Setting up an SRL company in Belgium: complete step-by-step guide 2026

In brief

Setting up an SRL company in Belgium in 2026 requires a notarial deed, a financial plan, and registration at the BCE: there is no legally fixed minimum capital, but the starting patrimony must be sufficient to cover two years of activity. The full process, from drafting the financial plan to VAT activation and the UBO declaration, typically takes three to six weeks.

The SPRL/BVBA is gone — long live the SRL/BV

If you are looking for how to "create an SPRL" or "BVBA", be aware that this legal form no longer exists. Since the entry into force of the Code of Companies and Associations (CCA / CSA) on 1 May 2019, the SPRL/BVBA has been replaced by the SRL/BV (société à responsabilité limitée / besloten vennootschap). Existing SPRLs and BVBAs were automatically converted to SRL/BV.

The SRL is today the most widely used company form in Belgium for SMEs and self-employed individuals who wish to operate through a company. To understand when to prefer an SA/NV or another legal form, see our article on legal forms: SRL, SA, ASBL — which to choose?

SRL or sole trader: the first fundamental choice

Before creating a company, ask yourself: sole trader or company?

For most activities generating more than €50,000 to €60,000 in annual profit, the SRL becomes fiscally and legally advantageous. Below that threshold, the sole trader often remains simpler.

Step 1 — Choose the name and check its availability

Your SRL must have a unique company name. Before seeing a notary, check:

• Name availability at the BCE (no identical or too similar company)

• Availability of the corresponding domain name

• Existence of a similar trademark with the EUIPO or the Benelux Office for Intellectual Property

The BCE does not guarantee the exclusivity of a name (unlike a registered trademark), but two too-similar names create a confusion actionable in courts.

Step 2 — Draft the financial plan

The financial plan is a mandatory document for any SRL. It is drafted before creation, submitted to the notary, and filed in a sealed envelope with the registry of the competent enterprise court.

Its minimum content under the CCA:

• Description of the intended activity and target market

• Starting patrimony: planned contributions in cash and in kind

• Projected budget over at least two financial years (projected income statement, projected balance sheet, cash flow statement)

• Justification that the starting capital is sufficient for the company's needs over two years

Key point: the SRL has no legally fixed minimum capital (unlike the former SPRL requirement of €18,550). However, the CCA requires a "sufficient starting patrimony". In practice, starting with less than €18,000 to €20,000 is possible but must be justified in the financial plan. In case of bankruptcy within three years, the financial plan is examined by the liquidator: a manifest insufficiency engages the personal liability of the founders.

Have your financial plan drafted or validated by a certified accountant or statutory auditor. This is not a legal obligation, but it is essential protection.

Step 3 — Contributions and the blocked account

Cash contributions must be deposited in a blocked bank account in the name of the company being formed, before signing the notarial deed. The bank issues a deposit certificate that the notary requires.

Contributions in kind (equipment, vehicles, real estate, business goodwill) require a revision report prepared by a statutory auditor who certifies their value.

In practice for a small SRL: a cash contribution of €10,000 to €20,000 is common. This amount is not lost — it constitutes the company's equity, available from the moment the deed is signed.

Step 4 — The notarial deed

The authentic deed before a notary is mandatory to incorporate an SRL in Belgium. The notary:

Verifies the legality of the deed and the articles of association

Requests the financial plan in a sealed envelope

Ensures contributions are available (bank certificate)

Reads the founding deed to the founders

Proceeds to signing

The articles of association (annexed to the deed) define in particular: the name and registered office, the corporate purpose, governance rules, shareholders' rights, transfer of shares.

Indicative notary costs: notary fees in Belgium are regulated by an official scale. For a simple SRL, total costs (fees, registration duties, VAT, copies, publication) generally fall between €1,000 and €2,500 depending on the complexity and the amount of contributions. Request a quote in advance.

Step 5 — BCE registration via the enterprise office

After notarial signing, the notary transmits the deed to the Moniteur belge / Belgisch Staatsblad for publication. In parallel, you must register at the Banque-Carrefour des Entreprises via an authorised enterprise office. The office:

• Assigns the enterprise number (format: 0XXX.XXX.XXX)

• Activates the establishment units if you have one or more operating locations

• Registers your NACE activity codes

Office fees: approximately €90 to €120 for registering a new legal entity. Timeline: generally 1 to 3 business days after receipt of the complete file.

Once registered, your SRL is visible in the public BCE database. You can check your own BCE record (and those of competitors or partners) in Company Belgium — which indexes all Belgian BCE/KBO data and alerts you to changes in status, registered office, or activity.

Step 6 — VAT number activation

The enterprise number is converted into a VAT number (format: BE 0XXX.XXX.XXX) via a declaration of commencement of activity submitted to the SPF Finances / FOD Financiën. Two situations:

• Normal VAT registration: you charge and recover VAT. Required if your turnover exceeds or will exceed the franchise threshold.

• Small business VAT exemption: if your annual turnover is below €25,000 (2026 threshold), you can opt for this scheme — you do not charge VAT but cannot recover it either. All the conditions are detailed in our article on the VAT franchise regime and the €25,000 threshold.

VAT activation is done via form e604A in MyMinfin or through your accountant.

Step 7 — Directors' social affiliation

Each director of an SRL (whether or not a shareholder) is generally considered a self-employed person and must affiliate with a social insurance fund (caisse d'assurances sociales) within 90 days of commencing activity.

This affiliation triggers the payment of quarterly social security contributions, calculated on net professional income. For 2026, contributions amount to approximately 20.5% of net income (with a quarterly minimum for new self-employed persons). For the precise amounts and calculation bases, see our article on self-employed social security contributions in Belgium in 2026.

Recognised social insurance funds include: UCM, Liantis, Acerta, SNI, Securex, Partena.

Step 8 — UBO declaration within one month

Within one month of incorporation, the SRL must declare its beneficial owners (UBO — Ultimate Beneficial Owner) in the UBO register of the SPF Finances, via the MyMinFin portal.

A beneficial owner is any natural person who, directly or indirectly, holds or controls more than 25% of the voting rights or shares of the SRL, or who exercises control through other means. For cases where no first-tier UBO can be identified, specific rules apply (third-category UBOs — the effective directors).

For detailed obligations related to the UBO register, see our article on beneficial owners and the Belgian UBO register.

Omission or delay in UBO declaration exposes to administrative fines of up to €50,000.

Step 9 — Opening a professional bank account

The blocked account opened for contributions is unblocked as soon as the notarial deed is signed. For day-to-day operations, open a professional bank account in the company's name. Banks active in Belgium for SMEs: BNP Paribas Fortis, ING, KBC, Belfius, Argenta, Hello Bank Pro.

Bring: the notarial deed (or coordinated articles), the BCE extract, the list of directors, and — increasingly often — the UBO file.

Step 10 — Accounting and accounting obligations

The SRL is subject to Belgian accounting law. It must maintain double-entry bookkeeping and file its annual accounts with the National Bank of Belgium within seven months of the close of the financial year.

Small companies (meeting two of the three criteria: fewer than 50 employees, balance sheet total below €4.5m, turnover below €9m) may file abbreviated accounts.

Engage an accountant from the start — it is an investment, not a cost: good accounting avoids tax problems and prepares you for corporate tax advance payments, whose rules and surcharges are described in our article on 2026 advance tax payments.

Company Belgium for the post-creation phase

Once your SRL is created, Company Belgium supports you in day-to-day management:

• BCE monitoring: real-time alerts if your BCE record (or those of your clients/suppliers) is modified

• Electronic invoicing (Peppol): issue and receive structured invoices compliant with Belgian obligations

• Accounting: document recording, financial statements, VAT return preparation

• AML/KYC: verify your counterparties in real time (BCE + UBO register) before signing a contract

Company Belgium's CRM module can also help you manage your first client contacts from day one, with the advantage of having your prospects' BCE data directly integrated.

Summary of steps and timelines

From decision to operational activity, allow 3 to 6 weeks depending on notary availability and the complexity of contributions. A simple SRL can be operational in less than two weeks if everything is prepared in advance.

Common mistakes to avoid

• Under-capitalising the SRL to save on registration duties: if the company goes bankrupt within three years with an insufficient financial plan, the founders engage their personal liability.

• Forgetting the social affiliation of directors within 90 days: surcharges apply.

• Mixing accounts: never use a personal account for professional expenses before the SRL's professional account is open.

• Copying standard articles without adapting them to your situation: poorly drafted articles cause governance problems at the first disagreement between shareholders.

If you are wondering about which branch of a foreign company to set up in Belgium versus a full SRL, our article on branches of foreign companies and the UBO register in Belgium covers the structural comparison in detail.

For everything about the insurances to take out after creating your SRL, see our guide on mandatory insurances for self-employed persons and SMEs in Belgium.