How to set up an Estonian Company with or without an e-Residency Card
Before registering an Estonian company, it is important to decide which registration method is most suitable for you. The choice mainly depends on whether the founder has an Estonian e-Residency card, which allows documents to be signed digitally and the company to be registered online.
More information about the e-Residency programme is available on the official website: Search for a legal person | e-Äriregister
If the founder has an e-Residency card
If the founder has a valid e-Residency card, an Estonian company can be registered fully online through the e-Business Register. This is a convenient option for non-residents who want to establish and manage a company remotely.
Before submitting the registration application, the following information should be prepared:
- Company name. You need to check whether the selected company name is available and whether it complies with the requirements of the Estonian Commercial Register.
- Legal address in Estonia. A legal address can be ordered from Maxwise OÜ. We provide a legal address in the centre of Tallinn.
- Company contact details. You need to decide which contact details will be used for the company: e-mail address and/or phone number. These details are public and will be displayed in the Estonian Commercial Register.
- Management Board Member. You need to decide who will represent the company and act as its Management Board Member. A Management Board Member may be any natural person and does not necessarily have to be the founder. The Management Board Member may reside in any country.
- Contact person in Estonia. The company may need a contact person in Estonia. This service is usually provided by a local law firm or corporate service provider, which receives official correspondence from Estonian state authorities.
Once these details have been prepared, the company registration process can begin. Maxwise OÜ specialists provide free online support during the registration of an Estonian company and help guide clients through the main stages of submitting the application.
If the founder does not have an e-Residency card
If the founder does not have an e-Residency card, the registration process becomes more complex. In this case, the company can be registered through an Estonian notary.
The founder has two options:
- to visit an Estonian notary in person;
- to issue a power of attorney to a representative who will attend the notary and sign the necessary documents on behalf of the founder.
The power of attorney must be notarised. Depending on the country where the document is issued, an apostille or another form of legalisation may also be required.
Maxwise OÜ will prepare a sample power of attorney in English free of charge, which can be used for arranging the documents with a notary in the founder’s country.
As with online registration, it is necessary to prepare in advance the company name, legal address, contact details, details of the Management Board Member and, if required, the contact person in Estonia.
State fees and notary costs
When registering an Estonian company, a state fee must be paid. The total cost depends on the chosen registration method.
| Registration method | State fee | Additional costs |
| Online registration through the e-Business Register | EUR 265 | If required: legal address, contact person, registration assistance |
| Registration through a notary | EUR 200 | Notary fees — approximately from EUR 90 and above, depending on the structure of the transaction, the number of founders and the volume of documents
If required: legal address, contact person, registration assistance |
It is important to remember that the state fee is only one of the possible costs. If the company does not have its own address in Estonia, a legal address will be required. A contact person may also be necessary. After the company has been registered, accounting must be organised and, if needed, an application for VAT registration should be submitted.
If required: legal address, contact person, registration assistance
It is important to remember that the state fee is only one of the possible costs. If the company does not have its own address in Estonia, a legal address will be required. A contact person may also be necessary. After the company has been registered, accounting must be organised and, if needed, an application for VAT registration should be submitted.
When online registration is the better option
- the founder and the Management Board Member have an e-Residency card or another suitable digital signature tool;
- the founder wants to register the company remotely;
- the company structure is simple: one or more founders, standard articles of association and no complex corporate terms;
- notarial certification of documents is not required.
When a notary may be required
- the founder does not have an e-Residency card;
- the founder cannot sign the application digitally;
- the company is being established by power of attorney;
- a more complex document structure or individual provisions in the articles of association are required.
How Maxwise OÜ can help
Maxwise OÜ helps non-residents and e-residents register an Estonian company, prepare the necessary documents and organise further company administration in Estonia.
We can assist with:
- checking the company name;
- providing a legal address in Estonia;
- providing a contact person service;
- preparing a sample power of attorney for notarial registration;
- online support during electronic registration;
- accounting services after registration;
- consultations on VAT, taxes and reporting requirements.
If you are planning to open a company in Estonia, contact Maxwise OÜ. We will help you choose the most suitable registration method and prepare the necessary documents.
