Applying for and obtaining the right business license in Romania is essential for companies that activate in many different industries.
Additionally, a trade license in Romania is required for import and export activities, in the case of Romanian companies that operate in this sector.
Understanding the current licensing requirements is a key part of doing business in Romania. This is why our team of Romanian lawyers also specializes in assisting local and foreign investors with their business permits and special license applications.
We answer some common questions regarding business permits and licenses in Romania in the text below. For more information, as well as assistance with applications or renewals, the experts at our Bucharest-based law firm in Romania can assist you.
Question: I am interested in obtaining a commercial license for my business in Romania. Where can I apply and how can your lawyers in Romania assist?
Answer: Darie & Manea Law Firm has helped an important number of foreign clients to establish their businesses in Romania. Not only did we provide assistance in the formation of new Romanian companies or Romanian branches of existing foreign corporate entities, but our lawyers in Romania also helped during the entire process of starting up a company in Romania.
| Quick Facts | |
|---|---|
| Operating license | The mandatory company registration certificate, issued by the Trade Register Office. |
| DSP authorization in Romania | Department of Public Health authorization for companies offering food and accommodation services, etc. |
| DSV authorization | Veterinary authorization for butcheries, other units that process or manufacture food. |
| PSI authorization | Fire safety authorization mandatory for clubs, restaurants, bars, accommodation units, etc. |
| ITM authorization | The work safety authorization issued for many types of units that offer services to the public. |
| Environment authority authorization in Romania | Issued by the National Agency for Environmental Protection for companies that engage in activities that impact the environment. |
| Luminous advertising permit | Issued by the City Hall for companies that will display luminous advertising (pharmacies, etc.) |
| Music playing permit as part of the Romania business licenses | Issued for bars, restaurants, clubs, etc. |
| Accommodation permit in Romania | Issued by the Ministry of Entrepreneurship and Tourism for all companies that will offer some form of accommodation service. |
| Security company license | Mandatory for companies that will offer security services. |
| Educational institution permits | Required for schools, kindergartens, higher education institutions, etc. |
| Non-banking financial institution authorization | Issued by the National Bank for companies that will provide selected types of financial activities. |
| Pharmacy authorization in Romania | Issued by the Ministry of Health for pharmacy branches. |
| Water management permit | Issued by the designated administrative body for companies that supply water. |
| Other permits / authorizations as part of the Romania business licenses | Transport licenses, tourism licenses and others. |
Romanian special permits are needed in order to conduct a number of business activities. Common examples would include insurance, banking, transport, e-payment, accounting firms, recruiting of personnel, pharmaceutical activities, gambling, etc.
A business license in Romania is obtained from the authority or other official organization that supervises or governs the respective industry or business field.
You can also find a summary of the information in the following infographic:
QUESTION: WHAT ARE THE LICENSES THAT I NEED TO APPLY FOR AND WHO ISSUES THEM?
The licenses required for doing business in Romania depend on the industry in which the company will activate.
Regardless of the selected business field, be it manufacturing, the distribution of medicinal products intended for human use, or providing food and accommodation services, companies need to apply for a business license in Romania before they start their commercial activities.
Some common examples of business licenses in Romania are listed below:
- Transport license: for activities related to passenger and cargo transport via land or air;
- Export license: for exporting different types of products and services; A trade license in Romania is mandatory when engaging in these types of activities;
- Educational institution licenses: for opening and operating university institutions or other types of educational institutions as well as sports establishments within these locations;
- Financial services licenses: issued by the National Bank for brokers, electronic payment services providers, as well as other types of activities;
- TV and broadcasting activities: subject to licensing by the National Audiovisual Council.
Some of the estimated processing times for business permits and licenses in Romania are listed below:
- 30 working days for the certificate issued for medical device providers;
- 30 days for the business license in Romania for companies operating in the audiovisual sector;
- 10 working days for the license for the safe operation of dams;
- 5 working days for the import of certain species of plants and animals;
- 5 working days for the export license intended for the EU export of certain products originating in Romania.
Please keep in mind that these processing times should only be used for informative purposes only.
Import/export companies need to apply for a trade license in Romania, issued by the Foreign Trade Department within the Ministry of Economy.
In some cases, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (the Department for Export Control) oversees some of the license usage reporting for exports based on individual licenses. For this purpose, an eLicensing system is in place.
Our team of lawyers in Romania can give you more information about the mandatory license application submission in paper or electronic format. For the latter, qualified digital signatures must be used when submitting the documents.
Our Romanian lawyers can help you obtain any type of business permit and can also help you open any type of company, from micro companies in Romania to joint stock companies.
We invite you to watch a video about special permits and licenses:
QUESTION: DO YOU OFFER OTHER LEGAL SERVICES IN ROMANIA?
Clients who require legal assistance in other areas of law can reach out to our team for a complete list of our services. We also assist foreigners who are interested in buying property in Romania and have questions about the mandatory steps and the duration of the process. We can also give you information about obtaining a fiscal identification number, required to complete the property purchase.
Apart from licensing matters, you can also request our assistance if you are interested in knowing more about the procedure for getting a divorce in Romania. The most common reason for divorce includes the irretrievable breakdown of the marriage, however, the spouses can also request this if they have already been separated for at least 2 years. Our divorce lawyers can give you more information. We can also help you with debt collection in Romania.
Do you need to apply for a business license in Romania as part of the company formation process? Or do you already have a business and need to apply for a new license or trade license in Romania?
Our attorneys in Romania can assist you throughout the licensing process, with updated information on the needed documents, the fees, and the submission timeline.
Darie & Manea Law Firm is a law firm in Romania that is able to provide you with detailed legal reports containing step-by-step expositions of the proceedings related to these special permits and, of course, full-service assistance during these proceedings. Call us now for a free consultation.