There are several options of establishment or registering and starting a business. It is necessary to check the conditions for individual service activities.

First option:

If you are already established in any EU/EEA country, you are free to provide cross-border services, which applies on a temporary and occasional basis for several activities and professions.

In this case, a declaration on cross-border provision of services, along with an attestation of establishment in another EU/EEA country, and possibly another relevant document should be submitted to the competent authority by e-mail. In this case, the freedom to provide cross-border services is presented as the first option.

Second option:

If you are already established in any EU/EEA country, you always have freedom of establishment in Croatia. Also, registration of an establishment is always mandatory for service providers from third countries.

Legal forms of business are usually a craft or a company or a branch.

It is necessary to check whether there are sectoral requirements for obtaining authorizations for specific service activities and professions (with establishment).

Options for registration and starting a business 

I. Croatian citizens 

a) All in one place 

1. The START system enables the integrated electronic start of a business, i.e. craft businesses and companies (a private limited liability company – o.o. and a simple private limited liability company – j.d.o.o.): without obligation of physical presence at any of the competent authorities; without obligation of notarial authentication, with an offer of standardized versions of articles of association; without obligation of seal; with a fee reduced by 50 % for companies, and free of charge for craft businesses. The registration is finalized in a few days, or within a maximum of 5 working days; the system delivers information to the selected bank, and after that, it is necessary to go to the bank in person to open the account.

Technical requirements to access the e-service:

• activation of a Personal inbox in the system of e-Citizens
• user is a Croatian citizen with a permanent/temporary residence in Croatia, possessing credentials of a high level, i.e. a certificate with a qualified electronic signature (electronic ID (eOI) or FinaCertRDC on a QSCD)
• a card reader and installation of an appropriate toolkit, together with an activation of the electronic ID (eOI).

User support is always available.

b) In person

The establishment of other types of companies (except d.o.o., j.d.o.o., and a craft business) is enabled with the help of Hitro.hr service and/or a notary.

II. EU/EEA citizens

a) Registering electronically and the rest to be done in person

1. The e-Osnivanje (e-Establishment) service is available by means of the eIDAS credentials from EU/EEA countries and it enables electronic entering of companies (a private limited company – o.o. and a simple private limited company – j.d.o.o.) into the Company Register: without notarial authentication and with an offer of standardized versions of articles of associations; without seal; with a fee reduced by 50 % for companies; with obligatory physical presence at the time of registration at the Tax Administration and for the obligatory social security. The registration is finalized in a few days, or within a maximum of 5 working days;

+ It is necessary to register in:

2. the Tax Administration system
3. the Croatian Pension Insurance Institute system (HZMO), which then forwards the information to the Croatian Health Insurance Fund system (HZZO)
4. Croatian Bureau of Statistics (free of charge) – registar@dzs.hr

b) All in person

1. hr office, which also requires going to the notary

or

2. only to the notary, without going to the office of Hitro.hr

+ It is necessary to register in:

3. the Tax Administration system
4. the Croatian Pension Insurance Institute system (HZMO), which then forwards the information to the Croatian Health Insurance Fund system (HZZO)
5. Croatian Bureau of Statistics (free of charge) – registar@dzs.hr

EU/EEA citizens may start a craft business at county offices or at the Office of the City of Zagreb.

III. Third-country nationals

Third-country nationals may register a company and a craft business only in person (as mentioned under the b) option).

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Competent authorities and regulations

Ministry of the Economy and Sustainable Development (for the START and the Crafts Register)

Radnička 80

10000 Zagreb

+385 1 3717 111

javnost@mingor.hr

Ministry of Justice and Public Administration (for the Company Register)

Ulica grada Vukovara 49

10 000 Zagreb

+385 1 3714 580

pitanja@mpu.hr

The Companies Act – Article 612

(NN 111/93, 34/99, 121/99 – authoritative interpretation, 52/00 – Decision of the Constitutional Court of the Republic of Croatia, 118/03, 107/07, 146/08, 137/09, 152/11 – consolidated text, 111/12, 68/13, 110/15, 40/19, 34/22, 114/22 and 18/23)

The Company Register Act (NN 1/95, 57/96, 1/98, 30/99, 45/99, 54/05, 40/07, 91/10, 90/11,148/13, 93/14, 110/15, 40/19 and 34/22)

Ordinance on the procedure for the remote company establishment (NN 65/19)

Ordinance on the manner of entry in the Company Register (NN 121/19)

Ordinance on the type and content of the form for the statement confirming the absence of outstanding liabilities for taxes and contributions for pension and health insurance, as well as for net salaries of workers (NN 22/12)

The Crafts Act (NN 143/13, 127/19, 41/20 – corrigendum to the Act) – Article 9(5); Consolidated text

The Services Act (NN 80/11) – Articles 1, 14 and 15. More information on Services market liberalization

Last updated on 21 July 2023