Business Registration in Belgium

Company registration in Belgium is performed with the Crossroads Bank for Enterprises (CBE), the Belgian registry that contains identification data for companies and their business units. In this article, our lawyers in Belgium present the most important functions of the CBE. For detailed information and assistance with business registration, you can rely on our personalised services.

Quick Facts
Trade Register’s full/official name	The Crossroads Bank for Enterprises (the Belgian Business Register)
Services offered by our team for registrations with this authority	Our Belgian lawyers can assist with submissions, applications, changes and other operations performed with the CBE.
Main role of the CBE	Provide access to public data on registered companies, offer access to registration of companies and services for registered entity administration.
Organizational chart	The CBE is managed by the FPS Economy, SMEs, Self-employed and Energy.
Laws observed by and implemented by the Business Register	The Code of Economic Law (Book III), the Code of Companies and Associations and other relevant laws and regulations.
Legal entities registered with the CBE	Companies, individual businesses, non-profit organizations, branches, etc.
Public services offered by the Belgian CBE	Public data on companies, data correction, access to company extracts, others.
Compliance insurance	As per the local regulations for registration.
Modifications	Company name changes, capital increases or decreases, ownership structure changes are possible.
Modification notification	Must be notified and supported by adequate documentation.
Renewals	As per company type and ongoing requirements.
Company names	There is no name reservation in Belgium; availability is checked (e.g. in the CBE) before incorporation.
Company name changes	Possible, subject to availability.
Company deregistration	Handled by the CBE, as per the registration deletion procedure.
Belgian Crossroads Bank for Enterprises fees – examples	111.50 euros for business registration (company or sole trader, among others), with fees changing on an annual basis. Other fees apply.

Company registration in Belgium – main steps

The CBE centralizes a company’s basic identification data and business units and communicates with various relevant authorities. It includes data from the national register of legal entities, the trade register, and VAT information for the companies.

After they register with the CBE, companies receive a unique identification number. This is an essential step for business registration in Belgium.

Entrepreneurs who want to set up a company in Belgium must first determine the type of company that is suitable for their needs. A new legal entity in Belgium can be:

a private limited liability company;
a public limited liability company;
cooperative company;
general and limited partnerships;
sole proprietorship.

Our attorneys in Belgium can help you decide what type of structure is most suitable for your business.

The steps required to register a company in Belgium include the following:

Obtaining the bank certificate, which indicates that the starting capital conditions have been met;
Drafting the Articles of Association and the Deed of Incorporation;
Have the deed filed by the notary with the registry of the competent Enterprise Court (eDepot). Our lawyers in Belgium can give you more details about this particular requirement;
The company is then registered in the CBE (run by the FPS Economy), and the deed extract is published in the annexes to the Belgian Official Gazette;
Register the beneficial owners of the company within the corresponding registry as one of the final steps for company creation.

Apart from the Trade Register requirements for registration, companies will also need to observe other registration requirements, such as for the EORI number in Belgium, if applicable.

We remind investors that company registration in Belgium is the first and most important step for starting a business, however, several post-registration steps will be required, among which we can mention obtaining special permits and licenses for operating the business.

The role of the Belgian Crossroads Bank for Enterprises

The primary function of the Crossroads Bank for Enterprises is to manage the growing database of Belgian companies. While it serves as the point of contact and registration for entrepreneurs who register new companies in the country, it also offers public access to information on registered entities.

As a point of contact for business matters, the CBE offers the following:

Business registration in Belgium, according to the business form and the conditions that apply to each one;
Changing the particulars of a company, through updating information such as its registered address;
Collecting certain fees and payments that are due by companies;
Making sure that registered companies have a platform where they can make the required submissions and communications.

By accessing the CBE portal, individuals can obtain information on:

Companies and their registration status;
The activities in which the company engages;
Certain financial details;
The beneficial owners of a company;
The number of establishments;
Contact information.

Some of the costs associated with business registration in Belgium via the CBE are listed below by the experts at our law firm in Belgium:

Sole proprietorship registration: EUR 111.50;
Company registration: EUR 111.50 plus an additional fee of EUR 111.50 for secondary establishment units.

Please keep in mind that the costs above are subject to change and do not include any legal fees or fees required to prepare the documents for registration.

Our Belgian law firm can provide more information about company incorporation in Belgium and other details regarding company registration. Please contact us for more personalized information. Our team can also help you set up a business in Belgium.