Starting a Business · Belgium
Starting a Business - Belgium
Belgium permits 100% foreign ownership of companies and has abolished the minimum capital requirement for the most common company form (BV/SRL), but incorporating a company is a multi-step process requiring a notarial deed, a two-year financial plan, and registration with the Crossroads Bank for Enterprises. EU/EEA and Swiss nationals can start a business on equal footing with Belgians; non-EEA nationals must additionally obtain a professional card before operating as self-employed. The process is well-defined and accessible but involves several mandatory formalities, placing it in the moderate range for a foreigner.
There are no general foreign-ownership limits on Belgian companies; non-residents may fully own and direct a Belgian company. EU/EEA/Swiss nationals enjoy the same freedom of establishment as Belgians, while non-EEA nationals need a professional card to act as self-employed.
The BV/SRL (private limited company) is the standard form and has no fixed statutory minimum capital — founders must instead provide 'sufficient' starting funds justified in a financial plan. The NV/SA (public limited) still requires €61,500 of capital.
Companies with legal personality (BV/SRL, NV/SA) must be incorporated by a notarial deed (articles of association) filed with the enterprise court registry, and founders must prepare a mandatory financial plan covering the first two years of operation.
Every business must register in the Crossroads Bank for Enterprises via an accredited business counter (around 140 offices) to obtain a 10-digit enterprise number; registration must occur no later than the day activity begins. Sole proprietors go directly to a business counter.
Non-EU/EEA/Swiss nationals must hold a professional card to work as self-employed or run a company in Belgium; it is granted regionally for up to 5 years (initially ~2-year probation) and applied for at a Belgian diplomatic post abroad or an enterprise counter if already resident.
After CBE registration, businesses must activate a VAT number, affiliate with a social insurance fund for the self-employed, and obtain any sector-specific permits. A Belgian registered office and a business bank account are also required.
Machine-assisted translation · verified 5/23/2026 · orientation, not legal advice. English version →