START A COMPANY / EUROPE
How to register a company in Sweden
Swedish companies are registered with Bolagsverket via verksamt.se. An AB needs SEK 25,000 capital and costs SEK 1,900 online. Sole traders register with Skatteverket, usually free.
- REGISTRY
- Bolagsverket (Swedish Companies Registration Office), via verksamt.se
- ONLINE
- Fully online
- FROM
- SEK 0 (≈ £1)
- STRUCTURES HERE
- 3
Setting up from abroad
Non-residents can found an aktiebolag, but need a Swedish personal or coordination number and electronic ID (BankID) to sign online. If no board member lives in the EEA, a dispensation and a Swedish service agent are needed.
SOLE TRADER
Enskild firma: Enskild firma (sole trader)
Freelancers and consultants starting simply with no capital.
- Liability
- Unlimited: you are personally liable
- You need
- 1 owner
- Minimum capital
- None
- Time
- 1-2 weeks
Steps
Create an account on verksamt.se and log in with BankID.
Complete the business registration; Skatteverket (Swedish Tax Agency) handles it.
Apply for F-tax (F-skatt) approval to invoice as a business.
Register for VAT if applicable and for employer duties if you hire staff.
Optionally register the business name with Bolagsverket (fee about SEK 1,800).
Open a business bank account and set up bookkeeping.
Documents
- Personal identity number or coordination number
- BankID or other eID
- Business description
- Estimated turnover and VAT details
Official fees
Registration with Skatteverket is free; optional business name registration with Bolagsverket about SEK 1,800.
Budget
| How | About | What it covers |
|---|---|---|
| Do it yourself | SEK 0≈ £1 | DIY: registration through verksamt.se is free |
| With an accountant or agent | SEK 3,000≈ £230 | Accountant sets up tax, VAT and bookkeeping, about |
| Full service | SEK 8,000≈ £610 | Accountant with first-year bookkeeping and tax planning, about |
Every year
- Annual income tax return (NE appendix)
- Monthly or quarterly VAT returns
- Preliminary tax payments via F-tax
- Social security contributions (egenavgifter)
- Bookkeeping
Check before you rely on it. Not confirmed with an official source: accountant price points are estimates.
PRIVATE LIMITED COMPANY
AB: Aktiebolag (private limited company)
Companies wanting limited liability, investors or growth; the standard Swedish company form.
- Liability
- Limited to what you put in
- You need
- 1 shareholder and 1 board member (plus a deputy if the board has one member)
- Minimum capital
- SEK 25,000, paid in
- Time
- 1-3 weeks
Steps
Choose a company name and check it on verksamt.se.
Draft a memorandum of association (stiftelseurkund) and articles of association (bolagsordning).
Open a bank account and pay in the SEK 25,000 share capital; the bank issues a payment certificate.
Appoint the board and, optionally, a managing director (VD); all sign electronically with BankID.
Apply for registration on verksamt.se and pay the SEK 1,900 fee.
Register for F-tax and VAT and, if employing, as an employer with Skatteverket.
Open a company bank account for daily operations.
Documents
- Memorandum of association
- Articles of association
- Payment certificate from the bank
- Board members' ID numbers
- Auditor details if applicable
Official fees
Bolagsverket fee SEK 1,900 online (SEK 2,200 on paper); share capital SEK 25,000.
Budget
| How | About | What it covers |
|---|---|---|
| Do it yourself | SEK 1,900≈ £140 | DIY: Bolagsverket online fee, excluding SEK 25,000 capital |
| With an accountant or agent | SEK 6,500≈ £490 | With an accountant or agent handling documents, about |
| Full service | SEK 15,000≈ £1,100 | Law firm, registered address, bank and tax help, about |
Every year
- Annual report filed with Bolagsverket within 7 months of year end
- Corporate income tax return (INK2), rate 20.6%
- VAT returns monthly or quarterly
- Monthly employer tax returns (AGI)
- Keep shareholder register and beneficial owner information up to date
Good to know. Where no board member lives in the EEA, apply for dispensation and appoint a Swedish service recipient.
PARTNERSHIP
Handelsbolag: Handelsbolag (trading partnership)
Two or more people running a business together with personal liability and simple rules.
- Liability
- Unlimited: you are personally liable
- You need
- 2 partners
- Minimum capital
- None
- Time
- 1-3 weeks
Steps
Agree a partnership agreement and name.
Register on verksamt.se with all partners signing via BankID.
Pay the Bolagsverket registration fee.
Register for F-tax and VAT with Skatteverket.
Register as employer if you hire staff.
Open a business bank account and set up bookkeeping.
Documents
- Partnership agreement
- Partners' ID numbers and BankID
- Business name
- Business description
Official fees
Bolagsverket registration fee about SEK 1,900 (unverified).
Budget
| How | About | What it covers |
|---|---|---|
| Do it yourself | SEK 1,900≈ £140 | DIY: Bolagsverket fee, about |
| With an accountant or agent | SEK 5,000≈ £380 | With an accountant for set-up and bookkeeping, about |
| Full service | SEK 10,000≈ £760 | Lawyer for partnership agreement and set-up, about |
Every year
- Annual accounts and partnership income tax statement
- Partners' personal tax returns
- VAT returns
- Employer filings
Check before you rely on it. Not confirmed with an official source: fee figure.
After you register
- Register for F-tax (F-skatt) with Skatteverket so you can invoice customers without withholding.
- Register for VAT; the exemption threshold is SEK 120,000 turnover (unverified).
- Register as employer with Skatteverket before paying salaries; monthly employer returns (AGI).
- Open a company bank account; Swedish banks usually require the Bolagsverket registration certificate.
- Report beneficial owners to Bolagsverket's beneficial ownership register.
- Check sector permits with the relevant municipality or authority.
Sources
Checked against:
Pound amounts use HMRC's exchange rates for 2026-10 and are a rough guide only.
Other countries in Europe
This guide is general information to help you plan, not legal, tax or immigration advice. Fees, forms and rules change: check the official registry before you file, and take professional advice for anything complex. Agent and lawyer costs are typical market prices, not quotes.