Company Registration in Serbia

In order for a business to be legally registered in Serbia, the law requires a particular incorporation procedure to be completed with the local Trade Register, known as the Serbian Business Registers Agency (SBRA). While the company registration is the main function of the Trade Register in Serbia, this authority has various and important roles. In this article, you can discover information about the main features of the Trade Register, mentioning that our Serbian lawyers can represent entrepreneurs in company registration in Serbia.

Quick Facts
Trade Register in Serbia is known as	Serbian Business Registers Agency (SBRA)
Overseen by	Ministry of Economy
Applicable legislation	– Law on Registration with SBRA, – Law on Companies
Main roles	– registers new companies, – maintains a public electronic register, – issues incorporation certificates, – provides official company data
Other responsibilities	– assigns company IDs and TINs (VAT registration is done separately with the Tax Administration), – records all changes in company data, – publishes company documents for public access
Required documents for company formation in Serbia	– Founding act (Articles of Association), – IDs of founders and directors, – proof of registered address, – proof of share capital, – Ultimate Benefitial Owner declarations (UBO), – apostilled and translated foreign documents if needed.
Application forms	Integrated Registration Form (JRPPS) is used to submit all required documents and information.
Name verification & reservation	The authority agency (SBRA) checks that the proposed company name is unique, includes the legal form, and is not misleading or offensive.
Issuing the Incorporation Certificate (YES/NO)	Yes, once registration is approved, SBRA issues an official certificate confirming company incorporation.
Provides access to company data	Yes, the register is public and allows access to company information including: shareholders, directors, and registered address.
Business precautions in Serbia	– ensure special licenses/ permits are obtained, if required, – foreign documents are legalized and translated, – submitted data is accurate, – UBO rules must be followed.
Is an electronic signature allowed? (YES/NO)	Yes, electronic submission using a qualified electronic signature is mandatory for incorporation.
Company changes that must be recorded	Changes in address, ownership, directors, share capital, business activity, branches or representative offices, and company termination must be registered.
Representative agent for company formation in Serbia	Our local lawyers or authorized representatives can submit registration on behalf of founders, especially for foreign investors.
Working with our Serbian lawyers	We can offer support which is recommended for foreign founders to handle documents, translations, electronic submission and more.

Main conditions to register a business in Serbia

Among the formalities for registering a company in Serbia, we list:

the obligation to check and reserve the business name before use;
preparation of documents for company registration with the Serbian Business Registers Agency;
completing a standard form provided by the agency, with information about the company to be established.

Once these formalities are fulfilled, the Serbian Trade Register can issue the Certificate of Incorporation. The company representative (who can be one of our Serbian lawyers) then opens a bank account and obtains any special licences required (the tax ID is assigned at registration), among others.

Documents requested for company registration in Serbia

The documents for business registration in Serbia are as follows:

Articles and Memorandum of Association,
proof of a registered business address in Serbia,
proof of paid share capital and incorporation fee,
copies of identification documents of company shareholders, etc.

Remember that our Serbian lawyers can represent you with a power of attorney at the Trade Register. Here is an infographic with details on the Serbian Trade Register:

Key functions of the Serbian Trade Register

In addition to business registration, the Serbian Business Registers Agency also handles the following:

SBRA acts as a centralized database of all companies registered in Serbia.
offers public access to electronic records about companies in Serbia.
registers company updates/changes.
ensures that the company registration process is free from administrative complexities by implementing various measures.
supports foreign investors through various reforms to improve the business climate in Serbia.

We invite you to explore this video presentation made by our specialists with information on this topic:

Registering company updates with the Trade Register in Serbia

The Serbian Trade Register must be notified of any company changes that might occur. Company owners in Serbia must ensure that changes in management/shareholders/capital/documents are registered with this authority. The standard forms to fill out are provided by the Trade Register in Serbia.

Important details about the Serbian Trade Register

The Serbian Business Registers Agency was established in 2005 and has a centralized database that contains complete information about all companies with activities on the Serbian territory. The registration procedure in Serbia is made through the electronic system implemented in all local offices in the country. We mention that the Trade Register in Serbia works with its own finances and no public funds.

Statistics about companies in Serbia

Here are some statistics about active companies in Serbia:

the report for 2024 shows that there are approximately 113,161 registered companies in Serbia;
about 84% of active companies in Serbia are microenterprises;
there are around 613 big companies in Serbia.

For a better understanding of the responsibilities and affairs of the Serbian Trade Register, including the legal aspects, please feel free to contact our law firm in Serbia.