The First 30 Days After Setting Up a Company: Your Legal Obligations
You have signed the company papers, the trade registry gazette has been published and you have said, "Right, that's done"... It feels like a huge weight off your shoulders, which is perfectly normal. But the truth is this: the real marathon starts now.
It is fair to say that setting up your company was the easy part. Now it is time to keep the structure you have built legally on its feet. A small gap or a postponed procedure that looks unimportant in the rush of the first month can snowball over time and suddenly block your operations when you least expect it. Pushing financial and administrative follow-up to the back burner in the first excitement of the business means that later you spend your energy not on growing the company but on clearing up past problems.
In short, the orderly and disciplined follow-up you set up in the first 30 days is your strongest shield against surprise costs and lost time in the future.
🚀 At a glance
Tax office procedures: The tax certificate, the inspection process and the e-notification application should be followed from day one.
Certification of statutory books: The books required for your company type should be certified by a notary immediately after registration.
SSI and staff notifications: If you will employ staff, the workplace notification should be submitted to the SSI on time.
Banking and accounting set-up: The company account, the e-invoice/e-archive application and the arrangement with your accountant should be set up as soon as possible.
Tax office procedures
The inspection process
The tax office sends an inspection officer to check whether your business premises are actually operating. If the officer finds the address satisfactory, an inspection report is drawn up and handed to your accountant so that the tax certificate can be issued.
E-notification and Digital Tax Office registration
Your e-notification address is created along with your application to the tax office. This address is the channel through which all official correspondence from the tax office reaches you; if you do not monitor it, the notification period is deemed to have started and you may lose rights even if you were not aware.
Certification of statutory books
On the day registration is completed, the books required for your company type must be certified by a notary.
For sole proprietorships
The business account book (or, if you work on the balance sheet basis, the journal, general ledger and inventory book) must be certified.
For capital companies (limited/joint-stock)
Documents such as the journal, general ledger, inventory book and share register must be certified by a notary shortly after the registration date.
SSI and staff notifications
If you will employ staff from the first day after setting up the company, another key part of the process is SSI procedures.
When is the workplace notification submitted?
A workplace notification must be submitted to the SSI before the first insured employee starts work. If this step is skipped, you may face both an administrative fine and the risk of employing uninsured staff.
What if you have no staff?
If you are not planning to hire staff, this step is not needed for now, but the process kicks in the moment you hire your first employee, so settling your hiring plan from the start makes things easier.
Bank account, e-invoice and accounting set-up
Company bank account
For capital companies (limited, joint-stock), a bank account must be opened in the company's name and any committed capital paid in. The signature circular is the main document to present to the bank at this stage.
E-invoice / e-archive application
Depending on your line of business and turnover, switching to the e-invoice or e-archive invoice system may be mandatory. Even if you are below the threshold, switching early pays off if you will work with corporate customers.
Contract with an accountant
In most cases the tax certificate is obtained through an accountant. Agreeing terms with an accountant within the first 30 days keeps both bookkeeping and filing processes running smoothly.
Conclusion: checklist for the first 30 days
Follow the tax office inspection process and obtain your tax certificate
Keep your e-notification address under control
Have your required statutory books certified by a notary
If you will hire staff, submit the workplace notification to the SSI on time
Open your company bank account and pay in capital if required
Consider your switch to e-invoice/e-archive
Start working with an accountant
❓ Frequently asked questions
How long does it take to get a tax certificate after the company is set up?
It can usually be issued within a few days, depending on how quickly the inspection process is completed; the process can be even faster when the application is made through an accountant.
What happens if I do not have my statutory books certified?
Uncertified books are deemed invalid and in an audit you may face an irregularity penalty.
When should I notify the SSI of my first employee?
A workplace notification must be submitted before you start employing insured staff.
Do I have to open a company bank account straight away?
It is not mandatory for sole proprietorships, but for capital companies an account must be opened to pay in the committed capital.
Is it mandatory to hire an accountant?
It is not a legal requirement for every business, but in practice most of the work of obtaining the tax certificate and keeping the books is handled through an accountant.
