Company Formation · Belgium

Set up a company in Belgium.

EU and NATO heart of Europe. Multilingual workforce. The lowest barrier to entry of any major EU jurisdiction since the 2019 reform — no minimum capital required for a BV/SRL.

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€0 Min. Capital (BV/SRL)

25% Corporate Tax

90+ Tax Treaties

EU Single Market

17 Years Founded 2009 · UK Reg. 11575770

100+ Jurisdictions Covered

40+ Senior Consultants Globally

20+ Sectors Served

48 Hours Quote Turnaround

At a Glance

Belgium — the essentials.

Capital

BrusselsEU & NATO headquarters

Population

11.7 millionEU founding member (1957)

Currency

Euro (€)Eurozone member

Official Languages

Dutch, French, GermanEnglish standard in business

Time Zone

CET (UTC+1)CEST in summer

GDP (Nominal)

~€620 billionHigh-income economy

Legal System

Civil lawNapoleonic tradition, EU-aligned

Corporate Register

CBE / BCE / KBOCrossroads Bank for Enterprises

Why Belgium

Six reasons clients choose Belgium.

Brussels is the capital of Europe in more than name. Belgium delivers genuine institutional weight, a multilingual workforce, and the lowest legal barrier to entry in the EU.

EU and NATO headquarters

Brussels hosts the European Commission, European Parliament, NATO, and hundreds of multinational HQs. Unmatched proximity to EU regulation and decision-makers.

Multilingual workforce

Native Dutch, French, and German across the country. English is standard in business. Few European labour markets offer this depth of cross-border capability.

Logistics & trade gateway

Port of Antwerp is Europe's second-largest. Brussels Airport, dense rail and road network. 60% of European purchasing power within 500km of Brussels.

Innovation Income Deduction

One of Europe's most attractive IP regimes. 85% deduction on qualifying innovation income produces an effective tax rate as low as 3.75% on patents, software, and other IP.

Lowest entry barrier in the EU

Since the 2019 Code of Companies and Associations, the BV/SRL has no minimum share capital requirement. A financial plan suffices — you can start trading from day one.

Robust legal & treaty network

Civil-law clarity, full GDPR alignment, 90+ double tax treaties. Strong participation exemption for holding structures, and a transparent regulatory environment.

Business Structures

Choose the right vehicle — six options.

Most international clients use the BV/SRL or the NV/SA. We will tell you straight which one fits your situation, and why.

Structure	Min. Capital	Liability	Best for	Formation
BV / SRLBesloten Vennootschap / Société à Responsabilité Limitée Most Used	€0 Financial plan required	Limited to share capital	The default choice. SMEs, holdings, subsidiaries of foreign groups, professional services, startups.	2–4 weeks
NV / SANaamloze Vennootschap / Société Anonyme	€61,500 25% paid up at incorporation	Limited to share capital	Larger businesses, IPO-track companies, regulated industries requiring formal governance and freely transferable shares.	4–6 weeks
SC / CVSociété Coopérative / Coöperatieve Vennootschap	None	Limited to share capital	Cooperative or social enterprise structures with member-owners; mission-driven businesses.	3–5 weeks
SNC / VOFSociété en Nom Collectif / Vennootschap Onder Firma	None	Unlimited, joint & several	Two or more partners running an active business together; close professional partnerships.	1–3 weeks
SCS / Comm.VSociété en Commandite Simple	None	Mixed (general / limited)	Investor / operator structures where one partner manages and others provide capital.	1–3 weeks
EenmanszaakSole proprietorship / entreprise individuelle	None	Personal, unlimited	Solo founders testing a market; minimal admin but no liability protection.	1 week

Tax & Compliance

The numbers that matter.

Headline figures every founder, finance director or international operator should know before they incorporate.

25%

Corporate Tax

Standard rate on worldwide income for Belgian-resident companies. Single national rate — no regional surcharges at the corporate level.

20%

SME Reduced Rate

Applies to the first €100,000 of profit for qualifying small companies. Material savings for early-stage businesses.

21%

VAT (Standard)

Reduced rates of 12% and 6% apply to specific goods and services. Input VAT recoverable.

3.75%

IP Effective Rate

Effective tax rate on qualifying innovation income via the Innovation Income Deduction. 85% deduction on net IP income.

~27%

Employer Social Security

Employer contributions on gross salary. Employee contribution approximately 13%. NSSO / RSZ / ONSS administration.

100%

Participation Exemption

Dividends from qualifying participations exempt from CIT. Strong base for international holding structures.

90+

Tax Treaties

Double taxation agreements covering most major economies, including the UK, US, NL, DE, and the Gulf states.

6.75%

Surcharge (Avoidable)

Penalty surcharge on final CIT if quarterly advance payments are insufficient. Standard practice is to pay quarterly to avoid it.

Pillar Two minimum tax: Belgium applies the OECD/EU 15% global minimum effective tax to multinational groups with consolidated turnover above €750 million via the Income Inclusion Rule, Undertaxed Profits Rule, and a domestic top-up tax (QDMTT). Most SMEs and growth-stage businesses are not in scope.

Formation Process

From decision to trading entity.

A realistic seven-step path. Most international clients with a BV/SRL are operational within 2–4 weeks; an NV/SA typically runs to 4–6 weeks.

Discovery & structure design

Confirm the right vehicle (BV/SRL, NV/SA, partnership), shareholding, directorships, regional setup (Flanders / Wallonia / Brussels), and tax position.

Week 1

Financial plan & articles

Two-year financial plan drafted (mandatory for limited liability companies). Articles of association prepared in Dutch or French depending on registered office region.

Week 1–2

Notarisation

Articles of association executed by a Belgian notary. The notary handles publication in the Belgian Official Journal (Moniteur belge / Belgisch Staatsblad).

Week 2–3

Capital deposit & bank account

For an NV/SA, 25% of capital paid into a blocked bank account before incorporation. For a BV/SRL, no capital deposit required — the financial plan stands in.

Week 2–4

CBE registration & enterprise number

Registration with the Crossroads Bank for Enterprises (CBE / BCE / KBO). The company receives its enterprise number, which doubles as the legal identifier for tax and social security.

Week 2–3

Tax & VAT registration

Registration with FPS Finance for corporate tax and VAT, including the EU VAT-ID for cross-border trade. Withholding tax registration where applicable.

Week 3–4

Social security & UBO

Registration with the National Social Security Office (NSSO / RSZ / ONSS) if hiring. UBO Register filing for beneficial owners. Sector-specific licences where applicable.

Week 3–5

What We Handle

A single partner. End to end.

You get one senior point of contact at Grant & Graham. Behind that, a vetted local network of notaries, banks, accountants, and lawyers we have worked with for years.

01 · ADVISORY

Structure & tax design

Choosing the right vehicle, shareholding structure, regional positioning (Flanders / Wallonia / Brussels), and cross-border tax position before a single document is signed.

02 · LEGAL

Articles & notarisation

Drafting articles of association in Dutch or French, preparing the mandatory financial plan, and coordinating Belgian notary execution.

03 · FILING

CBE & tax registration

Crossroads Bank for Enterprises filing, FPS Finance corporate tax registration, EU VAT-ID, UBO Register, and ongoing compliance filings.

04 · BANKING

Bank account introduction

Direct introductions to Belgian banks. We compress account-opening timelines for international clients and coordinate KYC documentation upfront.

05 · FINANCE

Accounting & tax filings

Bookkeeping, payroll, annual financial statements, corporate tax returns, and quarterly advance payments through our partner accountants in Brussels and Antwerp.

06 · PEOPLE

HR, employment & relocation

Employment contracts, NSSO / RSZ / ONSS registration, joint committee guidance, work permit and Single Permit support for non-EU hires.

Best Fit When…

Belgium is the right answer for specific situations.

It is not the cheapest jurisdiction, and not the lightest-touch on personal income tax. It is the right call when one of these scenarios applies.

You need an EU regulatory presence

Brussels is the single best place in Europe to have on the ground for engaging with the European Commission, EU agencies, NATO, and the lobbying ecosystem that sits around them.

You are IP- or innovation-led

The Innovation Income Deduction delivers an effective tax rate as low as 3.75% on qualifying patent, software, and breeders' rights income. Rare in Europe outside Ireland and the Netherlands.

You want zero-capital startup speed

The post-2019 BV/SRL has no minimum capital requirement. You can incorporate in 2–4 weeks with a financial plan and start trading immediately. The lowest legal barrier in the EU.

You need a logistics base

Port of Antwerp is Europe's second-largest. Brussels Airport is a major freight hub. Belgium's road and rail density is among the highest in Europe — ideal for distribution and 3PL businesses.

You need multilingual delivery

Native Dutch, French, and German across the country, with English standard in business. Few European labour markets offer this for cross-border customer support, sales, or back-office operations.

You are building a holding structure

Belgium's participation exemption fully exempts qualifying dividends and capital gains from corporate tax. Combined with 90+ treaties, it is a credible alternative to the Netherlands or Luxembourg for specific use cases.

Cost & Timeline Planner

Get an estimate in 30 seconds.

Three quick questions. We will give you a realistic cost range and timeline for your situation, and route the answers straight into a fixed-price quote request.

Step 1 of 3

01 · Structure

Which company structure are you considering?

02 · Setup

How is the shareholding structured?

03 · Services

What do you need from us?

Estimated for your situation

All-in cost (one-off)

—

Timeline to operational

—

Recommended structure

—

Get this as a fixed-price quote →

Estimate only. Final quote depends on specific scope, sector requirements, and any sector-specific licences. Includes Belgian notary, CBE registration, FPS Finance and VAT registration, and Grant & Graham senior advisory at €250/hour.

Frequently Asked

The questions we get asked most.

How long does it take to set up a BV/SRL in Belgium?

Typically 2–4 weeks from instruction to a fully operational entity with bank account and tax registration. Belgium is genuinely fast at the formation step itself — the notary and CBE registration usually complete within 1–2 weeks. The longest single step is normally bank account opening for non-EU shareholders, which can extend the timeline to 4–6 weeks.

Do I really need zero share capital for a BV/SRL?

The 2019 Code of Companies and Associations removed the legal minimum capital requirement. You can incorporate with €1, or no specific minimum at all. However, every BV/SRL must file a two-year financial plan with the notary demonstrating that the initial equity is sufficient for the planned activity. Founders can be held personally liable for two years if the company becomes insolvent and the plan was inadequate. So while there is no statutory minimum, sensible founders capitalise the company at a level that makes commercial sense — typically €5,000–€25,000 for an early-stage business.

Do shareholders or directors need to be Belgian or EU residents?

No. Foreign nationals and non-EU residents can be both shareholders and directors of a Belgian BV/SRL or NV/SA. There is no nationality or residency requirement. For a smooth bank account opening and a credible local presence, however, having at least one director with EU presence is helpful.

Which language is the company set up in?

The articles of association must be drafted in the official language of the region where the registered office is located: Dutch in Flanders, French in Wallonia, and either Dutch or French in the Brussels-Capital region. We coordinate certified translations into English so foreign shareholders can review and sign with confidence.

What ongoing compliance does a Belgian company face?

Annual financial statements filed with the National Bank of Belgium, an annual corporate income tax return, ongoing VAT and payroll filings, UBO Register filings and updates, and quarterly advance CIT payments to avoid the 6.75% surcharge. We package this as an ongoing service for international clients.

How does the Innovation Income Deduction actually work?

The IID allows companies to deduct 85% of net income from qualifying intellectual property — patents, copyrighted software, plant breeders' rights, orphan drugs — from their taxable base. This produces an effective tax rate as low as 3.75% on qualifying IP income (15% of 25%). It is one of Europe's most attractive IP regimes, and a major reason tech, software, and biotech businesses set up in Belgium. We model the IID into the structure design at step one when it applies.

How They Compare

Belgium vs Netherlands vs Luxembourg.

The three Benelux jurisdictions clients most often weigh up. A side-by-side comparison on the numbers that actually matter.

	Belgium	Netherlands	Luxembourg
Primary Vehicle	BV / SRLNV / SA for larger setups	BVFlex BV since 2012	SARLSA for larger setups
Min. Share Capital	€0No minimum since 2019	€0.01No meaningful minimum	€12,000SARL minimum capital
Corporate Tax	25%20% on first €100k for SMEs	19% / 25.8%19% to €200k profit, 25.8% above	~23.87%Effective combined CIT in Luxembourg City
Formation Time	2–4 weeksBank account often the bottleneck	1–2 weeksThe fastest of the three	2–3 weeksHeavier substance requirements upfront
Standout Feature	Innovation Income DeductionEffective rate as low as 3.75% on qualifying IP	Holding company classicParticipation exemption + treaty network	Sophisticated finance hubSOPARFI, IP regime ~5%, fund structures
Best Fit	EU/NATO presence, IP-led, logistics base	EU holding companies, tech HQs, fast launches	Investment funds, holding structures, finance
Watch Out For	Trilingual notarisationArticles in Dutch or French by region	30% ruling complexitySubstance requirements increasingly enforced	Substance requirementsReal economic presence increasingly required

Comparison data verified April 2026. Tax rates are headline figures — effective burdens vary by deductions, allowances, and structure. We can model the right answer for your situation in 48 hours.

Other Jurisdictions

Belgium is one of 100+ markets we cover.

If Belgium is not the right answer for your situation, here are the markets clients most often consider alongside it.

View all 100+ jurisdictions →

Start the Conversation

Ready to set up in Belgium?

Tell us what you are trying to do and we will come back inside 48 hours with a fixed-price quote and timeline. No pressure to commit — just a clear answer from a senior adviser.

Start a formation → uk@grant-graham.co.uk