Latvia joined the European Union in 2004 and adopted the euro in 2014. A company registered in Latvia is an EU legal entity: it can trade freely across all 27 member states, access the EU VAT system, participate in EU public tenders, employ staff under EU employment law, and benefit from the EU's network of bilateral trade agreements with third countries. For international businesses looking to establish a European base, Latvia consistently scores well on registration speed, regulatory transparency, and operating cost.

Choosing your entity type

The large majority of international investors register an SIA (Sabiedrība ar ierobežotu atbildību) — the Latvian limited liability company, directly equivalent to a GmbH, SARL, Ltd, or S.r.l. The SIA requires only one shareholder and one director (who may be the same person), and the minimum registered share capital is €2,800, which must be paid in full before or at the point of registration. For a single-owner foreign company establishing a Latvian trading or holding structure, the SIA is the standard starting point.

Larger operations or those planning to raise capital from multiple investors may consider an AS (Akciju sabiedrība) — the Latvian joint-stock company, requiring a minimum share capital of €35,000. The AS is less common for initial market entry and better suited to companies planning to issue shares broadly or seek institutional investment.

N3XTLV manages the complete registration process on your behalf — you do not need to travel to Latvia to set up your SIA. We draft the articles of association, arrange the registered address, handle the share capital deposit procedure, and submit the registration application electronically.

The registration process, step by step

Registration is handled by the Latvian Enterprise Register (Uzņēmumu reģistrs). Applications submitted electronically through the UR's online portal, signed with a qualified EU electronic signature, are typically processed within 1–3 business days. For foreign applicants without an EU-recognised e-signature, a notarial process is used: documents are signed before a Latvian notary and submitted in paper or certified scanned form, with processing typically taking 3–7 business days.

  • Articles of association: must be drafted in Latvian — we prepare and provide certified translation
  • Share capital: deposited into a temporary bank account before registration; confirmed by bank statement attached to the application
  • Registered address: a valid Latvian address is legally required; N3XTLV provides registered address services
  • Registration fee: standard state fee applies; an expedited same-day registration option is available at a higher fee
  • Registration number: issued on approval; the company can commence activities immediately

After registration

Once your SIA is registered, you will need to open a permanent business bank account (the temporary share capital account cannot be used for trading), register for VAT with the State Revenue Service (VID) if your turnover is expected to exceed €40,000 annually (voluntary registration is available below this threshold), and register as an employer if you intend to hire staff in Latvia. N3XTLV coordinates all post-registration steps as part of our B2B Operations service — so your company is not just incorporated but actually operational from day one.