Notary fees for setting up a private limited company: what are the costs in 2026?

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What does it cost to set up a private limited company?

In 2026, you can generally expect to pay around €1,000 to €1,300 excluding VAT in notary fees to set up a straightforward private limited company. This amount typically includes the notarial deed, administrative formalities, registration duties and document duties.

The exact cost depends on the specifics of your file. A straightforward incorporation with standard articles of association is usually less expensive than an incorporation involving multiple shareholders, specific arrangements, special voting rights, a contribution in kind or a more complex company structure.

The results of an online search for "notary fees for setting up a private limited company” vary considerably. This is because people do not always mean the same thing by notary fees. Sometimes they refer only to the notary's professional fee. In other cases, they mean the total cost of incorporation, including publication in the Belgian Official Gazette, registration with the CBE, VAT activation, the financial plan and support from an accountant or legal adviser.

That is why for a realistic overall budget, you should allow approximately €2,000 to €3,000 excluding VAT for a standard private limited company incorporation, depending on the level of support you need.

The initial estimate is as follows:

Important: since the reform of company law, private limited companies are no longer subject to a statutory minimum capital requirement. This doesn’t mean a company can be started with ‘no funds’. You must still provide sufficient initial capital and justify this in your financial plan.

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Why do you need a notary to set up a private limited company?

A private limited company is a company with legal personality and limited liability. This means the company has its own assets, separate from your private assets. This is precisely why the law imposes stricter requirements when setting up this type of company.

An authentic deed of incorporation is mandatory for a private limited company. This deed must be drawn up and executed by a notary. In other words, a private limited company cannot be set up without a notarial deed.

The deed of incorporation includes, among other things:

· the company’s name and registered office

· the purpose or activities of the private limited company

· the identity of the founders

· the articles of association, including agreements on shares and voting rights

· the appointment of directors

· the duration of the first financial year

The notary does more than just draw up the deed. They also check that the incorporation process complies with legal requirements, they retain the financial plan and arrange for the electronic filing of the deed. For a private limited company, cooperative company or public limited company, the notary can use this system to arrange the registration with the Crossroads Bank for Enterprises, filing with the registry office and submission to the Belgian Official Gazette in a single process.

This makes the process faster and administratively simpler, but not free of charge. The involvement of a notary remains mandatory.

Deed fees and the notary’s professional fee: what do you pay exactly?

When reference is made to notary fees for setting up a private limited company, this usually involves a combination of different components.

1. The notary’s professional fee

The professional fee is the remuneration for the notary’s work. This includes drafting and executing the deed of incorporation, checking the articles of association and guiding the founders through the legal formalities.

For a straightforward private limited company, the total notary fees are often around €1,000 to €1,300 excluding VAT. This may be higher for more complex files, for example if there are multiple shareholders, if you want to include special voting rights, if a contribution in kind is made or if a holding structure is set up at the same time.

2. Deed fees and administrative costs

In addition to the professional fee, there are deed fees and administrative costs. These relate to the drafting, processing, registration and filing of the deed. They may also include document duties and registration duties.

The deed of incorporation must be registered. For an authentic deed, the notary handles this within the statutory deadline. This registration gives the deed a fixed date and ensures the incorporation is legally valid.

3. Publication in the Belgian Official Gazette

After incorporation, an extract from the deed of incorporation must be published in the annexes to the Belgian Official Gazette. This is a separate cost. Since 1 March 2026, the publication fee for a company amounts to:

• €236.50 excl. VAT for electronic incorporation

• €292.90 excl. VAT for incorporation on paper

In practice, filing is almost exclusively done electronically via the notary as this is cheaper and faster than filing on paper.

4. CBE registration

Your private limited company also needs an enterprise number. Registration with the Crossroads Bank for Enterprises is done through an accredited enterprise counter. In 2026, this generally costs €111.50 excluding VAT.

Do you carry out VAT-liable activities? Then your VAT number must also be activated. If you do it yourself you can do it free of charge. If you have this done by an enterprise counter or accountant, a service fee will apply.

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No minimum capital, but sufficient initial capital

Here is a common misconception: “A private limited company no longer has minimum capital, so I can start with one euro.” True, legally speaking there is no longer a minimum capital requirement as there used to be for a BVBA. However, you must still demonstrate that your company has sufficient funds to carry out its planned activities normally for at least the first two years.

This is the purpose of the financial plan. Among other things, the plan must include:

· your sources of financing

· an opening balance sheet

· a projected balance sheet after 12 and 24 months

· an income and expenditure budget for at least two years

· the assumptions underlying your turnover, costs and profitability

· the name of the external adviser if you received assistance

The notary doesn’t assess whether your business idea is commercially brilliant. However, they will check whether the financial plan is available and whether it meets the formal requirements. If the company goes bankrupt within the first three years, the court may request this plan. If it then appears that you clearly provided insufficient funds from the outset, you may be held personally liable in your capacity as a founder.

In other words: cutting costs on a financial plan can prove expensive.

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What is the difference with incorporation via a notarial platform?

In Belgium, a company can also be set up digitally via notarial platforms such as StartMyBusiness or ManageMyBusiness. This sounds like bypassing the notary but that is not the case.

The main difference lies in how the file is prepared and signed.

With a traditional incorporation, you visit the notary in person, provide documents by email or on paper and sign the deed at the notary’s office. With a digital incorporation, information is entered online, documents are uploaded and the authentic deed can be executed electronically, for example via a video meeting and digital signature.

So what does change?

· you don’t always have to travel to the notary’s office

· information can be provided digitally in advance

· the process is often faster and more streamlined

· the notary has access to the required information sooner

· e-depot speeds up the subsequent filing and publication process

What stays the same?

· the notary remains mandatory for a private limited company

· the substantive requirements remain the same

· you still need a financial plan

· the deed of incorporation must still be drawn up correctly

· publication and registration remain mandatory

· there are still notary fees

A digital platform is therefore not a cheap shortcut but rather a more efficient way of completing the same mandatory process. The digitalisation itself doesn’t make incorporation free of charge. It can, however, reduce the need for travel and paperwork while streamlining the process.

When do costs increase?

Not every private limited company is as straightforward. The incorporation costs may increase if your file requires more tailored work.

Examples include:

· multiple founders or shareholders

· different types of shares

· special voting rights

· a shareholders’ agreement

· a contribution in kind, such as materials, real estate or intellectual property

· a report by a statutory auditor

· a holding structure

· the incorporation of multiple companies at once

· tax optimisation questions

· international shareholders or directors

· specific sector licences

For a solopreneur with a relatively straightforward activity, the incorporation process can be fairly standard. For two shareholders who want to make clear arrangements on exit, the sale of shares, dividend policy and management, additional legal advice is often advisable.

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Tips to save costs without making mistakes

Setting up a private limited company costs money. However, there are sensible ways to avoid unnecessary costs.

1. Prepare your file properly

The more complete your preparation, the more efficiently your notary and accountant can work. Collect the following in advance:

· identification details of all founders

· preferred company name

· description of activities

· registered office address

· arrangements regarding shares

· names of directors

· bank certificate

· financial plan

· any licences or approvals

A poorly organised file leads to additional back-and-forth, delays and sometimes extra costs.

2. Do not blindly opt for standard articles of association

Standard articles of association are cheaper and faster, but they are not always the best option. If you are working alone, they are often sufficient. If you are starting up with several shareholders, clear agreements are crucial. What happens if someone wants to leave? Can shareholders sell their shares without restriction? Who decides on investments? How are profits distributed?

Cheap articles of association can lead to costly disputes later on.

3. Do not cut costs on your financial plan

The financial plan is not a formality to be ticked off quickly. It is the financial foundation of your company and your protection as a founder. Seek assistance from an accountant if you don’t have sufficient experience with cash flow, margins, investments and taxes.

A good financial plan will not only help you with the incorporation process, but also with your first decisions as an entrepreneur.

4. Activate your VAT number yourself if you are familiar with the process.

VAT activation can be free if you carry it out correctly yourself. Are you sure about your VAT regime and activities? Then this is one area where you can save costs. Ask for help if you are unsure. An incorrect VAT code or wrong assessment can end up costing more than the service fee you wanted to avoid.

5. Only set up a private limited company if it makes sense

A private limited company is not the best choice for everyone. In some cases, starting as a sole proprietorship is simpler and less expensive. A private limited company becomes particularly interesting when you want to limit your liability, start a business with others, retain profits within the company or require more structured tax planning.

So be sure to seek advice beforehand. The cheapest incorporation is not always the best decision. Choosing the right legal structure is more important than saving €200 on administration.

Common mistakes when setting up a private limited company

Those who want to get started quickly sometimes forget the basics. These are some of the most common mistakes:

· starting with insufficient initial capital

· preparing an overly optimistic financial plan

· failing to take VAT, social security contributions and advance tax payments into account

· unclear agreements between shareholders

· mixing private and company expenses

· assuming limited liability is always absolute

· failing to budget for accounting after incorporation

· setting up a private limited company for tax reasons without a long-term plan

A private limited company provides structure and protection but also requires discipline. The accounting is more complex than with a sole proprietorship, there are more formalities and decisions must be documented correctly.

What do you pay after incorporation?

The incorporation costs are one-off costs, but there are recurring costs afterwards. These include:

· accounting

· annual accounts

· company contribution

· social security contributions as a self-employed company director

· bank charges

· insurance

· software

· tax advice

· any payroll administration

Take these costs into account in your financial plan. Setting up a private limited company is one step. Keeping it financially healthy is the real challenge.

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Conclusion: Budget for more than just notary fees

People searching for “notary fees for setting up a private limited company” usually want to know how much money they need to put aside to set up their private limited company correctly. In 2026, you can generally expect to pay around €1,000 to €1,300 excluding VAT in notary fees for a straightforward incorporation. However, for the complete picture, the total cost quickly comes to around €2,000 to €3,000 excluding VAT, depending on the level of support required, the financial plan, publication costs, CBE registration and any additional advisory fees.

Digital incorporation via a notary platform can make the process faster and simpler but doesn’t remove the legal requirements. You still need a notary, a financial plan, a bank certificate, a deed of incorporation, publication and correct registration.

The best way to save costs? Not by looking for the cheapest deed, but by avoiding mistakes. Make sure you have a well-prepared file, realistic figures and clear agreements from day one. This way, you will not only set up your private limited company correctly but also give it a solid foundation.