What is needed to open a store in Montenegro (food/cosmetics/clothing). What documents, permits, licenses, do you need a broker for customs clearance. And indicate the cost of all this

Opening a store in Montenegro (food, cosmetics, clothing) requires compliance with a number of legal, administrative and sanitary requirements. Below is a step—by-step description of the necessary actions, documents and estimated cost. I will describe the process for a foreigner registering a company (LLC) and opening a physical outlet.

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1. Company registration (usually d.o.o. — an analogue of LLC)

** What you need:**

• The company's Charter (the main document)
• Foundation agreement (if there are several founders)
• Non-criminal record certificate (from the country of origin)
• Passport
• Legal address
• Minimum authorized capital: 1 euro

Where it is served: The Central Registry of Business Entities (CRPS) — through a notary or online through www.biznisregistri.me

Delivery time: 3-5 business days

Cost:

• Notary public: from 70 to 150 euros
• State fee: about 30 euros
• Accountant/intermediary services (if available): from 100 to 300 euros

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2. Opening a bank account

** What you need:**

• Extract from the CRPS registry
• Charter
• Passport
• Personal presence of the Director

Duration: 1-3 days

Cost: free of charge (but some banks require an initial fee of 50-100 euros)

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3. Obtaining a tax number and registering with the tax service (PIB and VAT)

** What you need:**

• Registration decision
• The Charter
• Passport
• Application form

Term: 2-3 business days

Cost: free of charge

If import/export is planned: Registration as a VAT payer is required. This requires a turnover of over 30,000 euros per year or voluntary registration.

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4. Obtaining a work permit for the store

Depends on the type of activity, but in general you need to:

• Sanitary and hygienic conclusion
• Compliance of the premises with building regulations
• Lease agreement or certificate of ownership
• Room plan
• Contract with the garbage collection service
• Fire report (depending on the size of the room)

Duration: 10-30 days

Where it is issued: Office of Inspection and Local municipality (Komunalna inspekcija, Sanitarna inspekcija)

Cost:

• Administrative fees: 50-150 euros
• Architect/technical supervision services (if necessary): from 100 euros
• If you need a project — from 200 euros

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5. Permission to sell certain products

Food products:

• A permit from the sanitary inspection is required
• HACCP system (for food processing stores)
• Medical books for staff (sanitary books)

Cost of HACCP:

• From 300 euros (one-time, depends on the volume and type of products)

Cosmetics:

• Product safety certificates
• Permission to sell medicines and medical products from the Institute (if not just trade, as well as import)

If imported from abroad:

• Certificates of conformity
• Translated labels into Serbian/Montenegrin

Clothes:

• Usually does not require a license, but product labeling in the local language is required.

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6. Customs and Broker

If you import goods from abroad:

• Customs clearance is mandatory
• Need a licensed broker (carinski zastupnik)
• Need to get an EORI number (for a legal entity)

Broker's cost:

• From 100 euros per batch
• Customs duties: from 5 to 20% depending on the product category
• Import VAT: 21%

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7. Additional expenses

• Accountant: from 50 to 150 euros per month
• Store signage and decoration: from 200 to 2000 euros
• Advertising permission (if outdoor advertising): from 50 euros
• Cash register: from 200 euros + connection to the tax
• Mandatory fiscalization (electronic cash register): free of charge if you use the tax system, but you need to set up

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Total estimated launch costs:

Expense item	Amount (Euro)
Company registration and notary	100-200
Licenses and permits	150-500
HACCP (if products)	300+
Customs Broker (1 batch)	100–200
Transfers, labeling, certification	100-300
Cash register equipment and connection	200-400
Design/shop decoration	500-2000
Accountant (1 month)	50–150
TOTAL	from 1,500 euros

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Bottom line

To open a store in Montenegro, you will need:

• Register a company
• Get a trade permit
• Certify products if necessary
• Conclude an agreement with a broker upon import
• Comply with sanitary and fiscal regulations

If you specify which store and from which country the import will be, I can calculate it more precisely (for example, according to a specific HS code).