For clients from abroad
Buy a ready-made Estonian company from the UK
You buy an existing Estonian private limited company (OÜ) by taking over its share. The transfer is signed at a notary office in Tallinn or remotely, under a notarised power of attorney that you sign before a notary in the UK; the remote purchase without a VAT number costs €1,200. The registered address and contact person service for the first year is included.
In short
You buy an existing Estonian private limited company (OÜ) by taking over its share. The transfer is signed at a notary office in Tallinn or remotely, under a notarised power of attorney that you sign before a notary in the UK; the remote purchase without a VAT number costs €1,200 . The registered address and contact person service for the first year is included.
Who an Estonian shelf company is for
This page is for business owners in the United Kingdom who want to buy an Estonian private limited company (OÜ), and for accountants and advisers who handle the purchase for a client.
The remote purchase is for a buyer who does not want to travel to Tallinn: it is signed on your behalf with a notarised power of attorney — no trip to Estonia. Licences are not included in a ready-made company.
What a ready-made company in Estonia costs
There are four packages at a fixed price. Purchase in person at a notary office in Tallinn: without a VAT number €900, with a VAT number €1,150. Remote purchase by notarised power of attorney: without a VAT number €1,200, with a VAT number €1,450.
The price includes the Estonian notary fees and state fees, a registered address in Estonia and a licensed contact person for the first 12 months; in the remote packages also the sworn translation of the power of attorney in Estonia. In a remote purchase you pay only for signing the power of attorney in your own country (the local notary fee and the apostille). Express (signing at a notary office in Tallinn within 1–3 days) costs €500.
Packages and prices
| Package | Price | Order |
|---|---|---|
| Purchase in person at a notary office in Tallinn — WITHOUT VAT number | €900. The registered address and contact person service for the first year is included. | Order |
| Purchase in person at a notary office in Tallinn — WITH VAT number | €1,150. The registered address and contact person service for the first year is included. | Order |
| Remote purchase by notarised power of attorney — WITHOUT VAT number | €1,200. The registered address and contact person service for the first year is included. | Order |
| Remote purchase by notarised power of attorney — WITH VAT number | €1,450. The registered address and contact person service for the first year is included. | Order |
How to buy an Estonian company from the UK
The transfer of a share is always certified by a notary — in person or by power of attorney.
- You choose in the order form the package with or without a VAT number; we ask about the planned field of activity by email after the order.
- You choose whether you sign in person at a notary office in Tallinn or by a notarised power of attorney.
- After the order and payment you send us by email the details of the new shareholders and management board members, with identity documents and proof of address.
- In a remote purchase we draft the power of attorney, which you sign before a notary in your country. We tell you whether an apostille is needed for your country. Signing and couriering the power of attorney typically takes 5–10 business days.
- You, or we under your power of attorney, sign the transfer of the share at the notary. Signing in Tallinn usually takes place within 6–10 days of the order and payment, and a remote purchase takes longer.
- The Commercial Register then makes its entry on its own schedule. We hand over the company documents and keep providing the registered address and contact person for the 12 months included in the package.
What details and documents are needed
- Identity documents and proof of address of the new shareholders and management board members.
- The details of each shareholder that is a company; we ask for them by email after the order.
- In a remote purchase, the notarised power of attorney.
What to know about tax in the United Kingdom
UK law looks at where the company is managed. A company incorporated in the UK is UK resident (Corporation Tax Act 2009, section 14). For a company incorporated abroad, such as an OÜ, residence follows the case-law rule that HMRC describes in its International Manual (INTM120060): a company resides where its central management and control actually abides.
A UK resident company is chargeable to corporation tax on all its profits wherever arising (section 5(1)). A company that is not UK resident is within the charge only in limited cases — among them, when it carries on a trade in the UK through a permanent establishment there (section 5(2) and (3)).
If a company is resident in both states under the treaty's definition, the competent authorities of the two states shall endeavour to settle the question by mutual agreement; without such agreement, the company is not entitled to any relief or exemption from tax under the treaty (convention signed in London on 12 May 1994, article 4(3)). This is general information, not tax advice for your case: have your plan reviewed by a tax adviser before you buy.
More in the guide: Estonian company run from the UK: where it is taxed
Why order from LexorCorp Global
- Four packages at fixed, published prices that include the Estonian notary fees and state fees.
- A registered address in Estonia and a licensed contact person for the first 12 months in every package.
- Packages with a VAT number.
- In a remote purchase we draft the power of attorney and sign in Tallinn on your behalf.
- We assist with the transfer of ownership and management.
Frequently asked questions
Can I buy a ready-made Estonian company without travelling to Estonia?
Yes. In the remote packages the share transfer is signed on your behalf under a notarised power of attorney, which you sign before a notary in your country. We tell you whether an apostille is needed for your country.
How much does an Estonian shelf company cost?
Purchase in person in Tallinn costs €900 without a VAT number and €1,150 with one; remote purchase by notarised power of attorney costs €1,200 without a VAT number and €1,450 with one. The registered address and contact person service for the first year is included.
How long does it take to buy a company in Estonia?
Signing in person at a notary office in Tallinn is usually within 6–10 days of the order and payment (within 1–3 days with Express); a remote purchase adds the time to sign and courier the power of attorney (typically 5–10 business days); the Commercial Register then makes its entry on its own schedule.
Is an Estonian company run from the UK taxed in the UK?
For a company incorporated abroad, residence follows the rule that a company resides where its central management and control actually abides (HMRC International Manual, INTM120060). A UK resident company is chargeable to corporation tax on all its profits wherever arising (Corporation Tax Act 2009, section 5(1)).
This is general information, not legal or tax advice. The Commercial Register decides on the entry, the notary certifies the transfer and the tax authority decides on taxation.