Company Formation in Slovakia

Slovakia runs the lowest headline corporate tax band in Central Europe after Hungary. From 1 January 2025 the Slovak CIT regime is tiered: 10% on taxable income up to €100,000, 21% from €100,000 to €5 million, and 24% above €5 million of taxable income. The dominant vehicle is the s.r.o. (spoločnosť s ručením obmedzeným), the Slovak private limited company and the local equivalent of an LLC. Minimum share capital is €5,000, with at least €750 per member. Slovakia has been in the EU since 2004, in the euro since 2009, and in Schengen. A Slovak s.r.o. invoices in euros across the Single Market with no currency friction. Commercial Register entry lands in 2 to 5 business days once the filing is complete.

We form Slovak s.r.o. companies end to end: name reservation, founding deed, trade licence at the Okresný úrad, capital deposit, Commercial Register filing, tax and VAT registration with the Finančná správa, UBO declaration, and a Slovak business bank account introduction. Fixed price, dedicated manager, all government and notary fees included.

Quick facts	Value
Corporate Income Tax — ≤ €100,000	10%
Local company form	s.r.o. (spoločnosť s ručením obmedzeným), equivalent of an LLC / private limited company
Corporate Income Tax — €100,000 to €5,000,000	21%
Corporate Income Tax — above €5,000,000	24%
Minimum CIT (daňová licencia)	€340 to €11,520 depending on income
VAT	23% standard / 19% reduced / 5% super-reduced
VAT registration threshold (resident)	€50,000 / rolling 12 months (rising to €83,000 from 1 July 2026)
Minimum share capital (s.r.o.)	€5,000 (min €750 per member)
Minimum share capital (a.s.)	€25,000
Minimum directors / shareholders	1 director, 1 shareholder (can be the same person, can be foreign)
Residency requirement	None
Standard formation time	10 to 15 business days
Government fees	Included in our packages
Currency	Euro (€)

Why Form a Company in Slovakia

Slovakia is the smallest of the Visegrád Four by population — 5.4 million people — but it sits inside the euro, inside Schengen, and inside the EU customs union. Three reasons foreign founders pick it.

Weighing Slovakia against other EU member states? Start with our guide to company formation in Europe, then check the all 27 EU states comparison for capital, tax and timing side by side.

The 10% small-company CIT band. Under the second consolidation package effective 1 January 2025, a Slovak s.r.o. earning up to €100,000 of taxable income pays 10%. Above €100,000 the rate steps to 21%, and above €5 million to 24%. For a founder-owned trading company or a holding vehicle generating modest annual profits, 10% is materially below Czech Republic (21%), Austria (23%), Germany (15% federal plus Gewerbesteuer, typically 30%+ combined), or Poland (9% for micro but 19% once revenue clears €2m). Only Hungary's 9% flat undercuts it in the region.

Eurozone membership. Slovakia is the only V4 country in the euro. A Slovak s.r.o. invoices, banks, and pays suppliers in euros without FX conversion. For founders selling into the DACH region, France, Italy, or the Benelux, operating in euros from a low-cost jurisdiction removes a layer of hedging and reconciliation that Polish sp. z o.o. or Czech s.r.o. structures still carry in PLN and CZK.

Operational depth for automotive and IT. Slovakia produces more cars per capita than any other country in the world — Volkswagen, Kia, Peugeot, Jaguar Land Rover, and from 2026 Volvo all operate Slovak plants. Bratislava hosts pan-European shared service centres for IBM, Dell, Amazon, and Accenture. Wage costs sit roughly 35% below Austria next door. A Slovak entity is often the cheapest euro-denominated operational base inside the EU.

The trade-offs: filings are in Slovak (we handle this), founding deeds for most s.r.o. structures still require notarial involvement, and the consolidation-package tax reforms raised the VAT headline rate from 20% to 23% in January 2025 — Slovakia's standard VAT is now among the highest in the EU. Mandatory B2B e-invoicing goes live on 1 January 2027, with a voluntary pilot already running through 2026.

Company Types Available in Slovakia

Slovak corporate law recognises six main forms. For more than 90% of new foreign-controlled formations the s.r.o. is the right answer.

s.r.o. (Spoločnosť s ručením obmedzeným)

The Slovak equivalent of a private limited company. Limited liability up to the share capital. Minimum €5,000 in registered capital, with at least €750 per member. Before the Commercial Register filing, at least 30% of each member's monetary contribution must be paid up, and the total of paid-up monetary contributions plus non-monetary contributions must be at least €2,500. A single-founder s.r.o. must pay up the full €5,000 before filing. Maximum 50 members. One director (konateľ) is sufficient — shareholders and directors can be foreign individuals or foreign companies, with no residency requirement. Annual financial statements are filed in the Register of Financial Statements; the CIT return goes to the Finančná správa.

What does s.r.o. mean?

s.r.o. stands for spoločnosť s ručením obmedzeným, Slovak for "company with limited liability". It is the Slovak private limited company, the direct counterpart of a German GmbH or an English Ltd and the local equivalent of an LLC. Founder-owned SMEs, foreign subsidiaries and holding vehicles use it, and it is entered in the Obchodný register kept by the Slovak registration courts.

What is the minimum share capital of a Slovak s.r.o.?

The official statutory minimum under section 108 of the Commercial Code (Obchodný zákonník) is 5000 euro (€5,000) of registered capital, with at least €750 per member under section 109. Before the Commercial Register filing, at least 30% of each monetary contribution must be paid up and the paid-up total must reach €2,500. A sole founder pays up the full €5,000 before filing; see the capital rules above.

a.s. (Akciová spoločnosť)

The Slovak joint-stock company. Minimum share capital €25,000, denominated in shares with a nominal value of at least one cent each. Used for larger businesses, regulated entities (banks, insurers, and investment firms must be an a.s.), and any company planning a listing on the Bratislava Stock Exchange. Mandatory supervisory board. Mandatory statutory audit. Two-tier governance (board of directors plus supervisory board) is the default under the Commercial Code.

j.s.a. (Jednoduchá spoločnosť na akcie — Simple Joint-Stock Company)

Introduced in 2017 specifically for startups and venture-backed businesses. Minimum share capital €1. Allows different share classes with tagged rights (economic, voting, tag-along, drag-along) without the full a.s. governance load. Used by Slovak tech startups raising from local or foreign VC where an s.r.o. cap table becomes too restrictive.

v.o.s. (Verejná obchodná spoločnosť)

The Slovak general partnership. No minimum capital. All partners have unlimited joint and several liability. Profits flow through to partners' personal income tax. Used for small professional partnerships and family operations.

k.s. (Komanditná spoločnosť)

The Slovak limited partnership. One general partner with unlimited liability, plus limited partners (komanditisti) with capped exposure. Limited partners must contribute at least €250 each. Used in specific holding structures and family-business succession planning.

Organizačná zložka (Branch)

A foreign company's Slovak branch. Not a separate legal entity — the parent's balance sheet and liability extend to the branch. Useful when a foreign group needs Slovak presence without a separate sub. Branches register in the Commercial Register and obtain their own trade licence.

Form	Min capital	Liability	Tax	Common use
s.r.o.	€5,000 (€750/member)	Limited	10% / 21% / 24% CIT	Default — SMEs, holdings, foreign subs
a.s.	€25,000	Limited	10% / 21% / 24% CIT	Listed cos, banks, regulated entities
j.s.a.	€1	Limited	10% / 21% / 24% CIT	Tech startups, VC-backed
v.o.s.	None	Personal	PIT (partners)	Small partnerships
k.s.	€250 (limited partners)	Mixed	CIT on general partner	Holding structures, succession
Organizačná zložka	n/a	Parent's	CIT on SK-source income	Foreign group presence

If timing is tight and you need an existing entity rather than a fresh registration, our sister brand offers ready-made Slovak s.r.o. — pre-incorporated, dormant, and transferable in days.

Step-by-Step Formation Process

A typical s.r.o. formation follows these steps. As your formation agent in Slovakia, we file every step below on your behalf. We coordinate with the Commercial Register (Obchodný register), the Slovak company registry kept by the registration courts, and with the Finančná správa for tax and VAT registration.

1. Name reservation and Commercial Register check. We confirm the proposed name is available in the Obchodný register, carries the mandatory "s.r.o." suffix, and avoids restricted terms (no "banka", "poisťovňa", or "Slovensko" in the name without authorisation). Two or three alternatives is standard.

1. Founding deed. Slovak law requires a zakladateľská listina (founders' deed for a single-member s.r.o.) or a spoločenská zmluva (multi-member company agreement). The document covers the company name, registered office, business scope, capital, members' contributions, director appointment, and default Commercial Code provisions. Signatures must be officially certified — by a Slovak notary or, for founders abroad, before a local notary followed by apostille and sworn Slovak translation.

1. KYC and shareholder documentation. Each shareholder, director, and ultimate beneficial owner provides a passport, proof of address, and a clean criminal record certificate (výpis z registra trestov) for directors. Foreign corporate shareholders provide apostilled certificates of incorporation, current registers of directors, and UBO declarations. All foreign documents are translated into Slovak by a sworn translator (súdny prekladateľ).

1. Trade licence application. Before the company can be registered, we apply at the local Okresný úrad, odbor živnostenského podnikania (Trade Licensing Department of the District Office) for the trade licence (živnostenské oprávnenie) covering the intended activities. Most general commercial activities fall under the free trade category (voľná živnosť); regulated trades require professional qualification evidence. Issuance takes 3 to 5 working days.

1. Share capital deposit. At least 30% of each monetary contribution must be paid up, with the total of paid-up monetary plus non-monetary contributions at least €2,500. A sole founder must pay up the full €5,000 before filing. Since the 2016 reform, no bank confirmation slip is needed — the director signs a declaration that the capital has been received.

1. Commercial Register filing. The application is filed electronically with the relevant District Court's Commercial Register. The 2026 filing uses structured electronic forms signed with qualified electronic signatures. Court entry is typically issued within 2 to 5 business days of a complete filing. The company exists as a legal person from the date of entry into the Obchodný register.

1. Tax, VAT, social security, and UBO registration. Within 30 days of court entry we register the company with the Finančná správa for CIT, register for VAT if turnover or activity requires it, file the UBO declaration (register konečných užívateľov výhod) in the Commercial Register, register with Sociálna poisťovňa and the health insurer if employees will be hired, and open the operating bank account.

End-to-end timeline from KYC clearance to operating company with bank account is typically 10 to 15 business days. The trade licence and court entry land in week one; tax registrations and bank account opening complete in week two or three.

How to register a company in Slovakia in 2026

Registering a company in Slovakia in 2026 is an electronic-only procedure. Since 1 October 2020 the registration courts accept Commercial Register applications solely through the structured electronic forms signed with a qualified electronic signature. A founder abroad therefore signs a power of attorney, certified and apostilled, and the formation agent files. Paper applications are no longer accepted.

What goes into the spoločenská zmluva of a Slovak s.r.o.?

Section 110 of the Commercial Code sets the mandatory content of the spoločenská zmluva (memorandum of association). It names the company and its registered office, the members, the business scope (predmet podnikania), the share capital and each member's contribution. It also appoints the konateľ, states how they sign, and names the contribution administrator (správca vkladu). We draft it in Slovak.

Required Documents

For each shareholder, director, and beneficial owner:

• Passport or EU national ID (officially certified copy for non-residents signing remotely)
• Proof of residential address dated within the last three months
• Clean criminal record certificate for directors — apostilled and translated into Slovak
• Signed consent to appointment as director (podpisový vzor — specimen signature officially certified)
• Beneficial-ownership declaration

For corporate shareholders:

• Apostilled certificate of incorporation
• Apostilled extract from the home commercial register dated within three months
• Apostilled register of directors or certificate of incumbency
• UBO declaration
• Sworn Slovak translation of all foreign documents (we arrange via certified translator — required for the Obchodný register)

You also confirm the registered office address (we provide one in Bratislava if you do not have your own Slovak address — landlord consent, officially certified, is mandatory and forms part of the court file), the share capital allocation, and the SK-NACE codes describing intended business activities.

Costs and Timeline

Slovak formation costs depend on whether the founding deed is signed by founders in person in Bratislava or under power of attorney from abroad, the scope of sworn translations required for foreign corporate shareholders, and how many trade-licence activity codes are requested.

Our packages cover the full incorporation: name reservation, drafting the zakladateľská listina or spoločenská zmluva, notarial certification of signatures, trade licence application at the Okresný úrad, registered office in Bratislava for year one with landlord consent, sworn translation of foreign documents, Commercial Register filing, UBO declaration, CIT and VAT registration with the Finančná správa, social and health-insurance registrations if employees are hired, and a Slovak business bank account introduction. Contact us for a fixed-price quote — there are no hourly bills and no extras invoiced after the fact.

How much does it cost to open a company in Slovakia?

The cost of an s.r.o. has five components: notarial certification of the founding signatures, apostille and sworn Slovak translation of each foreign document, the trade licence charge for any regulated or craft trade, the court fee for the Commercial Register entry (halved for electronic filing), and the registered office. Share capital is not a cost: the €5,000 stays in the company. Yearly running costs are bookkeeping, the CIT return with financial statements, and the registered office renewal.

Typical timeline from KYC clearance:

Day	Milestone
0	Engagement, KYC submitted
1–3	KYC cleared, articles drafted, foreign documents apostilled and translated
4	Signatures officially certified, trade licence filed
5–7	Trade licence issued, share capital credited, Commercial Register application filed
7–10	Court issues Commercial Register entry
10–12	CIT and VAT registration filed with Finančná správa, UBO declaration lodged
12–15	Operating bank account opened

Tax Overview for Slovak Companies

Slovak corporate tax sits on three legs — tiered CIT, a minimum tax floor, and eurozone-standard VAT.

Corporate Income Tax (2026). Tiered under the second consolidation package in force since 1 January 2025. 10% (rate applicable in 2026) on taxable income up to €100,000, 21% from €100,000 to €5,000,000, 24% above €5,000,000. Slovak tax residents are taxed on worldwide profits; non-resident companies are taxed only on Slovak-source income.

Minimum CIT (daňová licencia). Every company owes a floor amount regardless of profit. €340 where taxable income is up to €50,000, €940 from €50,000 to €250,000, €1,920 from €250,000 to €500,000, €3,840 from €500,000 to €5 million, and €11,520 above €5 million. The floor is creditable against CIT liabilities in the following three tax years.

Participation exemption and holding regime. Dividends received by a Slovak company from Slovak, EU, or EEA subsidiaries that were distributed out of post-2003 profits are outside the scope of Slovak CIT — no tax at all. Capital gains on the sale of qualifying subsidiary shares can be exempt where the parent has held at least 10% for at least 24 months and the subsidiary is an EU/EEA resident or treaty-country resident subject to a minimum tax test. The combination makes Slovakia a serviceable EU holding jurisdiction, though less optimised than Luxembourg or Cyprus.

VAT. 23% standard rate (raised from 20% on 1 January 2025), 19% reduced rate (food staples, restaurant and catering services, accommodation), 5% super-reduced rate (books, medicines, subsidised housing). Mandatory VAT registration threshold for resident businesses is €50,000 in any rolling 12-month period, with immediate registration triggered at €62,500. A draft bill tabled in February 2026 proposes to raise these to €83,000 and €85,000 respectively from 1 July 2026. Non-resident businesses making taxable supplies in Slovakia must register before the first taxable transaction — no threshold applies.

Withholding tax. Dividends paid to non-resident individuals are subject to 7% WHT (reduced from 10% on 1 January 2025). Dividends to non-resident companies are generally outside the scope of Slovak WHT under the Parent-Subsidiary Directive for qualifying EU parents. Interest and royalties paid to non-residents are subject to 19% WHT, reduced under Slovakia's 70+ double tax treaties and the EU Interest and Royalties Directive. Payments to recipients in non-cooperating jurisdictions — countries with no DTT and no tax information exchange agreement with Slovakia — are subject to a punitive 35% rate.

E-invoicing (2026–2027). Slovakia moves to mandatory B2B and B2G electronic invoicing from 1 January 2027 under a decentralised Peppol 5-corner model. 2026 is the voluntary pilot phase — the central infrastructure is live, early adopters can onboard, and software providers are certifying as "digital postmen". Structured EN 16931 / Peppol BIS 3.0 UBL XML formats apply. Non-compliance from 2027 carries fines up to €100,000. We include e-invoicing readiness in our accounting packages.

Personal income tax is a two-bracket regime: 19% on income up to 176.8 times the subsistence minimum (roughly €48,000 in 2026), and 25% above. Dividends paid to Slovak-resident individuals are taxed at a separate 7% rate.

Does Slovakia have an Estonian-style corporate tax?

No. Slovakia taxes profit when it is earned, at 10%, 21% or 24%, not when it is distributed. The Estonian model, which Poland copied as its "Estonian CIT", defers company tax until dividends are paid. A Slovak s.r.o. that retains all of its profit still pays CIT and the daňová licencia; dividends to individuals then carry the separate 7% rate described above.

Does the Slovak financial transaction tax apply to foreign entities?

Yes, through a Slovak branch or permanent establishment. The financial transaction tax (daň z finančných transakcií) has applied since 1 April 2025. It takes 0.4% of each outgoing bank transfer, with a €40 cap per transaction, and 0.8% of cash withdrawals. Slovak banks collect it; a company paying from a foreign account self-assesses it with the Finančná správa.

Tax incentives available to a Slovak s.r.o.

Three statutory reliefs matter. The R&D super-deduction under section 30c of the Income Tax Act lets the company deduct qualifying research and development costs a second time, at 100%, on top of the ordinary expense. The patent box under section 13a exempts 50% of income from patents, utility models and software the company developed in Slovakia. Regional investment aid under Act No. 57/2018 Coll. grants income tax relief to manufacturing, technology centres and shared service centres that meet job-creation and investment minimums, with the largest support in the eastern districts. All three are claimed in the CIT return.

Banking for Slovak Companies

Slovak business banking is dominated by four universal banks, all with Austrian, Italian, or Belgian parents — a legacy of the post-2000 consolidation. The euro is the operating currency.

Slovenská sporiteľňa is the largest bank in Slovakia and part of Austria's Erste Group. Full-service universal bank with the deepest SME and corporate footprint in the country. Strong English-language corporate desk in Bratislava. Onboarding for non-resident-controlled companies is possible but typically requires a director to attend a Bratislava branch and submit officially certified translations of corporate documents.

VÚB Banka is the second-largest bank (roughly 29.6% market share, €25 billion in assets) and part of Italy's Intesa Sanpaolo Group. Strong corporate and foreign-trade financing. Natural fit for clients with parallel Italian operations.

Tatra banka, part of Austria's Raiffeisen Bank International, is the third-largest bank and the digital innovation leader — it was the first Slovak bank to offer a full mobile onboarding journey. Generally the most accommodating mainstream option for non-resident UBOs and hybrid CEE structures. Austrian compliance culture translates into methodical but accommodating onboarding.

ČSOB Slovakia, part of Belgium's KBC Group, is the fourth of the big four. Pan-CEE single relationship across Slovak and Czech operations — the same corporate relationship manager can coordinate accounts on both sides. Often the easiest bank for clients already running a Czech s.r.o. alongside the Slovak one.

UniCredit Bank Czech Republic and Slovakia operates as a unified franchise across the two countries, bringing Italian-parent corporate banking with integrated CZ/SK reporting. 365.bank (part of J&T / Poštová banka) is a digital-first SME challenger with faster online onboarding for resident-controlled companies.

Wise Business, Revolut Business, and Airwallex cover the EMI lane. Fully remote onboarding, multi-currency balances including EUR, integrated SEPA and SWIFT. Standard fit for cross-border e-commerce, SaaS, and consulting businesses without heavy domestic Slovak cash flows. EMIs do not provide lending or overdraft; pair an EMI with a Slovak bank if borrowing capacity matters.

How do I open a business account in Slovakia for an s.r.o.?

Opening a business account in Slovakia takes four documents: the Commercial Register extract (výpis z obchodného registra, downloadable free from orsr.sk), the founding deed, the konateľ's passport and the UBO identification form. Since the 2016 reform the account is opened after registration, not before it, because no bank confirmation of the capital deposit is required. Slovak banks open the account in the konateľ's presence; EMIs onboard remotely.

Compliance and Reporting Obligations

A Slovak s.r.o. files its CIT return with the Finančná správa within three months of the financial year end, extendable by notice. The annual financial statements go into the Register of Financial Statements (Register účtovných závierok). VAT payers file monthly returns (quarterly for smaller established payers) together with the VAT control statement (kontrolný výkaz). Changes in members, konatelia, seat or beneficial owners are filed with the Commercial Register. The Finančná správa, Slovakia's revenue administration, issues the tax identification number (DIČ) after the initial tax registration described in the process section. The topics below generate most of the compliance questions we receive from foreign-owned companies.

Obligation	Deadline or rule
CIT return with financial statements	Within 3 months of year end (31 March for a calendar year); extendable by 3 months on notice, 6 months with foreign-source income
Approval of financial statements	General meeting approves within 12 months of the balance sheet date; the approved statements go to the Register účtovných závierok
CIT advance payments	Monthly if the previous year's tax exceeded €16,600; quarterly if it exceeded €5,000
VAT return and kontrolný výkaz	By the 25th day of the following month; quarterly only after 12 months as a payer with turnover under €100,000
Statutory audit	Required once two of three thresholds are exceeded in two consecutive years: assets €4 million, turnover €8 million, 50 employees
Changes of members, konateľ, seat or UBO	Filed electronically with the Commercial Register

Who is the ultimate beneficial owner (UBO) of a Slovak s.r.o.?

A UBO is any natural person who ultimately owns or controls the s.r.o., in practice through more than 25% of the shares or voting rights. Failing that, senior management is recorded. UBO data are filed with the Commercial Register at incorporation, updated on every change, and are not public. Public-sector suppliers also register in the Register of Public Sector Partners (RPVS).

What is fiscal representation in Slovakia and when does a foreign company need it?

Fiscal representation lets a foreign business appoint a Slovak VAT-registered representative (daňový zástupca) to handle its Slovak VAT in its place. The VAT Act offers it to non-established companies importing goods into Slovakia for onward supply to another EU state. It is optional: a non-EU company making other taxable supplies registers directly with the Finančná správa before its first transaction.

Does DAC6 reporting apply to a Slovak s.r.o.?

Yes, where the company takes part in a reportable cross-border arrangement. DAC6 (Council Directive (EU) 2018/822) is transposed in the same Act No. 442/2012 Coll. that carries CbCR. The intermediary, or the taxpayer where the adviser is bound by professional secrecy, reports arrangements meeting one of the hallmarks A to E to the Finančná správa within 30 days. Intra-group loans, licences and hybrid structures with a foreign affiliate are the usual triggers.

Hiring staff through a Slovak s.r.o.

The s.r.o. registers as an employer with Sociálna poisťovňa and the employee's health insurer, and it notifies each new employee to Sociálna poisťovňa before the first day of work. Employment contracts follow the Labour Code (Zákonník práce, Act No. 311/2001 Coll.) and must be in writing. Contributions run at roughly 36% of gross pay for the employer on top of salary and 13.4% withheld from the employee, alongside monthly income tax withholding reported to the Finančná správa. A non-EU employee needs a single permit for temporary residence for employment, issued by the foreign police after the Labour Office confirms the vacancy. EU citizens need none.

How is a Slovak s.r.o. dissolved?

Voluntary liquidation starts with a members' resolution to wind up and appoint a liquidator, filed with the Commercial Register, which adds "v likvidácii" to the name. The liquidator publishes the entry in the Obchodný vestník, calls creditors, settles claims and prepares the closing accounts. Since the 1 October 2020 reform the liquidation cannot be completed earlier than six months after that publication, and the Finančná správa's consent is needed before deletion. Expect well over six months in practice. A company with no assets and no activity can instead be struck off by the court ex officio after failing to file financial statements.

Country-by-Country Reporting (CbCR) in Slovakia

Country-by-country reporting reaches Slovakia through DAC4 (Council Directive (EU) 2016/881), transposed into Act No. 442/2012 Coll. on international assistance and cooperation in tax administration. The duty falls on multinational groups with consolidated revenue of EUR 750 million or more in the preceding fiscal year. Such a group files one CbC report, normally through its ultimate parent entity, within 12 months of the end of the reporting fiscal year. The report shows revenue, profit, tax paid, headcount and assets per jurisdiction and is exchanged automatically between tax authorities.

A Slovak s.r.o. that belongs to such a group rarely files the report itself. It does carry a notification duty: it must tell the Finančná správa whether it is the ultimate parent or surrogate parent and, if not, name the reporting entity and its jurisdiction. It is filed electronically through the Finančná správa portal for every year above the threshold. The Slovak entity files the full report locally only if its parent's country does not exchange CbC reports with Slovakia. Groups below the threshold have no CbCR duty, though transfer pricing documentation (see below) still applies.

Separately, the EU public CbCR rules (Directive (EU) 2021/2101) oblige groups above the same threshold to publish an income tax information report for financial years starting on or after 22 June 2024. Slovak subsidiaries and branches of non-EU groups can be caught. We check the group's status at onboarding, prepare the Slovak notification with the client's tax team, and diarise it alongside the CIT return.

VAT on Leasing in Slovakia

Leasing is taxed under the Slovak VAT Act (Act No. 222/2004 Coll.) in one of two ways. An operating lease, where the asset returns to the lessor, is a supply of services. VAT at the standard 23% rate falls on each instalment. The lessor issues an invoice per instalment or attaches a payment schedule (splátkový kalendár) to the contract, which then serves as the invoice. A finance lease under which ownership passes automatically at the end of the term is a supply of goods. The lessor charges VAT on the whole value at handover, and the lessee books the input VAT in full at that point.

The grey zone is the lease with a purchase option. Following the CJEU judgment in Mercedes-Benz Financial Services (C-164/16), Slovak practice looks at the option terms. Where exercising the option is the only economically rational choice, the contract is a supply of goods; otherwise it is a service. The lessor's invoicing must follow the classification, so the wording of the option clause matters before signature.

For the s.r.o. as lessee, input VAT on leased cars and equipment is deductible to the extent the asset serves taxable business activity. Private use of a leased car by a director or employee reduces the deduction in proportion, and Slovakia applies no flat percentage for cars. Hiring or operating-leasing equipment from a lessor in another EU state is a B2B service: the s.r.o. self-assesses Slovak VAT under the reverse charge and deducts it in the same return.

Transfer Pricing for a Slovak s.r.o.

Slovak transfer pricing rules sit in the Income Tax Act (Act No. 595/2003 Coll.) and apply the arm's length principle to every transaction between related parties (závislé osoby), domestic and cross-border alike. Related parties include companies under common ownership or control of at least 25%. Since 2023 a controlled transaction of up to EUR 10,000 a year is not treated as significant and stays outside the documentation duty.

An s.r.o. with significant controlled transactions keeps transfer pricing documentation in one of three tiers set by the Ministry of Finance guideline: abbreviated (skrátená), basic (základná) or full (úplná). The file is not lodged with the CIT return, but the Finančná správa can demand it in an audit and the s.r.o. must produce it within 15 days. A price outside the range is adjusted to the median. Advance pricing agreements are available. We flag management fees, licences and intra-group loans at onboarding and keep the documentation aligned with the annual return.

Forming a Slovak Company as a Non-Resident

A non-resident can be the sole shareholder and the sole konateľ of a Slovak s.r.o. Slovak company law sets no residency, citizenship or work-permit condition on either role, and no local representative is needed. Company setup, company registration and the trade licence all run in the founder's absence under a power of attorney.

What a non-resident must provide is paperwork rather than presence. You send a passport copy, proof of address and a clean criminal record certificate for each konateľ. Founding signatures are certified before a notary abroad, then apostilled and translated into Slovak by a sworn translator. Corporate shareholders add apostilled registry extracts dated within three months, as listed under Required Documents. No visit to Slovakia is mandatory.

Banking is where non-resident ownership still slows things down. Slovenská sporiteľňa usually asks a director to attend a Bratislava branch; Tatra banka is the most accommodating of the big four for non-resident UBOs; Wise Business, Revolut Business and Airwallex onboard fully remotely. A third-country national who directs the s.r.o. can also apply for a Slovak temporary residence permit for business purposes, though the permit is never a condition of ownership.

Founders from Ukraine: Ukraine has been a party to the Hague Apostille Convention since 2003, so a Ukrainian criminal record certificate and a notarised power of attorney need an apostille and a sworn Slovak translation, not consular legalisation. The same route applies to founders from Turkey, Spain, Romania and Denmark, all Hague states.

The residence permit for business purposes is issued under Act No. 404/2011 Coll. on the Residence of Foreigners for up to three years. Renewal is where the company matters: the foreign police examine the s.r.o.'s results for the previous tax period against a statutory multiple of the subsistence minimum, together with proof of accommodation and health insurance. Owning or directing the company creates no automatic right to stay. We form the company; permit applications belong with immigration counsel.

Frequently Asked Questions

How long does it take to register a company in Slovakia?

Commercial Register entry is typically issued within 2 to 5 business days of a complete filing. Including KYC, sworn translation of foreign documents, notarial certification, the trade licence application, capital deposit, and tax registrations, our typical end-to-end timeline is 10 to 15 business days from first contact to a fully operational s.r.o. with a bank account opened.

What is the minimum share capital for a Slovak s.r.o.?

The statutory minimum is €5,000 in total registered capital, with each member contributing at least €750. Before the Commercial Register filing, at least 30% of each monetary contribution must be paid up, and the total paid-up amount must be at least €2,500. A single-founder s.r.o. must pay up the full €5,000 before filing. The joint-stock a.s. requires €25,000; the j.s.a. startup form requires only €1.

Can a foreigner open a company in Slovakia?

Yes. Slovak company law imposes no residency, citizenship, or work-permit requirement on shareholders or directors of an s.r.o. A non-resident foreigner can be the sole shareholder and sole director from day one. The trade licence application requires a clean criminal record certificate, which non-residents obtain in their home country and have apostilled and translated into Slovak. No Slovak visit is mandatory if founding signatures are certified abroad and apostilled.

What is the corporate tax rate in Slovakia?

Slovak CIT for 2026 is tiered: 10% on taxable income up to €100,000, 21% from €100,000 to €5 million, and 24% above €5 million. The regime has been in force since 1 January 2025 under the second consolidation package. A minimum CIT (daňová licencia) ranging from €340 to €11,520 applies regardless of profit. The 10% small-company band is the lowest in Central Europe after Hungary's 9%.

What are the differences between an s.r.o. and an a.s. in Slovakia?

An s.r.o. requires €5,000 of capital, up to 50 members, and a single director is enough — most SMEs and foreign subsidiaries use this form. An a.s. (joint-stock company) requires €25,000 of capital, mandatory supervisory board, mandatory annual audit, and is used for listed companies, banks, insurers, and investment firms. For tech startups raising VC, the j.s.a. (simple joint-stock company) is the third option with only €1 of capital but flexible share classes.

Do I need a Slovak address to register a company?

Yes. Every Slovak company must have a registered office (sídlo) at a physical Slovak address with the officially certified consent of the property owner. The address appears publicly in the Obchodný register. We provide a registered office in Bratislava as part of our standard formation packages, with the required landlord consent issued in the company's name and signatures certified by a Slovak notary.

When does mandatory B2B e-invoicing start in Slovakia?

Mandatory electronic invoicing for domestic B2B and B2G transactions starts on 1 January 2027 under a decentralised Peppol 5-corner model. 2026 is the voluntary pilot phase — early adopters can onboard to the central infrastructure already. Invoices must be in structured EN 16931 or Peppol BIS 3.0 UBL XML format. Cross-border EU B2B invoicing follows from 1 July 2030 under the EU ViDA framework. Penalties for non-compliance reach €100,000.

Get Started — Form Your Slovak Company

A fixed-price quote in 60 seconds. Trade licence and Commercial Register entry coordinated end to end. Sworn translation of your home-country corporate documents arranged through our certified network. Bank account introduction included.

Call +48 2222 5 2222 or email info@companyformation24.com to start. Most Slovak formations are complete and operating with a bank account within 15 business days.

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Content prepared by Piotr Walter, In-house Counsel. Approved by Tomasz Bielski, Managing Director.