Registering an SIA in Latvia as a foreigner: documents, timelines and costs

Planning to set up a company in Latvia and wondering which documents you need and how much registration will cost? This article explains how to establish an SIA, a limited liability company and one of the most common business structures in Latvia.

The essentials in 30 seconds

• Founders. An SIA can be established by one or more individuals or legal entities, including foreign individuals and companies. Latvian citizenship is not required. An individual founder may also serve as a management board member.
• Share capital. A standard SIA requires at least EUR 2,800. A reduced-capital SIA can be registered with EUR 1 in share capital, subject to specific conditions.
• Remote registration. This is possible if the documents are signed in a way accepted by Latvia’s Register of Enterprises.
• Timelines. Document review usually takes 1-3 working days. Document preparation takes additional time.
• Costs. The standard state fee is EUR 75 for a standard SIA and EUR 20 for a reduced-capital SIA. Document preparation and registration support are charged separately.

Which documents and information are needed to register an SIA?

To prepare the registration documents, you will need:

• details of the founders and management board members;
• the company name;
• the allocation of shares among shareholders;
• a registered office address in Latvia;
• the amount of share capital;
• details of the ultimate beneficial owners: the individuals who ultimately own or control the company.

You will also need to briefly describe the planned business activities and decide who will be authorised to sign documents on the company’s behalf.

This information is used to prepare the registration application, the decision or agreement to establish the company, the articles of association and other required documents. Documents submitted to the Register of Enterprises must be prepared in Latvian. For your convenience, NBC can prepare a bilingual Latvian-English version or a translation into another language.

If the founder is a foreign company, its registration, the representative’s authority and its ownership structure must also be checked. Supporting documents will be needed if the Register cannot obtain the necessary information from official registers. Translation, apostille and legalisation requirements depend on the type of document and the country of issue.

What are the requirements for an SIA company name?

The name must differ from names already registered or submitted for registration. It must use letters from the Latvian or Latin alphabet; numbers and certain symbols are also permitted. “SIA” or the full Latvian designation “sabiedrība ar ierobežotu atbildību” must appear at the beginning or end of the name.

Changing spaces, punctuation or capitalisation alone does not make a name distinct. The name must not be misleading or infringe trademark rights. It should therefore be checked before the final documents are prepared.

What are the requirements for a registered office address?

The registered office address must be in Latvia and match the State Address Register. It may be the address of a building or premises, including an apartment.

The company must have a legal basis for using the address and be able to receive official correspondence there. The cadastral designation of the relevant property must be included in the documents. If you do not have an address, NBC can advise on the available options.

How much share capital does an SIA need?

The minimum share capital for a standard SIA is EUR 2,800. If contributed in cash, it must be paid in full into a payment account opened in the name of the company being established before the application is submitted. Share capital belongs to the company and is separate from registration fees.

A reduced-capital SIA can be registered with EUR 1 in share capital. Its founders and shareholders must all be individuals, with no more than five in total, and every management board member must be a shareholder. Each shareholder may hold shares in only one such SIA. The law also requires a mandatory reserve to be built from profits and provides for additional shareholder liability in insolvency, within the limits set by law.

Can an SIA be registered remotely?

Yes, in many cases an SIA can be registered without travelling to Latvia. The first step is to check whether everyone who needs to sign has an electronic signature accepted by the Register of Enterprises. The standard electronic procedure uses a qualified electronic signature with a qualified electronic timestamp.

If a suitable electronic signature is not available, notarised documents and the involvement of a representative acting under a power of attorney can be considered. The procedure depends on the country where the documents are executed, the founders and the representative’s authority.

How long does SIA registration take?

For an SIA with one founder, the Register gives a review period of 1-3 working days. For two or more founders, the standard review period is 3 working days. The submission day is not included.

Document preparation, translation and signature certification take additional time. Corrections, requests for further information or statutory checks can extend the overall timeline. It is therefore best to account for every stage when planning the start of business operations.

How much does it cost to register an SIA?

The state fee for standard processing is EUR 75 for a standard SIA and EUR 20 for a reduced-capital SIA.

The total cost depends on the work required. In addition to the state fee, costs may include document preparation and registration support, translations, notarial services, an apostille or legalisation, a registered office address and financial institution services.

To prepare an individual quote, we need to know who the founders and management board members are, where the documents were issued, whether a registered office address is available and how the documents will be signed.

What should you do after registration?

Start by arranging accounting, reviewing your tax obligations and completing any outstanding account procedures. If you manage the company from abroad, agree in advance on how documents will be shared and how you will work with your accountant. Our article on choosing an accounting arrangement compares the options.

Whether VAT registration is required depends on the planned transactions, including dealings with foreign business partners. Certain activities require specific permits. We explain how company profits are taxed in our separate article on corporate income tax in Latvia.

How does NBC help with registration and ongoing company support?

NBC helps prepare the documents and supports company registration in Latvia. Once your company is established, you can also use our accounting services. Tell us about the founders and your planned activities so we can discuss a suitable registration procedure and provide an individual quote.

Read also

• In-house accountant or outsourcing: choosing an accounting arrangement.
• Corporate income tax in Latvia.

Legal basis and sources

Information checked on 23 September 2026.

• Latvia’s Commercial Law (Komerclikums): establishing an SIA, share capital and the conditions for reduced-capital companies.
• Register of Enterprises: standard SIA registration and reduced-capital SIA registration, company name checks and address checks: documents, registration procedures, timelines and fees.
• Register of Enterprises: documents in foreign languages and foreign electronic signatures: document preparation and signing requirements.