Starting a business in Romania: foreigner's guide (2026)

There are no foreign-ownership limits: an SRL may be 100% owned by a foreign natural person or legal entity, with up to 50 shareholders permitted. No residency requirement applies to shareholders or administrators.

Law 239/2025 (Official Gazette no. 1160/15 Dec 2025) set a new minimum share capital of RON 500 (~€100) for SRLs incorporated from 1 January 2026. Existing SRLs with net turnover above RON 400,000 must increase capital to RON 5,000 within two years (by 18 December 2027). Bearer shares are prohibited.

Steps include: (1) reserve a company name via ONRC portal; (2) prepare Articles of Incorporation (notarised); (3) provide proof of Romanian registered address; (4) submit shareholders'/directors' passports (apostilled if from non-EU country) with certified translation; (5) file self-declaration of no fiscal debts in country of residence (non-residents); (6) submit full dossier to ONRC online, by email, or in person at the competent county office.

Registration typically takes 5–10 working days from submission of a complete dossier. ONRC accepts filings online via the MyPortal (qualified electronic signature required for the online route), by email, or in person at the 42 county Trade Registry offices.

Every Romanian company must maintain a registered address in Romania where official correspondence is received. A virtual office arrangement is legally permissible to satisfy this requirement.

Under Law 239/2025, all newly incorporated legal entities must open and maintain at least one Romanian bank or treasury account within 60 working days of incorporation. Failure to do so can trigger fiscal-inactivity status.