start a company 100% online with e-⁠Residency

Entrepreneurs from all over the world use e-⁠Residency to establish, run and grow their companies totally online, from self-employed consultants to IT specialists, freelance creatives and digital nomads.

Story of e-⁠Residency

The e-⁠Residency programme was launched by Estonian Government in 2014 in order to offer entrepreneurs, digital nomads and freelancers around the world access to Estonian digital business services. 99% of Estonian government services are available online, 24/7. Get your digital ID card to start, run and grow your business from anywhere in the world with e-⁠Residency.

  • Fast, easy & 100% online
  • Digital & transparent business environment
  • Global from the get-go
  • 100,000 like-minded entrepreneurs

Why become an e-⁠resident?

Grow your business remotely from anywhere in the world.

Register an EU company within minutes
Go paperless with Estonia’s secure digital solutions
Reduce bureaucracy using Estonia’s digital solutions
Access trusted banking and payment services based in Europe
Network with like-minded e-⁠Resident entrepreneurs

Subscribe to the e-⁠Residency newsletter

Estonian e-⁠residency in numbers

96,000+

e-⁠Residents from 170+ countries all around the world

23,000+

e-⁠Resident companies operating in diverse sectors

no. 1

In international tax, whereas 99% of state services are online

FAQs

What are the benefits of becoming an e-residents?

Benefits of becoming an e-resident:

  • Digitally sign documents
  • Verify the authenticity of signed documents
  • Encrypt and send documents securely
  • Access a wide range of Estonian public and private e-services
  • Establish an Estonian company online
  • Manage your Estonian company online from anywhere in the world
  • Apply for digital business banking and online payment services
  • Declare Estonian corporate taxes online (if your company is an Estonian tax resident)
  • Join a community of like-minded people

A list of the e-services most often used by e-residents can be found in our article on how to use your e-Residency digital ID.

Who is eligible for e-Residency?

Estonia invites anyone in the world to apply for e-Residency, as long as:

  • You have a clear understanding of the reason you are applying for e-Residency and how you are planning to use it;
  • You respect the law and have good intentions;
  • You are not an Estonian citizen or a foreigner residing in Estonia on a residence permit or with the right of residence (you already have a government-issued digital ID).

E-Residency is particularly well-suited for many freelancers, consultants, digital nomads and other digital entrepreneurs interested in establishing a digital services company that they can manage remotely.

How do I open a company with e-Residency?

Once you have received your e-Residency digital ID, you’re ready to create your Estonian company online.  Online registration can be done through the government owned Company Registration Portal, or via Business Register API services that some service providers have on their websites. The state fee to register a private limited company (‘osaühing’ or ‘OÜ’ in Estonian) is €265. 

You must use a licensed service provider to fulfil the legal address and contact person legal requirements. You may also need help from your service provider with accounting, tax, legal matters, and business banking in Estonia, the EU, or your own country. Read more about choosing the right service provider and then follow our step-by-step instructions to register your company.

What are the costs to start a business with e-Residency?

Costs of starting and running your business will vary depending on the business form, volume of activities, the fees of your service providers, and the types of services you need. At a basic level for a private limited company (OÜ), the costs will include:

  • E-Residency application state fee = €100-€130, depending on pickup point 
  • Company registration state fee = €265
  • Fee for legal address + licensed contact person in Estonia =  €200-400 per year, on average
  • Fees for additional services (e.g. bookkeeping, accounting) start at €50 per month 
  • Minimum share capital contribution = €2,500

Read more about costs and fees of starting a business in Estonia on our Knowledge Base.

Apply for e-⁠Residency

Apply Now