Spanish limited company · S.L.
A Spanish company has its own legal personality. Formation involves a public deed and registration with the Mercantile Registry, alongside the required tax-identification steps.
Spanish company formation
Company formation in Spain
Establish a business in Spain with a structure that reflects your activity, owners and plans. We connect incorporation preparation with tax identification, banking requirements and any wider relocation needs.
Your establishment options
Start with the right structure.
The route depends on your activity, ownership and operating plans. These are the decisions to resolve before the application.
Branch of a foreign company
A branch remains legally connected to its foreign parent. Assess that relationship, the proposed operations and the parent documentation before choosing this route.
Business & personal relocation
Consider the company and the owners separately. Company formation, immigration and personal tax residence are different workstreams that need a coordinated plan.
Local establishment essentials
Know what comes next.
The exact document list follows the selected entity, owners and activity. Your adviser will confirm the requirements for your case.
- Identify the shareholders and obtain the relevant tax-identification numbers.
- Prepare the company name, articles and representation arrangements.
- Coordinate the public deed and Mercantile Registry registration.
- Review activity-specific permits, banking and ongoing obligations.
After incorporation
Plan for the years ahead.
Spanish companies keep accounting records and minutes of corporate decisions. Annual accounts are filed with the Mercantile Registry for the company's registered office after approval. The filing package and any audit requirement depend on the company, so allocate responsibility for this work at incorporation.
From decision to establishment
A clear path to your next company.
The scope is agreed before the work begins. You can see what is included, who is responsible and what information is needed.
01
Define your requirements
We review the activity, owners, operating markets and practical requirements. Where the destination is undecided, the brief starts with comparing options.
02
Review your proposal
Your proposal sets out the chosen route, work involved, professional fees and external costs. Timing is assessed against the actual application and dependencies.
03
Establish & prepare to operate
Following agreement, the incorporation work and supporting steps are coordinated. Banking, visas and sector permissions follow their own assessment and approval processes.
Beyond incorporation
Bring the decisions together.
Select the support your business needs. The agreed scope may combine formation with corporate structuring, tax advice, banking preparation and relocation planning.
01 / Structure
Ownership & governance
Clarify shareholders, decision-making and the relationship with your wider group.
02 / TaxInternational tax advisory
Our own tax team considers the cross-border position, treaty questions and transfer pricing relevant to your brief.
03 / BankingCorporate banking support
Prepare the business profile, ownership information and account-opening requirements for bank review.
04 / PeopleVisas & personal residency
Coordinate immigration and personal tax-residency questions separately from the company’s registration.
Costs & timing
One proposal.
Your actual requirements.
Every case is quoted individually. The activity, ownership, location, premises and additional services determine the work and cost.
Professional work
The advisory, preparation and coordination included in your engagement.
External charges
Authority, notarial, registry, workspace and third-party costs, as applicable.
Time & dependencies
The document readiness, authority reviews and separate banking or immigration steps that influence delivery.
Your questions
Before you begin.
Is a Spanish branch the same as a subsidiary?
No. A Spanish subsidiary is a separate legal person; a branch is connected to its foreign parent. We start with the intended operations and ownership before comparing the establishment routes.
How much will my company setup cost?
We quote each case individually after reviewing the proposed activity, owners and required support. Your proposal separates professional fees from authority and third-party charges.
Can formation, banking and visas be handled together?
They can be coordinated within an agreed scope where applicable. Each follows its own requirements, and the relevant authority or bank makes the approval decision.
Your next step
Let’s plan your establishment.
Tell us your business activity, intended markets, ownership and any visa or banking needs. We will define the scope and prepare an individual proposal.
A short outline is enough to begin. Please do not email passports or bank documents at this stage.
Official incorporation references
Source material checked: 24 October 2026. General establishment information; requirements are confirmed for the individual case.
Photograph & credit
Barcex · Madrid - Madrid skyline - 140314 195825.jpg · CC BY-SA 3.0
Photograph displayed with a responsive crop.