Monaco at a glance
Monaco is one of the EU jurisdictions founders most often use today, especially while the EU-wide 28th Regime (EU Inc) is still a proposal. Below are the verified essentials: company types, tax, capital, timing and whether you can set up remotely.
Company types in Monaco
- SARL (Societe a Responsabilite Limitee) The most common private limited company for founders. Minimum capital EUR 15,000, fully paid up, at least two shareholders, run by one or more managers.
- SAM (Societe Anonyme Monegasque) A joint-stock / public company for larger or regulated ventures. Minimum capital EUR 150,000, governed by a board.
| Corporate tax | Monaco's corporate tax (Impot sur les Benefices) has a 25% standard rate, but it only applies to businesses earning at least 25% of turnover outside Monaco; companies earning 75% or more of revenue inside Monaco pay 0%. New companies get a tax holiday (0% for two years, then phased up to 25% by year six). There is no personal income tax (except for French nationals). |
|---|---|
| VAT rate | Standard VAT (TVA) is 20%, with reduced rates of 10%, 5.5% and 2.1%. Monaco applies the French VAT system directly and is part of the EU VAT territory through France. |
| Dividends & payroll taxes | Monaco levies no personal income tax on residents (French nationals excepted) and no local tax on dividends. The trade-off is employer social contributions in the thirties as a share of salary, plus the 25% corporate tax when most revenue arises outside Monaco. |
| Minimum share capital | SARL: EUR 15,000, fully paid up and deposited locally at incorporation. SAM: EUR 150,000. |
| Setup time | In practice about 2 to 6 months, because non-residents first need a sovereign business authorisation (a Minister of State decree) before the registry filing (about 2 weeks to a month) can complete. |
| Remote setup | Monaco is not a remote or online jurisdiction. Formation needs sovereign authorisation, notarised articles, a physical Monaco office and capital deposited in a local bank with in-person KYC, and the rules expect genuine local substance, so a purely remote setup is impractical. |
| Director / residency | No nationality requirement, but a non-resident manager's appointment must be authorised by the government, and in practice at least one manager is expected to reside in or near Monaco, with effective management actually in Monaco for tax substance. |
| Banking options | A Monegasque corporate account is mandatory (capital deposited before registration). Monaco hosts many private banks (CFM Indosuez, BNP Paribas, Societe Generale Private Banking); account opening is selective, compliance-heavy and usually the slowest step. |
| Our formation service | from around €100 to €200 (estimated). You get a fixed quote in your free plan before you commit. |
Monaco is a sovereign microstate on the French Riviera, NOT an EU member, but inside the EU customs and VAT area through France, and it uses the euro. Famous for no personal income tax (except French nationals), it does levy corporate tax on internationally focused businesses and is no longer classed as a tax haven.
How to register a company in Monaco
Step by step, this is how a Monaco formation actually runs:
- Prepare the business case. Monaco vets every new business; the application explains the activity, premises and financing.
- Secure premises. A physical Monaco office or approved business centre address is required before approval.
- Government authorisation. The sovereign authorisation typically takes 2 to 4 months; nothing files without it.
- Notarise and deposit capital. The SARL deed is notarised and the EUR 15,000 capital deposited locally with in-person KYC.
- RCI registration. The company enters the trade and industry register and can then operate.
We handle each step with licensed local counsel, so the paperwork, registered address and filings are done correctly the first time.
What company formation in Monaco costs
Budget several thousand euros for the authorisation process, notary and registration combined, plus Monaco-level office costs, which dwarf the filing fees. Professional guidance is effectively mandatory. Accounting and administration for a small SARL commonly run EUR 3,000 to 6,000 a year.
Form your Monaco company in days
Tell us where you live and what you are building. Our formation service starts from around €100 to €200 (estimated); we confirm the right structure for Monaco, give you a fixed quote, and form the company with licensed counsel.
Get your free planWho can form a company in Monaco
Founders from outside the EU can own and run a Monaco company, with the cross-border requirements handled for you. We flag any residency or local-agent rule for Monaco up front, so there are no surprises.
Monaco fits wealth-linked businesses, family offices and founders resident in the Principality who monetise its network and no-personal-income-tax environment. It is intentionally exclusive: slow to enter, expensive to run, and unsuitable as a remote convenience vehicle.
After registration: what Monaco expects each year
Annual accounts are prepared and tax filings follow Monaco's regime: no corporate tax unless more than a quarter of revenue arises outside Monaco (then 25%). VAT runs on the French system. The premises requirement and periodic renewals keep the cost base high.
Monaco and the 28th Regime (EU Inc)
EU Inc, the proposed 28th Regime, would let you register one company valid across all 27 EU member states. It is not law yet (expected around 2027-2028), so a Monaco company is one of the ready options you can use today. Forming an EU company now also positions you to adopt EU Inc later, as we cover in how to prepare an EU Inc company. To weigh Monaco against other countries, see company formation in Europe.