Start-up roadmap – companies

Up-to-date information about starting, registering and naming a company, the companies register, notifying the tax office and the social insurance institution, registering employees etc.

Information for newcomers

If two or more people wish to run a business together, they must set up a company. This is a community based on the rule of law established by articles of association^{German text} (a legal transaction).

Before starting a business, it is advisable to contact the Austrian Federal Economic Chamber's start-up advisory service.

If you are starting a company you should bear the following in mind:

• you must establish the legal form of your company and write the articles of association^{German text;}
• you must find a suitable company name for your business. You are free to choose the name; registered companies are obliged to use a legal form indicator, which provides information about the legal form of the business.

The legal form of the company depends on the influence on the management, equity funding, the extent of liability etc.

If you decide to start a partnership, you have a choice between a general partnership (OG), a limited partnership^{German text} (KG), a private limited company and limited partnership^{German text} (GmbH & Co KG) or a civil law partnership^{German text} (GesBR). You should bear in mind that:

• a general partnership^{German text}, a limited partnership^{German text} and a private limited company and limited partnership ^{German text} are created on the date of registration in the companies register; a civil law partnership^{German text} cannot be registered in the companies register;
• you obtain your licence to trade when you register your business with the competent business authority.

If you decide to start a corporation, you have a choice between a private limited company^{German text} (GmbH) or a public limited company^{German text} (AG). You should bear in mind that:

• both a private limited company^{German text} and a public limited company^{German text} are created on the date of registration in the companies register;
• you obtain your licence to trade when you register your business with the competent business authority
• businesses can usually begin to trade from the date on which they are registered with the business authority;
  • registering a regulated business
  • registering an unregulated business

Other steps you must take to start a business are:

• notifying the tax office;
• notifying the Social Insurance Institution for the Self-Employed;
• registering employees^{German text}

Information about professional activities^{German text} can be found on the website of the relevant chamber or the relevant professional body.

Further links

• Austrian Federal Economic Chamber start-up advisory service (start-up service) (→ WKO)^{German text}
• → Your Europe Business (EU) (information about the corresponding rules in other EU Member States)
• Start-ups (→ Your Europe)