Starting a business in Bosnia & Herzegovina: foreigner's guide (2026)

Foreign investors may own 100% of a company in virtually all sectors. Foreign equity is capped at 49% only in entities producing or selling arms, ammunition, explosives for military use, military equipment, and in media companies; prior entity-level approval is required in those sectors.

In the Federation of BiH, the minimum paid-in capital for a d.o.o. (LLC) is BAM 1,000 (~€511), with each shareholder contributing at least BAM 100. In Republika Srpska the symbolic minimum is BAM 1 (less than €1). Proof of deposit in a temporary bank account is required before court registration.

Core steps are: (1) name reservation, (2) notarisation of founding act, (3) capital deposit and bank certificate, (4) court/APIF registration (3–5 days in RS via APIF; up to 5 days in FBiH courts), (5) company seal, (6) municipal activity approval (~10 days in FBiH), (7) tax-ID and statistics-number enrolment. End-to-end timeline is typically 15–20 days.

Registration requirements are not harmonised across the state. The Federation of BiH's 10 cantons each maintain different business regulations; Republika Srpska applies a single entity-wide regime via APIF; Brčko District has its own rules. Investors must navigate the correct jurisdiction for their chosen location.

In the Federation of BiH, administrative fees are approximately €500 and notary/lawyer fees add €500–€1,000. In Republika Srpska total administrative and notary costs are approximately €150. Brčko District administrative and notary costs are approximately €1,000.

The Federation of BiH operates an electronic registration system allowing online filing. Foreigners are treated equally to domestic investors under the 1998 FDI Law; rights granted cannot be revoked by subsequent legislation, and investors may opt into any more-favourable later regime.