Company Formation in Spain

Standard timeline — With a complete set of documents, company formation in Spain takes from 2 to 6 weeks.

Electronic system (CIRCE/DUE) — Using the electronic CIRCE system and the DUE document can speed up certain stages of the procedure.

Licensing impact — If a specific business activity requires a licence, timelines may increase.

COREDO’s coordination — COREDO coordinates all stages of the process, minimising delays and avoiding errors in documentation.

Founder requirements (NIE) — Spain does not impose restrictions on the nationality or residency of founders; however, every foreign founder must obtain a NIE.

Notarial execution in Spanish — All incorporation documents are executed in Spanish through a local notary.

Language and intermediaries — English is used to a limited extent in business dealings, which is why engaging professional intermediaries significantly simplifies the process.

Licensed activities — Certain types of activities, such as financial services, insurance, and construction, require additional licences.

Mandatory bank account — It is important to note that every Spanish company must have a bank account with a local bank.

Account opening requirements — Opening a corporate account requires presenting a full set of incorporation documents, proof of identity of beneficial owners, and a description of planned activities.

Double taxation treaties — Spain has signed double taxation avoidance agreements with more than 80 countries, enabling tax optimisation for international operations and making the country an attractive jurisdiction for holding structures.

Stage 1: Consultation — At the first stage, our specialists conduct a consultation: they analyse business objectives, recommend the optimal legal form, and draw up an action plan.

Stage 2: NIE and documentation — At the second stage, we arrange NIE acquisition, prepare all documentation in Spanish, and coordinate notarial certification.

Stage 3: Filing — At the third stage, documents are submitted to the Registro Mercantil and Agencia Tributaria.

Stage 4: Completion — At the final stage, the client receives a fully registered company with a NIF tax number, ready for business operations.

Client background — An entrepreneur from Eastern Europe planned to establish a trading company for importing agricultural products from Latin American countries through Spanish ports.

COREDO’s actions — COREDO specialists helped select the S.L. form with the minimum share capital of EUR 3,005, arranged NIE acquisition through the consulate without the need to travel to Spain, prepared the incorporation documents in Spanish, and carried out notarial execution.

Timeline — Registration at the Registro Mercantil and NIF issuance were completed within 18 business days.

Outcome — After opening a bank account, the client commenced trading operations, using Spanish ports as a logistics hub for deliveries to EU countries.