Hire a registration agent for business start-up
Agency: Registration Agent’s Site
According to the amendment of the Law on trade companies, Published in the Official Gazette of the Republic of Macedonia nr. 38 from 24.02.2014, registration of LLCs must be conducted in electronic form with the assistance of authorized registration agents who are the only authorized entities to submit applications for registration.
Registration agents have public authorization to prepare the application and the accompanying company deeds, and also to convert paper documents issued by other institutions needed for establishing the company into electronic form, to digitally sign and submit them through the existing system for e-registration of the Central Register, in the name and on behalf of different parties. The registration agents have public authorization to determine the identity of the participants, such that the need for notarization of documents is now completely eliminated. The entire company registration procedure is completed at the site of the registration agent.
The Central Registry provides a list of authorized registration agents (accountants and lawyers) on its website, from which entrepreneurs can choose an agent. The Tariff for the reward and the fee for the costs for the work of the lawyers (Official Gazette of the Republic of North Macedonia no.13/2017 from 08.02.2017) sets the fees registration agents can charge for establishing a company.
While entrepreneurs have an option to submit the documents on their own, a digital signature is required to use the e-registration portal. As such, majority of entrepreneurs use the services of registration agents as it is more convenient to them.
Time and cost: 1 day, MKD 9,000 for registration agent services
Submit electronically registration documents via registration agent
Agency: E-registration System of the Central Register
Registration of an LLC is conducted electronically with the help of the registration agent on the E-registration portal of the Central Registry. By exception, the application for registration of a company can be submitted in person (in paper form) if the entry is made based on an effective court decision or a decision of a state administrative body. The electronic registration is free. Entrepreneurs can choose an electronic or paper copy of the certificate of incorporation for free.
A one-stop shop system was implemented on January 1, 2006. The Central Register of Republic of Macedonia is the single institution for registering LLCs and other forms of trade companies, foreign representative offices, and other entities. This registration process includes registering the company with the Trade Register, providing the LLC statistic number, opening the LLC bank account, registering the company in the Public Revenue Office–Tax Office, and publishing the LLC formation notice on the Central Register’s Web site (www.crm.com.mk).
With the amendments on the Law on One Stop Shop (Official Gazette 150/2007 from 12.12.2007) connection is now established between the Central Registry and the Employment Agency which allows registering of first employment of directors through CRM and registering employees with the social fund.
The founders shall transfer the amount of the principal capital on a temporary account in a commercial bank of their choosing. After the registration is completed the bank account of the newly founded company shall be opened.
Time and cost: 1 day, no charge
Open bank account
Agency: Commercial Bank
The commercial register is linked to the Public Revenue office and all banks. Upon incorporation, the register asks founders which bank they will use and selects it from the electronic system. This secures company a number in the selected bank; however, it does not provide an active bank account. The company representative must visit the bank in order to open an active account.
Time and cost: 1 day, no charge
Registration for VAT
Agency: Public Revenue Office
Companies beginning with carrying out of a commercial activity which predict to achieve turnover over 1,000,000 denars are obliged to be registered for VAT purposes. The VAT registration is carried out by submitting of an application for registration for the value added tax (Form DDV-01). The application for VAT registration is submitted to the Public Revenue Office.
Taxpayers who began carrying out commercial the activity during the calendar year must submit VAT registration application within 15 days of the start of the activity.
Public Revenue Office conducts an internal review of the company (check business model, founders, other specific parameters) before the VAT registration is approved.
Time and cost: 12 days, no charge
Publishing of an Advert on the need of an employee and Registration of employees with the Agency for employment
Agency: Agency for employment
Before registering of an employee, an Advert on the need of an employee (PPR Form) needs to be submitted at the Employment Agency. The following information is provided in the PPR Form:
- Company’s name and address;
- Company’s registration number and tax number;
- Number of workers required (with work position, salary, duration of employment, educational and work requirements).
An employee can be registered after expiration of 3 days since the submitting of the advert. For employee registration, it is required the required to submit the registration form together with a copy of the advert (PPR Form) which is previously signed and stamped by the Employment Agency. The registration form contains information on the:
- Name, address and registration number of the Company;
- Name, surname and ID number of the employee;
- Number and date of the employment agreement.
The registration can be done either online or in person. The online registration is done via the website (e-rabota.avrm.gov.mk), while the in person registration is done at the offices of the Employment Agency. The registration process takes up to one hour to be completed.
The employee is registered from the following day since the submitting of the necessary documents. Upon registration of an employee, the Agency for employment issues form M1M2, which confirms the date of employment and contains data regarding the company`s name, address and registration number, as well as employee`s name, surname, ID number. The M1M2 form is signed and stamped by the Employment Agency which proves the registration of the employee.
The Agency for employment registers the employees in the Pension fund, while the employees (or authorized persons) are responsible for verifying the working booklet in the Health fund.
Time and cost: 3 days, no charge
Obtain a company seal
Agency: Seal makers
According to the Amendments on Law on Trade companies (Official gazette of Republic of Macedonia No. 70/2013) the mandatory usage of the company seal is no longer required during the company registration. However, in practice company founders still obtain a company seal for their day-to-day operations and to verify documents for state bodies. After obtaining the certification of registration, a company seal is obtained from private seal makers outside of the Central Registry. The price for company seals are determined by individual seal makers and are varied between 200-600 MKD for a standard wooden seal, and 1,000-2,500 MKD for an automatic seal.
Time and cost: 1 day, 200 – 600 MKD for a standards seal; 1,000-2,500 MKD for an automatic seal
