Starting a business · Slovakia
Forming a simple joint-stock company (j. s. a.)
The simple joint-stock company was created for startups. Capital can be as little as 1 euro and shares can be tailored: different profit entitlements and voting rights, employee shares and non-voting shares. That is precisely why it should not be formed from a generic template. Its value depends on well-designed articles, a completed Central Securities Depository share issue and a shareholders' agreement. We handle the entire formation from the founding deed to issued shares, also explaining the form's limitations.
- Lawyer registered with SAK and ČAK
- We guide the share issue through to CDCP issuance
- Prices agreed in advance
What we'll do for you
The most common j. s. a. mistake is not formation itself, but what remains missing afterwards: an incomplete share issue at the Central Securities Depository and unused registration of shareholders' agreement rights. We therefore manage the process through to issued shares.
Select an item to see the details.
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Choosing the form and structure
Before drafting, we assess whether a j. s. a. suits your plans and whether its advantages outweigh its restrictions compared with an s.r.o. or ordinary joint-stock company.
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Incorporation documents and articles
Since 17 August 2026 the founding agreement or deed takes the form of either a notarial deed or a document authorised by an attorney, and the articles form part of it (§ 57(1) and (3) and § 220u(2) of the Commercial Code). We design share classes, rights and transferability rules and can authorise the documentation ourselves; if you choose a notarial deed, we coordinate the notary and prepare the materials.
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Paying contributions before incorporation
All share capital must be subscribed and all contributions paid before the company comes into existence (§ 220t(4)). We structure this for registration without further requests.
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Share issue through the Central Securities Depository
J. s. a. shares may only be registered book-entry shares (§ 220i), issued through the Central Securities Depository. We guide the process through to issuance, not merely company registration.
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Shareholders' agreement and registered rights
Tag-along, drag-along and the right to require acquisition of shares (shoot-out) have express statutory rules for a j. s. a. (§ 220w). Registered tag-along and drag-along rights are not subject to limitation and bind shareholders' legal successors too.
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Company registration
We prepare and submit the application with all attachments and monitor proceedings through registration. From 17. 8. 2026, registration follows the new Commercial Register Act (Act No. 29/2026 Z. z.).
Deliverablea registered simple joint-stock company with issued shares and complete documentation
How it works
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- Consultation and structure proposalday 0
We discuss your plans, shareholding structure and planned share classes. We confirm price, timetable and what we need from you.
- Documents and signing
We prepare incorporation documents and articles and arrange the signing date. We authorise the document ourselves; if you choose a notarial deed, we coordinate the notary, who receives prepared materials from us.
- Contribution payment and registration
Founders subscribe and pay contributions. We submit the registration application and monitor proceedings through registration.
- Share issue
After incorporation, we arrange issuance of book-entry shares through the Central Securities Depository — giving the company duly issued shares, not just a register entry.
No-obligation enquiry
Ready to start?
Send us an enquiry. We usually reply within 24 hours with a price confirmation and next steps. The first 30-minute consultation is free and commits you to nothing.
- 1Send your enquiry via this form
- 2Usually within 24 h you get a price confirmation and plan
- 3We start work only after your approval
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What clients ask
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How does a j. s. a. differ from an s.r.o. and an ordinary joint-stock company?
Capital starts at 1 euro (§ 220t(2) of the Commercial Code), compared with 5 000 € for an s.r.o. and 25 000 € for an ordinary joint-stock company. Unlike an s.r.o., it offers shares rather than business shares, enabling finer ownership divisions and different rights classes. It is cheaper than an ordinary joint-stock company and may be formed by one individual. The price of flexibility is a qualified form of the founding documentation — a notarial deed or authorisation by an attorney — and share issuance through the Central Securities Depository.
What are special-rights shares?
Alongside ordinary shares, a j. s. a. may issue shares with special rights: different profit or liquidation-surplus entitlements, vote numbers or information rights (§ 220i(3) of the Commercial Code). Non-voting shares are also possible. This differentiates founders, investors and employees without complicated contractual structures.
Why is Central Securities Depository issuance emphasised?
J. s. a. shares may only be registered book-entry shares (§ 220i(1) of the Commercial Code), issued by entry in the Central Securities Depository. In practice, some companies stop at Commercial Register registration and never complete the issue, leaving them without duly issued shares. With us, issuance is part of formation.
Can we restrict whom shareholders sell shares to?
Yes. The articles may restrict or entirely exclude transferability (§ 220k of the Commercial Code), and a transfer breaching this is invalid. However, note the statutory safeguard: where transferability is excluded, four years after paying the issue price the shareholder obtains a non-time-barred right to require the company to buy the shares (§ 220l). Cash flow must allow for this obligation; the articles may shorten the period.
What are tag-along, drag-along and shoot-out rights, and why register them?
Tag-along, drag-along and the right to require acquisition of shares (shoot-out) are shareholders' agreement arrangements expressly regulated for a j. s. a. (§ 220w of the Commercial Code). Tag-along and drag-along rights can also be registered. Registered rights are not time-barred and bind shareholders' legal successors, not just signatories. For investor entry, that is a material difference from purely contractual arrangements in an s.r.o.
Can I convert an existing s.r.o. into a j. s. a.?
Yes. A j. s. a. may also be formed by changing the legal form of an existing s.r.o. or a.s.; it may itself change its legal form into an s.r.o. or a.s. (Section 105 of Act No. 309/2023 Coll.). We assess the conditions for the change and prepare the process, including the shares and register entries.
I heard the j. s. a. may be abolished. Is it still worth forming one?
The 2021 legislative plans to recodify company law envisaged abolishing the j. s. a. as a separate form. That has not happened to date, and it remains a fully recognised part of the Commercial Code. We follow legislative developments. If rules change, existing companies will have a transitional period, and we will propose the next steps according to what the amendment actually provides.
How much does forming a j. s. a. cost and how long does it take?
We confirm the price according to the structure typically within 24 hours of your enquiry and honour the agreement. Timing depends on the signing of the founding documentation, registration and the Central Securities Depository share issue. You receive the timetable with the price.
Legal Q&A
Common questions on this topic
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What is a simple joint-stock company, and who is it suitable for?
A simple joint-stock company (j. s. a.) is a capital company aimed mainly at startups. Share capital starts at €1, even a single individual can establish it, and it issues shares, including shares with special profit, voting or information rights. The founding document must take the form of a notarial deed or a document authorised by an attorney, the capital is paid up before incorporation and the shares are issued through the Central Securities Depository.
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Is the shareholder register of a simple joint-stock company public, and how can I obtain an extract?
Yes. The shareholder register of a simple joint-stock company is public: the central securities depository publishes the data, except shareholders' personal identification numbers and dates of birth, on its website, and anyone may request an extract in writing. Who owns a j. s. a. and how many shares they hold is therefore no secret. This needs to be considered when setting up an ESOP or bringing in an investor.
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We are forming a j. s. a. after 17 August 2026. Must the founding agreement still be made before a notary, or is a lawyer enough?
A lawyer is enough. Until 16 August 2026, the founding agreement or founding deed of a j. s. a. had to take the form of a notarial deed, but the amendment made by Act No. 29/2026 Coll. removed that special rule. The general regime has applied since then: a notarial deed or a document authorised by a lawyer, the two forms being equivalent. A separate form applies to the shareholders' agreement, which founders often sign on the same day.
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Further reading
Classes of shares in a simple joint-stock company: how to divide votes, profit and information between founders, investor and team on incorporation
A simple joint-stock company makes it possible to distinguish the shares of the founders, of the investor and of the employees without elaborate contractual structures. The article is for founders incorporating a j. s. a.: what the Act allows, where its limits lie and why classes of shares are worth designing in the very first articles of association.
Read more →
Articles of association of a j. s. a.: how to restrict share transfers, exclude inheritance and guard against enforcement against a shareholder
The articles of association of a simple joint-stock company may make share transfers subject to the company’s consent or exclude them, exclude inheritance and prevent shares from ending up with a stranger through enforcement. In return the Act requires a counterweight: in the cases specified, the company must buy the shares or pay their reasonable value. This article is for founders who want the shareholder structure under control from day one.
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A joint-stock company in Slovakia or in the Czech Republic: how incorporation, capital and bodies differ
The Slovak and the Czech joint-stock company share a name but are governed by different statutes. We compare who may incorporate them, what capital they need, what bodies they must have and what shares they issue, for businesses deciding in which country to incorporate a joint-stock company.
Read more →