Key takeaways
- Domiciliation in Flanders is legal if the service provider is registered with the FPS Economy (law of 29 March 2018).
- Article 2:33 of the CAC requires Dutch for the deeds of incorporation and articles of association of companies whose registered office is in the Flemish Region.
- Flanders removed the basiskennis bedrijfsbeheer requirement from 1 September 2018, well ahead of Brussels (2024) and Wallonia (2025).
- Registering the registered office with the CBE costs approximately €111 (same legal rate throughout Belgium).
- A domiciliation contract must cover a minimum of three months to be valid for CBE registration purposes.
Company domiciliation in Flanders provides any Belgian company with a recognised registered office address in the country's leading economic region. Whether you are a French-speaking entrepreneur looking for an address in the Flemish suburbs of Brussels, or a director seeking to anchor your business in Antwerp, Ghent or Leuven, the rules are clear and the legal framework is solid. This guide details the specific obligations applicable in the Flemish Region, the practical steps to follow and the key points to watch for non-Dutch-speaking founders.
The legal framework applicable in Flanders
Company domiciliation rests on a federal legal framework, common to all three regions of the country.
The Companies and Associations Code (CAC), which came into force on 1 May 2019, requires every company governed by Belgian law to have its statutory registered office on Belgian territory. The registered office may be established at the address of a specialised service provider: this is what is known as company domiciliation. The chosen address is stated in the deed of incorporation, published in the Annexes to the Belgian Official Gazette and registered with the Crossroads Bank for Enterprises (CBE).
The law of 29 March 2018 on the registration of providers of company services (PSPs) requires anyone who professionally provides a registered office address to a company to register with the FPS Economy before carrying out this activity. This obligation came into force on 1 September 2018. Operating without registration is punishable by a fine of €250 to €100,000. It applies to Flemish providers as well as those in any other region. The official register of registered providers is available online on the FPS Economy website.
The language of deeds: Dutch is mandatory
This is the main point to watch for French-speaking entrepreneurs who wish to domicile in Flanders.
Article 2:33 of the Companies and Associations Code (CAC) sets the rule: the language of the deed of incorporation and the articles of association is determined by the linguistic region where the company's registered office is located. In the Dutch-language region (the Flemish Region), the articles of association, the deed of incorporation and all official publications in the Belgian Official Gazette must therefore be drafted in Dutch.
This obligation applies to all companies with their registered office in Flanders, regardless of the nationality or mother tongue of the founders. For French-speaking directors, this means two additional steps compared with a Brussels or Walloon domiciliation.
First, the notary executing the deed of incorporation must work in Dutch. Most medium-sized Flemish notarial offices offer services in French, and a bilingual notary can simplify communication while producing the deed in Dutch.
Second, dealings with Flemish administrations (business counters, municipal administrations, the competent Enterprise Court) take place in Dutch. For the day-to-day management of the registered office, this represents a limited volume of formalities, but it should be factored in when choosing your address.
Flanders, a pioneer in access to entrepreneurship
The Flemish Region removed the obligation to prove basic management knowledge (basiskennis bedrijfsbeheer) from 1 September 2018, several years ahead of the country's other two regions. Brussels-Capital followed on 15 January 2024, and Wallonia on 1 October 2025. Today, no Belgian region imposes this requirement for starting a self-employed activity or forming a company.
In Flanders, this simplification has helped boost company creation since 2018. For founders, this means that no management certificate or attestation needs to be produced when registering with the CBE, regardless of their educational background.
Regulated professions are an exception: sector-specific access conditions (construction, food, real estate, security, etc.) continue to apply in full regardless of the region where the registered office is domiciled.
The main domiciliation cities in Flanders
Flanders offers a variety of cities and business zones in which to domicile your registered office.
Antwerp is Europe's second-largest port and the country's leading economic hub. An Antwerp address projects outward to the Netherlands, Germany and northern European markets. It is particularly suited to companies active in international trade, logistics or business services.
Ghent is a rapidly growing technology, academic and creative hub. The city attracts many start-ups, university spin-offs and innovative SMEs. Its dynamic entrepreneurial fabric lends credibility to young companies.
Leuven, some thirty kilometres from Brussels, combines proximity to the capital with a world-class academic ecosystem (KU Leuven). It is an address of choice for technology or consulting companies that want a Flemish foothold without moving far from Brussels.
Bruges and Hasselt offer more affordable alternatives, suited to local or regional activities. The Flemish suburbs of Brussels (Zaventem, Kraainem, Overijse, Tervuren) are particularly popular among Brussels-based or expatriate entrepreneurs: they combine immediate accessibility with a Flemish address at often lower costs than Brussels addresses.
Domicile your company in Flanders
Monsiegesocial offers recognised registered office addresses in the Flemish Region, with mail management, scanning and administrative support. CBE registration included in the packages.
Steps to domicile your company in Flanders
The procedure is the same as elsewhere in Belgium, with the additional step of choosing a notary who works in Dutch for the incorporation.
Domiciliation in Flanders checklist
Choose a PSP service provider registered with the FPS Economy
Verify registration before signing. The register is public and available on the FPS Economy website. A minimum three-month contract is required for CBE registration.
Sign the domiciliation contract
The contract must cover a minimum of three months and clearly define the services included (mail reception, access to meeting rooms, etc.).
Appoint a bilingual notary for the incorporation
In Flanders, the deed of incorporation must be drafted and signed in Dutch. A bilingual notary (Dutch-French) makes it easier for French-speaking founders to understand the deed.
Include the Flemish address in the articles of association
The registered office must be stated explicitly in the articles of association drafted in Dutch. The linguistic region (Flanders) determines the language of the deed (Article 2:33 CAC).
Register with the CBE via an accredited business counter
Cost: approximately €111 per establishment unit (legal rate set by royal decree, not subject to VAT). The business counter then forwards the data to the FPS Finance for automatic creation of the tax file.
Notify the competent administrations
FPS Finance for the VAT number, INASTI if self-employed, publication in the Belgian Official Gazette via the notary or the registry of the Enterprise Court.
Flanders or Brussels: how to choose your registered office address
Many entrepreneurs hesitate between a Brussels address and a Flemish address. Both options are legally equivalent, but have different characteristics.
| Flanders | Brussels-Capital | |
|---|---|---|
| Language of articles | Dutch mandatory (Art. 2:33 CAC) | French or Dutch, freely chosen |
| CBE fee | ~€111 per establishment unit | ~€111 per establishment unit |
| Minimum contract duration | 3 months | 3 months |
| Basiskennis bedrijfsbeheer | Removed since Sept. 2018 | Removed since Jan. 2024 |
| Domiciliation price range | Often lower than Brussels outside the capital | Wide range, premium addresses available |
| Access to regional programmes | Vlaio programmes and Flemish entrepreneurship support | Bruxelles Entreprises and hub.brussels programmes |
From a strictly legal standpoint, a Flemish address and a Brussels address confer the same rights and obligations. The choice should reflect your commercial ecosystem, your target clients and your administrative needs. If you do not speak Dutch, a Brussels or Walloon address simplifies the statutory formalities; if your clients or suppliers are mainly Flemish, an address in Flanders reinforces your local presence.
Further reading
- Company domiciliation in Wallonia: rules, cities and practical steps: the mirror guide for the Walloon Region, with linguistic rules, the 2025 simplifications and key cities.
- Transfer of registered office in Belgium: practical guide: if you wish to move an existing registered office to Flanders from another region.
- Company domiciliation services in Flanders: Monsiegesocial packages for your Flemish registered office, with mail management and administrative support.
