How to open a trade license in Slovakia online (English)

Slovak version here

European residents

Procedure for non-EU residents listed below applies also for EU residents (including OECD and EEA residents), however, following significant exemptions make it much more easy:
1. No residence permit in Slovakia is being required (even not after granting a trade license)
2. Health insurance from country of origin is sufficient (no need the Slovak health insurance)
3. No need to get an Apostill for their extract from the Criminal Record (in case it comes from their country of origin and have no negative entry)

Non-EU residents

The procedure is a bit time-cosuming:

1. First get a trade license online (no slovak eID required) at the Business License Authority („Živnostenský úrad“ in Slovak language). It usually takes one week. No further entry to the Commercial Register or elsewhere is required.

2. After you have acquired a trade license („živnosť“ in Slovak language), you need to apply for a temporary stay permit allowing you to enter the Slovak Republic (not applicable for EU residents and EEA and OECD residents). You cannot start your business in Slovakia before a stay permit is granted.

The right to do business in Slovakia comes togehter with a stay permission. Meaning, a trade license will be effective as of the date of stay permit.

Get a trade license

What do you need to obtain a business license

1. Application for setting up of a trade – original copy
If you are setting up your trade through Firmáreň, this document will be automatically sent by us and you will only need to sign it.

2. Application for health insurance – original copy
If you are setting up your trade through Firmáreň, this document will be automatically sent by us and you will only need to sign it.

Explanation: Every non-EU national running a business in Slovakia needs to have mandatory health insurance in Slovakia so it is necessary to register with the health insurance company of your choice in SR. There are only three health insurance companies in Slovakia: Dôvera health insurance company, Všeobecná zdravotná poisťovňa health insurance company, and Union health insurance company. You need to choose one of them.

EU nationals do not need to have a health insurance company in SR and they may use their own insurance company in the country of their origin. However, after you have obtained a trade license in SR, you need to contact your health insurance company and make sure that your health insurance covers also the territory of SR. In such case select this option in the online form at firmaren.sk: Health insurance company outside SR.

3. Solemn declaration that you are not running a business in your country of origin as a natural person – original copy
If you are setting up your trade through Firmáreň, this document will be automatically sent by us and you will only need to sign it.

4. Authorized representative for postal delivery in the Slovak Republic – it must be a Slovak natural person or a Slovak legal entity. Necessary data in the following extent: Name and surname, permanent address in SR and date of birth in the case of a natural person, business name, registered office and Company ID No. (IČO) in the case of a legal entity.

Explanation: When you are setting up a trade, Slovak authorities need you to appoint a Slovak person (with permanent address or registered office in SR) who will be authorized to receive official postal consignments in Slovakia if it is impossible to deliver them to the entrepreneur. This obligation is usually a formality and it is intended e.g. in cases where the tax authority is unable to deliver its documents to the foreigner directly. If you have no such person, you may choose Firmáreň as the authorised representative for a fee of EUR 40.

5. Extract from the Criminal Record from your country of origin containing an Apostille and translation into Slovak – original copy.

This is the most burdensome issue.

– Ask for an extract from the Criminal Record in your country of origin. If your country is a member of the Hague Convention, ask for the document to be Apostilled. If your country is not a member of the Convention, a so-called super-legalisation of the document is necessary.

EU-nationals do not need to have their document Apostilled, as long as they are submitting an extract from the Criminal Record from their country of origin and have no negative entry in the Criminal Record.

Such Apostilled document then needs to be officially translated into Slovak (on request, we can arrange translation into Slovak at the client’s expense)

– Instead of an extract from the Criminal Record from your country of origin, please submit an extract from the Criminal Record from the Slovak Republic together with a temporary residence permit permitting your temporary residence in SR if you have demonstrably stayed here for at least 6 months in the last 5 years (for this purpose is a Birth Certificate, apostiled and translated to Slovak language required) – original copy

– Instead of an extract from the Criminal Record from your country of origin, please submit an extract from the Criminal Record from the country where you have demonstrably stayed for at least 6 months in the last 5 years (it need not be only Slovakia but also any other country) – original copy

A 6-month stay is usually demonstrated by a confirmation that you have previously been granted a residence permit for more than half a year – duplicate copy

You may get a Slovak extract from the Criminal Record at any post office in Slovakia which provides such service – post offices with the „IOMO“ sign.

6. Agreement of the owner of real estate in SR with the place of business (registered office) being at the particular address in the particular building, with an authenticated signature of the owner (notarized) – original copy

Since you will run a business in Slovakia, your business needs to have a registered office somewhere. There are several options.

– If there is a person who will provide you an address which will be the registered office of your company, you will need his/her agreement. A template of such agreement may be found here: https://www.firmaren.sk/vzory/suhlas-vl-fo-zahr-osoba-eng.rtf. We may also prepare such a document for you.

– If you have no contact person in Slovakia, you may get a virtual registered office address. It is common practice.

Get a trade license

If you are looking for information on limited liability company in Slovakia, check this explainer first:

Lost in Slovak business abbreviations? IČO, DIČ, IČDPH,…

Learn what they mean with this video:

For more explainer videos in English visit our Youtube chanel.