How to Open a Company in Moldova as a Foreigner
A Practical 2026 Guide
If you have been looking into company formation in Moldova, you have probably noticed the same thing a lot of founders notice. The country keeps coming up. IT entrepreneurs, online sellers, consultants, traders, and digital nomads are all setting up here, and there are good reasons for it: low taxes, full foreign ownership, a setup process you can finish without leaving home, and a country that is moving toward the EU faster than most people expect.
This guide walks you through how to actually do it. Not the marketing version, the real one. What forms exist, which one you want, the exact steps to register a company in Moldova, the paperwork involved, what it costs, how long it takes, and how the tax side works once you are up and running.
Why Moldova, and Why Now
Let's start with the honest reasons foreigners pick Moldova, because they matter more than any sales pitch.
Taxes are low and they are simple. The standard corporate rate is 12%, which is already near the bottom of the European range. Small and medium companies can pay 0% on profit they keep in the business and reinvest, and IT companies that qualify pay a flat 7% on turnover instead of the usual stack of taxes. There is no maze of overlapping rates to fight your way through.
You can own the whole thing. A foreigner can be the only shareholder and the only director. No local partner required, no local director required, no citizenship games. For most sectors there are simply no restrictions on who controls the company.
You don't have to fly anywhere. Moldova has digitised most of its government services and runs on e-signatures, so the company can be registered through a notarised and apostilled power of attorney while you stay exactly where you are.
And the EU story is real, not hypothetical. Moldova has been an official EU candidate since 2022, and in June 2026 the EU formally opened the first cluster of accession talks with the country. Moldova is aiming for 2028. In the meantime it already has tariff-free access to the EU market through the DCFTA, has joined the European payment area (SEPA) for cheaper euro transfers, and is being supported by a 1.9 billion euro EU growth plan. For a business owner, that means a jurisdiction that is actively rewriting its rules to match EU standards, and you would be getting in early.
On top of that, Moldova sits between Romania and Ukraine, so it bridges the EU and the markets to the east, and running costs are a fraction of what you would pay in Western Europe. The workforce is well educated and often speaks Romanian, Russian, and English, which helps a lot once you start hiring.
Step 1: Pick the Right Type of Company
The first real decision is the legal form. A few options exist, but for foreigners it usually comes down to one.
The SRL, which is the local limited liability company (Societate cu Răspundere Limitată), is what most foreign founders choose, and for good reason. Liability is limited, management is flexible, the minimum capital is symbolic, and it fits almost everything: software, consulting, services, trade, e-commerce. One person can own it, or up to 50 people can, and it can be 100% foreign owned.
The SA, or joint stock company, exists for bigger operations or businesses planning to issue shares and raise capital. It comes with a real minimum capital (600,000 MDL) and heavier reporting, so it is overkill for most newcomers.
There are also branches and representative offices. A branch trades under the parent company's name and is handy for testing a market. A representative office can do research and promotion but cannot earn revenue locally, so it is more of a foothold than a business.
For the rest of this guide, assume we are talking about an SRL, because that is what nine out of ten foreign founders end up registering.
Step 2: Choose and Reserve the Company Name
Every company needs a name that nobody else is using. You check it against the state register and reserve the one you want with the Public Services Agency (Agenția Servicii Publice, usually shortened to ASP), which is the body that handles company registration in Moldova. Do this early. It is a small step, but skipping it is a common way to lose a few days later on.
Step 3: Get a Registered Legal Address
Your company has to have a registered address inside Moldova. You can use property you own, a normal rental agreement, or a professional legal address service. If you are setting up from abroad and don't have premises yet, the legal address service is the standard route, and it is completely above board. Your formation agent usually arranges it as part of the package.
Step 4: Decide on the Share Capital
Since July 2023 there is no real minimum capital anymore, so on paper you can start an SRL with 1 MDL. In practice it is worth declaring a modest amount, say somewhere between 1,000 and 5,400 MDL, because banks and officials tend to take a company with a little capital behind it more seriously. Keep in mind the company also builds up a reserve fund equal to 10% of its share capital over time. Your advisor can tell you what figure makes sense for your activity and your bank.
Step 5: Prepare the Founding Documents
Next come the documents that actually create the company. They are usually drafted in Romanian, with translations where you need them, and the main pieces are:
- The Articles of Association, which is the company charter
- The founders' decision to set the company up
- The appointment of the director
- The split of shares between owners
If you are doing this remotely, your signatures get certified and you sign a power of attorney that is notarised and apostilled in the country where you live. That document lets your representative in Moldova handle everything on the ground for you.
Step 6: Register With the Public Services Agency
Once the file is complete, the company is registered with the Public Services Agency. When it is approved you receive the registration certificate, a unique state ID number (the IDNO), and an extract from the state register. At that point the company legally exists. The register is public, which is in line with the transparency standards Moldova is aligning to as it moves toward the EU.
Step 7: Register for Tax
Tax registration happens as part of incorporation, and your tax ID is assigned automatically by the State Tax Service. Depending on what you do, you may also need to register for VAT, which becomes mandatory once your turnover passes the threshold (1.5 million MDL from January 2026, rising to 1.7 million MDL in March 2026; you can also register voluntarily). If you are an IT business, this is the point where you apply for IT Park residency, and some sectors have their own special status to apply for.
Step 8: Open the Bank Account
You will need a corporate bank account, normally with both EUR and MDL, at a Moldovan commercial bank. The bank will want the company documents, ID for the shareholders and director, a clear description of what the business does, and compliance paperwork showing where the money comes from. Be ready for this part to take a bit of care. Banking checks have tightened everywhere, and Moldova now takes part in the global CRS information exchange, so a clean, well-prepared file matters. This is the step where people going it alone most often get stuck, so it pays to have someone brief the bank properly in advance.
Step 9: Licences, Permits, and Going Live
Some activities need a specific licence or permit before you can trade, so check whether yours does. Once the company is registered, the tax side is sorted, and the bank account is open, you are ready to hire, sign contracts, invoice clients, and run the business.
What You Need to Provide as a Foreign Founder
For a smooth, remote SRL setup, expect to hand over:
- A scan of your valid passport
- IDNP Number Certificate
- Recent proof of address, such as a utility bill from the last three months
- Bank statements, often the last six months, for compliance
- A notarised and apostilled power of attorney if you are not coming in person
Your chosen company name, activity codes (CAEM), and how the shares are split
How Long It Takes and What It Costs
On timing, a straightforward SRL registration usually clears in three to seven working days once the full file is in, and a simple case can go through in 24 hours thanks to the e-signature system. Leave a little extra room for the bank account and, if it applies to you, IT Park admission.
On cost, the total usually covers the state fee, professional help, the legal address if you need one, notary and apostille costs, and support with the bank. The all-in number comes out well below what you would spend in most EU countries. The exact figure depends on your activity and setup, so the cleanest way to budget is to ask for a quote built around your specific case.
How Tax Actually Works for Foreign Companies
Here is the 2026 picture in plain terms:
- Corporate income tax is 12% on profit under the standard regime.
- Small and medium companies (turnover under 100 million MDL, up to 249 employees, in eligible sectors) can pay 0% on profit they reinvest, and only pay tax when they distribute it. This is in force through 2026.
- IT Park residents pay a single 7% tax on turnover that replaces corporate tax, salary tax, social and health contributions, and several local taxes.
- VAT is 20% standard, with an 8% reduced rate on certain goods. The registration threshold is 1.5 million MDL from January 2026 and 1.7 million MDL from March 2026.
- Some small, non-VAT companies can pay 4% on turnover if they meet the conditions.
- Dividend withholding tax is 6%, and it is often lower thanks to Moldova's network of more than 40 double tax treaties.
Put those together, a low base rate, a 0% incentive for reinvestment, and a flat 7% option for tech, and you can see why founders keep choosing Moldova over higher-tax bases in the EU.
A Closer Look at the 7% IT Park
If you run a software, SaaS, IT consulting, or digital services business, the Moldova Innovation Technology Park (usually called the IT Park or MITP) is one of the most competitive setups in Europe. Residents pay a single 7% tax on turnover that rolls corporate tax, salary tax, social and health contributions, and several local and property taxes into one monthly payment. Just as importantly, the regime is guaranteed by the state through 2035, which gives you something rare in tax planning: long-term certainty.
To qualify, in broad terms your company needs to:
- Be a Moldovan SRL with IT Park residency
- Earn at least 70% of its revenue from qualifying IT activities under Law 77/2016
- Have real substance, meaning actual employment contracts and a minimum tax per employee (around 5,220 MDL per employee per month for 2026)
- File the monthly reports and pass the yearly eligibility check
VAT still applies separately. The 70% revenue rule and the per-employee minimum are easy to get wrong, so this is one area where having it structured properly from day one genuinely saves you money and headaches.
Common Questions
Can a foreigner own 100% of a company in Moldova? Yes. You can be the only shareholder and the only director, with no nationality restrictions in most sectors.
Can I register the company without travelling to Moldova? Yes. With a notarised and apostilled power of attorney, the whole SRL registration can be done remotely.
What is the minimum capital for an SRL? Legally as low as 1 MDL, though a small declared amount is recommended so banks and officials take you seriously.
How fast is company registration in Moldova? Usually three to seven working days once the documents are in, and as quick as 24 hours in simple cases.
What is the corporate tax rate? 12% standard, with a 0% reinvestment option for qualifying SMEs and a flat 7% for IT Park residents.
Do I have to live in Moldova to run the company? No. You can manage it from abroad. If you do want to relocate, there are investor and IT specialist residence options.
Let Bizonaire Set It Up For You
Opening a company in Moldova is genuinely doable. What separates a clean launch from weeks of back-and-forth is getting the structure, the tax regime, the documents, and the bank onboarding right the first time, and that is the part Bizonaire takes off your plate.
Bizonaire runs the whole thing for you. We help you choose the right structure, reserve your name, draft the founding documents, provide a registered legal address, register you with the Public Services Agency and the tax authorities, get you into the 7% IT Park regime when it fits, and prepare a bank file that actually gets approved. All of it remote, with no trip to Chișinău needed.
You handle the business idea. We handle the local knowledge, the EU-aligned compliance, and the relationships on the ground that turn a bureaucratic process into a few signatures.
If you are ready to open your company in Moldova, talk to Bizonaire. We will send you a quote built around your business and a clear plan to get you launched in days, not months.
This article is for general information and reflects the rules and figures that apply in 2026. It is not legal or tax advice. Rates, thresholds, and procedures can change, and the right answer depends on your situation. Bizonaire will confirm the current requirements for your case.
