A ready-made company, sometimes called a shelf company, is an Estonian private limited company (osaühing, OÜ) that has already been registered in the Estonian Commercial Register and has not been used for business. Instead of forming a new company and waiting for the registration, you take over an existing one: the shares are transferred to you and you become the owner and manager.
This guide explains what a ready-made Estonian company is, who it suits, how the purchase works in person and by power of attorney, and what difference it makes whether the company comes with an Estonian VAT number or without one.
What you actually buy
When you buy a ready-made OÜ, you buy the shares of a company that already exists. The company keeps its registry code and its original registration date. After the transfer, the Commercial Register shows you as the shareholder, and the management board is changed so that you (or the person you choose) manage the company.
Our ready-made company packages include:
- a ready-made Estonian private limited company (OÜ);
- a registered address in Estonia for 12 months;
- a licensed contact person service for 12 months;
- one shareholder / buyer, who must be a private individual;
- preparation of the transfer documentation;
- legal assistance with the transfer of ownership and management;
- the documents in PDF.
A package includes exactly what is listed. Anything that is not listed, such as accounting or a bank account, is either an add-on with its own price or not part of the service.
Who a ready-made company suits
A ready-made company is a practical choice when:
- you want to start quickly with a company that is already registered, rather than wait for a new registration;
- an older registration date matters to you, for example because a counterparty prefers to work with companies that were not founded yesterday;
- you need an Estonian VAT number from day one to invoice business customers in other EU countries, and you prefer a company that already has one.
If none of these matter, a newly formed Estonian company can be the simpler option. Both routes give you an Estonian OÜ with a registered address and contact person.
Our ready-made and formation packages are for private individuals only: every shareholder and buyer must be a natural person. If a company or other legal entity will own the Estonian company, choose "Legal entity" in the order form and we will reply by email with an individual quote.
Two ways to buy: in person or by power of attorney
In Estonia, the transfer of shares in an OÜ is normally done in notarial form. That is why each of our packages says clearly how the transfer is signed.
In person at a notary office in Tallinn
You come to Tallinn and sign the transfer yourself at a notary office. We prepare the documentation in advance and agree the appointment with you by email. This route suits you if you can travel to Estonia and want to be present when the documents are signed.
Remotely by notarised power of attorney
You do not need to come to Estonia. You sign a power of attorney before a notary in your own country, and the transfer is signed on your behalf in Estonia on the basis of that power of attorney. Depending on the country where the power of attorney is signed, it may need an apostille or other legalisation before it can be used in Estonia; we tell you by email which form the document must have. Because this route involves more preparation, it is a separate package with its own price.
Apart from the purchase method and the VAT number, the four packages include the same services and can be combined with the same add-ons.
With a VAT number or without
This is the choice that most often causes confusion, so every package states it in its title.
WITH a VAT number
The company already has an active Estonian VAT number, which is also an EU VAT number. From the first day you can issue invoices with that number, and your business customers in other EU member states can check it in the EU's VIES system. For cross-border business-to-business trade inside the EU this is usually the main reason to choose this option.
WITHOUT a VAT number
The company has no VAT number. This is fine if you do not need one yet, for example if you are not trading with VAT-registered businesses in other EU countries, or if your turnover will stay below the level at which VAT registration becomes mandatory. You can apply for a VAT number later. The decision on VAT registration is always made by the Estonian Tax and Customs Board, which may ask for information about your planned business before it decides, so a company without a VAT number cannot be assumed to receive one at a particular time.
How the purchase works, step by step
- Choose a package on the ready-made company page, or choose a specific company from our list of companies for sale, where each company has its own price, founding date and VAT status.
- Order online. The order form shows the price of the package and of any add-ons you select. Fixed-price orders are paid by card through Revolut.
- Customer due diligence. As a provider licensed by the Estonian Financial Intelligence Unit (licence FIU000117), we must identify our clients. We ask by email for identity documents and any other information we need. We may refuse or stop a service if due diligence cannot be completed; in that case any payment for work not yet started is refunded.
- Transfer. We prepare the transfer documentation. You sign at a notary office in Tallinn, or the transfer is signed on your behalf with your notarised power of attorney.
- Documents. You receive the company documents in PDF by email. Physical delivery is available as a courier add-on.
All communication about your order takes place by email.
Useful add-ons
Add-ons are optional and each has its own price on the service page. They include an additional shareholder (private individual), an EORI number for customs, an LEI code, apostilled English-language documents, a company seal, courier delivery, an extension of the registered address and contact person, accounting and the annual report (quoted individually), assistance opening a Revolut Business or Wise account, and an online banking opening handbook. A bank or payment provider makes its own decision on opening an account; our assistance does not guarantee that an account will be opened.
After the purchase
An Estonian company has ongoing obligations: it must keep accounts and file an annual report every year, and it must keep a valid registered address and, if its management is abroad, a contact person in Estonia. Read our guide on annual reports, deletion and liquidation to see what happens later in the life of a company, and the overview Estonia as a place to do business for the wider picture.
This guide is general information about our service and about Estonian companies. It is not legal or tax advice for your specific situation.