Starting a Business in Serbia (DOO & Preduzetnik)

Serbia is relatively open to foreign founders: 100% foreign ownership of a standard limited company is normal, minimum capital for a DOO is extremely low, and registration with the APR (Business Registers Agency) is a known, mapable process. This guide compares common legal forms, walks through registration at a high level, and flags costs and compliance — as of mid-2026.

Disclaimer: Company law, tax rates, APR fees and foreigner work/residence rules change. The 2023–2024 period brought notable updates to how foreigners obtain work-related residence authorisations. Use a lawyer and accountant for your facts; this is orientation for planning, not a filing kit.

Legal forms compared

Form	Serbian name	Liability	Best for
Sole proprietor	Preduzetnik	Unlimited (personal)	Freelancers, simple services
Limited liability company	DOO (d.o.o.)	Limited to company assets	Most startups, agencies, trading
Joint-stock company	AD (a.d.)	Limited	Larger / investment structures
Branches / reps	—	Parent-linked	Foreign companies testing the market

Preduzetnik

Fast and cheap to open
Full personal liability
Tax options include simplified paušal where eligible — see Freelancing & taxes
Natural fit for one-person consultancies

DOO (most popular company)

Minimum share capital historically RSD 100 (token amount — confirm current Company Law figure)
One or more founders (individuals or legal entities), including foreigners
Separate legal personality; cleaner for hiring, investment and limited liability
More accounting and corporate hygiene than a sole prop

Which should you choose?

Solo freelancer, low risk, local simplified tax interest → often preduzetnik first.
Clients expect an invoice from a company, you want liability separation, or you will hire → DOO.
Buying restricted assets or ring-fencing property projects → sometimes DOO for structural reasons (with tax advice).

Foreign founders: residence and work

Incorporating a DOO does not by itself replace immigration compliance. If you will live in Serbia and work in the business, you generally need the correct residence basis and any work / self-employment authorisation required for your nationality and role (director, employee, etc.).

See:

Directors who are foreign nationals should confirm whether their engagement is treated as employment or another basis under current law. Do not assume “I own the company so I can ignore permits.”

Registration with APR (step by step)

DOO — typical flow

Name check — choose a unique company name and legal form suffix.
Founding document — articles / decision of incorporation (notarial form may be required depending on setup).
Capital — pay in or evidence the minimum capital as required.
Registered address — Serbian address (own premises, rental with permission, or lawful virtual office products).
Beneficial ownership / KYC data — required in modern registers.
File with APR — electronic filing is common; paper remains possible in some cases.
Tax registrations — follow instructions for tax ID, VAT if needed, local tax office steps.
Stamp & extras — company seals are less critical than they once were but still appear in practice; your lawyer will say what you need.
Bank account — open a corporate account with incorporation papers.
Licences — only some activities need sector licences (finance, food, tourism, etc.).

Preduzetnik — typical flow

Choose activities and tax regime with an accountant.
Register as entrepreneur via APR (e-registration often available).
Complete tax/contribution registrations.
Open accounts and start invoicing.

Documents foreigners often need

Passport copies
Apostilled / translated corporate documents if a foreign company is a founder
Proof of address arrangements
Sometimes a local intermediary or power of attorney if you register remotely

Build in extra weeks for apostilles and sworn translations.

Costs and timelines

Item	Orientation (mid-2020s)
APR official fees	From low thousands of RSD for simple entrepreneur filings to higher fixed fees for company registration — fee schedules were updated toward 2026; check APR’s current price list.
Notary, translations, lawyer package	Often the bulk of the bill; all-in DOO setups commonly land in a few hundred to low thousands of euros depending on complexity and service level.
Preduzetnik DIY / light assist	Can be very cheap in official fees alone; still budget advice.
Timeline	Clean domestic e-filings can complete in days; foreign-document chains take longer.

Beware of “guaranteed in 24h” marketing that skips immigration reality.

Banking for companies

Corporate accounts are available at major banks (Intesa, Raiffeisen, UniCredit, OTP, local banks, etc.). Expect:

In-person KYC
Questions about business model and source of funds
Possible delays for non-resident founders

Personal banking context: Banking. Fintech options appear and disappear; for payroll and tax payments, a mainstream Serbian bank account remains the default.

Hiring employees

Once you hire:

Employment contracts under Serbian Labour Law
Registration for social contributions and tax withholding
Workplace and safety obligations where applicable
Foreign hires need correct permits — see Employment permits

Payroll is almost always run by an accountant or payroll provider. Contribution rates and minimum wage bases change — use current tables.

Taxes overview (very high level)

Tax	Typical idea
Corporate income tax (DOO)	Flat CIT commonly cited around 15% on taxable profit in recent years — confirm current rate.
Withholding taxes	May apply to certain cross-border payments (dividends, services, etc.) subject to treaties.
VAT (PDV)	Standard rate historically 20% with reduced rates on some categories — thresholds for mandatory registration apply.
Preduzetnik income tax	Depends on regime (paušal vs books).
Salary taxes & contributions	Paid on employment income; large part of cost of hiring.
Local taxes / property	If you own premises.

Incentives (IT, investment, employment) exist in Serbian policy but are programme-specific — do not build a business plan on a blog summary of subsidies.

Ongoing compliance

Bookkeeping and financial statements for DOOs
Beneficial ownership updates when founders change
Tax filings and payment calendars
APR filings for corporate changes (address, director, capital)
Invoice rules and fiscalisation requirements where applicable to your activity

Missed filings create fines and banking headaches.

Practical tips for expats

Decide immigration status and legal form together, not sequentially after you already signed clients.
Hire an accountant before the first invoice.
Keep a clean paper trail for every transfer into Serbia.
Use a real registered address you can access for mail from the tax authority.
If your model is pure freelancing, read Freelancing & taxes before defaulting to a DOO.
Re-read employment-of-foreigners guidance after any law change — the mid-2020s have been active.