A complete checklist of every document and requirement for registering a BV/SRL or NV/SA in Belgium — from financial plans and articles of association to ID verification and registered office proof.
Before you can register a company in Belgium, you need to prepare a specific set of documents and meet certain legal requirements. Whether you are forming a BV/SRL or an NV/SA, Belgian law mandates a notarial deed, a financial plan, and registration with the Crossroads Bank for Enterprises (KBO/BCE). This page provides the complete checklist.
Quick Document Checklist — BV/SRL Registration
Financial plan — minimum 2-year projections (mandatory)
Articles of association — in French or Dutch
Passport or ID card — for all shareholders and directors
Proof of registered office — lease agreement or property deed
Company name verification — checked via KBO/BCE database
Power of attorney — if founders cannot attend notary (optional)
Apostille / legalization — for foreign documents (if applicable)
Certified translations — for documents not in FR/NL/DE (if applicable)
Mandatory Requirements for All Company Types
1. Financial Plan (Financieel Plan / Plan Financier)
Belgian law requires every new BV/SRL and NV/SA to submit a financial plan to the notary at incorporation. This document must cover at least two years and demonstrate that the company's initial equity is adequate for its planned operations.
The financial plan typically includes:
Description of the company's planned activities
Projected income statement for at least 2 years
Projected balance sheet
Cash flow forecast
Sources and amounts of initial financing
Assumptions and justifications for projections
The financial plan is critically important. If the company goes bankrupt within three years, the founders can be held personally liable if the plan was manifestly insufficient — this is known as "founder's liability" (oprichtersaansprakelijkheid) under the Belgian Code of Companies and Associations.
2. Articles of Association (Statuten / Statuts)
The articles of association define the company's legal framework. They must be drafted in the official language of the region where the registered office is located:
Flanders: Dutch
Wallonia: French
Brussels: French or Dutch (bilingual region)
German-speaking Community: German
Key contents of the articles include:
Company name and legal form (BV/SRL or NV/SA)
Registered office address
Corporate purpose (object of the company)
Share structure (number, type, rights)
Governance rules (directors, decision-making)
Financial year dates
Profit distribution rules
Dissolution and liquidation provisions
3. Identification Documents
All shareholders and directors must provide valid identification:
EU citizens: National ID card or passport
Non-EU citizens: Passport (valid for at least 6 months)
Corporate shareholders: Certificate of incorporation, articles of association, board resolution authorising the participation, and identification of ultimate beneficial owners (UBO)
4. Registered Office Address
Every Belgian company must have a registered office (maatschappelijke zetel/siège social) in Belgium. This address is published in the Belgian Official Gazette and determines the company's legal jurisdiction and language regime.
Acceptable proof includes:
Lease agreement (huurovereenkomst/contrat de bail)
Property deed or ownership certificate
Letter of agreement from a co-working space or virtual office provider
PO boxes are not accepted. The address must be a physical, accessible location.
The core documents are: a financial plan (2-year projections), articles of association (in French or Dutch), passport or ID for all shareholders and directors, proof of registered office address (lease or deed), and a bank certificate if capital is deposited. Foreign documents may need apostille and certified translation.
Yes. A financial plan is mandatory for both BV/SRL and NV/SA. It must cover at least two years and demonstrate that the company has sufficient starting equity for its planned activities. The notary reviews this during incorporation.
Yes. Every Belgian company must have a registered office (maatschappelijke zetel/siège social) in Belgium. This must be a physical address — PO boxes are not accepted. Options include your own premises, a co-working space, or a virtual office with registered address service.
Documents from countries that are party to the Hague Convention require an apostille. Documents from non-Hague countries need full diplomatic legalisation. All documents not in French, Dutch, or German must be accompanied by a certified (sworn) translation.
Yes. If you cannot attend the notary appointment in person, you can grant a notarised power of attorney to a representative. LawSupport can arrange this, allowing the full incorporation to proceed on your behalf.
The articles must be drafted in the official language of the region where the registered office is located: Dutch for Flanders, French for Wallonia, or either for Brussels (bilingual region). Our team handles drafting in the correct language.
The financial plan must cover at least the first two years of operation. It typically includes projected income statements, balance sheets, cash flow forecasts, and a description of the company's activities and financing sources. There is no fixed page count.
For an NV/SA, yes — at least one-third of the €61,500 share capital must be deposited in a blocked bank account before the notary deed. For a BV/SRL, no pre-registration bank account is needed; you open a corporate account after incorporation.
We Handle All the Paperwork
From financial plan drafting to notary coordination — our team prepares every document for your Belgian company registration.
