Starting a business

Establishment of a Company

You can significantly shorten the process of founding a company if you decide to use the HITRO.HR entrepreneurial service

To set up a company - a limited liability company or a joint stock company -- you need to follow a series of steps.
 

1. Selection of a Company Name

The company name is selected at the window of the HITRO.HR entrepreneurial service at one of the branches of the Croatian Financial Agency (“Fina”). For information on selecting a company name, read the article Selection of a Company Name.

You can find a list of Fina branches containing HITRO.HR offices at their website

HITRO.HR offices.
 

2. Document Certification

The following documents shall be certified by a notary public: 
  • the application for entry in the court register (“Po” form) 
  • the Memorandum - Articles of Association (signed by all founders) or a statement on the establishment of the company (if the company is founded by a single person) 
  • a statement by the members authorized to represent the company on acceptance of their appointment
  • the decision on the appointment of board members  
  • signature of the Director or signatures of the members of the Management Board 
  • signatures of members of the Supervisory Board (where there is one)  
  • the decision on the appointment of the company's procurator and their signature (where there is one) 
  • the decision specifying the address of the company.

This will require an identity card or passport (mandatory for foreign citizens).

All founders and other persons whose signatures need to be verified shall be present.

The cost of certification depends on the amount of share capital and amounts to an average of 331,81 EUR. All documentation in a foreign language shall be translated by a sworn translator.

You can find the notary office address book containing contact information and working hours on the website of the Croatian Chamber of Notaries

Notary offices in Croatia.
 

3. Registration in the Court Register 

The application for registration in the court register is submitted at the HITRO.HR window at the Financial Agency, accompanied by all the necessary supporting documents, thus initiating the procedure of registration in the commercial court register. Upon registering in the court register, the resulting decision is sent to you by the commercial court.
 

4. Publication of Company Registration 

After the decision on registration in the court register has been issued, the registration data is immediately published on the website of the register.
 

5. Business Activity Classification

An application for classification by activity according to the National Classification of Business Activities is submitted to the Central Bureau of Statistics, and the registration number and activity code are received within 15 days after the day of receipt of the decision on registration in the court register.

The application is accompanied by:
  • the decision on registration in the court register
  • the RPS-1 form (purchased at “Narodne novine” (Official Gazette) points of sale)
  • a copy of the administrative fee payment slip (7,3 EUR)
You will receive the notice on the classification of your business operator according to the National Classification of Business Activities of the CBS at the HITRO.HR window at the Financial Agency.
 

6. Opening a Bank Account

After receiving the Classification Notice, you can open a giro account at the HITRO.HR window or at a bank. At the HITRO.HR window, you can open an account with the bank on behalf of which the Financial Agency opens accounts or mediates therein.

The share capital (2.654,46 EUR for a limited liability company or 26.544,56 EUR for a joint stock company) shall be deposited in the bank account, and the deposit certificate shall be submitted upon registration of the company.

A business operator may have accounts open with several banks, at its owner's preference. Opening a giro account requires:
  • the excerpt from the court register or decision on registration in the court register (an attached copy and the original for inspection purposes). 
  • the notice on the classification of the Central Bureau of Statistics (an attached copy and the original for inspection purposes)
  • an identity card.
 

7. Pension Insurance Registration (HZMO)

The application for the commencement of operations of the contribution debtor (form M-11P) is submitted at the office of the Croatian Pension Insurance Institute or electronically (form eM-11P) within 24 hours after the initiation of activities.

When submitting the M-11P / eM-11P form, the following shall be enclosed for inspection or as an attachment to the e-application:
  • the notice on the classification of the Central Bureau of Statistics. 

The application for the start of insurance (form M-1P) is submitted at the office of the Croatian Pension Insurance Institute or electronically (form eM-1P) no earlier than 8 days prior to the initiation of activities, and no later than the moment the insured person initiates their activities.

Contribution debtors are required to send an application in electronic form (form eM-1P) if they are obligated to calculate and pay contributions based on work for more than three insured persons. 

The M-1P / eM-1P form does not require any accompanying documentation.
 

8. Health Insurance Registration (HZZO)

The Contribution Debtor Application (“Tiskanica 1”), Application for Basic Health Insurance for an Insured Person (“Tiskanica 2”) and Application for Basic Health Insurance for a Family Member (“Tiskanica 3”) are submitted at the window of the Croatian Health Insurance Institute at the Financial Agency within 15 days from the date of initiation of business activities.
 

9. Registration with the Tax Administration

After registering in the court register and with the Central Bureau of Statistics, the company shall be registered with the Tax Administration, at the office with jurisdiction in accordance with the company's headquarters, for purpose of registering the company in the Registry of Corporate Taxpayers and the Registry of VAT-Registered Persons.
 

10. Decision of the Competent Administrative Body

The decision of the competent administrative body (County Office for Economic Affairs) establishing compliance with the technical, health, environmental and other requirements for the performance of the relevant activities shall be submitted to the commercial court.
 

HITRO.HR Intermediation Service

If you opt for using the services of intermediation offered by HITRO.HR, the process of incorporating your company will consist of just four steps. More information is available on its website: 

e-Company 

How to start a company

Amendments to the Companies Act and the Court Register Act, which entered into force on 20 April 2019, enabled the incorporation of a limited liability company and a simplified limited liability company remotely without a proxy.
 
A company may be incorporated remotely without a proxy using electronic forms annexed to the Companies Act.
 
The application for registration is submitted solely online via the court register website or the court register website within the START system, and decisions are issued by the court in the form of an electronic document signed using an advanced electronic signature.