Starting a business in Belgium
Legal Forms of Companies
- Société Privée à Responsabilité Limitée / Besloten Vennootschap met Beperkte Aansprakelijkheid (SPRL/BVBA): Private Limited Liability Company
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Number of partners: Minimum one shareholder.
Capital (max/min): No minimum capital required.
Shareholders and liability: Partners' liability is limited to the amount contributed.
- La société privée à responsabilité limitée « Starter » - (SPRL-Starter ou SPRL-S): Private Limited Liability Company - Starter
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Number of partners: Minimum one shareholder.
Capital (max/min): From 1 to maximum EUR 18,549.
Shareholders and liability: Reserved for natural person and can not hire more than 5 full time employee. Partners' liability is limited to the amount contributed.
- Société Anonyme / Naamloze Vennootschap (SA/NV): Public Limited Company
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Number of partners: Minimum two shareholders.
Capital (max/min): EUR 61,500 totally subscribed and released.
Shareholders and liability: Partners' liability is limited to the amount contributed.
- Vennootschap Onder Firma (VO) is a limited joint-stock partnership
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Number of partners: Minimum two partners.
Capital (max/min): No minimum capital required.
Shareholders and liability: The responsibility of the partners is joint and plural.
- la Société en commandite simple (SCS/GCV) is an Ordinary Limited Partnership
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Number of partners: Two types of partners: active partners and sleeping partners.
Capital (max/min): No minimum capital required.
Shareholders and liability: Active partners' liability is joint and several, while the sleeping partners are liable for debts until the amount of the sum contributed.
- La société coopérative (SC) avec responsabilité illimitée et conjointe (SCRIS) ou réunion d'un groupe de sociétés: Cooperative society (SC) with unlimited and joint liability (SCRIS) or group meetings of companies
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Number of partners: Maximum 3 partners.
Capital (max/min): No minimum capital required.
Shareholders and liability: Partners' liability is joint and unlimited on their whole personal assets.
- La société coopérative avec responsabilité limitée (SCRL): Cooperative society with limited liability (SCRL) similar to a BVBA / SPRL.
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Number of partners: Maximum 3 partners.
Capital (max/min): No minimum capital required.
Shareholders and liability: Partners' liability is limited to the amount contributed.
- The Competent Organisation
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Business.belgium.be provides all information needed to invest in, set up or manage a business in Belgium.
- Company Directories
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BCC
Setting Up a Company |
Belgium |
OECD |
Procedures (number) |
5.0 |
5.2 |
Time (days) |
5.0 |
9.5 |
Source: Doing Business, 2016
- Business Setup Procedures
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Doing Business: Belgium, to learn about procedures to start a business in Belgium
Belgian Companies Register (BCE/KBO)
Find out more about Operating a Business in Belgium on GlobalTrade.net, the Directory for International Trade Service Providers.
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Latest Update: May 2022