Registered address, virtual office or real office in Serbia: which one you need
Every Serbian company needs a registered address. Whether a virtual office is enough depends on what the company does and whether you also want to live in Serbia.
Short answer: for consulting, IT, trading and online stores, a virtual office is usually enough as the company seat. A restaurant, workshop or shop needs its own premises. And if you want residence, you also need a place where you actually live, which is a separate thing from the company address.
Three addresses people mix up
- Registered seat. The address in the business register. It can be a virtual office.
- Place of business. Where the work really happens: a café, a warehouse, a workshop. Some activities need premises that meet technical or sanitary rules.
- Home address. Where you live. The police register it for your residence permit, and a virtual office cannot be used for this.
When a virtual office is enough
- Consulting, software, design, marketing and other services done on a computer
- Online stores that ship from a supplier or a logistics company
- Holding and trading companies without a warehouse
When you need real premises
- Restaurants, cafés and delivery kitchens
- Shops with customers walking in
- Workshops, production and storage of regulated goods
Not sure which address your business needs? Tell us what the company will do and where you want to live.
Banks look at the address too
A bank will ask where the company actually works. A virtual office is fine for an IT or consulting company, but a café registered only at a virtual office raises questions. Choose the address that fits the business, and the bank file becomes much easier.
General information, not legal advice.
Frequently asked questions
Can a Serbian company use a virtual office as its registered seat?
Yes. A d.o.o. can register its seat at an address provided by a virtual office, with the owner's written consent. Mail is received and forwarded to you.
Can I register the company at a rented apartment?
Yes, if the owner of the apartment agrees in writing. Many owners don't, and some leases forbid it, so ask before you sign the lease.
Does a registered address count as a place to live for residence?
No. For residence the police want the address where you really live. A virtual office is only the company seat.
Can I change the address later?
Yes. A change of seat is registered with APR, usually within a few working days.
Tell us what you are planning
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- You get a written plan with fixed fees before any work begins. If we think a bank is unlikely to say yes, or Serbia is the wrong choice for you, you hear it then.
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