Why buy a ready-made company in Estonia

A ready-made company — also called a shelf company or an aged company — is an Estonian private limited company (OÜ) that was registered earlier, has never traded, and is sold to a new owner with its registry code and registration date. For some founders it saves weeks; for others a new company is the better choice. This guide gives the honest reasons on both sides, so that you buy a ready-made company only when it actually helps.

The guide is general information, not legal or tax advice.

Seven reasons to buy a ready-made company

1. You need a company now. The company already exists; the change of owner and board is a single notarial act, followed by the entry in the register.
2. A registration date in the past. Some tenders, banks, payment providers and partners ask how long a company has existed. A ready-made company has a history of registration — though not of business.
3. A VAT number from day one. In the VAT packages the company already has an active Estonian and EU VAT number, so you avoid the separate registration with the Tax and Customs Board.
4. No travel to Estonia. In the remote packages the transfer is signed for you on the basis of a power of attorney you sign at home.
5. Address and contact person included. Every package includes the registered address in Estonia and the licensed contact person for the first 12 months.
6. A clean company. The company has had no business, no debts and no employees; we confirm this before the transfer.
7. A known, fixed price. Each package has a published price; add-ons are priced on the same list.

Three cases when a new company is better

• You want your own business name from the start — a ready-made company can change its name, but that is an extra register entry.
• You hold an Estonian ID card or an e-residency card and the registration date has no value for you — a new company can then be registered online with your own name.
• You want to choose every founding detail — shareholders, share capital and articles from day one — and have a few days: then a new company fits better.

See the side-by-side comparison on the ready-made company page and the guide ready-made or new company.

What the price includes

The four basic packages cost €900 (in person, without VAT number), €1,150 (in person, with VAT number), €1,200 (remote, without VAT number) and €1,450 (remote, with VAT number). The registered address and the licensed contact person for the first 12 months are already included in every package. Additional board members or shareholders are added in the order form.

How the purchase works

1. You choose a package in the order form and answer the due diligence questions.
2. We confirm the company, prepare the transfer documents and book the notary.
3. You sign at a notary in Tallinn, or sign a power of attorney before a notary in your home country (as a rule with an apostille; not needed in Latvia, Lithuania, Poland or Ukraine).
4. The Estonian notary certifies the transfer; the register shows you as the owner and board member.
5. We send you the company documents and confirm the address and contact person service.

The transfer of a share is always certified by a notary — in person or by power of attorney. We do not offer it as an online-only service.

What is not included

Accounting and annual reports after the purchase, taxes, and the fees of a notary in your home country on the remote route. We do not provide services to citizens of Russia or to companies from Russia.

Prices exclude VAT. All communication takes place by email. See also: ready-made company packages, companies for sale, annual costs of an Estonian company.

Frequently asked questions