This is by no means legal advice...
Assumptions
- full time
- view to profit "Gewinnabsicht"
- no employees (just at the beginning)
Business Licence
"Gewerbeberechtigung"
- is a requirement for running a business
- also known as "Auszug aus dem Gewerberegister"
- formerly known as "Gewerbeschein"
free business
"freie Gewerbe" (e.g. IT services
"Dienstleistungen in der automatischen Datenverarbeitung")
regularized business
"reglementierte Gewerbe und Handwerke",
at least the CEO / managing director "Geschäftführer" needs:
- evidence of formal qualification
"Befähigungsnachweis" or
- certificate of professional competence
"Befähigungsprüfung" (fka "Konzessionsprüfung")
Requirements
- EU inhabitant or residence permit "Aufenthaltstitel"
- residence "Wohnsitz" in Austria
- clean criminal record "Strafregisterbescheinigung"
Most Common Forms
- one-man business "Einzelunternehmen"
- open company "Offene Gesellschaft" - OG
- limited partnership "Kommanditgesellschaft" - KG
- private limited liability company
"Gesellschaft mit beschränkter Haftung" - GmbH
- civil code company "Gesellschaft bürgerlichen Rechts" - GesbR
- registered association "Verein"
- registered co-operative
"Erwerbs- und Wirtsgenossenschaft"
Einzelunternehmen
let's not mix up:
- "Einzelunternehmen" is owned by one person
- Freelancer ~ EPU is only one person
- e.U. is a registered company
(my company's name "Informatom EDV-Dienstleitungen e.U.")
Advantages
- full autonomy
- full responsibility
Disadvantages
- general liability "volle Haftung"
also with private property
- full responsibility
Steps
- (be prepared / informed / advised)
- declare existance "Erklärung der Neugründung" at the local district exchange "Magistratisches Bezirksamt"
- register your business "Gewerbeanmeldung" to get "Auszug aus dem Gewerberegister"
- (register at the companies register "Firmenbuch" to get an entry "Firmenbucheintrag")
- (tell the national insurance "Gebietskrankenkasse" about the emloyees for their insurance)
- tell the national insurance "Sozialversicherung der Gewerblichen Wirtschaft" aka "SVA" to get your insurance
- tell the tax office "Finanzamt" to get a tax number "ATU"
- (tell the city about your location "Betriebsstandort")
Gewerbeanmeldung
- passport
- disclosure "Strafregisterbescheinigung"
- evidence of formal qualification "Nachweis der Befähigung"
- unlimited residence permit
"Niederlassungsnachweis" or
limited residence permit
"Aufenthaltserlaubnis"
non Austrian documents have to be notarially certified
"notariell beglaubigt" and therefore translated to German
Obligations 1
The founding itself is for free, but ...
- social insurance "Sozialversicherung"
- health insurance "Krankenversicherung"
7,65% (57 < x < 404 EUR / month)
+ retention "Selbstbehalt" 20% -> 10%
- accident insurance "Unfallversicherung"
9 EUR / month
- public pension scheme "Pensionsversicherung"
18,5% (127 < x < 987 EUR / month)
social security payroll tax cap
"Höchstbemessungsgrundlage" 63420 EUR / year
Obligations 2
- Taxes "Steuern"
- income tax
"Einkommenssteuer" 0...50%
- value added tax
"Umsatzsteuer" 20%
- financial precautions
similar to legal indemnity / severance pay
"Selbständigenvorsorge" 1.5% (x < 80 EUR / month)
Another Option
- side / part-time business
"Nebenberufliche Selbständigkeit"
my 2¢
I just can't help saying...
"If you are afraid of founding,
you are either not well prepared
or it isn't a good idea anyways."
"Keep your hands off foreign and
venture capital of any kind!"
Language Issues
German is community language "Amtssprache"
- learn German!
- practice your German!
- speak German!
- think in German!
- read German (websites, news)
- listen to German (news)
Bookkeeping
- Stay on top of your finances!
- Hire a bookkeeper!
Stay professional
Do not play any tricks on ...
- your customers
- your vendors
- the finance / the state
- the community
that said:
All the best for you and your business!