Serbia at a glance
Serbia 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 Serbia
- d.o.o. (limited liability company) The most common form for SMEs, startups and foreign investors. Minimum capital RSD 100, liability limited to the contribution, one or more members, managed by a director.
- Preduzetnik (sole entrepreneur) A natural person doing business with no minimum capital, fast and cheap to register but with unlimited personal liability. Popular with freelancers.
| Corporate tax | Flat 15% corporate income tax, among the lowest in Europe, with no local profit tax. Incentives include an IP Box (up to 80% of qualifying IP income excluded), an investment tax credit and R&D relief. Withholding of up to 20% on dividends to non-residents is usually reduced under tax treaties. |
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| VAT rate | Standard VAT (PDV) is 20%, with a reduced 10% rate and 0% on exports. Registration is mandatory above RSD 8,000,000 (about EUR 68,000) of turnover. |
| Dividends & payroll taxes | Dividends to resident individuals are taxed at 15%, and withholding of up to 20% on payments to non-residents is usually treaty-reduced. Salaries combine a 10% income tax with social contributions heavy enough that total employment cost runs well above the net wage, so founders usually balance salary against dividends deliberately. |
| Minimum share capital | A d.o.o. needs only RSD 100 of capital (under EUR 1), which is symbolic. Founders planning to seek residence through the company are advised to contribute at least EUR 250. A joint-stock company (a.d.) requires RSD 3,000,000. |
| Setup time | The Business Registers Agency (BRA) issues the registration decision within 3 to 5 business days of complete documentation; allowing for apostilles and the bank account, the realistic end-to-end timeline is about 10 to 15 business days. |
| Remote setup | Yes. Physical presence is not required: a local attorney completes the incorporation under an apostilled power of attorney, and BRA registration has been fully electronic since 2023. The corporate bank account is the step most likely to need extra attention. |
| Director / residency | No Serbian residency required: a single foreign national can be sole owner and sole director, and 100% foreign ownership is permitted. Only a director who physically lives and works in Serbia needs a residence and work permit. |
| Banking options | After BRA registration the company opens a corporate account at a Serbian bank; banks working with non-resident-owned companies include Raiffeisen, UniCredit, Banca Intesa, OTP and Erste. KYC and UBO review can take from a day to a few weeks. |
| Our formation service | from around €100 to €200 (estimated). You get a fixed quote in your free plan before you commit. |
Serbia is not an EU member; it is an official EU candidate (accession talks open since 2014) outside the EEA and EFTA, with a Stabilisation and Association Agreement and CEFTA free trade. It uses the Serbian dinar. The draw is a low 15% corporate tax, near-zero capital, 100% foreign ownership and fully electronic, remote-friendly setup, and a Serbian company would not fall under the EU Inc / 28th Regime unless Serbia joins the EU.
How to register a company in Serbia
Step by step, this is how a Serbia formation actually runs:
- Prepare the founding act. The d.o.o. founding act with an apostilled power of attorney lets a Serbian attorney run the process remotely.
- File with the BRA. The Business Registers Agency processes electronic incorporations, typically within 3 to 5 business days.
- Deposit the capital. The symbolic RSD 100 minimum can be paid within years of registration; most founders pay a practical amount at once.
- Tax registration. The BRA filing covers the tax identification number; VAT registration applies past RSD 8 million of turnover.
- Banking. Open the corporate account with a bank used to non-resident owners, such as Raiffeisen or UniCredit; KYC is document-heavy but workable.
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 Serbia costs
BRA fees are about RSD 6,500 (under EUR 60) for electronic registration, and attorney plus translation costs for a remote setup typically total EUR 200 to 500. There is effectively no capital barrier. Accounting runs around EUR 100 to 200 a month for a small d.o.o.
Form your Serbian 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 Serbia, give you a fixed quote, and form the company with licensed counsel.
Get your free planWho can form a company in Serbia
Founders from outside the EU can own and run a Serbian company, with the cross-border requirements handled for you. We flag any residency or local-agent rule for Serbia up front, so there are no surprises.
Serbia fits founders hiring the strong regional engineering talent or serving Balkan markets, with low costs and a workable 15% rate. It is a candidate country, not an EU member, so no single-market rights; the IT industry's growth makes it primarily a talent play.
After registration: what Serbia expects each year
Annual financial statements go to the BRA electronically (final statements by the end of June), and the corporate tax return follows a mid-year deadline with 15% CIT. VAT payers file monthly or quarterly. Payroll for any local hires adds monthly filings handled by the accountant.
Serbia 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 Serbian 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 Serbia against other countries, see company formation in Europe.