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

Starting a business in Moldova as a foreigner: easy.

Moldova permits 100% foreign ownership of an SRL (limited liability company) with no meaningful capital barrier, the statutory minimum is MDL 1 since July 2023. Registration is handled by the Public Services Agency (ASP), takes 24 hours as standard (4 hours expedited), and can be completed fully remotely. Restrictions on foreign participation are narrow, limited mainly to agricultural/forestry land ownership and bank-share holdings by entities domiciled in designated tax havens.

Last verified Official sources first · MethodologyCompare Moldova with other countries

Legal framework

Law No. 220/2007 on State Registration of Legal Entities and Individual Entrepreneurs; Public Services Agency (ASP) is the sole registering authority

Key points: starting a business in Moldova

  1. Foreign ownership

    Foreign nationals and foreign legal entities may own 100% of an SRL with no local partner or co-founder required. No sector-wide foreign-equity caps apply for standard commercial activities.

    invest.gov.md invest.gov.md

  2. Minimum share capital

    As of 12 July 2023, the statutory minimum share capital for an SRL is MDL 1 (reduced from MDL 5,400). In practice, advisers recommend MDL 1,000 to satisfy bank and authority credibility checks, but this is not a legal requirement.

    invest.gov.md servicii.gov.md

  3. Registration timeline and process

    The ASP processes standard registrations within 24 hours of the next working day after document submission; an expedited 4-hour same-day service is also available. Remote (electronic) registration has been available since January 2022 via inregistrare.ud@asp.gov.md, meaning founders need not be physically present.

    asp.gov.md servicii.gov.md

  4. Key formation steps

    Five main steps: (1) reserve a unique company name at ASP (valid 6 months); (2) secure a Moldovan registered address; (3) draft Articles of Association, founder's decision, and director appointment; (4) submit registration package to ASP; (5) receive IDNO (unified state identification/tax code, auto-assigned at registration). Statistical code from the National Bureau of Statistics is a post-registration step.

    invest.gov.md invest.gov.md

  5. Land ownership restriction

    Non-citizens and foreign legal entities are prohibited from owning agricultural and forestry land in Moldova. Foreign investors may lease such land but cannot hold title to it.

    invest.gov.md invest.gov.md

  6. Investor support, One-Stop Shop

    The Invest Moldova Agency operates a One-Stop Shop providing centralized guidance throughout the investment lifecycle, including introductions to regulators, site selection, and permit facilitation, free of charge for qualifying investors.

    invest.gov.md

Sources

  1. invest.gov.md/en/qa-2/registering-a-business-in-moldova/
  2. invest.gov.md/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/01.-Investor-Guide-2025_Moldova_-ENGLISH-_
  3. servicii.gov.md/en/service/003000922
  4. asp.gov.md/sites/default/files/servicii/persoane-juridice/en-ghid-pt-inregistrar
  5. invest.gov.md/en/one-stop-shop-2/
  6. invest.gov.md/en/qa-2/introduction/

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Orientation, not legal advice: verify against the primary sources linked above. Last verified 24 May 2026. Methodology & how to cite · State of Technology Regulation 2026