Not every regulated business in Estonia needs a large financial licence. Three common activities that still require the company to meet specific conditions before it starts are debt collection, lending and road haulage. They are very different businesses, but they have one thing in common: an ordinary Estonian company is not enough on its own, and the authority must be satisfied before the activity begins.
This guide describes the three in general terms and explains how we work with clients who want an Estonian debt collection company, lending company or company with a transport (haulage) licence.
Debt collection company
A debt collection company recovers overdue claims, either on behalf of creditors or after acquiring the claims itself. In Estonia, debt collection is not a free activity: the provider must meet the conditions for the activity and be registered before it starts, and it must follow rules on how debtors may be contacted and treated. When consumer claims are involved, these conduct rules are especially important.
Typical points to prepare are:
- a clear description of the service: collecting on behalf of clients, buying claims, or both;
- the people who will manage the company and their reliability;
- internal rules on communication with debtors, handling of personal data and complaints;
- measures against money laundering and terrorist financing where they apply;
- the registration of the activity with the competent authority before starting.
Lending company
Lending covers a wide range of models: consumer loans, loans to businesses, instalment credit, loans secured by property and others. In Estonia, providing credit to consumers requires an activity licence from the Estonian Financial Supervision Authority (Finantsinspektsioon), and the lender must follow detailed rules on responsible lending, advertising, pre-contract information and creditworthiness assessment. Lending only to businesses is regulated differently, but it can still involve obligations, for example under anti-money laundering rules.
The key questions for a lending company are therefore:
- Who are the borrowers: consumers, businesses, or both?
- What products will be offered, and how will the loans be financed?
- Who will own and manage the company, and can they show the required reliability and competence?
- How will creditworthiness be assessed and how will the company handle complaints and arrears?
The answers determine whether a licence from the Financial Supervision Authority is required, and what the application must contain.
Company with a transport (haulage) licence
Carrying goods by road for hire or reward is a regulated activity in the European Union. In Estonia, the activity licence for road haulage is issued by the Estonian Transport Administration (Transpordiamet). A company that carries goods between EU countries also needs the EU (Community) licence, which is issued on the basis of the same conditions.
Across the EU, the conditions for a road haulage operator follow the same four principles:
- real establishment in the country that issues the licence;
- good repute of the company, its managers and its transport manager;
- financial standing, meaning that the company can show sufficient financial resources for the vehicles it operates;
- professional competence, shown by a transport manager with the required certificate of professional competence.
The number of vehicles, their weight class and whether the transport is national or international all affect the requirements.
How we work with you
The Estonian debt collection company, the Estonian lending company and the Estonian company with a transport (haulage) licence are listed on our licensed and regulated companies page, each with a fixed price. Because the requirements depend strongly on the business model, we ask you to describe your plans first, so that we can confirm by email what the service covers in your case before you order.
- Fill in the request form: choose the service, describe the planned activity, the ownership structure and your desired timeline, and add your contact details.
- We reply by email and confirm the scope and the next steps.
- No work starts and no payment is taken before you have received our reply and agreed to proceed.
- State fees are not included in our prices and are charged separately.
- Licences and registrations are granted by the competent authorities. We cannot guarantee the outcome or the timing.
- Requirements that depend on your own people and resources, such as a qualified transport manager, the reliability of managers or the financing of loans or vehicles, must be met by your company.
- We are licensed by the Estonian Financial Intelligence Unit (licence FIU000117) and must carry out due diligence on our clients.
- All communication takes place by email.
Which one do you need?
If your business collects money that is owed to others, look at debt collection. If it gives credit, look at lending, and if it moves customers' money without lending it, a payment institution may be the right framework instead. If it carries goods by road for others, you need the haulage licence. Many businesses need only an ordinary company: in that case, a new company or a ready-made company is enough.
Related guides
- Estonian payment institution licence
- New Estonian company formation
- Ready-made Estonian company with EU VAT
- Estonia as a place to do business
This guide is general information about these activities and our service. It is not legal advice and does not replace an assessment of your specific business.