Obtain Business Licenses in Moldova

The obligation to obtain business licenses in Moldova can appear for some of the legal entities incorporated here. In this case, the company’s owners or the appointed representatives (such as our team of specialists in company formation in Moldova) have to complete the necessary formalities with the responsible authorities (they vary in accordance with the company’s activities).

What are the main steps in obtaining business licenses in Moldova?

In order to obtain business licenses in Moldova, investors (both local and foreign) have to incorporate a legal entity under which they will carry out their business operations. Once the process of company incorporation in Moldova has been initiated and the legal entity has its statutory documents, certificate of registration and tax identification data, the licensing process can be started.

This is the correct order of the procedure, given that the licensing authorities will ask for the basic company data (trade name, business address, tax identification number, etc.,) as a part of the licensing application procedure.

After the investors have successfully completed the basic steps for company registration in Moldova, they can contact the competent authority that has the right to issue the license (the institution can vary greatly on the industry of interest, and our consultants can provide information on all thestate authorities that issue licenses and other types of authorizations for businesses).

When addressing the responsible institution, investors will have to prepare the required documentation; our consultants can help you gather the necessary paperwork. Nowadays, business owners can obtain business licenses in Moldova by completing an online procedure, implemented through the Public Services Agency (which took over the former Licensing Chamber).

It is also possible to complete the in-person procedure, at local offices. In both cases, our consultants specialized in company formation in Moldova can provide the necessary legal support. Once this step has been completed, the responsible authority will review the application and will issue the document, provided that the applicant meets the compliance requirements.

Highlights of the licensing process in Moldova

After you open a company in Moldova, if you need to apply for a license, you should know the following matters:

• in general, it takes around 10 days to be issued with a business license;
• however, in certain industries, such as the financial sector, which is regulated by the National Bank of Moldova, the licensing process can take up to 60 days;
• according to the Government of the Republic of Moldova, it is possible to apply online for 22 types of licenses (pharmaceuticals, import/storage of alcohol, radio and telecommunications, casino activities, etc.).

Institutions responsible for the issuance of business licenses

As mentioned earlier in this article, there are many institutions that can be involved in the licensing process, depending on the industry. General business authorizations are granted by the Public Services Agency, which is involved in the incorporation process, but business licenses required in certain sectors are granted by the following:

1. Ministry of Health (pharmaceutical companies, medical clinics, diagnostic centers, etc.);
2. National Bank of Moldova (banks, payment and e-money institutions) and the National Commission for Financial Markets (insurers, microfinance and investment firms);
3. Ministry of Economic Development (trade, retail);
4. National Food Safety Agency (food, agriculture, veterinary), etc.

These are just some of the institutions that can partake in this process. Please know that if you set up a company in Moldova and you are required to have a business license, it is mandatory to obtain the document. Not having proper licenses and authorizations is illegal and can have a negative effect on your business activities; please contact our team for more details on this subject.