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

Starting a business in Slovakia as a foreigner: easy.

Slovakia permits 100% foreign ownership of a limited liability company (s.r.o.) by nationals of any country, with no sectoral equity caps for standard activities. The incorporation process is fully digitalised via the Ministry of Justice's e-portal, costs €150 for electronic filing, and the Commercial Register court must decide within 2 working days of submission. A non-EU/non-OECD national appointed as director must hold a Slovak residence permit, but foreign shareholders face no residence requirement.

Last verified Official sources first · MethodologyCompare Slovakia with other countries

Legal framework

Slovak Commercial Code (Act No. 513/1991 Coll.); Act on the Commercial Register No. 530/2003 Coll. (new Act effective 1 March 2026); Trade Licensing Act No. 455/1991 Coll.; administered by Ministry of Justice via Obchodný register (orsr.sk)

Key points: starting a business in Slovakia

  1. Foreign ownership

    Under § 21 of the Commercial Code (Act 513/1991), foreign persons may conduct business in Slovakia on the same terms as Slovak nationals; 100% foreign shareholding in an s.r.o. is explicitly permitted with no equity caps. Shareholders need not be resident in Slovakia.

    economy.gov.sk nbs.sk

  2. Minimum share capital

    An s.r.o. requires a minimum share capital of €5,000 (each shareholder's contribution ≥ €750). At least 30% of each monetary contribution must be paid up before registration; if there is a sole founder, the full €5,000 must be deposited before filing. A bank confirmation of deposit is required.

    mic.iom.sk accace.com

  3. Key formation steps

    1) Draft and notarise articles of association / founding deed; 2) Obtain a trade licence (živnostenské oprávnenie) from the District Trade Office, or confirm an exempt activity; 3) Open a Slovak bank account and deposit share capital; 4) Submit electronic application with qualified electronic signature (QES/eIDAS) to the Obchodný register; 5) Tax and social-insurance registration is triggered automatically by the court upon entry in the register.

    orsr.sk akmv.sk mic.iom.sk

  4. Registration timeline and cost

    Electronic filing via the Ministry of Justice portal carries a court fee of €150 (vs. €300 for paper), and the district court must register the company within 2 working days of a complete electronic submission. End-to-end including document preparation typically takes 5-15 business days.

    orsr.sk akmv.sk

  5. Director residence requirement

    Directors (konatelia) who are non-EU and non-OECD nationals must hold a valid Slovak residence permit before they can be registered as executive director. EU/OECD-national directors and all shareholders face no such restriction.

    akmv.sk economy.gov.sk

  6. 2026 Commercial Register reform

    A new Act on the Commercial Register, effective 1 March 2026, will replace Act 530/2003, making electronic-only filing mandatory for virtually all standard procedures and further streamlining the register. The ORSR portal at orsr.sk is the single official access point.

    lexology.com orsr.sk

Sources

  1. economy.gov.sk/podnikatelske-prostredie/cudzinci-foreigners/foreigners-running-a-bus
  2. nbs.sk/en/dohlad-nad-financnym-trhom/legislativa/legislativa/detail-dokument
  3. orsr.sk/default.asp?lan=en
  4. mic.iom.sk/en/doing-business/limited-liability-company.html
  5. akmv.sk/en/registration-of-foreigners-in-slovakia-in-the-commercial-register/
  6. sario.sk/en/invest-slovakia
  7. accace.com/company-formation-in-slovakia/
  8. lexology.com/library/detail.aspx?g=5d8f6f73-1ac9-4581-9985-7861ade9f5e4

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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