Company Registration in Estonia

Company registration in Estonia is finalised when the founder(s) of the company have successfully registered the business with the Business Register. This registry falls under the scope of the Estonian Centre of Registers and Information Systems. In this article, our lawyers in Estonia discuss the role of the Register and, for those interested, can provide assistance with Registry submissions upon request.

Quick Facts
Trade Register’s full/official name	The e-Business Register, maintained by the Centre of Registers and Information Systems.
Services offered by our team for registrations with this authority	Our Estonian lawyers assist local and foreign investors who start the process of business registration in Estonia.
Main role of the Business Register	To provide access to information on registered legal entities, to facilitate the registration of new businesses and to provide a platform for various mandatory submissions.
Organizational chart	The Business Register operates under the Centre of Registers and Information Systems, a centre of the Ministry of Justice and Digital Affairs.
Laws observed by and implemented by the Register	The Commercial Code and other relevant laws and regulations.
Legal entities registered with the Estonian Business Register	Private and public limited companies, general and limited partnerships, self-employed persons and non-profit associations.
Public services offered by the Business Register	Legal person search, report submission, detailed searches, etc.
Compliance insurance	According to the official requirements for business registration and mandatory information disclosure in Estonia.
Modifications	Possible after the registration of the legal entity (name and ownership changes, registered address changes, etc.)
Modification notification	Must be notified and the information updated in the Register
Renewals	According to the local requirements
Company names	Reservations are possible as part of the pre-incorporation process with the Estonian Business Register.
Company name changes	If available, the process to reserve and update the name with the Business Register is observed.
Company deregistration	Closing a company in Estonia will also mean that it is deleted from the Business Register. Several steps are mandatory for this process.
Business Register fees – examples	150 euros for a name reservation, 265 euros for a limited company registration. Other fees also apply.

What is the Business Register?

The Estonian Commercial Register (also referred to as the Business Register) is the national database containing information on companies, branches of foreign entities in Estonia, and sole proprietors, among other business forms.

The Register keeps updated information on existing legal entities, and it is mandatory to register a company in Estonia (i.e., to enter it into the Business Register) for it to become a recognised legal entity that is suitable for engaging in commercial activities.

What are the functions of the Estonian Business Register?

The Estonian Business Register keeps information on Estonian companies throughout their activity. Below, our Estonian lawyers highlight the main roles of the Commercial Register:

Receive applications for business registration in Estonia;
Submit an inquiry on existing registered companies, foundations in Estonia, or non-profit organisations;
Delete companies that have not commenced their activities (or in other cases) upon request;
Receive notifications for changes brought to an existing company and update the information on the registry accordingly;
Search for existing business names and commence the process to reserve and use a chosen name for a new company.

According to the law, the Business Register also includes information on problematic companies in Estonia. This means that the Registry provides information in those cases where contacting a legal entity is troublesome. Some information on problematic legal entities can also be presented in relation to the natural persons who are engaged with them.

How is company registration in Estonia performed with the Register?

The steps required to register a company in Estonia are straightforward, and the Register allows investors to conveniently commence and continue the registration process, provided that they follow the requirements for the mandatory document preparation and submission.

Documents are submitted electronically, and foreign founders without an Estonian ID can use an e-Residency card (or register through an Estonian notary instead) – this applies to those foreign investors who will be setting up businesses. The team of experts at our law firm in Estonia can assist with preparing the documents, thus making the process faster, and with the actual registration phase.

In addition to preparing the documents, company founders will also have to pay certain fees when making the company registration. We exemplify some of the main fees according to company type below:

State fee for company registration in Estonia for a private limited company: EUR265;
State fee for registering a sole trader: EUR20;
State fee for registering a branch in Estonia: EUR 200.

Please keep in mind that these fees are subject to change and do not include any legal fees or other costs associated with business creation in Estonia.

What are the general requirements for business registration in Estonia?

Drawing up the company’s constitutive documents is an important prerequisite to company formation, and our lawyers in Estonia can assist with this phase.

Once the Articles of Association are prepared, our team will provide you with more information on the requirements to offer personal identification for the founders and meet the mandatory requirements for using online signatures within the registration portal.

Contact the experts at our law firm in Estonia for more information on the mandatory submissions for registration with the Business Register, as well as other changes brought once business registration in Estonia is complete.