How to start a business in Albania as a foreigner (2026)
Starting a business in Albania as a foreigner: easy.
Albania offers a highly open and streamlined business environment for foreigners, permitting 100% foreign ownership in nearly all sectors with no meaningful minimum capital requirement for standard LLCs. Registration is fully digital through the e-Albania portal and processed by the one-stop-shop National Business Center (QKB), which simultaneously issues the tax identification number (NIPT) and registers the entity with tax, social security, and labour authorities, typically within 1-5 business days. Foreign investors receive equal legal treatment with domestic investors under Law 7764.
Legal framework
Law No. 9901 of 14.04.2008 'On Entrepreneurs and Commercial Companies' (as amended) and Law No. 7764 of 02.11.1993 'On Foreign Investments', administered by the National Business Center (Qendra Kombëtare e Biznesit, QKB) via the e-Albania digital portal
Key points: starting a business in Albania
Foreign Ownership
100% foreign ownership is permitted in virtually all sectors. Exceptions apply to domestic and international air passenger transport (49% cap for non-Common European Aviation Area investors) and television broadcasting (40% single-entity cap). Foreign individuals and foreign-incorporated companies may not purchase agricultural land but may lease it for up to 99 years.
Minimum Capital
There is no substantive minimum capital requirement for a limited liability company (Shoqëri me Përgjegjësi të Kufizuar, Sh.p.k.); the statutory minimum share capital is only ALL 100 (approximately €1). Joint-stock companies (Sh.a.) face higher capital thresholds.
Registration Process
All registration is conducted online via the e-Albania government portal. The National Business Center (QKB) functions as a one-stop shop: a single application triggers simultaneous registration with the national tax authority (NIPT issuance), municipal tax, health and social security, and the Labour Inspectorate. No separate visits to multiple agencies are required.
Timeline
Applications submitted through e-Albania are typically reviewed and approved within 48 hours; the certificate of registration is issued within 24 hours of approval. End-to-end incorporation (including document preparation and notarisation) generally takes 1-5 business days.
Equal Treatment & Repatriation
Law No. 7764 guarantees foreign investors the same legal rights as Albanian nationals, including full repatriation of profits and invested capital. The US-Albania Bilateral Investment Treaty (in force 1998) further extends national treatment and MFN protections to US investors.
Entity Types Available
Foreigners may establish a sole proprietorship, limited liability company (Sh.p.k.), joint-stock company (Sh.a.), branch of a foreign company, or a representative office. The Sh.p.k. (LLC equivalent) is the most common vehicle for foreign investors due to its minimal capital and simplified governance rules.
Timeline of decisions
- DecisionAlbania Opens Final EU Accession Cluster, Locking in Company-Law Harmonisation Obligation
Albania opened its last negotiating cluster with the EU, completing the opening of all 33 chapters, including Cluster 2 (Internal Market), which covers Chapter 6 on company law, freedom of establishment, and financial services. This makes full alignment of Albania's commercial-registration regime with EU acquis a binding negotiation obligation.
Balkan Insight
- Decision · officialCouncil of Ministers Establishes Startup Albania Agency (Decision 467/2023)
Decision No. 467 operationalised the 2022 Startup Law by creating the State Agency for Support and Development of Startups, which runs a startup one-stop-shop and manages grants for national and foreign founders, adding a formal institutional entry path for internationally mobile entrepreneurs.
UNCTAD Investment Policy Monitor
- DecisionQKB Business Registration Moved Exclusively to e-Albania, No More In-Person Services
The National Business Center ended all in-person counter services; the e-Albania portal became the sole channel for incorporation, status changes, and licensing applications. Decisions are issued electronically within one working day, completing Albania's transition to a fully digital registration system.
Albanian Times
- Decision · officialEU Accession Negotiations Formally Launched with Albania
The first Inter-Governmental Conference opened formal EU accession negotiations with Albania, triggering mandatory legislative alignment across 33 chapters. Company law, right of establishment, and the internal market are included in Cluster 2, making EU-standard business-registration reform a structural requirement.
European Commission – DG NEAR
- Guidancee-Albania Documents Granted Full Legal Validity, Business Registration Fully Paperless
From May 2022, every document issued through the e-Albania portal carries an electronic seal and signature with full legal value, eliminating any requirement for paper follow-up. Business registration output (certificates, tax IDs, licence decisions) became end-to-end digital and legally equivalent to notarised paper.
Wikipedia – eAlbania
- LawAmendments to Beneficial Ownership Law Simplify Registration for New Businesses
Parliament approved changes to Law 112/2020 that entered into force on 2 March 2022, streamlining the beneficial-owner filing process and easing the administrative burden on newly incorporated companies and non-profit entities, reducing duplicate registrations.
SettingLaw Albania
- Decision · officialRegister of Beneficial Owners Goes Live at QKB
The national Register of Beneficial Owners (RBO) became operational at the National Business Center, requiring all commercial entities to identify and disclose natural-person ultimate beneficial owners (≥25% stake). This added a mandatory AML/transparency step to the company incorporation workflow.
QKB – National Business Center
- Law · officialPresident Decrees Law 112/2020 on Register of Beneficial Owners
Albania enacted Law 112/2020, partially transposing the EU's 4th Anti-Money Laundering Directive and acting on MONEYVAL recommendations. It mandates that every entity in the commercial register identify and maintain beneficial ownership data, coupling business registration with AML compliance for the first time.
Albanian Financial Intelligence Unit (FIU)
- GuidanceQKB Launches Eight Online Services Including Initial Business Registration via e-Albania
From January 2020 the National Business Center offered incorporation, permit, and licence applications electronically through the e-Albania portal, reducing the entire registration procedure to a single online session completed in 1-2 working days at no registration fee.
Invest in Albania (IIA)
- Decision · officialWorld Bank Doing Business 2017: Albania Jumps 32 Places to Global Rank 58
Albania climbed from rank 90 to 58 in the World Bank Doing Business 2017 report, its best-ever ranking, driven by lower registration fees and permit consolidation reforms following the 2015 QKB merger. The leap validated the single-window institutional model and attracted significant reform attention.
World Bank
- Law · officialLaw 131/2015 Establishes National Business Center (QKB), Merged One-Stop Shop
Parliament passed Law 131/2015 on 26 November 2015 (entry into force 29 December 2015), merging the National Registration Center and National Licensing Center into a single institution. Entrepreneurs can now complete company registration, tax, social/health insurance, and labour-inspectorate registration through one application, in person or via e-Albania.
QKB – National Business Center
- Law · officialLaw 9901/2008 'On Entrepreneurs and Commercial Companies', Foundational Corporate Statute
Albania adopted its primary commercial-companies law, establishing legal-entity types (sole trader, LLC, joint-stock company, partnerships, branches) and the rules for incorporation, governance, and liquidation. Modelled on French, Italian, German and British law, it is the statute under which every Albanian business is still legally constituted today.
Albanian Investment Development Agency (AIDA)
Sources
- state.gov/reports/2025-investment-climate-statements/albania
- state.gov/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/638719_2025-Albania-Investment-Climate-Sta
- qkb.gov.al/en/business-register/
- aida.gov.al/en/fdi/setting-up-a-business-in-albania/company-registration
- aida.gov.al/en/business-in-albania/setting-up-your-business/registration-licensin
- investmentpolicy.unctad.org/investment-laws/laws/3/albania-foreign-investment-act
- tatime.gov.al/eng/c/4/103/business-lifecycle
- uhy.com/sites/default/files/2024-10/Doing-Business-in-Albania.pdf
- hlb.al/starting-a-business-in-albania-a-complete-2025-guide/
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Next topicOrientation, not legal advice: verify against the primary sources linked above. Last verified 24 May 2026. Methodology & how to cite · State of Technology Regulation 2026