Romania Market Entry Checklist: 10 Steps Before You Launch

Entering a new market is exciting — and overwhelming. There are dozens of moving parts, and missing any one of them can cause delays, penalties, or costly restructuring down the line. This checklist distils the most important steps for a successful Romania market entry into a practical sequence you can follow.

Before anything else, decide how you want to operate in Romania:

• SRL (limited liability company) — the most common choice for foreign investors; flexible, low minimum capital, limited liability
• SA (joint-stock company) — suited to larger enterprises or those planning to raise capital from multiple investors
• Branch office — an extension of a foreign company, not a separate legal entity; simpler to set up but with limitations
• Representative office — for market research and liaison activities only; cannot generate revenue
• PFA (sole trader) — for individual professionals; simpler but with personal liability

For most foreign investors, the SRL is the right answer. But the choice has tax, liability, and operational implications — get advice before you decide.

Check availability and reserve your chosen company name with the National Trade Registry Office (ONRC). Name reservation is valid for three months. Do this early — good names get taken.

Every Romanian company must have a registered address. Your options:

• Physical office — lease a commercial space and use it as your registered address
• Virtual office — a registered address service without a physical presence; widely used and legally valid
• Shared office / coworking — some providers offer registered address services alongside physical workspace

The registered address appears on all official documents and must be maintained for the life of the company.

Your constitutive act (articles of association) must be drafted in Romanian and comply with Romanian company law. If shareholders or administrators are foreign nationals, their identity documents typically need to be notarised and apostilled.

This step is where most delays occur. Start early, and use a qualified Romanian lawyer or consultancy to prepare the documents correctly the first time.

Open a business bank account in the company's name and deposit the minimum share capital (200 RON for an SRL). The bank will issue a confirmation letter required for Trade Registry registration.

Allow 2–4 weeks for account opening. Banks have become more rigorous about KYC requirements — be prepared to provide detailed documentation about the company's activities and the source of funds.

Submit your complete registration file to the ONRC. If the file is correct and complete, registration typically takes 3–5 business days. You will receive your Certificate of Registration and unique fiscal identification number (CUI).

After Trade Registry registration, register your company with ANAF for:

• Corporate income tax (or microenterprise tax, if applicable)
• VAT — mandatory if turnover exceeds RON 300,000; voluntary registration is available and often advisable
• Employer registration — if you plan to hire staff

Also register for Romania's RO e-Factura e-invoicing system, which is mandatory for B2B transactions.

Romanian companies must maintain accounting records in accordance with Romanian accounting standards (aligned with IFRS for larger companies). You will need:

• A qualified Romanian accountant or accounting firm
• Accounting software compatible with Romanian reporting requirements
• A payroll system if you have employees

Monthly accounting and tax filing obligations begin from the first month of operation — even if there is no activity. Don't leave this until you're already operating.

If you plan to hire in Romania:

• Employment contracts must comply with the Romanian Labour Code and be registered in the REVISAL system (the national employee register)
• Social contributions must be calculated and paid monthly
• Work permits are required for non-EU employees
• Collective labour agreements may apply in certain sectors

Romania has strong employee protections — understand your obligations before you hire.

Depending on your business activity, you may need additional licences or authorisations before you can operate:

• Construction and engineering — authorisations from the State Inspectorate in Constructions
• Food and beverage — sanitary authorisations from the local public health authority
• Financial services — authorisation from the National Bank of Romania or Financial Supervisory Authority
• Healthcare — authorisations from the Ministry of Health
• Transport — licences from the Road Transport Authority

Check your CAEN code (the Romanian activity classification code assigned at registration) against the relevant regulatory requirements for your sector.

Once you're operational, keep these recurring obligations in mind:

In our experience working with foreign investors, the most common mistakes are:

1. Underestimating the timeline. A realistic setup takes 6–10 weeks from first decision to operational company. Plan accordingly.
2. Getting the tax structure wrong at the start. Restructuring later is expensive and disruptive.
3. Ignoring e-invoicing requirements. RO e-Factura is mandatory and carries penalties for non-compliance.
4. Hiring without understanding the Labour Code. Romanian employment law is protective of employees — know your obligations before you hire.
5. Not maintaining the registered address. If your registered address lapses, your company can face administrative sanctions.

The most efficient way to navigate this checklist is with a local consultancy that has done it many times before. At Mariner Pro, we manage the entire market entry process for our clients — from initial structure advice through to operational readiness — so you can focus on building your business rather than managing bureaucracy.

Ready to start your Romania market entry? Contact our team for a free consultation and a clear timeline for your specific situation.