Company forms
Limited Liability Company in Belgium: Choose the Form, Form the Company
The Belgian limited liability forms compared on statute and state cost, and the incorporation file run with the notary, the registry and the KBO/BCE.
- SRL (BV): no minimum capital
- SA (NV): EUR 61,500 minimum capital
- Legal personality from the day of filing
- No residence rule for directors
What a limited liability company means in Belgium
In Belgium the forms with limited liability are the SRL (société à responsabilité limitée, in Dutch BV) and the SA (société anonyme, NV), plus the cooperative SC. "LLC" is not a Belgian form: the Code lists the forms with legal personality in a closed list (Art. 1:5 of the Companies and Associations Code, "CSA").
This page names each form, compares them on the criteria in the Code and shows what the state charges. A sole trader is not a company: see the sole trader or company guide. If you are opening a Belgian company from abroad, the file below is the one we coordinate.
What we handle
Six parts of the file, from the comparison to the registrations that follow the deed.
Form comparison
The Belgian forms set against the criteria in the table below: founders, capital, liability, deed, transfer and board. You make the choice, we give you the statute.
Incorporation file
For an SRL or an SA: the financial plan, the articles and the bank certificate for cash contributions, assembled for the notary.
Deed coordination
The notary draws the authentic deed. We line up the signing with you in person or by proxy (Art. 5:11 CSA).
Filing and publication
The deed is filed with the enterprise court registry and published in the Moniteur belge. We follow both through.
KBO/BCE inscription
An accredited business counter inscribes the company in the Crossroads Bank for Enterprises and issues the enterprise number.
First registrations
VAT identification, the UBO filing within 30 days, a social insurance fund and the NSSO if staff are hired. Want a company now? See a ready-made Belgian company.
We are not the notary and never a nominee, we promise no bank account, and we give no tax advice or accountancy.
English names and what they map to
Nine English wordings against the Belgian forms. Sources: Art. 39 of the Law of 23 March 2019, FPS Economy and the federal business portal, checked on 30 September 2026.
| English wording | Belgian form | What the official source says |
|---|---|---|
| LLC | None | A US form with no Belgian legal name. The SRL (BV) is the closest functional equivalent: limited liability, one founder, no minimum capital. |
| Limited liability company | SRL / BV | The FPS Economy prints "Limited Liability Company (Société à responsabilité limitée or SRL in French)". |
| Private limited company | SRL / BV | The pre-2020 English name of the SPRL, read as an SRL by operation of law from 1 January 2020 (Art. 39 of the Law of 23 March 2019). |
| Ltd | None | A UK abbreviation, absent from the official list of Belgian forms. |
| Public limited company | SA / NV | The FPS Economy prints "Public Company (Société anonyme or SA in French)". It is not the same as a listed company: an SA may have one shareholder. |
| Cooperative company | SC / CV | Three founders and a genuine cooperative purpose (Arts. 6:1 to 6:3 CSA). |
| General and limited partnership | SNC / VOF and SComm / CommV | Partnerships with legal personality (Art. 4:22 CSA). |
| Holding company | Not a form | The closed list of Art. 1:5 par. 2 CSA has no holding form. See using a Belgian company to hold shares in other companies. |
| Representative office | Not a Belgian legal status | Under the CSA the choice is a branch or nothing. |
English wordings and Belgian forms, checked on 30 September 2026.
The Belgian forms side by side
The criteria a founder chooses by, from the Code and the federal portal. For the SA in depth, see the Belgian SA; for partnerships, our partnerships service.
| Criterion | SRL / BV | SA / NV | SC / CV | SNC / VOF | SComm / CommV |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Founders | 1 | 1 | 3 (Art. 6:3 CSA) | 2 | 2 |
| Capital | No capital; sufficient initial own funds and a financial plan (Arts. 5:1, 5:3, 5:4) | EUR 61,500 minimum (Art. 7:2) | Sufficient | None | None |
| Liability | Shareholders commit only their contribution (Art. 5:1) | Limited | Shareholders commit only their contribution (Art. 6:2) | Unlimited (Art. 4:22) | Mixed (Art. 4:22) |
| Notarial deed | Yes, authentic deed | Yes | Yes | No, private deed | No, private deed |
| Legal personality | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Share transfer | No deed, entry in the share register (Arts. 5:61, 5:24); default approval lock-up (Art. 5:63) | Shares easily transferable without restriction as a general rule | Covered on the partnerships page | Covered on the partnerships page | Covered on the partnerships page |
| Directors or board | One or more directors (Art. 5:70 par. 1) | Board of at least three, two while fewer than three shareholders (Art. 7:85 par. 1) | Covered on the partnerships page | Covered on the partnerships page | A limited partner takes no part in management (Art. 4:22) |
Belgian forms compared on the CSA and the federal portal table, checked on 30 September 2026. No form is recommended.
How forming a company works
Statutory timingNo statutory time
- Choose the formYou, on the criteria in the tableNo statutory time
- Name, seat and activitiesYou, with usNo statutory time
- Professional card, where it appliesA non-EEA founder, with the RegionNo published processing time
- Financial planYou supply the figuresAt least two years, to the notary before incorporation (Arts. 5:4, 7:3)
- Bank certificate for cash contributionsYou, with an EEA credit institutionNo published time
- Sign the authentic deedThe notary, in person or by proxyOnline route: 10 working days, 5 for a natural-person model deed (Art. 2:22/1)
- Filing, publication, KBO/BCEThe notary, then the business counterFiling within 30 days of the final deed (Art. 2:8 par. 1); personality from filing (Art. 2:6 par. 1)
- First registrationsVAT, UBO, social insurance fund, NSSO if you hireUBO filing within 30 days
Choose the form
You decide on the criteria in the table above. No statutory time applies.
Name, seat and activities
You, with us. Check the name in the KBO public search, fix a Belgian seat and choose the activities.
Professional card, where it applies
A non-EEA founder who will run the company personally applies to the Region. We publish no processing time.
Financial plan
You supply the figures. It covers at least two years and goes to the notary before incorporation (Arts. 5:4, 7:3).
Bank certificate for cash contributions
Cash goes to a special account with an EEA credit institution; the proof goes to the notary (Arts. 5:9, 7:12).
Sign the authentic deed
The notary, with you or your attorney, in person or by proxy (Art. 5:11 CSA).
Filing, publication, KBO/BCE
The notary files within 30 days of the final deed (Art. 2:8 par. 1); personality starts on filing (Art. 2:6 par. 1). Then the business counter inscribes the company.
First registrations
VAT identification, the UBO filing within 30 days, a social insurance fund, the NSSO if you hire.
Not sure which form your file needs?
Tell us the founders, the activity and the seat, and we reply with the form outline.
Documents you will need and what the state charges
- Passport or ID and proof of address for each founder and director.
- For a company shareholder: its constitutive documents, register extract and signatory powers.
- A power of attorney if a founder will not attend the deed.
- The financial plan (Art. 5:4 for an SRL, Art. 7:3 for an SA).
- The bank certificate for cash contributions.
- Details of each beneficial owner for the UBO filing.
- For a non-EEA founder running the company: the professional card or evidence of the exemption.
- The intended name, seat address and activities.
| Item | Amount | Applies to | Source and year |
|---|---|---|---|
| Moniteur belge, incorporation, electronic filing | EUR 236.50 excl. VAT (EUR 286.17 incl.) | Every company | Moniteur belge tariff, filings from 1 March 2026 |
| Moniteur belge, incorporation, paper filing | EUR 292.90 excl. VAT (EUR 354.41 incl.) | Every company | Same tariff page |
| KBO/BCE inscription | EUR 111.50 per establishment unit | Every company | FPS Economy, 2026 |
| Fixed notarial fee | EUR 217 plus EUR 298 flat charge, excl. VAT | SRL formed by natural persons, standard deed, cash contributions; for an SA the notary quotes the notarial fee | Notaries' federation, from 1 January 2024; the fixed tariff is tied to the standard deed for founders who are natural persons |
| Sum of the four lines above | At least EUR 863 excl. VAT | Same SRL case | Search costs, writing duty and registration duties come on top |
| NBB filing of annual accounts | Full model EUR 379.50 XBRL or EUR 449.70 PDF; abridged EUR 89.40 or EUR 159.50; micro EUR 67.00 or EUR 137.30 | Every company, yearly | National Bank of Belgium, 2026 |
| Late filing of accounts | EUR 151 to EUR 1,510 by size and month of delay | Every company (Art. 3:13 CSA) | National Bank of Belgium, 2026 |
| Annual company contribution | EUR 399.73 or EUR 998.47 | Companies, by size | RSVZ/INASTI, 2025 amounts; 2026 not yet published |
State and tariff costs with their year, checked on 30 September 2026. Our own fee is quoted on request.
Problems we solve
Five points where a form choice or an incorporation file goes wrong.
No capital is not no risk
An SRL needs sufficient initial own funds and a two-year plan; founders are jointly liable if bankruptcy comes within three years (Art. 5:16, 2). See Belgium minimum share capital.
Cash goes to a blocked account
Cash contributions go first to a special account with an EEA credit institution (Arts. 5:9, 7:12). An e-money account cannot take the deposit. We promise no bank timing.
Founder or director abroad
Belgian law sets no residence rule for directors (Art. 2:147 CSA). A non-EEA founder who runs the company personally needs the professional card. A proxy covers the deed.
Year two brings filings
Accounts are due within six months of year end and filed within 30 days of approval (Arts. 3:1, 3:10). Since 1 September 2026 the fine for not filing can reach EUR 80,000 (Art. 3:43).
A licence may rule out the form
A BV/SRL is not an eligible form for a payment or e-money institution (Arts. 16 and 172, Law of 11 March 2018). For authorisation as a crypto-asset service provider, check the licence page first.
Will a founder not travel to Belgium?
A proxy lets the deed be signed without you. Send us the founders and we line it up with the notary.
Why work with us
Lotte Vermeulen leads company formation and company law and follows each file through the registry and the KBO/BCE.
From our practice: we settle the form, the plan and the bank route first, then hand the notary one complete file.
Related services
- The SRLForming the most common Belgian form, step by step.
- A seat for the companyA registered office and business address.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does a Belgian limited liability company really need no minimum capital?
An SRL (BV) has no minimum capital (Art. 5:1 CSA), but the founders must still show sufficient initial own funds in a financial plan covering at least two years (Arts. 5:3, 5:4 par. 1 CSA). An SA (NV) is different: it needs EUR 61,500 of capital (Art. 7:2 CSA).
Am I personally liable if the company goes bankrupt in its first years?
Not as a rule, but the founders of an SRL answer jointly and severally if bankruptcy is declared within three years of legal personality and the initial own funds were manifestly insufficient for at least two years of the planned activity (Art. 5:16, 2 CSA). The financial plan is the evidence.
Do I need a bank account before the notary signs the deed?
For cash contributions, yes. The cash goes first to a special account in the company's name with a credit institution established in the EEA, and the proof goes to the notary (Art. 5:9 CSA for an SRL, Art. 7:12 for an SA). An e-money account cannot take the deposit, and we promise no bank timing.
Can I sell my BV shares freely?
No deed is needed: a transfer is entered in the share register (Arts. 5:61, 5:24 CSA). But unless the articles say otherwise, a transfer needs approval of at least half of the shareholders holding at least three quarters of the shares, with exceptions for a shareholder, a spouse or legal cohabitant, ascendants and descendants (Art. 5:63 CSA).
Do I need a Belgian resident director if I live abroad?
No. Belgian law sets no residence requirement for a director, and a director domiciled abroad is deemed to elect domicile at the company's seat (Art. 2:147 CSA). Liability follows effective management power, not residence (Art. 2:56 CSA), so a director abroad carries the same duties as one in Brussels.
Do I need a professional card as a non-EU founder?
In principle yes, if a non-EEA self-employed person will run the company personally; EEA and Swiss nationals are exempt (Brussels professional card page). The competent Region depends on the seat. We publish no processing time, because the official sources word the short business visit exemption differently.
Do I need a statutory auditor?
Not for a small unlisted company (Arts. 3:72, 1:24 CSA). Small means not above more than one of 50 full-time equivalents, EUR 11,250,000 net turnover and EUR 6,000,000 balance-sheet total. Crossing a limit bites only if it happens in two consecutive years (Art. 1:24 par. 2 CSA).
What do the state and the Moniteur belge charge to incorporate?
The Moniteur belge charges EUR 236.50 excl. VAT for electronic filing from 1 March 2026; KBO/BCE inscription costs EUR 111.50 per establishment unit. For an SRL formed by natural persons with the standard deed, the notarial fee adds EUR 217 plus EUR 298 excl. VAT: at least EUR 863 in all, before duties. For an SA the notary quotes.
What is an LLC in Belgium?
No Belgian form is called LLC. The closest functional equivalent is the SRL (BV): limited liability, one founder possible, no minimum capital. The Belgian company is a separate taxpayer under corporate income tax. How a Belgian SRL is classified abroad, for example in the United States, is outside this page.
Is a Belgian private limited company the same as a limited liability company?
Yes, in English usage both mean the SRL (BV). The FPS Economy prints "Limited Liability Company (Société à responsabilité limitée or SRL in French)". "Private limited company" is the pre-2020 English name of the former SPRL, renamed SRL by operation of law from 1 January 2020 (Art. 39 of the Law of 23 March 2019).
What is considered a limited liability company?
A company whose shareholders commit only their contribution: the SRL (Art. 5:1 CSA) and the SC (Art. 6:2 CSA) say so in terms, and the federal portal table lists the SA as limited. A general partnership (SNC) has unlimited liability, and a limited partnership (SComm) mixed liability (Art. 4:22 CSA).
What is a public limited company in Belgium?
The SA (NV), with a minimum capital of EUR 61,500 (Art. 7:2 CSA). It is not the same as a listed company: an SA may have one shareholder. The board has at least three directors, or two while the company has fewer than three shareholders (Art. 7:85 par. 1 CSA); the FPS Economy also lists a single-director model.
Is it better to be a PLC or LTD?
Belgium has no Ltd. The real comparison is the SRL (BV) against the SA (NV): capital (none against EUR 61,500), board (one director against at least three, or two) and share transfer (default lock-up against free transfer as a rule). This page states the criteria, not a recommendation, because the choice is yours.
How long does incorporation take?
No total duration is published. On the fully online route, ten working days run from receipt of the deed and payment of the publication fees, or five where only natural persons use the platform's model deed (Art. 2:22/1 CSA). Legal personality starts on the day of filing (Art. 2:6 par. 1 CSA), not on the day of the deed.
What is the 30% rule in Belgium?
It is the inbound-taxpayer regime, a personal tax regime and not a company-form question. A founder or co-founder, or anyone holding 30 percent or more of the Belgian company he works for, is excluded (Art. 32/1 CIR 92). This page gives no tax advice, so check your own position with a licensed adviser.
Ready to form a Belgian company?
Send us the founders, the activity and the seat, and we start the file.