Starting a business in Italy

Legal Forms of Companies

Società a responsabilita limitata (SRL): Limited Liability Company

Number of partners: Minimum 1 shareholder.
Capital (max/min): No minimum but some constraints if the capital is less than EUR 10,000.
Shareholders and liability: Liability is limited to the amount of capital contributed.

Società per azioni (SpA): Public Limited Company

Number of partners: There are no limitations on the number of partners.
Capital (max/min): Minimum of EUR 50,000, of which 25% has to be paid-up.
Shareholders and liability: Liability is limited to the amount of capital contributed.

Società in nome Collettivo (SNC): General Partnership

Number of partners: Minimum 2 partners, no maximum.
Capital (max/min): No minimum capital requirement.
Shareholders and liability: Liability is joint and indefinite.

Società in Accomandita Semplice (SAS): Limited Joint-Stock Partnership

Number of partners: Minimum 2 partners, no maximum.

There are two types of partners, the active partners and the silent partners.
Capital (max/min): No minimum capital requirement.
Shareholders and liability: Liability of the active partners is unlimited.

Società Cooperativa (SC): Cooperative Society

Number of partners: Minimum 3 partners, no maximum.
9 partners if one of them is a legal entity.
Capital (max/min): Minimum EUR 25 per partner
Shareholders and liability: Liability is limited or unlimited according to the Articles of Association.

Business Setup Procedures

Source: Doing Business - Latest available data.