Starting a business · Slovakia
Organisational unit in Slovakia
A Czech or other foreign company seeking a permanent Slovak presence need not form a new company. An organisational unit is a cheaper route without capital or its own governing bodies, but has two pitfalls: foreign documents must be provided in a form accepted by the register, and business may start only on registration. We handle both for you.
- Lawyer registered with ČAK and SAK
- Founder and unit handled by one firm
- Price agreed in advance
What we'll do for you
The challenge in establishing a unit is the foreign founder's formalities rather than the law itself. Those formalities delay proceedings, and we take full responsibility for handling them.
Select an item to see the details.
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Assessing the options
A unit is not a separate legal entity. Business is conducted through it directly in the founder's name, and the founder is liable for its obligations with all its assets. We explain the consequences and compare them with forming a subsidiary.
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Founder documentation
The establishment resolution, manager appointment and scope of authority, plus official translations and certifications of foreign documents in a form the register accepts.
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Trade licences
We notify trades for the unit's activities. If the founder is from the EU or EEA and the activity falls within unregulated trades, a simplified procedure limited by law to 15 selected activities is available (§ 21(6) of the Commercial Code). We assess eligibility or whether the standard route is preferable.
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Register entry
We submit the application and manage proceedings through registration. The unit is registered under the founder's name with an addition identifying its status and may trade from registration.
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Post-establishment obligations
We set out mandatory information for invoices, agreements, official dealings and the website, including the unit's registration and the founder's foreign register details (§ 21(8)–(10)). This is a small matter that inspectors check.
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Relations with headquarters
Manager authority, approval rules and internal allocation of responsibility between the unit and headquarters, enabling the unit to operate while the parent retains control.
Deliverablea registered organisational unit with an appointed manager, trade licences and rules governing relations with headquarters
How it works
Does this process fit your matter? Describe it to the attorney →
- Consultationday 0
Plans, activities and the appropriate option, plus an exact price and foreign document list.
- Documents
Founder resolutions, manager appointment, translations and certifications, and trade notifications.
- Registrationdepending on the register
Registry court application and monitoring through registration.
- Starting operations
Post-establishment registrations, mandatory document and website information, and headquarters arrangements.
An organisational unit is a foreign company’s shortest route to a permanent presence in the Slovak market. It has no separate share capital or governing bodies and is not formed through a new memorandum of association, yet it has a Slovak company identification number, trade licences and a Commercial Register entry on which partners and authorities can rely.
That simplicity comes at two costs. The unit is not a separate legal entity, so the foreign founder is directly liable for its obligations. It may trade only from registration, and the speed of registration depends on the foreign side of the file rather than the Slovak side. We therefore start with the list of documents to obtain in the founder’s country, rather than the registration form.
No-obligation enquiry
Ready to start?
Send us an enquiry. We 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
- 2Within 24 h you get a price confirmation and plan
- 3We start work only after your approval
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Or email us about this matter.
What clients ask
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When may the unit start doing business?
Only from Commercial Register registration. A foreign legal entity's right to trade in Slovakia arises on registration of its enterprise or organisational unit, within the registered business activities (§ 21(4)(b) of the Commercial Code). The Slovak unit therefore cannot invoice before registration, and the first contract must be planned accordingly.
Organisational unit or subsidiary s. r. o.?
A unit is cheaper to establish and administer, has no separate capital or governing bodies and remains legally part of the founder, which is directly liable for its obligations. A subsidiary localises risk, appears more credible to Slovak partners and banks and is easier to sell, but carries full corporate administration. The choice depends on activity risk, your customers and whether you plan to make the Slovak operation independent later. This comparison is our first step, not a formality.
Who may manage the organisational unit?
An individual registered alongside the unit and authorised to act for the founder in unit matters. Defining authority is crucial: too broad exposes headquarters; too narrow paralyses operations. A person barred by a disqualification decision cannot hold the role, just as they cannot be a managing director (§ 13a of the Commercial Code).
What documents will the register require from the foreign founder?
Usually a foreign register extract, incorporation documents and the establishment resolution, plus manager documents. Form matters: official translations and prescribed certifications. We prepare the exact list based on the founder's country at the outset, because foreign document formalities are the most common delay and cannot be caught up later.
Does anything change from 17 August 2026?
Yes, and it is useful to know beforehand. From 17. 8. 2026, the new Commercial Register Act (Act No. 29/2026 Z. z.) calls this a branch of a foreign legal entity. Registered details are listed in § 21 of that Act, including the branch manager and commercial proxy holder if procuration is granted. Meanwhile, the Commercial Code continues to use 'enterprise' and 'organisational unit of an enterprise' for foreign business activity. These are two names for the same mechanism, not a new obligation; filings and agreements must use the designation appropriate to the relevant law.
Do requirements differ if the founder is outside the EU?
Yes, the register requires more information. For founders based outside Member States, additional entries include the governing country's law, business activities and share capital amount, if any (§ 21(2) of Act No. 29/2026 Z. z.). Such a founder cannot use simplified establishment.
Must the unit include information on invoices and its website?
Yes, and this is commonly missing. Business documents concerning the unit must state its Commercial Register registration details, as must the website if the company has one, together with the founder's foreign register and registration details (§ 21(8)–(10) of the Commercial Code). At handover, we provide ready-to-use invoice footer and website wording.
Can you also handle the Czech founder's side?
Yes, this is routine for us. Registered with both Czech and Slovak Bar Associations, we prepare the Czech founder's resolutions and Slovak unit registration without handing the file to another firm. We also handle the reverse direction: a Slovak company's registered branch in Czechia.
How much does establishment cost?
The price depends on the founder's country, trade licence numbers and how many documents need obtaining and translating. We confirm it in advance and honour the agreement. Prices are final; the firm is not VAT-registered.
Legal Q&A
Common questions on this topic
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Must a memorandum of association now take the form of a notarial deed, or is lawyer authorisation sufficient?
A lawyer is sufficient. Since 17 August 2026, incorporation documents must take the form of a notarial deed recording a legal act or a document authorised by a lawyer; both forms are legally equivalent. The lawyer drafts the agreement, verifies the founders' identities, authorises it and deposits it in the central authorisation register. A notary who drafted the document may not register the same matter themselves. An exception applies to an s. r. o. formed under the simplified procedure using the state electronic form.
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We are contributing real estate to an s. r. o. When does the company become its owner?
Only when ownership is registered in the land register, rather than when the company comes into existence. Rights to other contributions in kind pass to the company on incorporation, but the Commercial Code makes an exception for real estate. The document required for the land register is the contributor's written declaration with a certified signature, rather than an agreement. Until registration is approved, the company does not own the property, and the member risks having to pay the contribution's value in cash.
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Can a business name be reserved before a company is formed?
Yes. Since 17 August 2026, a business name can be reserved in the register of reserved business names maintained by the Žilina District Court. Applications are submitted electronically through a dedicated portal, with a court fee of EUR 50. The reservation lasts until the name is entered in the Commercial Register, up to a maximum of 60 days after delivery of the confirmation. It only protects against an identical registered name; it does not resolve conflicts with trade marks or other business names.
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