Latvia Company Registration

Latvian company registration is straightforward when the structure, capital, documents, and tax setup are chosen correctly from day one. Bimaris supports founders, investors, and foreign companies with incorporation, Enterprise Register filing, tax onboarding, and post-registration legal support.

Overview

The most common form for foreign founders is the limited liability company, or SIA. A standard SIA needs share capital of €2,800, while a low-capital SIA may be formed with capital from €1 to €2,799.99. A joint-stock company, or AS, requires at least €25,000 to register company in Latvia.

The Enterprise Register’s standard review time is usually 1–3 business days after filing for a standard SIA, a low-capital SIA, an AS, and a foreign company branch. Official registration fees start from €20 for a low-capital SIA, €75 for a standard SIA, €85 for an AS, and €30 for a branch of a foreign company.

The standard VAT rate in Latvia is 21%. VAT registration becomes mandatory once turnover exceeds €50,000 in a year, and earlier registration is also possible. Latvia applies a 20% corporate income tax on distributed profits. If profit is retained and reinvested in the business, that profit is not taxed at that stage.

Every entrepreneur works with the State Revenue Service through the Electronic Declaration System, or EDS, for filings, statements, and tax communication.

Our Services for Latvian Company Formation

Structure selection and entry planning

We help choose the right vehicle before filing for Latvian company formation: standard SIA, low-capital SIA, AS, or branch. That decision affects requirements, liability, capital, management rules, tax administration, and later corporate changes.

Incorporation documents and filing pack

Our team prepares the Articles of Association, founder decisions, shareholder register documents, board consents, beneficial owner and partner disclosures, and supporting forms for the Enterprise Register. We also review foreign founder data, signature method, and legalization needs before submission.

Enterprise Register, SRS, and VAT onboarding

We manage the incorporation filing, post-registration tax steps, VAT analysis, and practical setup for EDS access. This matters because tax registration and compliance start immediately after incorporation, not months later.

Legal address and compliance support

Bimaris helps secure the legal address for company formation in Latvia, align the registration statement with the actual basis for use of premises, and structure the first compliance calendar for accounting, annual reporting, and corporate maintenance.

Why Register a Company in Latvia?

EU membership and single market access

Latvia has been an EU member state since May 1, 2004. It is also part of the euro area and the Schengen area, which gives businesses one EU jurisdiction with euro-based operations and access to the broader European market framework.

Favorable tax environment

Latvia’s tax model is one reason founders look at SIA formation seriously. Corporate income tax is charged on distributed profit, not on profit left in the business, and VAT registration can be matched to actual turnover and transaction profile.

Strategic location for Baltic and EU trade

Latvia combines EU membership, euro-area status, and Schengen access in one jurisdiction. For companies working across the Baltic countries or serving EU clients, that combination often makes trade contracts, payments, and regional expansion cleaner than in a non-EU setup.

Digitalization and simple online processes

The Enterprise Register supports electronic filing, and the tax authority requires ongoing communication through EDS. In many cases, entrepreneurs can register company in Latvia digitally instead of through paper-only workflows.

Company Types in Latvia

Standard SIA

A standard SIA is the default choice for most trading, service, consulting, tech, and holding structures. It is a legal person, its minimum share capital is €2,800, and founders can be individuals or legal entities.

Low-capital SIA

A low-capital SIA is more restricted. It allows you to register company in Latvia with a capital range between €1 to €2,799.99. Founders and shareholders must be natural persons only; the maximum number is five, and the board may consist only of shareholders.

Joint-stock company (AS)

An AS is used for larger capital projects and more formal share structures. The minimum share capital is €25,000, and its shares may be the subject of public circulation.

Branch of a foreign company

A branch is a registered Latvian presence through which the foreign parent conducts business in Latvia on behalf of the parent undertaking. It is often used when the foreign company wants market entry without creating a separate Latvian subsidiary first.

Comparison table

Latvia Company Formation Requirements

Minimum share capital

The capital threshold for company formation in Latvia depends on the form. A standard SIA requires €2,800. A low-capital SIA may be formed with €1-€2,799.99. An AS requires €25,000, and its share capital must be paid in full before filing.

Directors and shareholders

The ownership rules also depend on the structure. A standard SIA may have individual or corporate founders. A low-capital SIA is limited to natural persons, with up to five founders/directors and five shareholders. The registration application must also include beneficial owner and partner information.

Local legal address requirement

You need a legal office address entered in the Commercial Register to register company in Latvia. The board must confirm that the company is reachable there and that it has a legal basis to use that address for registration.

Accounting & compliance obligations

Accounting is mandatory. The enterprise must maintain records that clearly reflect its transactions, preserve supporting documents, work with the tax authority through EDS, and submit annual financial statements where required by law. The annual statements of companies are prepared in Latvian.

Process to Register Company in Latvia

• Step 1

  Choose company name

  The first step is the name check. At the same time, the future legal address should be verified, because that address goes into the Commercial Register and becomes the official communication address.

• Step 2

  Choose a business structure

  This is where founders decide between a standard SIA, a low-capital SIA, an AS, or a branch for company formation in Latvia. The choice controls share capital, who may own the company, who may sit on the board, and how flexible the structure will be later.

• Step 3

  Prepare Articles of Association

  The document set usually includes the incorporation decision or agreement, Articles of Association, shareholder register documents, board consents, legal address statement, and beneficial owner data. The Enterprise Register allows English-language document generation in some online flows, but the filed documents must be completed or drawn up in Latvian.

• Step 4

  Register with the Commercial Register

  After the filing pack is complete, the company is submitted to the Enterprise Register. Electronic filing is available, and the official review period is typically 1–3 business days after submission.

• Step 5

  Open a bank account

  A payment account is usually part of the Latvian company formation process, especially where capital must be paid before filing. In parallel, banks and payment institutions apply customer due diligence rules, so clean shareholder and beneficial owner data matter from the start.

• Step 6

  Get VAT registration if needed

  VAT registration may be filed together with company registration in relevant cases. It becomes mandatory once turnover exceeds €50,000, and businesses dealing with EU counterparties often need an earlier VAT analysis.

Costs and Timeline of Company Registration in Latvia

The official Latvian company registration review is usually quick. Standard SIA, low-capital SIA, AS, and branch filings are generally reviewed within 1–3 business days after filing. Official state fees start at €20 for a low-capital SIA, €75 for a standard SIA, €85 for an AS, and €30 for a branch.

The real project budget is broader than the state fee alone. Founders should also plan for translations, notarization or legalization where applicable, legal address support, bank onboarding, accounting setup, and any separate tax. Foreign-language corporate documents filed in Latvia normally require a notarized Latvian translation.

Why Work With Bimaris?

We handle Latvian company formation as a complex project. That means we check the structure first, prepare the documents correctly, coordinate the legal address and beneficial owner data, align the tax side, and stay involved after incorporation when the first compliance deadlines start.

Our services include:

• structure selection for company formation in Latvia based on your business model and goals;
• preparation of incorporation documents and corporate resolutions;
• legal address coordination for registration purposes;
• beneficial owner disclosure and registration support;
• filing with the Enterprise Register;
• tax registration and VAT analysis;
• support with EDS setup and initial compliance steps;
• post-registration legal support for corporate changes and routine maintenance.

This approach gives you one coordinated legal process. We also stay involved after registration to support ongoing compliance and practical corporate matters.

Conclusion

Latvia is one of the cleaner EU jurisdictions for founders who want a fast incorporation process, euro-based operations, and a tax model built around distributed profits. The legal result depends less on speed and more on choosing the right form, preparing the documents in Latvian correctly, and setting up tax and compliance from the start.