In short: an Estonian private limited company (OÜ) and a Colombian simplified joint-stock company (sociedad por acciones simplificada, S.A.S.) are both companies that one person can found and whose owners are liable only up to their contributions. They differ in the founding document, in the capital rules, in how a share changes hands and in when the company's profit is taxed. This page sets the facts of both side by side from the official texts; it does not say which is better for you.

The facts side by side

The company and its owners: Estonian OÜ: One founder with one share is a valid company (Commercial Code § 148(1)); a shareholder is not personally liable for the company's obligations (§ 135(2), (3)); Colombian S.A.S.: Can be formed by one or more natural or legal persons, who are liable only up to the amount of their contributions (Ley 1258 de 2008, art. 1); once entered in the commercial register it is a legal person separate from its shareholders (art. 2)
Founding document: Estonian OÜ: At a notary in Tallinn or by power of attorney; online without a notary for a founder with an e-residency card or Estonian ID card; Colombian S.A.S.: Created by a contract or a unilateral act in a private document, entered in the commercial register of the chamber of commerce of its main domicile (art. 5)
Capital: Estonian OÜ: Share capital in euros (Commercial Code § 136); the smallest share has a nominal value of one cent (§ 148(1)); Colombian S.A.S.: Capital can be subscribed and paid on terms other than those of the Commercial Code for public limited companies, but the shares must in no case be paid within more than two years (art. 9); the article sets no minimum
Transfer of a share: Estonian OÜ: Notarised; the notary sends the notice to the register within two days (Commercial Code § 149); Colombian S.A.S.: The by-laws may prohibit trading the shares for up to ten years from their issue, extendable only by all the shareholders (art. 13), or make every transfer subject to the prior approval of the assembly (art. 14); a transfer against the by-laws is ineffective (art. 15)
Yearly filing: Estonian OÜ: Annual report within six months after the end of the financial year (Commercial Code § 179); Colombian S.A.S.: Not covered by the official texts used here
How company profit is taxed: Estonian OÜ: Corporate income tax is paid when profit is distributed; no income tax is paid on profit while it stays in the company — see how Estonia taxes company profit; Colombian S.A.S.: A national company is taxed on income from Colombian and from foreign sources (Estatuto Tributario, art. 12); the general income tax rate for national companies is 35 percent (art. 240)
VAT number: Estonian OÜ: An Estonian VAT number is an EU VAT number that customers can check in VIES; Colombian S.A.S.: Colombia is not a member state of the European Union

This is general information, not tax advice: in Estonia the tax becomes due when profit is distributed, and LexorCorp Global does not provide tax advice. The rule and its official sources are in the guide How Estonia taxes company profit.

What each route requires

Estonia. Customer due diligence by the service provider, a registered address in the commercial register and, if the company's address is abroad, a contact person in Estonia (Commercial Register Act § 24). A ready-made company or a formation at a notary needs no e-residency.
Colombia. A private founding document entered in the commercial register (Ley 1258 de 2008, art. 5), shares paid within at most two years (art. 9), and the by-laws' rules on trading shares (art. 13 and 14).

How an Estonian company is obtained

Choose the route: a ready-made company that already exists, a new company formed at a notary or by power of attorney, or online formation with an e-residency card.
Order online and pay by card; the order form shows the total before you pay.
Identification. As a provider licensed by the Estonian Financial Intelligence Unit (FIU000117) we identify every client first.
Signing at a notary in Tallinn, by a power of attorney signed in your country, or digitally on the online route.
Register entry and documents in PDF by email.

Documents

For an Estonian company you are asked for an identity document and proof of address of the board members and beneficial owners; on the remote route a power of attorney signed before a notary in your country, as a rule with an apostille.

Prices of the Estonian routes

ready-made company: €900 Registered address and contact person service for one year are included. in person, €1,200 remote; with a VAT number €1,150 and €1,450;
new company: €950 Registered address and contact person service for one year are included. in person, €1,250 remote;
online formation for an e-resident: €950 Registered address and contact person service for one year are included..

The Estonian notary fees and state fees, the registered address and the contact person for the first 12 months are included in these prices. We do not form Colombian companies, and this page states no Colombian register fee.

Timeline

The Colombian texts used here set no number of days for the registration, and for Estonia this page states none either: the time depends on the notary's appointment, on customer due diligence and on the register. A ready-made company already exists, so only the transfer has to be done.

Limits of this comparison

It compares formation, capital, share transfer, yearly filing and the company's own tax rate, not the tax result for you: where a company is taxed depends on where it is managed and where its owner lives. If you will run an Estonian company from Colombia, see Estonian company run from Colombia.
Opening a bank or payment account is decided by the bank or payment institution in both countries.
The Colombian figures are those of the Senate's official compilation on the day it was read (22 October 2026) and can change; the laws are in Spanish and the English wording is ours.

Related service

If the Estonian route fits, start with the ready-made company packages or the list of companies for sale; ready-made or new compares the two Estonian routes.

Official sources

Colombia: Ley 1258 de 2008 (sociedad por acciones simplificada), articles 1, 2, 5, 9, 13, 14 and 15; Estatuto Tributario, articles 12 and 240 — Secretaría General del Senado, official compilation read on 22 October 2026;
Estonia: Commercial Code §§ 135, 136, 148, 149 and 179, Commercial Register Act § 24 — Riigi Teataja; company data — e-Business Register.

This guide is general information, not legal or tax advice for your specific situation.

Sources are named in the text, without links. To see which of our services your company needs, open the Business Navigator.

Estonian company (OÜ) or Colombian S.A.S.: the official facts compared