A guide to business types, taxation, advantages, disadvantages and more.
In 2025, Belgium will have almost 1.2 million active entities, including more than 250,000 commercial companies, 180,000 non-profit organisations and tens of thousands of self-employed professionals.
Choosing the right legal form is a crucial step for everyone – whether you’re just starting out as an entrepreneur, an experienced professional or the leader of an association project.
Are you thinking of setting up a business in Belgium?
This guide takes you through all the options, explaining the average tax treatment of each status, the estimated costs, the advantages and disadvantages, and the points to watch out for depending on your profile.
Index
- Self-employed (natural person)
- One-man business
- Limited liability company (SRL)
- Partnership (SNC)
- Cooperative Society (SC)
- Public limited company (SA)
- Non-profit association (ASBL)
- Other forms and curiosities
- Need advice? Contact Finest Consult
Self-employed (Individual)
FR : Indépendant | NL : Zelfstandige | EN : Sole Trader | IT : Ditta Individuale
Features: The simplest status, managed by a single person without setting up a company. Easy to set up, ideal for freelancers, consultants, artists or small businesses.
Taxation 2025: Personal income tax (IPP, PB, PIT), progressive rate from 25% (min) to 50% (max, above €42,370). Compulsory social security contributions.
Average costs: From €600 to €1,000 per year for accounting, €90 for BCE/KBO registration.
Pros: Reduced formalities, low administrative costs, absolute flexibility, simplicity of procedures and rapid closure.
Cons: Unlimited liability for debts, less professional image in certain sectors, limited access to finance.
Who’s it for? Freelancers, beginners, artistic professions or solo consultants, concept testing.
Avoid if: You want to grow or take financial risks. In that case, you should set up an SRL or SNC.
Curiosity: In 2025, there will be over 450,000 self-employed people in Belgium, a third of whom will be involved in a complementary activity.
One-man business
FR : SRL Unipersonnelle | NL : Eenpersoonsvennootschap | EN : Single-member Company | IT : Società Unipersonale
Special features: Since 2019, the Belgian SRL can be founded by a single person. This makes it possible to protect personal assets while maintaining simplicity.
Taxation 2025: Corporation tax (ISOC, VB, CIT), fixed rate of 20% on the first €100k, then 25%.
Costs: Minimum €1,200-1800 in the first year, including notary, ECB and accounting fees. Submission of financial plans required.
Pros: Protection of personal assets, professional image, possibility of remuneration through dividends.
Cons: More onerous formalities than self-employed, more complex administrative management, financial plans required.
Who’s it for? Freelancers wanting to limit risk, established professionals, solo start-ups.
Avoid if : Minimal or temporary activity, or need for an ultra-flexible structure.
Curiosity: the majority of new Belgian companies are single-member limited liability companies: perfect for testing out an idea while protecting yourself.
Limited liability company (SRL)
FR : SRL | NL : BV | EN : Limited Company | IT : SRL
Features: The most popular form since the reform of the Company Code in 2019. Free start-up capital (no legal minimum), shareholder(s) from 1 to N, risks limited to capital contributions, flexible governance, compatible with growth or SMEs.
Taxation 2025: ISOC, rate: 20% on the first level, then 25%. Dividends taxed at 30%. Social security contributions on directors’ remuneration.
Costs: €1,800-€2,600 to set up. 1200-2000€/year for accounting, annual general meeting required, annual accounts filed with the NBB.
Pros: Protection, credibility, access to finance, easy development (multiple partners, transfer of shares), internationally compatible.
Cons: Heavier structure, management costs, compulsory publication in the Moniteur belge.
Who is it for? SMEs, start-ups, consultancies, agencies, evolving craftsmen, multi-partner activity.
Avoid if : You want an ultra-flexible structure or are on your own with no prospects for growth.
Curiosity: The SRL accounts for around 65% of Belgian commercial companies.
General partnership (SNC)
FR : SNC | NL : VOF | EN : General Partnership | IT : Società in nome collettivo
Features: Partnership, flexible management, minimum of 2 partners. Unlimited joint and several liability.
Taxation 2025: ISOC on company, but possibility of profits being taxed on individual partners.
Costs: Lower, €1,000-€1,500 to set up. Simple accounting possible depending on turnover.
Pros: Ease of association, management flexibility, potentially advantageous tax treatment (transparent regime).
Cons: Total joint and several liability. Less suitable for large, high-risk or growth projects.
Who’s it for? Craftsmen, self-employed professionals, family businesses, two- or three-person ventures.
Avoid if : High financial risk, need for asset protection, growth strategy.
Curiosity: SNCs are still widely used for shops, cafés, bakeries and small agencies.
Cooperative Society (SC)
FR : SC | NL : CV | EN : Cooperative Company | IT : Società Cooperativa
Peculiarities : Multi-member company aiming to pool resources or provide mutual economic assistance. Internal democracy, variable capital, open subscription.
Taxation 2025: ISOC 25%. Special dividends, possible exemptions for approved social cooperatives.
Costs: Formation: €2,000-€2,500, flexible management, regular AGMs. Reduced costs if social cooperative.
Pros: Participative values, power-sharing, access to subsidies, positive image.
Cons: Potentially complex governance, possible conflicts, demanding democratic management.
For whom? Collective structures, social projects, group purchasing, social enterprises.
Avoid if : Solo project or vertical management.
Curiosity: Belgium has more than 5,000 active cooperatives, a third of them in the social economy.
Public limited company (SA)
FR : SA | NL : NV | EN : Public Limited Company | IT : Società per Azioni (SpA)
Special features: Ideal form for large companies, corporate business, need to raise capital, access to the stock exchange. Minimum of 2 founders, minimum capital of €61,500, strict governance (Board of Directors, auditors).
Taxation 2025: ISOC 25%. Dividends taxed. More optimisations possible for holding companies/subsidiaries.
Costs: Formation: €5,000 to €10,000. Higher annual management fees, statutory auditor required. Increased accounting and reporting requirements.
Pros: Fund-raising, corporate image, international capacity, access to financial markets.
Cons: Complexity, costs, strict formalities, not suitable for SMEs or start-ups.
Who is it for? Large companies, groups, corporates, foreign subsidiaries, stock market projects.
Avoid if : Small structure, solo entrepreneur, need for flexibility.
Curiosity: Less than 4,500 SAs in Belgium: the top corporate companies.
Non-profit association (ASBL)
FR : ASBL | NL : VZW | EN : Non-profit Association | IT : Associazione senza scopo di lucro (ONLUS / APS)
Characteristics : Non-commercial structure with a social, cultural, educational or sporting focus. Minimum 2 members.
Taxation 2025: Low specific ISOC (5-7%, if ancillary profit-making activity), no tax on donations/sponsors. VAT applicable depending on sector.
Costs: €450-800 to set up, simplified management, possibility of public exemptions and subsidies.
Pros: Access to public funding, democratic management, societal image, administrative flexibility.
Cons: Very limited profit-making activity, transparency required, voluntary management sometimes difficult.
Who is it for? Associations, clubs, foundations, cultural projects, NGOs, local events.
Avoid if : Commercial or entrepreneurial project.
Curiosity: Over 180,000 non-profit organisations active in Belgium, a major source of social activity.
Other shapes and curiosities
Belgium also has sociétés simples (SS), sociétés agricoles, sociétés européennes (SE), private foundations, de facto associations (without legal personality) and Belgian branches of foreign entities.
ES (European) cooperatives, subsidiaries, holding companies and joint ventures complete the entrepreneurial landscape, with very specific tax and management systems.
Index
Need advice? Contact Finest Consult
The choice of status is decisive for your security, taxation and future development.
Each solution is justified according to size, activity, ambition and prospects.
For a personalised study, set-up, transformation or optimisation, contact our team in Brussels.
We can help you set up, transfer, manage or liquidate your Belgian company.
We are also a digital marketing agency in Belgium.
