Key takeaways
- Domiciling your company in Wallonia is legal provided the service provider is registered with the FPS Economy (law of 29 March 2018).
- The Walloon Region requires French as the language of official documents; the German-speaking Community (Eastern Cantons) also permits German.
- Since 1 October 2025, entrepreneurs in Wallonia no longer need to prove basic management knowledge to start their business.
- Registering the registered office with the CBE costs approximately €111 (legal fee, the same throughout Belgium).
- A domiciliation contract must cover a minimum of three months to be valid for CBE registration purposes.
Wallonia comprises five provinces — Hainaut, Liège, Luxembourg, Namur and Brabant Wallon — and is an attractive territory for domiciling a company. Whether you are a Walloon entrepreneur or wish to have an address in the Walloon Region for commercial reasons, the rules are clear. This guide summarises the legal framework common to all of Belgium, the specificities of Wallonia, and the concrete steps for registering your registered office.
The legal framework applicable in Wallonia
Company domiciliation is subject to a national legal framework, identical in all three regions of the country.
The Companies and Associations Code (CAC), which entered into force on 1 May 2019, requires that any company governed by Belgian law have its statutory registered office on Belgian territory. The address of the registered office appears in the deed of incorporation, is published in the Annexes of the Belgian Official Gazette and is registered with the Crossroads Bank for Enterprises (CBE). This registered office may be established at the address of a domiciliation service provider — this is company domiciliation proper.
The law of 29 March 2018 on the registration of providers of services to companies (PSP) requires anyone who professionally provides a registered office address to a company to register with the FPS Economy before carrying out this activity. This registration has been mandatory since 1 September 2018. Operating without registration is punishable by a fine of €250 to €100,000. This obligation applies to Walloon providers as well as those in any other region.
The language rule in Wallonia
Belgium is divided into linguistic regions, each subject to its own language-use regulations. In Wallonia, two systems coexist.
The French-language region covers almost the entire Walloon territory. Official company documents — articles of association, deeds of incorporation, publications in the Belgian Official Gazette, correspondence with public administrations — must be drafted in French. This applies regardless of the nationality of the founders or the activity carried out.
The German-speaking Community comprises the Eastern Cantons (Eupen, Sankt-Vith and their district), located east of the province of Liège. In this area, the use of German is permitted for official deeds and documents. Some documents may also be drafted in French depending on the preferences of the parties.
This distinction is crucial when drafting the articles of association with the notary: the competent enterprise court registry will be that of the judicial district where the registered office is located. Transferring the registered office from one linguistic region to another (for example from Wallonia to Brussels or to Flanders) requires a translation of the articles of association and a specific procedure.
The Walloon simplification since 1 October 2025
Wallonia has simplified access to entrepreneurship with a reform that entered into force on 1 October 2025: people wishing to become self-employed in Wallonia no longer need to prove basic management knowledge to obtain their CBE registration.
Before that date, any person applying for registration as a business manager in Wallonia had to demonstrate management training or equivalent practical experience. This condition for accessing entrepreneurship, unique to Wallonia among Belgian regions, has been abolished to align the Region with Brussels-Capital and Flanders, which had already abandoned it earlier, as well as with other European countries where comparative studies showed a positive effect on business creation.
What does not change: professional competency requirements for regulated professions remain compulsory. A future restaurateur, baker, construction contractor or real estate agent must still meet the sectoral conditions for accessing their profession.
The main domiciliation cities in Wallonia
Wallonia offers many domiciliation addresses spread across its territory. The choice of city can influence your company's image.
Namur is the administrative capital of the Walloon Region and hosts the regional institutions. Domiciling in Namur sends a strong signal of Walloon rootedness and allows proximity to regional administrations.
Liège is Wallonia's main economic hub. Its industrial and commercial tradition, its university and its river port make it a credible address for many business sectors.
Brabant Wallon (Wavre, Waterloo, Louvain-la-Neuve) is particularly attractive to service companies, consultants and academic spin-offs thanks to its proximity to Brussels and its dense network of SMEs.
Hainaut (Charleroi, Mons, La Louvière) has a diverse economic fabric, benefiting from regional revitalisation programmes. Domiciliation fees in these cities are generally more accessible.
Domicile your company in Wallonia
Steps for domiciling your company in Wallonia
The procedure is identical to that applied in the rest of Belgium.
Choose a PSP provider registered with the FPS Economy
Verify the registration before signing. The register is public and can be consulted on the FPS Economy website.
Sign a domiciliation contract with a minimum duration of three months
A contract of less than three months is not valid for CBE registration purposes.
Include the address in the deed of incorporation
The registered office must appear in the articles of association drawn up by the notary, in French (or in German in the Eastern Cantons).
Register with the CBE through an accredited enterprise counter
Cost: approximately €111 per business unit (legal fee set by royal decree, not subject to VAT).
Notify the competent administrations
FPS Finance for the VAT number, INASTI if self-employed, Belgian Official Gazette via the notary or registry.
Domiciliation in Wallonia or Brussels: a comparison
Many entrepreneurs wonder whether it is better to choose a Brussels address — sometimes perceived as more internationally visible — or a Walloon address.
Advantages
- Same legal validity as a Brussels address
- Often more accessible fees outside the capital
- Regional rootedness valued for a mainly Walloon clientele
- Access to entrepreneurship support programmes in the Walloon Region
Disadvantages
- International prestige sometimes perceived as lower than Brussels
- Fewer providers available than in the Brussels region
- A subsequent transfer to Brussels requires a linguistic region change procedure
From a strictly legal point of view, a Walloon address and a Brussels address confer the same rights and the same obligations. The choice should above all reflect your operational needs and the image you wish to project to your clients.
Conclusion
Domiciling your company in Wallonia is subject to the same federal rules as elsewhere in Belgium — compliance with the CAC, registered PSP provider, CBE registration — with two regional specificities to keep in mind: the use of French in official documents (or German in the Eastern Cantons) and, since 1 October 2025, the abolition of the basic management knowledge requirement for accessing entrepreneurship.
Choosing Namur, Liège, Brabant Wallon or another Walloon city means having a legally valid address in a region that is actively simplifying access to business creation. For the choice and set-up of your registered office address in Wallonia, the Monsiegesocial team is at your disposal.
