Company registration in Greece with the local Trade Register is a necessary formality for both local and foreign investors who plan to start a business here. The obligation is imposed regardless of the legal entity businessmen want to register, but incorporation differences may appear from one business form to another (for instance, a sole trader has simpler registration requirements compared to a joint stock company).
| Quick Facts | |
|---|---|
| Institution in charge with company registration in Greece | The General Commercial Register (GEMI) |
|
Who must register |
All types of entities operating in Greece |
|
Basic registration obligations |
Select a legal entity, draw up its incorporation documents, obtain a trade name, have a registered address, obtain a tax identification number, etc. |
| Trade name | The trade name can be reserved on the online platform of the General Commercial Register, the One Stop Shop. |
| Ways to complete the registration |
Company registration in Greece can be completed in person or online (the latter is available only for certain types of companies, such as limited companies, partnerships) |
| Registration fees (yes/no) |
Yes |
| Documentation |
– the trade name, – the statutory documents, – identification documents of the founders/ their legal representatives, – the GEMI number, – the decision to open a business in Greece (for foreign companies), etc. |
| Publishing obligations |
Once GEMI and other institutions involved in the process of company registration in Greece (such as the Tax Authority), provide their registration approval, the founders need to publish in the Government Gazette an announcement regarding the incorporation of the legal entity (this is a mandatory step for the formal, legal recognition of a business form registered in this country). |
| Can investors obtain legal representation for company registration purposes? |
Yes |
| How to obtain legal representation | Through the power of attorney |
| Can investors acquire electronic documents from the Trade Register? |
Yes |
| Basic laws enforced by the Trade Register |
– Law 4919/2022, – Law No. 3419/2005, – Law 4441/2016 |
| Database on companies in Greece |
Business Search online tool (operating under GEMI) provides information on all companies registered in the EU. Information on companies registered in Greece can be found by browsing the Publicity Data tool. It is also possible to access the free statistics database on local companies available on the GEMI platform. |
| Other roles of the Trade Register |
– issuing documents and certificates, – registering updates on active companies, – provinding statistical information on Greek and EU businesses, – processing fees, providing digital signatures, etc. |
| Way to obtain information on companies in Greece | Online (investors can search company data based on the trade name, VAT number, General Tax Identification Number, status, activity, etc.) |
Depending on the company type of interest, our lawyers can provide personalized assistance and services on business registration in Greece. Our team can prepare the application file and represent clients in the online registration formalities.
Table of Contents
Where to register a company in Greece?
Greek companies, as well as foreign companies expanding on the local market, have to register with the local Trade Register. The official name of the Greek institution is the General Commercial Register (GEMI), which has the main purpose of registering new legal entities and maintaining updated registers on already incorporated businesses.
How to register with GEMI
The registration can be completed online only for certain types of legal entities, such as limited liability companies, joint stock companies, single person companies.
In order to be able to register a business in Greece online, the company’s representatives have to obtain an electronic signature, necessary in order to log in on the online platform, known as the One Stop Shop (OSS), operating under the General Commercial Register.
When initiating the online registration procedure, the investors should mention the preferred company name (after verifying if the preferred name is available) and fill in the details of the incorporation document (the platform will generate a standard model). Please mind that this step can be completed by the investor or by his/her representative (such as our lawyer). The infographic below presents information on the Trade Register in Greece:
The full procedure includes:
- registration with the Chamber of Commerce;
- tax registration and the issuance of a VAT number;
- registration with the social security system.
For other types of companies, the online registration is not possible, therefore the representatives of these businesses need to address in person the departments of the General Commercial Register. Please know that all types of registration procedures involve the payment of processing fees, such as:
- online registration – minimum EUR 18 for a private company;
- the registration of a joint stock company costs EUR 43 when submitting the application through the OSS system and EUR 105 for the registration through public notaries;
- the company registration in Greece for a limited partnership costs EUR 15 through the OSS and EUR 70 through the in person option;
- foreign branches can also register through the online system and their registration fee is only EUR 10.
Important note: These fees refer only to Trade Register Stamp Duties and not legal fees charged by lawyers or consultants.
Below, you can watch a short video on the Trade Registry in Greece:
What other roles does GEMI have?
There are 3 main categories of roles for which this system was created, as follows:
- it addresses the needs of businessmen who plan to register a company in Greece (registration services, fee payment platform, trade name availability check and reservation);
- it provides services for investors who have already started a business activity here (issuance of documents, issuance of certificates, annual payment fees, ;
- it offers information to the general public (information on registered companies, statistics, information on companies registered in the EU, etc.).
The institution also registers company changes (name change, modification of the registered address, object of activity, etc.) and issues a variety of documents that may be necessary for investors throughout the lifetime of their company. We invite you to contact our team for further information on other matters concerning business registration in Greece.