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
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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.
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
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)
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.
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
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.
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%
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
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 |
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).