship, current country of residence, intended activity and proposed shareholder and administrator structure. Your dedicated contact uses that summary to identify the likely formation package and any points requiring closer assessment, such as a foreign corporate shareholder or unusual documents. This initial check is free, and for an eligible standard case it is all that is needed to confirm the €490 route.

Before formation work begins, we confirm the package or quote and the document list. This includes whether you need a registered office and which formalities apply to your documents. The same contact keeps that context throughout the case, so you do not move between sales, drafting and support or have to explain your situation again.

Step two: preparing and signing the documents

Once the case is confirmed and you decide to proceed, we move to preparation. We draft the incorporation file, including the articles of association, the shareholder and administrator decisions, and the supporting declarations that the Romanian Trade Register expects. Where your documents are not in Romanian, we coordinate certified translation, and where you cannot sign in person, we arrange the appropriate signing route, which may require a power of attorney depending on your case.

A typical file draws on a consistent set of inputs, and you can see the full picture on our required documents page. In most standard cases we will ask for:

• a clear copy of your passport or national identity document
• your current foreign address details
• two or three preferred company names to check for availability
• the intended business activity, mapped to the correct CAEN codes
• the shareholder and administrator structure, with share capital and contributions

We confirm the exact list for your file, because requirements shift when corporate shareholders or unusual residence situations are involved.

Step three: filing with the Trade Register

With the file prepared and signed, the collaborating Romanian lawyer represents the filing before the Trade Register, which examines and decides on the incorporation. Your dedicated contact keeps you informed about its status and coordinates any additional documents needed for observations. Trade Register observations can extend the timing, so the preparation and filing stages should be planned together rather than treated as a guaranteed turnaround.

Once the registrar approves the file, the company legally exists. You receive the registration certificate, the incorporation decision, and the company's identification details. We then hand over the documents you need to operate and point you toward the steps that follow registration.

Step four: after the company is registered

Registration is the milestone, not the finish line. After incorporation a company normally needs an accountant, a tax registration setup appropriate to its activity, and ongoing compliance with Romanian reporting obligations. We can refer you to an accountant for this so that the company starts its life in good standing rather than catching up later. If your file included a registered office, the address is already on record with the Trade Register and will need renewal in future years.

If your circumstances change after setup, such as a new administrator, an added shareholder, or revised activity codes, those are handled as separate Trade Register filings rather than part of the original formation.

What it costs and how to start the process

Formation only starts from €300, excluding the registered office and ONRC fee. Formation with a 12-month office starts from €450, excluding the ONRC fee. For eligible standard cases, the fixed €490 package includes formation, lawyer-led representation, the 12-month office and ONRC fee in one payment. A registered office on its own is €150 per year and later company changes start from €200. Translations, notarisation, apostilles, legalisation and accounting are separate when needed. See the prices for the full scope.

To start the process, send your citizenship, current country of residence, registered-office need and intended activity on WhatsApp or through the contact form. Your dedicated contact explains the likely scope, confirms the package before formation work starts and follows the file through completion.