START
Combines registration steps without notarisation, but is currently available to adult Croatian citizens who meet the prescribed identity and residence conditions.
Company formation in Croatia
Opening a company in Croatia as a foreigner: documents and certified translations
A foreign founder must choose the correct incorporation route, obtain an OIB and prepare personal or corporate records in the form accepted by the notary, Court Register and bank. This guide explains where certified translations enter the procedure and when a Croatian court interpreter should attend.
Quotes usually sent within 30 minutes during business hours · same-day delivery depends on scope and availability.
Choose the route
The available incorporation route depends on the founder and the filing method.
START is not currently available to foreign founders. Croatian and EU/EEA nationals may use the e-Court Register where they meet the applicable requirements, while the physical or notarial procedure is available to other foreign nationals as well.
e-Court Register
Allows Croatian and EU/EEA nationals with accepted electronic identification and a qualified signature to form a d.o.o. or j.d.o.o. Other business-start steps remain separate.
Physical procedure
Available to Croatian, EU/EEA and other foreign nationals. Notarial, court, statistical, banking and tax steps are completed separately.
Incorporation sequence
Plan the documents and translation before the notarial appointment.
The exact route depends on the founder, company structure, activity and recipient requirements. The official five-working-day period concerns Court Register entry after a correct and complete electronic filing; it is not an end-to-end incorporation guarantee.
- 01
Check the name and activity
Select a name clearly distinguishable from existing companies and confirm whether the planned regulated activity requires prior consent or another sector-specific authorisation.
- 02
Obtain an OIB for each foreign founder
Each founder needs an OIB for electronic incorporation. A foreign legal person applying for an OIB submits its formation instrument, decision or register extract in Croatian or in a certified Croatian translation.
- 03
Prepare formation and corporate documents
An individual founder will commonly need identification, an OIB, a declaration or articles and a power of attorney if represented. A foreign corporate founder may need a current register extract, constitutional documents, an approving corporate resolution, proof of the signatory’s authority and records requested for bank checks.
- 04
Arrange translation and a court interpreter
Foreign corporate records, resolutions and powers of attorney are translated according to the receiving professional’s requirements. Official incorporation guidance requires a court interpreter at the notarial appointment where a foreign participant does not speak Croatian.
- 05
Pay capital and register the company
The minimum share capital of a d.o.o. is €2,500. A j.d.o.o. can be formed with €1, but it is limited to five members and one management-board member and is subject to statutory-reserve rules.
- 06
Complete post-registration steps
After registration, complete the required activity classification, business-account activation or opening, tax registration and insurance registrations. Confirm the case-specific list with Croatian legal, tax and accounting advisers.
Documents for translation
Prepare a distinct set for an individual or corporate foreign founder.
There is no universal document list for every incorporation. The notary, Court Register, bank and other recipients determine the accepted documents, certifications, validity periods and form of translation for the particular matter.
- 01Passport or identity card of the foreign founder
- 02Croatian OIB certificate for each foreign founder
- 03Declaration of incorporation or articles of association
- 04Current extract from the foreign company or commercial register
- 05Constitutional document or articles of the foreign parent company
- 06Board, shareholder or other competent-body resolution approving the Croatian company or investment
- 07Evidence of the director’s, signatory’s or representative’s authority
- 08Power of attorney for the notarial, court, OIB or banking procedure
- 09Ownership and control documents requested by the bank or another regulated recipient
- 10Apostille or other authentication where required by the country of issue and the recipient
Company-formation translation
One consistent document set for the notary, court and connected procedures.
- 01
Send legible documents and instructions
Upload every page of the corporate records, resolutions, powers of attorney, certifications and Apostilles. Identify the founder, each recipient and the date of any booked appointment.
- 02
Confirm the scope and interpreter attendance
We review the translation direction, visible certifications, terminology and whether written translation should be combined with interpreting at the notary. Price and timing are confirmed before work starts.
- 03
Receive a filing-ready translation
We prepare the agreed certified translations and keep terminology consistent across connected records. The competent professionals and authorities confirm legal validity, formation-document content and the final filing set.
Practical answers
Common foreign-founder questions about documents and translation.
01Can a foreigner establish a company in Croatia?
Foreign investors may establish and participate in Croatian companies under the applicable foreign-investor framework. Certain regulated activities may require prior consent or a sector-specific authorisation. Invest Croatia — founding a company ↗
02Can a foreign founder use START?
Not under the current conditions. START is for qualifying Croatian citizens. Croatian and EU/EEA nationals may use the e-Court Register where eligible, while the physical procedure is available to other foreign nationals. Croatian Government — registration routes ↗
03Does every founder need a Croatian OIB?
Each founder needs a Croatian OIB for electronic incorporation. An OIB is also assigned to a foreign person entering Croatian official records in connection with establishing a company. Croatian Tax Administration — OIB rules ↗
04Does a foreign founder need a Croatian partner?
A universal answer should not be given without checking the proposed legal structure. The general foreign-investor framework permits participation under the official conditions, but the founder’s nationality or seat, the company form and any regulated activity can affect the case. Obtain Croatian legal advice on the intended structure.
05Is a Croatian public notary always required?
The physical procedure includes notarial documents and certifications. Founders eligible for an electronic route may incorporate without attending the competent registration body or notary in person. Croatian Government — electronic and physical routes ↗
06Must a court interpreter attend the notarial appointment?
Official Invest Croatia guidance states that a court interpreter for the relevant language must be present where a foreign participant does not speak Croatian. Invest Croatia — notarial step ↗
07Which corporate documents require certified translation?
The recipient determines the exact list. Common examples include a register extract, constitutional document, corporate resolution, proof of signing authority and power of attorney. For an OIB application, the Tax Administration expressly requires a foreign legal person’s formation instrument, decision or register extract to be in Croatian or translated into Croatian by a sworn translator.
08How long does company registration take?
Five working days is the stated Court Register period after a correct and complete electronic filing. It is not a guarantee for the complete project: OIB assignment, translation, authentication, bank checks and filing corrections can extend the overall timeline. Invest Croatia — Court Register timing ↗
09Does opening a company give me Croatian residence or work rights?
Not by itself. Third-country nationals generally work on the basis of a stay-and-work permit or a work-registration certificate unless a statutory exception applies. Croatian Ministry of the Interior — work of third-country nationals ↗
10Does abacus establish companies or provide legal advice?
Not as part of this service. Abacus provides specialist and certified translation and court interpreting. Formation documents, legal structure, tax treatment and registration should be handled by the appropriate Croatian legal, notarial, tax and accounting professionals.
11How is the translation price calculated?
Each price is determined individually after the document has been reviewed, taking account of the language pair, volume and type of text, certification, deadline and any other requirements. A certified-translation quote may be based on Croatia’s Ordinance on Permanent Court Interpreters. The Ordinance calculates written translations by a standard line of 50 characters, with one standard page of 30 lines—or 1,500 characters—as the minimum unit. Ordinance on Permanent Court Interpreters (official Croatian text) ↗
Verified sources
Official sources used for this guide
Professional review: Toni Nogolica · sources checked 7 September 2026.- Government of the Republic of CroatiaSTART, e-Court Register and physical registration routes according to founder status.↗
- Croatian Government — d.o.o. formationFormation documents, share capital, Court Register filing and post-registration steps.↗
- START — official FAQEligibility, d.o.o./j.d.o.o. differences and limitations of remote incorporation.↗
- Ministry of Economy — Invest CroatiaForeign-investor status, the notary, court interpreter, e-incorporation and registration sequence.↗
- Croatian Tax AdministrationOIB rules for foreign persons and Croatian translations of corporate records and powers of attorney.↗
- Croatian Ministry of the InteriorSeparate stay-and-work rules for third-country nationals.↗
Quote within 30 minutes
Send your documents now.
During business hours, we usually answer complete requests with a quote within 30 minutes. For shorter documents, we will also check whether same-day delivery is available.
Emailinfo@aba-cus.hrPhone+385 1 4886 500AddressIlica 7310 000 Zagreb, Croatia
Files are retained only to prepare your quote and perform the requested translation.
Each price is determined individually after document review. A certified-translation quote may be based on Croatia’s Ordinance on Permanent Court Interpreters.