Purchase a Ready-Made Company in Romania
Shelf company acquisition – existing registration · immediate operational start · 7–10 day transfer
A ready-made company – also known as a shelf company – is a pre-registered Romanian SRL (Societate cu Răspundere Limitată) that has never conducted any business activity. It holds a valid registration number at the Romanian Trade Register (ONRC), an existing tax identification number (CUI) and a complete set of incorporation documents, but has no trading history, liabilities, employees or bank accounts.
Ownership is transferred to the new buyer through a share transfer process coordinated by Romania for Business Advisory S.R.L.. After transfer, the company can begin operating immediately under the new owner’s name and management.
In short: to buy a shelf company in Romania, you take over all the shares of a dormant SRL. The three companies in stock below were registered in 2019, 2022 and 2023 and cost €5,000, €4,500 and €3,500; the €3,500 package includes due diligence, the share transfer, a new director and a Bucharest legal address for one year. The Trade Register (ONRC) records the new owner 7–10 working days after due diligence is complete, and you can sign from abroad. Since December 2025, Law 239/2025 also requires every SRL share transfer to be notified to ANAF, the tax authority, within 15 days, and ONRC asks ANAF for a tax certificate before it registers the new owner.
A shelf company transfer is faster than fresh incorporation. Once due diligence is complete and transfer documents are signed, the change of ownership is registered at the Trade Register in 7–10 working days – and the company is immediately ready to operate.
Purchase of a ready-made (shelf) company in Romania
all-inclusive
Package includes:
- Pre-registered Romanian SRL with clean status (no prior activity, debts or employees)
- Full due diligence verification – Trade Register, ANAF, court registry and UBO register checks
- Share transfer agreement prepared in Romanian and English
- New director appointment documentation
- Trade Register filing for change of ownership (ONRC)
- Updated beneficial owner (UBO) declaration
- New registration certificate issued in buyer’s name
- Company name change (optional – coordinated as part of transfer)
- Updated CAEN codes / business activities (if required)
- Virtual office / legal address in Bucharest for 1 year
- Full bilingual document package delivered digitally after transfer
Fees may be subject to Romanian VAT. Price confirmed in writing before engagement begins. Applies to transfer to a single individual buyer – contact us for corporate buyers or multiple shareholders.
| Legal form | Registration date | Information | Price |
|---|---|---|---|
| Societate cu Răspundere Limitată | 05.06.2023 | All activities | 3,500 EUR |
| Societate cu Răspundere Limitată | 18.08.2022 | All activities | 4,500 EUR |
| Societate cu Răspundere Limitată | 14.11.2019 | All activities | 5,000 EUR |
When Does a Ready-Made Company Make Sense?
Most international founders register a new SRL – it is simpler, cheaper and fully customised to their needs. A shelf company is the better choice in a specific set of circumstances:
Choose a shelf company when…
- You need to present an established registration date to a bank, investor or tender authority
- Speed is critical – you need the company operational within 10 days
- You want an existing CUI number for a contract or partnership that requires it
- You plan to apply for VAT registration immediately and want a company with a longer registered history
- You are acquiring an operational target alongside the shelf entity
Choose fresh incorporation when…
- You want a fully customised company name
- Cost is a priority – fresh incorporation is significantly cheaper
- You have 2–4 weeks before you need to operate
- You have specific share capital, ownership or governance requirements
- No historical registration date advantage is needed
New Company vs Ready-Made Company – Comparison
| Factor | New SRL formation | Ready-made company |
|---|---|---|
| Time to operational status | 5–18 working days, depending on how you sign | 7–10 working days |
| Cost | Lower (€1,490 for remote formation, all-inclusive) | Higher (€3,500–5,000) |
| Company name | ✓ Fully chosen by you | Existing (can be changed) |
| Registration date | Current date | ✓ Historical – existing date |
| Prior activity / liabilities | ✓ None – clean start | Must be verified (due diligence) |
| Customisation (activities, capital) | ✓ Full control at setup | ✓ Amendable post-transfer |
| Suitable for tenders requiring history | ✗ New company – no history | ✓ Existing registration |
| Suitable for immediate VAT registration | Standard process | ✓ Established history can help |
| Share capital flexibility | ✓ Set by founder | Existing – can be amended |
| Due diligence required | ✗ Not needed | ✓ Required before purchase |
Due Diligence Before Acquisition
Before any shelf company is offered to a buyer, Romania for Business Advisory S.R.L. conducts a thorough due diligence review to confirm the company is genuinely clean – no activity, no debts, no employees, no pending proceedings and no outstanding obligations. This verification is included in the acquisition package and is a mandatory first step in every transfer.
| Check | What we verify | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Trade Register extract (ONRC) | Company status, registration date, current ownership, any registered pledges or restrictions | ONRC public register |
| ANAF tax authority check | No outstanding tax liabilities, penalties or enforcement proceedings; tax compliance history | ANAF public portal |
| Court registry check | No pending or active litigation, insolvency proceedings or court-ordered restrictions on the company | ECRIS / BPI register |
| UBO declaration | Beneficial owner declaration filed and current; no discrepancies in ownership information | Trade Register UBO file |
| Social security / REGES-ONLINE check | No registered employees or social contribution obligations outstanding | REGES-ONLINE employee register |
| Bank account status | Confirmation that no bank accounts are active with outstanding obligations | Client / seller declaration |
| Registered activities (CAEN) | Activities registered are confirmed as matching the intended scope or can be amended post-transfer | Trade Register extract |
| Legal address | Lease for legal address is valid at transfer date; renewal terms confirmed | Lease agreement review |
Even companies described as ‘clean’ by a seller should be independently verified before transfer. Romania for Business Advisory S.R.L. confirms the clean status of every company from authoritative public registers before any transfer proceeds. We do not proceed with a transfer until all checks are clear.
Shelf Company with a VAT Number or a Bank Account
Some sellers list Romanian ready-made companies with an open bank account or an active VAT number. A bank account does not pass to the buyer together with the shares: the bank repeats its know-your-customer checks on the new shareholder, beneficial owner and director under the anti-money-laundering law (Law 129/2019) and may close the account. Our shelf companies have no bank accounts, so the account is opened in the buyer’s name after the transfer – see opening a business bank account in Romania.
A VAT number stays with the company’s tax ID (CUI) when the shares change hands. A shelf company that is not VAT-registered applies after the transfer and goes through the same ANAF review as a new company, including checks on its directors and shareholders – see VAT registration in Romania.
How the Shelf Company Transfer Process Works
The transfer follows a structured process managed by Romania for Business Advisory S.R.L.. The buyer does not need to visit Romania – the transfer can be completed remotely using a notarised power of attorney or EU qualified electronic signature.
Consultation & company selection
Due diligence checks completed
Transfer documents prepared
Documents signed by buyer & seller
ONRC filing – change of ownership
New registration certificate issued
Director change & UBO updated
Company operational under new owner
After the new registration certificate is issued in the buyer’s name, the company can begin operating, open a bank account and start trading. We file the ANAF notification of the change of ownership within the 15 days set by Law 239/2025 as part of the transfer package. If the ANAF tax certificate showed unpaid tax, the buyer would have to post a guarantee for it; the due diligence checks above are there to rule this out.
Shelf Company Transfer Timeline – Stage by Stage
| Stage | Typical duration | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Initial consultation & company selection | 1–2 working days | We identify suitable clean companies from available inventory |
| Due diligence checks | 2–3 working days | ONRC, ANAF, court registry, UBO and REGES-ONLINE checks completed |
| Due diligence report delivered to buyer | Same day as completion | Written confirmation of clean status provided before any payment |
| Transfer documents prepared | 1–2 working days | Share transfer agreement, director appointment, PoA prepared (bilingual) |
| Buyer signs documents | Client-dependent | Remote (notarised PoA or EU e-signature) or in person in Romania |
| Seller signs transfer agreement | 1–2 working days | Coordinated by Romania for Business Advisory S.R.L. |
| ONRC filing – change of ownership | Day of receipt | Filed immediately once all signed documents are received |
| Trade Register processing | 3–5 working days | Standard ONRC processing time from filing date |
| New registration certificate issued | Day of approval | Company is now legally owned and managed by the buyer |
| ANAF notification & document handover | 1–2 working days | Full bilingual document package delivered digitally |
Total typical transfer timeline: 7–10 working days from due diligence completion to registration certificate in buyer’s name.
Timeline assumes remote signing via notarised PoA. In-person signing in Romania reduces total timeline by eliminating courier transit time.
What Can Be Changed After the Transfer?
A shelf company can be fully adapted to the buyer’s requirements. The following changes can be made as part of the transfer process or immediately afterwards – all coordinated by Romania for Business Advisory S.R.L..
| What can be changed | When | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Company name | As part of transfer or shortly after | New name subject to availability check at ONRC |
| Registered business activities (CAEN codes) | As part of transfer or anytime after | Multiple codes can be added; some require licences |
| Legal address / registered office | Immediately after transfer | New lease or virtual office arrangement required |
| Directors (administrators) | As part of transfer | Old director replaced; new director appointed simultaneously |
| Shareholders / ownership structure | Transfer IS the ownership change | Additional changes possible after transfer via further filings |
| Share capital | After transfer – separate filing | Increase requires a shareholders’ resolution and a Trade Register filing. Under Law 239/2025 a dormant SRL can keep its existing capital: the RON 5,000 minimum applies once net turnover in the previous year’s accounts passes RON 400,000 (existing companies have until 18 December 2027), and RON 500 is the minimum for a newly formed SRL |
| Articles of Association | After transfer | Can be fully restated to reflect buyer’s preferences |
| Tax regime | Confirmed at first tax filing | Microenterprise (1% of revenue) or standard 16% profit tax – adviser confirms appropriate regime; 2026 conditions in the table below |
Taxes a Ready-Made SRL Pays in 2026
A ready-made SRL pays the same taxes as a newly formed one: 1% of revenue as a microenterprise or 16% profit tax, 16% on dividends and 21% VAT once it is VAT-registered. Buying an older company does not change these rates; the conditions below decide which regime applies in 2026.
| Tax | 2026 rate | Condition for a shelf company |
|---|---|---|
| Microenterprise income tax | 1% of revenue | Revenue up to €100,000 a year and at least one employee; the 90-day window to hire the first employee applies only to newly registered companies, not to a shelf company |
| Profit tax (CIT) | 16% of taxable profit | Applies when the company does not meet the microenterprise conditions, from the quarter in which revenue passes €100,000 |
| Dividend tax | 16% | Withheld by the company when it pays dividends and paid to ANAF by the 25th of the following month |
| VAT | 21% standard, 11% reduced | Registration is mandatory once annual turnover passes RON 395,000; below that it is voluntary |
If you already own a Romanian company, check one more rule before you buy: a shareholder who holds more than 25% of the shares or voting rights in several microenterprises can keep the 1% regime in only one of them, and the others pay 16% profit tax. A shelf company bought to run alongside your existing SRL may therefore start on the 16% regime.