Business Licences Romania

• insurance and banking;
• the pharmaceutical sector;
• transport services;
• accounting;
• gambling;
• the recruitment of personnel, and others.

The trade license in Romania

Application stages

Quick Facts
Operating license	Issued by the National Trade Register Office Mandatory for all companies, even if they are not subject to the remaining Romania business licenses
DSP authorization in Romania	Sanitary authorization issued by the Department of Public Health
DSV authorization	Veterinary authorization issued by the National Sanitary Veterinary and Food Safety Authority
PSI authorization	Fire safety authorization issued by the Fire Protection and Extinguishing Authority (PSI)
ITM authorization	Work safety and protection authorization issued by the Local Labour Inspectorate (ITM)
Environment authority authorization in Romania	Issued by the National Agency for Environmental Protection
Luminous advertising permit	For companies that use this type of advertising; issued by the City Hall
Music playing permit as part of the Romania business licenses	Issued by the Romanian Office for Copyright for the public playing or musical works
Accommodation permit in Romania	Classification certification for accommodation units issued by the Ministry of Entrepreneurship and Tourism
Security company license	Issued by the General Police Directorate in the area of operation
Educational institution permits	Issued by the Romanian Agency for Quality Assurance in Higher Education Other authorizations are required for these types of institutions
Non-banking financial institution authorization	Issued by the National Bank of Romania
Pharmacy authorization in Romania	Issued by the Ministry of Health
Water management permit	Issued by the National Administration „Romanian Waters”
Other permits / authorizations as part of the Romania business licenses	Tourism license issued by the Ministry of Tourism, car service license issued by the Romanian Automotive Register, insurance and reinsurance broker authorization issued by the Romanian Financial Supervisory Authority and others
Business license issue time	Approximately 30 calendar days. Times may vary.
Renewal	Mandatory for continued lawful functioning.
Renewal conditions	The company must continue to comply with the all the licensing conditions.
Initial permit documents	Company-related documents (proof of registration), license suitability documents (premises-related, other documents attesting to the company's compliance).
Renewal documents	Continued compliance is proven via the relevant documents which include the ones used for the initial licensing.
Assistance for document submission	Included in our licensing packages for businesses.
License suspension	If any irregularities/non-compliance is determined via inspection.
Licenses for foreign companies in Romania	Yes, applicable per their operating business field.
Special documents for foreign companies licensed in Romania	Will include documents concerning the foreign company doing business in Romania.
Conditions for the submitted documents	Some documents must be translated into Romanian.
Third-party applications	Possible. Ask our team for details on how we can assist you with your application.
Other services for companies in Romania	Complete solutions for company incorporation and registration with the National Trade Register Office.
Our team	Experienced company formation agents with proven experience and knowledge of the local commercial and foreign investment laws.
Why work with us	We offer a one-stop-shop for company formation in Romania.
When to contact us	As soon as you decide to open a business in Romania or when you need licensing for an already registered company.

Examples of Romanian trade licenses  
 

One of the most common examples we can use to exemplify the need to apply for a trade license in Romania is the import-export authorization (as it is called in Romanian).
 
Different conditions for licensing apply, depending on the imported and/or exported goods.  A common example in this category is the import/export of medicinal products. Companies that need to apply for a trade license in Romania that will be used in connection with this purpose will need the approval of the Ministry of Health.
 
Pharmacies and drugstores need to be authorized in Romania and a special authorization is also obtained for:
 

• the supply of medicines for special population categories (those categorized as the “special needs population”);

• the import and/or export of narcotic and psychotropic products and substances.

 
This type of license is obtained after the process to register a company in Romania is completed, and the new business has an established work point (as declared and registered with the National Trade Register Office).
 
Please keep in mind that applications are submitted to local authorities. This means that a company registered in Bucharest will submit its dossier to the authorities that operate in the Bucharest Municipality region.
 
County or regional authorities serve each area in the country and our team can help guide you if you wish to open a company in cities like Cluj-Napoca or Brasov, where you will need to contact other county authorities. 

Examples of required permits and licenses

• activity-specific licenses: included here are the ones for banking, manufacturing, broadcasting, as well as other types of services;
• environmental permit: for companies involved in animal farming activities, as well as mixed farming and other services related to agriculture;
• sanitary authorizations: for companies involved in the provision of services that will need to comply with the current public hygiene and public health regulations;
• veterinary sanitary authorization - certifies that the activities of the establishments producing, processing, storing, transporting and/or distributing products of animal origin meet the sanitary-veterinary operating conditions established by the EU and national veterinary legislation;
• the fire safety authorization: issued by the Romanian General Inspectorate for Emergency Situations – certifies that the premises of the business comply with the fire safety regulations currently in force in the country.

How to apply for business licenses in Romania
 

1. register a company in Romania: a new company needs to be duly registered, as the authorities will request its Certificate of Registration for licensing purposes;
2. determine the required licenses: this is commonly done according to the industry in which the company will activate; depending on this, one or more licenses will be required; for example, a restaurant will need to obtain sanitary authorizations, as well as fire safety authorizations;
3. determine the authorities with which the application is made: each licensing or authorization request is submitted to the Romanian authority in charge of the particular licensing activities; this is a step during which our team can provide you with the needed counsel;
4. prepare the documents: a complete and correct submission is needed; our team can guide you throughout the process to ensure complete compliance with the current documentation requirements, so that you may avoid any unnecessary delays due to incomplete submissions.

• butcher’s shop: 425 lei/unit;
• milk vending machine: 56 lei/unit;
• cake shop and similar establishments: 425 lei/unit;
• pizzeria, catering firm, others: 283 lei/unit.

For any further details or information please do not hesitate to contact us.

by Cristian Darie