The rules for the registration of a commercial company apply to both Albanian and foreign nationals. Legal persons gain legal personality with the registration in the commercial register. While, the registration in the commercial register for physical persons, branches and representative offices of foreign companies, civil partnerships and other subjects not having legal personality, according to legislation in force, has an only declaratory effect. The process of Albania company formation is quick and efficient. The company can be registered with the National Registration Center in 1-2 working days under normal circumstances.
National Registration Center (NRC) established in 2007, is the only authority in Albania responsible for the incorporation of companies who acquire legal personality and for maintaining the Commercial Register. The commercial register (which is kept in an electronic form) is defined in the Albanian Law of Commerces a unique database of the subjects that pursue commercial activities.
National Business Center tasks include:
- Registrations in the commercial registry
- Registration of entrepreneurs and companies for tax, social and health security registration, and for the inspection of employment relations
- Issuing of certificates, registration extracts and certified copies of deposited acts
- Publishing the register’s data and ensuring free public access thereto
- Accepting applications for licenses, permits and administrative authorizations, and submitting them to the relevant authorities
- Informing and advising on registration and licensing procedures.
The requirements to register a standardized company in Albania are listed in the image below:
Learn more about Business licensing
Steps to register a business
Opening and registering a business in Albania is very easy and at low costs. In order to open a new business in Albania, you need to follow the below steps:
1. Obtain a unique company name
You can search online for a unique company name. After making a request for a company name, the agency will issue a name reservation certificate within 1 day after you have filled the application (given by the agency). A name reservation is valid for a period of 30 days which cannot be extended.
Time: Less than one day (online procedure)
Cost: ALL 100
2. Request and obtain the Registration Certification and Unique Business Identification Number
Agency : National Business Center
The National Business Center was established by law 131/2015, dated 26.11.2015, through the merger of the National Registration Center and the National Licensing Center. The National
Business Center functions as a Single Window where the entrepreneur can complete company registration, tax registration, social and health insurance and labor inspectorate registration using
a single application procedure. The registration may be done in person or online via e-Albania, which was launched in January 2015. The online company registration is free but requires
an authentication process and an electronic signature. At present, the majority of companies still register in person.
Time: Less than one day (online procedure)
Cost: ALL 100
3. Employee registration with the Employment Regional Directory
Agency : Tax Office, Labor Office
After the registration with NBC, all the information about new company is available to the State Labor Inspectorate immediately through the online portal e- Albania (Law Nr. 9723 of 03/05/2007)
To finish employee registration, the employer needs to register its employees separately with the Tax Office, at least 24 hours before employees’ starting work. The registration can be done online by filling the declaration form E-sig 27 at www.tatime.gov.al. In case the employee is not registered in the time mentioned above, the employer gets a fine of Lek 1,000. The employees are also
registered with the Labor Office in the same platform.
After registration of employees, every quarter the employer must submit in person the following documents to the Labor Office for unemployment benefits, professional services, and other
benefits:
1. The declaration of the employed persons (downloaded from HERE)
2. Submit the payroll every 3 months by keeping a signed and sealed copy
Time: half-day, online procedure
Costs: No charge
4. Registration with the Municipality Bureau of Internal Revenue obtain list of
applicable local fees and taxes
The National Business Center, within 24 hours from the registration of the company notifies the
Municipality Bureau of Internal Revenue and Tax Authorities. After the business has obtained the registration certificate from NBC, the municipality bureau of internal revenue will request additional documents to assess the list and amount of local fees and taxes that are due by the new company.
In order to finalize the registration with the Municipality Bureau of Internal Revenue, it is advised that the following documents are submitted in person:
1) The Application form;
2) The Registration Certificate form the National Business Center;
3) the Statute and the By-Laws of the Company
4) Rent agreement or proprietorship certificate of the Headquarters of the Company.
Under Resolution of the Municipal Council of Tirana no. 59, dated December 30, 2015, as amended by the Municipality Council Decision no. 8 dated March 11, 2016, the taxes / fees to be paid by the company effectively from March 21, 2016, are as follows:
– billboard tax for identification purposes up to 2 sq.m.: LEK 0; above 2 sq.m.: LEK 45,000
– cleaning fee: LEK 20,000 – LEK 170,000 – depending on the main activity of the company (such as production, or sale of goods or provision of services) and size of the company. Companies that sell industrial items (clothing, perfumery, jewelry, etc) and have an annual turnover above LEK 8,000,000 are subject to LEK 30,000 cleaning fee
– temporary education tax: LEK 9,000 – LEK 27,000 – depending on the size of the company.
Companies that have an annual turnover above LEK 8,000,000 are subject to LEK 27,000 education tax
Lek above charges is annual. Billboard tax and cleaning fees are due after 3 months from the registration of a new company; temporary education tax is due after 1 month from the registration of a new company.
Time: 1 day
Costs: ALL 30,000 (cleaning fee)
+ ALL 27,000 (temporary
educational tax)
5. Purchase pre-printed invoices from Tax Authority
According to the Fiscal Procedure Law, a newly established company must purchase pre-printed invoices from tax authorities. The company may not use invoices other than the pre-printed ones. Following company registration, the company founders or representatives request to purchasing a batch of pre-printed invoices, with company number on them, at the price of Lek 360for each batch (50 copies).
Time: 1 day
Costs: Lek 360 for a batch of 50 invoices
6. Make a company seal
Agency: Private seal makers
Based on Order of the Prime Minister no. 70, dated 18.4.2016, the state authorities dealing with the registration and licensing of business should simplify the requests regarding the documentation, by interrupting any request to companies where the documentation should be sealed or in the original copy. According to this order, the documentation is not required to be sealed and may be presented as a simple copy (i.e. not in original or certified true copy). However, in practice, authorities continue to request that the documentation is sealed.
Therefore the legal requirement for a company seal is considered as abolished. However, there are still random requests for stamping registration and notification forms based on the interpretation of specific agency officers. Thus, most companies still prefer to make a company seal.
Time: 1 day
Cost: Lek 3,000 to Lek 5,000