Real Cost of Setting Up an SRL in Belgium: Fees and Notary Costs

Key takeaways

• Three fixed costs are known upfront: 111.50 euros at the BCE, 236.50 euros excl. VAT at the Moniteur belge for an electronic filing (292.90 euros for a paper filing), and 314 euros excl. VAT of notarial incidental costs for an SRL with standard articles.
• No minimum capital is required since the CSA, but the financial plan must demonstrate sufficient starting equity.
• The notary's own fee is not a flat amount: it depends on the contributions and the complexity of the file, hence the value of a written quote.
• The registered office (a domiciliation service or a lease) weighs on the running budget, not on the setup cost, but it still belongs in the financial plan.

Many founders put off setting up an SRL because they do not know its real cost. Yet three amounts are fixed by decree and known before signing anything: 111.50 euros for registration with the Crossroads Bank for Enterprises, 236.50 euros excl. VAT for publication in the Moniteur belge via an electronic filing (292.90 euros excl. VAT for a paper filing), and 314 euros excl. VAT of notarial incidental costs for an SRL with standard articles of association. What varies, on the other hand, is the notary's own fee and the optional support of an accountant. This article breaks down each item, in the order they fall due, to build a realistic budget before the first meeting with the notary.

The three fixed legal costs of incorporation

These amounts are fixed by royal decree and apply regardless of the notary chosen or the region.

Registering with the BCE officially records the company and assigns its company number, a condition for any legal activity in Belgium. Publication in the Moniteur belge makes the constitution deed enforceable against third parties: its tariff depends on the filing channel, 236.50 euros excl. VAT for an electronic filing (the near-universal route used by notaries) versus 292.90 euros excl. VAT for a paper filing. The flat fee for incidental costs and disbursements covers the notary's administrative steps tied to this deed (filing, preliminary searches, formalities), excluding the notary's own fee.

The notary's fee: the part that really varies

The 314-euro flat fee does not cover the notary's full invoice. The notary's own fee remains separate and depends on several factors specific to the file: the value of the contributions, the number of shareholders, whether contributions in kind are used, and the complexity of the articles of association if founders move away from the standard model.

This is why two SRLs set up the same month, at two different notaries, can show different final invoices even though the three fixed costs are identical. Asking for a written quote before signing remains the only reliable way to know the total amount: most notarial offices provide one at no obligation.

That quote should break down the notary's own fee, the legal flat fee for incidental costs and disbursements, and the estimated actual disbursements (copies, searches, related formalities) as separate lines. A quote that does not distinguish these three lines makes comparing notaries harder.

Items to price before signing the constitution deed

• Full notarial quote

  Ask for the breakdown between the legal flat fee, the proportional fee, and the estimated actual disbursements.

• Financial plan

  Mandatory document handed to the notary; assess whether support from an accountant is worth it.

• Registered office

  A professional registered office service or a lease, with the monthly cost over the first two financial years.

• Business bank account

  Opening and account-keeping fees, worth comparing across banks before incorporation.

• Professional insurance

  Professional liability or director's insurance, depending on the sector of activity.

The timeline and the sequence of steps

The cost is not limited to the amounts paid: each step also carries a timeframe, which determines when each cost becomes due.

1. 1

   Drafting the financial plan

   Before the notarial appointment

   Founders prepare the document that must be handed to the notary before the deed.

2. 2

   Notarial appointment

   Day of signing

   Signing of the constitution deed and the articles of association; the notary collects its fee, the flat fee for incidental costs, and the disbursements.

3. 3

   Filing and BCE registration

   A few days after the deed

   The notary forwards the deed for registration; the company receives its company number.

4. 4

   Publication in the Moniteur belge

   A few weeks after the deed

   The deed is published in the annexes of the Moniteur belge, making the company enforceable against third parties.

Going it alone or with professional support

Nothing stops founders from preparing the financial plan alone and only calling on the notary for the deed itself, but that choice carries its own hidden costs: time spent understanding the CSA's requirements, and a higher risk of a mistake on a point that carries personal liability in case of an early bankruptcy.

Support from an accountant or a specialised company-formation provider comes at a cost, but it lowers the risk of having to fix a file after the fact, which then costs more than support arranged upfront.

The registered office, a recurring item to plan for in the budget

Setup costs are one-off, but the registered office generates a monthly charge from the first day of activity. A professional registered office service shows a monthly fee known in advance, with no rental guarantee or property commitment, which precisely simplifies the projections in the financial plan handed to the notary. A commercial lease, by comparison, involves rent, a bank guarantee, and service charges that weigh more heavily on cash flow during the first two financial years.

This choice does not fall under setup costs as such, but it still belongs in the forecast budget presented to the notary: a poorly anticipated registered office weakens the credibility of the financial plan.

Set up your SRL on a controlled budget

Support for setting up an SRL and registered office services in Belgium, from the financial plan to BCE registration.

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Further reading

• Setting up an SRL in Belgium: the essential steps: the full path from incorporation to registration.
• SRL financial plan: role, content and drafting: what the notary requires before signing the deed.
• The official notary fee tariff (PDF, Chambre nationale des notaires), the 2026 Moniteur belge publication tariffs detailed by an accredited business formalities desk, and the text of the Code of Companies and Associations on ejustice.just.fgov.be.