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How to Register a Company in Austria

How to Register a Company in Austria

Starting a business in Austria implies completing various procedures. After choosing the legal entity under which the company will operate in Austria, it must be incorporated with the Company Register.

The Business Registry in Austria is the main authority in charge not only with the incorporation of all companies, but also the main directory where all information about existing entities is kept.

If you want to open a company in Austria, the Business Registry, also known as the Trade Register, is the place to go to in order to obtain a Certificate of Registration. With the help of our company formation agents in Austria, the procedure can be completed in a matter of days.

The main functions of the Austrian Business Register

The Trade Register in Austria plays an important role for the business environment providing updated information on all existing companies in this country. Its main functions are:

  1. receiving all the paperwork related to company formation in Austria;
  2. keeping and updated database of all types of companies in this country;
  3. keeping information on company shareholders, directors and other particularities of legal entities;
  4. providing information based on the enquiries made by parties interested.

The Company Register has a general ledger where the information on Austrian business is stored, and a section that issued certificates of registration for newly incorporated entities.

Compared to other countries, in Austria, the Company Register falls under jurisdiction of the commercial court Vienna in Graz.

Our local agents in Austria can offer more information on the regulations applicable to the registration of companies with the Business Registry.

Legal entities whose information is stored with the Austrian Company Register

The particularity of the Austrian Trade Register consists in the fact that both corporate and non-corporate entities are required to submit their information with the general ledger. These are:

  • – public and private companies;
  • – European Economic Groups;
  • – European Companies and European Cooperative Societies;
  • – credit unions;
  • – trade and industrial unions;
  • – private foundations;
  • – partnerships;
  • – sole proprietorships.

In the case of sole traders created in Austria, these can enroll with the Company Register on a voluntary basis. However, when they reach an annual turnover of 700,000 euros in two consecutive years, or 1 million euros in one year, registration becomes mandatory.

If you want to know how to register a company in Austria, you can get all the information plus assistance in setting up any type of entity.

How to incorporate a company with the Business Register in Austria

According to the Company Law, foreign and local investors can set up the business forms they want in Austria, as long as these are incorporated with the Business Registry.

Once the selected legal entity has been selected, the documents to incorporate it must be prepared (application forms, Articles of Association in the case of corporation, identification papers and forms for the appointment of directors) and then filed with the Trade Register. The officers of the Registrar will verify the paperwork and, if correct and complete, the Certificate of Registration will be issued in a matter of days.

It should be noted that the incorporation can be completed online with the help of our Austrian company formation officers. Also, registration with the tax authorities is completed separately.

Company verification with the Companies House in Austria

One of the main roles of the Austrian Trade Register is to keep information about all legal entities created in Austria and searches with it can be performed by businesspersons interested in doing with a specific company or for other purposes.

The information is usually accessed through service providers, such as our specialists in Austria. It should be noted, however, that in cases where public documents are requested, these can be issued only by the above-mentioned commercial court.

Should you need company due diligence services in Austria, we can provide them to you in the shortest time possible.

How long does it take to register a company in Austria?

The company registration procedure in Austria is completed in approximately one month, as it follows:

  • –  the notarization of the formation documents takes 1 day;
  • –  the opening of the corporate bank account and deposit of the share capital takes another day;
  • –  the registration with the Trade Register takes 6 days;
  • –  the procedure of obtaining a VAT number takes 12 days;
  • –  registration with the municipality takes another day.

If you want to register a company in Austria, please contact our local service providers.