How to start a business in Croatia as a foreigner (2026)

Legal framework

Companies Act (Zakon o trgovačkim društvima, OG 111/93 as amended); Foreign Investment Screening Act (OG 136/25, in force Nov 2025); HITRO.HR one-stop-shop; Commercial Court Registry (Sudski registar)

Key points: starting a business in Croatia

1. 01Foreign ownership

   Croatia imposes no foreign-ownership caps: EU and non-EU nationals alike may hold 100% of a Croatian company on the same legal footing as domestic investors, with no requirement for a Croatian co-founder, resident director, or local partner.

   investcroatia.gov.hr investcroatia.gov.hr

2. 02Company types & minimum capital

   The standard form is the d.o.o. (LLC) requiring EUR 2,500 minimum share capital (individual shares min EUR 10). A simplified j.d.o.o. (max 5 members, 1 director) can be formed with as little as EUR 1.00 total capital. A joint-stock company (d.d.) requires EUR 25,000 minimum.

   investcroatia.gov.hr

3. 03Registration steps & timeline

   Core steps: (1) obtain Croatian OIB tax number for each founder/director; (2) draft and notarise the founding act before a Croatian public notary; (3) deposit share capital and obtain bank confirmation; (4) submit via HITRO.HR one-stop shop to the Commercial Court. If documentation is complete, court registration issues within 24 hours; full process typically 2-4 weeks.

   hitro.hr investcroatia.gov.hr

4. 04Online vs in-person (EU/EEA vs non-EU)

   EU/EEA nationals holding a Croatian digital ID (e-Citizens) may register a d.o.o. or j.d.o.o. fully online via the e-Osnivanje system. Non-EU nationals must complete formation in person through a licensed Croatian notary and file via HITRO.HR; remote power-of-attorney arrangements with a local lawyer are also available.

   hitro.hr investcroatia.gov.hr

5. 05OIB (tax ID) requirement

   Every founder and director, regardless of nationality, must hold a Croatian Personal Identification Number (OIB) before incorporation. Non-residents obtain one free of charge at any Croatian Tax Administration office (Porezna uprava) on presentation of a passport; remote application via power-of-attorney is also accepted.

   porezna-uprava.gov.hr

6. 06FDI screening (in force Nov 2025)

   The Foreign Investment Screening Act (OG 136/25, in force 13 November 2025) requires non-EU investors acquiring 10% or more of voting rights or control in Croatian companies in sensitive sectors (energy, transport, finance, healthcare, media, digital infrastructure) to obtain prior Ministry of Finance approval. General new-company formation by foreigners is not subject to screening.

   investmentpolicy.unctad.org investmentpolicy.unctad.org investcroatia.gov.hr

Timeline of decisions

1. 13 Nov 2024Law · official
   Companies Act Amended: EU Gender-Balance Directive, Virtual Meetings, OECD Governance

   The Ministry of Justice presented amendments to the Trading Companies Act (ZTD) to Parliament implementing the EU Gender Balance Directive for large listed companies, enabling virtual and hybrid shareholder general meetings, and adopting OECD Corporate Governance Committee recommendations, supporting Croatia's OECD accession bid. Mandatory shareholder-agreement registration and annual affiliate-transaction reporting were also introduced.

   Croatian Ministry of Justice and Public Administration

2. 1 Jan 2023Decision · official
   Croatia Joins the Eurozone, Kuna Replaced by Euro at 7.53450 HRK/EUR

   Croatia became the 20th eurozone member state, immediately converting all share capital requirements, registration fees, and statutory thresholds from HRK to EUR. Existing companies were required to redenominate their registered share capital to euros by 1 January 2026, affecting every d.o.o. and j.d.o.o. already on the court register.

   European Central Bank

3. 1 Jan 2022Guidance · official
   START Online Platform Enables Fully Digital Company Incorporation

   Croatia launched the 'START' electronic service allowing founders to establish a d.o.o. or j.d.o.o. entirely online, integrating court registry, tax authority (Porezna uprava), and Central Bureau of Statistics steps, without requiring a physical notary visit for standard incorporations. The platform significantly cut registration time and cost, particularly for foreign entrepreneurs.

   Croatian Government (gov.hr)

4. 20 Apr 2019Law
   Companies Act Amendment: Phased Capital Payment and EU Shareholder Rights Directive Transposition

   Amendments to the ZTD entering into force on 20 April 2019 allowed d.o.o. founders to pay only HRK 5,000 of the HRK 20,000 minimum share capital upfront, with the balance due within one year of registration, lowering the cash barrier to incorporation. The changes simultaneously transposed EU Directive 2017/828 (revised Shareholder Rights Directive) on long-term shareholder engagement.

   Mondaq / Schoenherr

5. 3 Jul 2018Decision · official
   World Bank Sub-National 'Doing Business in the EU 2018' Exposes City-Level Gaps in Croatia

   The World Bank published a report benchmarking 25 cities in Croatia, Czech Republic, Portugal, and Slovakia, revealing significant disparities in company start-up times across Croatian cities. The findings intensified pressure on Zagreb and other municipalities to align procedures with the national single-window and accelerate electronic registration.

   World Bank

6. 1 Jan 2015Law · official
   Business Reform Package: Reduced Share-Capital Floors, Lower Notary Fees, Electronic Social Security

   Croatia enacted a multi-measure reform package lowering minimum capital constraints for company formation, cutting notary fees for standard incorporations, and launching an electronic system for social security contribution payments. The package formed part of a broader post-EU-accession reform drive that drove Croatia up 45 places in the World Bank Ease of Doing Business Index (to 43rd globally by 2017).

   World Bank Doing Business Archive

7. 1 Jul 2013Decision · official
   Croatia Accedes to the EU as the 28th Member State

   Croatia's EU accession triggered mandatory alignment of the ZTD and related commercial legislation with the full EU acquis, including EU company-law directives on capital requirements, accounting, cross-border mergers, and single-market access. It also opened Croatia to EU structural-reform funding and benchmarking pressure that drove subsequent business-environment reforms.

   European Union

8. 18 Oct 2012Law · official
   Simplified LLC (j.d.o.o.) Introduced with HRK 10 Minimum Share Capital

   Amendments to the ZTD created the jednostavno društvo s ograničenom odgovornošću (j.d.o.o.), a simplified LLC requiring only HRK 10 in share capital (versus HRK 20,000 for a standard d.o.o.), capped at three founders and one director, using standardised constitutional documents. The vehicle was designed to eliminate barriers to formal self-employment and reduce unregistered economic activity.

   Croatian Ministry of Justice and Public Administration

9. 1 Dec 2004Decision · official
   Government Adopts HITRO.HR One-Stop-Shop Strategy for Business Registration

   The Croatian Government adopted the Strategy of the One Stop Shop Programme in December 2004, establishing HITRO.HR, a unified service at FINA (Financial Agency) offices that consolidated court registry filing, tax registration, and statistical office enrollment at a single counter. The system registered over 30,000 companies and craft businesses, reducing multi-office registration to a single visit.

   Interoperable Europe Portal (European Commission)

10. 23 Nov 1993Law · official
    Trading Companies Act (ZTD, Official Gazette 111/93) Enacted, Foundational Company Law

    The Croatian Parliament enacted the Zakon o trgovačkim društvima (ZTD) on 23 November 1993, establishing the legal framework for all commercial company forms, d.o.o. (LLC), d.d. (joint-stock company), partnerships, and silent partnerships. Modelled substantially on German corporate law and replacing Yugoslav-era enterprise legislation, the ZTD remains the primary statute governing company formation and registration in Croatia today.

    ILO NATLEX

Sources

1. 1.investcroatia.gov.hr/en/founding-a-company/
2. 2.investcroatia.gov.hr/en/foreign-investors-status/
3. 3.investcroatia.gov.hr/en/foreign-direct-investment-screening/
4. 4.hitro.hr/en/e-service/
5. 5.porezna-uprava.gov.hr/en/person-al-identification-number-oib-information-on-the-general-rul
6. 6.investmentpolicy.unctad.org/investment-policy-monitor/measures/5176/croatia-establishes-national-
7. 7.investmentpolicy.unctad.org/investment-laws/laws/640/croatia-law-on-foreign-investment-screening