Company Registration in Montenegro - Trade Registry Guide

Our lawyers in Montenegro explain how you can access the Register and the procedures you can complete through it, apart from company registration in Montenegro. We can also assist if you need support in relation to this authority.

Quick Facts
Representation in the relationship with the Trade Register (YES/NO)	Yes, we offer representation in various matters with the Montenegrin Trade Register.
Main function of the Registrar	Business registration.
Business registration steps through the Commercial Register	– reserving the trading name, – preparing and filing the setup documents, – having the papers verified, – obtaining the Registration Certificate.
Documents required for registration	– Articles of Association (for companies), – application form(s), – information of the shareholders and directors, – proof of registered address, – proof of share capital deposit.
Possibility to verify business name before registration (YES/NO)	Yes, it is possible to check the commercial name.
Company due diligence checks	Yes, the Companies Register allows checking information on existing companies.
Information about companies available with the Register	– trading names, – business registration number, – legal form, – registered address.
Business registration timeframe with the Companies Register	7 to 10 days, depending on the selected legal form.
Requirements to file annual financial statements with the Montenegro Trade Registry (YES/NO)	Yes, but they are filed with the Tax Administration (which also runs the CRPS).
Requirement to update alterations with the Registrar (YES/NO)	Yes, any modification must be reported to the Registrar.
Updated information to be recorded	– business name changes, – share capital amendments, – shareholding and management structure changes, – business form conversions.
Requirement to register company dissolutions with the Register (YES/NO)	Yes.
Other legal entities that must be registered with the Companies House	– sole proprietorships, – partnerships, – branches of foreign enterprises.
Other functions of the Trade Registry in Montenegro	– imposing fees for late payments of dues, – collecting and providing statistical data to other government authorities.
Applicable law(s)	– Company Act, – Law on Classification of Activities, – Act on Prevention of Illegal Business Activities.

Business registration in Montenegro

The Trade Register is the main institution through which local and foreign investors can register their businesses in Montenegro. Also known as the Central Registry of Business Entities (CRPS), it also has other administrative tasks to handle.

Considering this is its main role, we will first review what registering a company with the Trade Register in Montenegro implies. Here is what you need to consider:

all documents required for business registration must be drafted before filing them with the Registrar;
the papers must be in original or authenticated copies;
foreign-issued documents must be first legalized (apostilled) and then translated into Montenegrin;
the payment of the registration fee must also be made with the Registrar before filing the incorporation forms;
provided all paperwork is in order, CRPS officers will review, process, and record them.

After recording them, you will be issued the Certificate of Registration for your business. Please note that the documents to file upon company registration in Montenegro depend on the legal form you choose. You can rely on our law firm in Montenegro for its preparation to ensure correct filing.

Other functions of the Montenegrin Company Register

The Trade Register is one of the main authorities that investors, business owners address, as it serves multiple purposes. Among them, we present the following:

verifying and reserving trading name requests before registering a business in Montenegro;
keeping updated records on existing companies, which can help with inquiries and searches;
accepting company registration fees;
issuing various documents to local companies;
establishing and accepting late payment fees for non-compliant businesses;
providing statistical information on companies to other institutions, such as the Montenegrin Statistics Office;
recording business modifications.

Apart from these, mergers and acquisitions, reorganizations, and liquidations must also be completed through the Registrar.

Our Montenegrin lawyers can assist with searches and other services that need to be carried out through the CRPS.

Business amendment registration with the Trade Register in Montenegro

The Montenegrin Company Law allows local companies to make various changes; however, they must be reported to the Trade Register, which must also update its records. Here are the alterations one can make to a business:

trading name modifications;
registered address alterations;
changes in the share capital and shareholding structure of a company;
management modifications;
business form conversions (usually, it is possible to convert a sole proprietorship into a private limited liability company).

Please note that making amendments to a business requires the preparation of certain documents. You can rely on our local law firm for guidance on such procedures.

Trade Register data on companies registered in Montenegro

The latest data obtained by the Montenegro Statistics Office from the Companies Registrar shows that:

at the level of 2024, there were 58,998 active companies in Montenegro;
this represented a 9.1% increase in the number of businesses compared to 2023;
35.52% or 20,953 enterprises were located in the capital of Podgorica;
Budva was the second city after Podgorica by the number of companies, with 11,760 active businesses.

For more information or support in company registration in Montenegro, please contact us.