Company formation in Serbia

At a glance

Entity

Private limited liability company (društvo sa ograničenom odgovornošću, d.o.o.) — the vehicle nearly all foreign founders use; can be single- or multi-member

Corporate tax

Flat 15% corporate income tax on profits, no surcharge and no minimum tax (as of 2026). Standard VAT is 20%; dividends to non-residents carry 20% withholding unless a tax treaty reduces it.

Incorporation time

~3-7 business days end-to-end; the APR registration decision itself is typically issued within 1-3 business days of a complete e-filing, plus lead time for notarised/apostilled power of attorney and tax/bank steps.

Minimum capital

RSD 100 statutory minimum share capital (under EUR 1) — nominal; must be at least RSD 100 with each share of at least RSD 1. No paid-up deposit is required to incorporate.

Resident director

No. At least one director is required but there is no residency or nationality requirement — a non-resident foreigner can serve as sole director. A registered address in Serbia is required.

Audit

Statutory audit is mandatory for large and medium-sized entities and for any legal entity/entrepreneur with prior-year operating revenue above roughly EUR 4.4m (RSD equivalent). Micro and small companies below that revenue threshold are generally exempt. All companies must still file annual financial statements with the APR (deadline end of following June under current rules).

Remote set-up

Yes — fully remote. Since May 2023 incorporation is electronic-only: filings must be an electronic document with a qualified electronic signature; paper filings are no longer accepted. Non-residents without a Serbian eID sign a special power of attorney before a notary in their home country, apostilled/legalised, and a Serbian representative files with the APR using their own qualified e-signature. No personal visit to Serbia is required.

Government fee

APR registration fee for a d.o.o. is approximately RSD 4,900 for the electronic incorporation of a single- or multi-member LTD (as of 2026); paper-equivalent/administrative fees for an LLC run around RSD 5,900. Additional small fees apply for publishing the founding act and for beneficial-ownership and other registrations.

Best for

This suits cost-sensitive founders who want an onshore EU-candidate base with a low flat tax, a negligible capital requirement and cheap incorporation. In exchange, they accept that it sits outside the EU and EEA, and that banking and reporting run in Serbian.

The process

1. Reserve/clear the company name and prepare the founding act (memorandum of association) plus director/registered-address details and beneficial-owner data.
2. Non-residents obtain a Serbian eID/qualified e-signature, or sign an apostilled special power of attorney before a home-country notary appointing a Serbian representative.
3. File the electronic incorporation application with the Business Registers Agency (APR) with qualified electronic signature and pay the registration fee; APR issues the registration decision and tax ID (PIB).
4. Register the beneficial owner in the Central Records, open a corporate bank account, and complete tax/VAT and social-security registrations before starting operations.