Starting a Business - Azerbaijan

Azerbaijani law imposes no general restriction on foreign individuals or legal entities owning 100% of an LLC or joint-stock company (JSC). No local partner is required for standard commercial entities.

The Civil Code of Azerbaijan sets no minimum authorized (charter) capital for LLCs. Founders typically deposit a nominal amount (100–1,000 AZN) to open a bank account post-registration.

Since 2008, all commercial entity registrations are handled exclusively by the State Tax Service under the Ministry of Economy. The statutory processing time is 2 business days; practical timeline is 2–3 days. Simultaneous TIN assignment is automatic at registration.

The state registration fee for a standard LLC is 11 AZN (approximately USD 6–7). Applications may be submitted electronically via e-taxes.gov.az, in person, or through a legal representative holding a Power of Attorney.

Foreign founders must provide: passport or equivalent ID; founding documents (charter, resolution on establishment); proof of a legal address in Azerbaijan; and, for foreign legal entities, an extract from their home-country trade register. All foreign documents must be apostilled and officially translated into Azerbaijani.

While general commerce is open to 100% foreign ownership, specific caps and licensing requirements apply in media (broadcasting), banking, and insurance sectors. Foreign investors in restricted sectors must satisfy additional regulatory approvals from relevant supervisory authorities.