Set up a company in Slovakia.
A Eurozone EU member state with a graduated 10%/21%/24% corporate tax (10% on profits up to €100k), Europe’s highest car production per capita, and Bratislava just 60 km from Vienna.
To set up a company in Slovakia, you choose a legal structure (most commonly a Spoločnosť s ručením obmedzeným (s.r.o.) — the equivalent of a UK Ltd or German GmbH), prepare the Articles of Association, deposit the minimum share capital, and register with the Slovak Business Register (Obchodný register). You then obtain a Tax Identification Number (DIČ) from the Financial Administration and register for VAT if applicable.
Standard formation takes 1 to 3 weeks for an s.r.o. Minimum share capital is €5,000, with at least €750 per shareholder. Corporate income tax is now graduated: 10% on annual income up to €100,000, 21% from €100k to €5m, and 24% above €5m.
Grant & Graham manages the entire process — structure advice, Business Register filing, banking introductions, tax and VAT setup, employment registrations, and ongoing compliance — through a single senior point of contact.
Graduated CIT. 10% for SMEs.
From 1 January 2025, Slovakia replaced its flat CIT with a graduated three-tier structure. The reduced 10% rate (down from 15%) now applies to a wider band of small businesses — making Slovakia one of the most competitive EU jurisdictions for companies under the €100k income threshold.
Other notable 2026 items: Standard VAT is 23% (raised from 20% on 1 January 2025) with reduced rates of 19% and 5%. Dividend withholding tax is 7% on profits derived from 2025 onwards (10% specifically for profits derived in 2024), and 35% for distributions to non-cooperating states. A new Financial Transaction Tax applies to legal-entity bank transactions from 1 April 2025. Capital gains on qualifying shareholdings (10%+ held for > 2 years) remain tax-exempt — useful for holding structures.
Nine reasons businesses choose Slovakia.
A Eurozone EU member at the geographic heart of Central Europe, a strong manufacturing and engineering economy, and one of the most competitive small-business CIT rates in the bloc.
Eurozone member
Slovakia adopted the euro in 2009 — unlike Poland, Czechia, Hungary or Romania. No FX risk on intra-Eurozone transactions, simpler treasury, easier cash management.
10% small-business CIT
Companies with taxable income up to €100,000 pay just 10% — one of the lowest small-business CIT rates in the EU. Materially competitive against most CEE neighbours.
Heart of Central Europe
Bratislava sits 60 km from Vienna and is within a one-hour flight of every major European capital. Bordered by Czechia, Austria, Hungary, Poland and Ukraine.
Automotive manufacturing powerhouse
Slovakia produces more cars per capita than any country in the world. Volkswagen, Kia, Stellantis (PSA), Land Rover and BMW all manufacture here — supporting a deep supplier ecosystem.
Engineering & IT talent
Strong technical universities in Bratislava and Košice. Slovakia has been a long-term destination for global software, gaming and shared-services hubs — including ESET, Pixel Federation, Eset and many MNCs.
EU single market & Schengen
Full EU member since 2004, Schengen since 2007, Eurozone since 2009 — complete access to the single market for goods, services, capital and people, with no internal border friction.
Participation exemption
Gains on the sale of 10%+ shareholdings held for at least 2 years are exempt from corporate tax. Dividends received are generally tax-exempt. Useful for intermediate holding structures.
Low operating costs
Salaries, office and operational costs remain materially lower than Austria or Germany while productivity is high — a natural near-shoring base for DACH and Western European businesses.
R&D super-deduction
Companies can claim up to 200% deduction on qualifying R&D expenses. Investment incentives also available for high-value projects in less-developed regions.
Eight legal structures — one usually fits.
For most international businesses entering Slovakia, the s.r.o. is the starting point — equivalent to a UK Ltd. The a.s. is used for larger entities; the j.s.a. for tech startups with non-standard share classes.
Limited Liability Company
The standard structure for trading and holding businesses. Separate legal entity, limited liability. Minimum €5,000 share capital (at least €750 per shareholder). Maximum 50 shareholders.
Simple Joint-Stock Company
Introduced in 2017 for tech startups and venture-backed businesses. Allows flexible share classes (including preference shares and ratchets). Minimum €1 share capital.
Joint-Stock Company
For larger businesses or those intending to list publicly. Minimum €25,000 share capital, fully subscribed; 30% paid up. Mandatory supervisory board.
General Partnership
Two or more partners with unlimited joint and several liability. No minimum capital. Used in some professional services contexts.
Limited Partnership
General partner with unlimited liability and limited partner whose liability is capped at their contribution. Used for some specialist investment and tax structures.
Trade Licence Holder
Single owner, no separate legal personality, full personal liability. Quick to register via the trade office. Subject to personal income tax (15% on business income up to €100k).
Branch
An operating branch of a foreign company. Not a separate legal entity — the parent retains full liability. Must be registered with the Business Register.
Representative Office
Limited to marketing, liaison and promotional activities. Cannot trade or conduct commercial transactions in Slovakia.
Talk to us first
s.r.o. is the workhorse for most foreign investors. j.s.a. for venture-backed startups with preference shares. a.s. for larger or listed entities. A 25-minute call usually settles it.
Book a call →From decision to live entity.
The end-to-end registration sequence for a Slovak s.r.o. — managed by Grant & Graham with local Slovak counsel and accountant, end-to-end.
Reserve a company name
Confirm the proposed name is unique and meets Slovak naming regulations. Name reservation is part of the Business Register filing process.
Slovak Business Register →Prepare Memorandum & Articles of Association
Draft the company’s constitutional documents in Slovak — including share structure, director appointments, registered office and corporate objects. Notarisation is required for s.r.o. and a.s.
Trade licence registration
Obtain a trade licence from the District Office for the company’s business activities. Most commercial activities are “free trades”; certain regulated activities require additional permits.
Open a temporary capital account & deposit share capital
Open an initial capital account at a Slovak bank. For an s.r.o., deposit the minimum €5,000 share capital (with at least €750 per shareholder). The bank issues a deposit confirmation for the Business Register.
Register with the Slovak Business Register
Submit the incorporation documents to the competent District Court and pay the registration fee. Standard turnaround is 2 to 5 working days once documents are in order. The court issues the Certificate of Registration and the company’s ID number (IČO).
Slovak Business Register →Tax registration (DIČ & VAT)
Register with the Financial Administration for a Tax Identification Number (DIČ) — required within 30 days of registration. Register for VAT if turnover is expected to exceed €50,000, or voluntarily where useful for intra-EU operations.
Financial Administration →Operating bank account
Convert the temporary capital account into a fully operational business bank account. Slovak banks (Tatra Banka, Slovenská sporiteľňa, VÚB) offer streamlined onboarding once the Business Register entry is confirmed.
Social insurance & health insurance registration
Register with the Social Insurance Agency (Sociálna poisťovňa) and health insurance providers before hiring. Employer’s social and health contributions total approximately 36.2% of gross remuneration.
Social Insurance Agency →Accounting, reporting & ongoing compliance
Set up bookkeeping aligned to Slovak accounting standards (or IFRS for larger entities). File annual financial statements within 6 months of year-end, file annual corporate tax returns by 31 March, and submit monthly or quarterly VAT returns. Maintain UBO records in the Register of Public Sector Partners where applicable.
What it costs to incorporate & run.
All figures are indicative for a standard s.r.o. setup with one shareholder and one director. Slovakia is broadly mid-priced for CEE — cheaper than Austria, similar to Czechia and Poland.
One-time setup
Excludes the €5,000 minimum share capital (which remains your working capital). Trade licence fees vary by activity.
Ongoing monthly / annual
Scales with payroll size and transaction volume. Audit becomes mandatory above asset/turnover thresholds.
The legal framework to know.
A summary of the core legislation governing companies in Slovakia — we coordinate with senior Slovak counsel where specialist advice is needed.
Corporate Law
- Commercial Code Obchodný zákonník
- Civil Code Občiansky zákonník
- Trade Licensing Act
Tax Law
- Income Tax Act Zákon o dani z príjmov
- VAT Act Zákon o DPH
- Financial Transaction Tax Act (2025)
Employment Law
- Labour Code Zákonník práce
- Social Insurance Act Zákon o sociálnom poistení
- Occupational Health & Safety Act
Data Protection
- Personal Data Protection Act
- EU GDPR (directly applicable)
- Office for Personal Data Protection ÚOOU
Environmental Law
- Environmental Protection Act
- Ministry of Environment regulations
- EU environmental directives
Intellectual Property
- Patent Act Zákon o patentoch
- Trademark Act Zákon o ochranných známkach
- Copyright Act · Industrial Property Office ÚPV SR
Slovakia, answered.
Four steps from enquiry to live entity.
Discovery call
30-minute conversation to understand your business, tax position, shareholder structure and what you actually need from the Slovak entity.
Recommendation
Senior advisory on the right structure (s.r.o., j.s.a., a.s.), share split, banking partner, trade licence scope and ongoing compliance. Fixed quote.
End-to-end formation
We handle the Business Register filing, capital deposit, trade licence, tax registration, VAT, social and health insurance registration, and banking introductions.
Ongoing support
Retained accounting, CIT and VAT compliance, payroll, FTT management, annual filings, and structural changes as you scale.
Ready to incorporate in Slovakia?
Tell us in 25 minutes what you need. We’ll tell you honestly whether Slovakia is the right jurisdiction — and if it is, we’ll handle the setup end-to-end.