Online company registration in Romania is available for many founders, including non-residents. The filing can be submitted electronically or through an authorised representative, but a valid electronic signature is only one part of the route. The documents, signing authority, identity checks and ONRC platform requirements must also align.

This guide explains the online filing route for foreign individuals, overseas companies and Romanian founders. It focuses on the relationship between electronic signatures, filing authority, documents and the National Trade Register Office platform. For the broader choice of entity, capital and corporate structure, see our company formation in Romania guide.

Can you register a Romanian company online?

Romania’s National Trade Register Office online portal offers services including company-name reservation and incorporation. Law No. 265/2022 also regulates online company formation and electronic communication with the Trade Register.

Under Article 105 of Law No. 265/2022, the registrar may exceptionally request physical presence if there is a suspicion of identity falsification. The same provision states that physical presence is not required when the incorporation application and supporting documents, including the articles of association, were prepared by a public notary or lawyer. If presence is exceptionally requested during online formation, the remaining stages may still be completed electronically.

What are the steps for remote company formation in Romania?

The legal sequence is straightforward, but the filing route should be chosen before documents are signed. Select each step below to see its practical purpose.

1. Confirm the company structure. Decide the entity type, ownership, administrators, business activities and signing authority. An SRL is common, but it should not be selected automatically when investment, governance or regulated activities require another structure. See our 2026 guide to Romanian limited liability companies.
2. Reserve the company name. Submit alternatives that comply with the Trade Register rules. Our separate guide explains how to register a company name in Romania.
3. Establish the registered office. Every Romanian company needs a valid registered office and supporting title to use the address. For the documents commonly used in an incorporation file, see our foreign-founder document checklist.
4. Prepare, formalise and translate the documents. Coordinate the articles of association, identity or corporate records, declarations, beneficial-owner information, office evidence and powers of attorney. Foreign public documents may require apostille, legalisation or an applicable exemption, depending on the issuing state, bilateral treaties, EU legislation and the nature of the document, followed by an authorised Romanian translation where required.
5. Sign and file through the selected route. If the electronic filing route is used, the signature and submission must satisfy the applicable ONRC technical and procedural requirements. A properly authorised representative may provide an alternative route, provided that the authority granted complies with the requirements applicable to the filing.
6. Complete post-registration onboarding. After incorporation, organise accounting, tax registrations or options, bank onboarding, employment setup and any permits required for the actual activity.

Which documents do foreign founders usually need?

Do founders need a qualified electronic signature?

The signature route should be tested before execution. Romania’s framework includes Law No. 214/2024 on electronic signatures and trust services, while the Trade Register procedure is governed specifically by Law No. 265/2022 and the portal’s filing requirements. The availability of electronic filing depends not only on the legal validity of the electronic signature but also on the technical and procedural requirements imposed by the National Trade Register Office.

Remote identity checks may also involve regulated identification services. The Romanian Authority for Digitalisation publishes information on remote identification by video means, but the availability and acceptance of a particular method still depend on the institution and transaction.

Is a Romanian notary always required?

The correct answer depends on the document, the country where it is issued and the chosen filing route. For foreign founders, the practical question is usually not “Do I need a notary for the company?” but “Which document, if any, needs notarisation, apostille or legalisation, and in which country?”

How long does remote incorporation take?

Under Articles 105 and 107 of Law No. 265/2022, the registrar generally resolves complete applications on documents within one working day and, when the legal requirements are met, orders registration according to the statutory procedure. Procedural exceptions, requests for additional evidence or a need to remedy the file may affect this stage. The one-working-day period should not be advertised as the total time needed by a foreign founder.

If the file is incomplete or does not meet the legal requirements, Article 106 allows a remedy or completion period of up to 15 calendar days. The practical schedule should therefore separate:

• preparation time for the corporate structure and registered office;
• time for foreign documents, apostille or legalisation and translation;
• the Trade Register review of a complete filing;
• time needed to cure any filing defect; and
• post-incorporation bank, accounting, tax and licensing steps.

Is the bank account part of the online incorporation?

Each bank decides what identification, beneficial-owner, source-of-funds and business-model evidence it needs. Some institutions offer remote onboarding in eligible cases; others may request a video identification, additional documents or physical attendance. Founders should compare banking routes early, especially where the ownership chain is international or the activity carries heightened compliance risk. See our guide to opening a Romanian business bank account as a non-resident.

What most often delays a remote filing?

Remote formation checklist for a foreign founder

1. Confirm the Romanian entity, ownership, administrators and business activities.
2. Choose the online filing or legal-representation route before signing documents.
3. Check each foreign document for issue date, apostille or legalisation and Romanian translation.
4. Secure a compliant registered office and align the supporting document with the intended filing.
5. Map the beneficial owners through the complete international ownership chain.
6. Verify the signature and authority of every shareholder, administrator and representative.
7. Submit one consistent, complete file through the National Trade Register Office route.
8. Plan banking, accounting, tax and sector-specific compliance as separate workstreams.

The bottom line

Remote company formation in Romania is a workable route for many foreign founders, but it is not a single universal online form. The successful approach coordinates Romanian incorporation requirements with the founder’s home-country documents, a valid signing or representation route, registered-office evidence and separate post-registration onboarding.

AI Notice: AI-assisted content, reviewed by a qualified Romanian lawyer.

Debt recovery in Romania is not a choice between three interchangeable remedies. The right route depends on what the creditor can prove, how the debtor responds and whether an enforceable title already exists.

A clear invoice supported by a contract and proof of delivery may fit the payment-order procedure. A claim involving defective performance, disputed quantities, damages or set-off may require ordinary litigation. A judgment or another enforceable instrument moves the matter into enforcement, where the decisive question becomes whether the debtor has reachable assets.

This guide focuses on commercial money claims involving Romanian debtors or Romanian proceedings. It should be read together with the rules on late-payment interest and recovery costs in Romania.

Which debt recovery route should a creditor use in Romania?

What should be checked before any recovery action?

The first legal question is whether the claimed amount is actually due. The invoice is important, but it rarely proves the entire case by itself. The underlying agreement, order, delivery or service records, acceptance documents, correspondence, account statements and payment history should be read together.

The creditor should also confirm the correct debtor, corporate identity, contractual notice method, governing law, jurisdiction or arbitration clause, due date, interest basis, limitation position and any security or guarantee. A focused review of the underlying Romanian contract can expose a jurisdiction clause, acceptance mechanism or liability provision that changes the recovery strategy.

Is a formal payment demand required before filing?

The Article 1015 summons is not the same as an informal reminder. It should identify the agreement, principal, accessories, due date and payment account clearly. Proof of compliant service belongs in the court file. The statutory summons also has consequences for limitation under the payment-order rules.

A contract may impose an additional notice mechanism, address or cure period. The creditor should satisfy both the statutory requirement and any relevant contractual provision rather than assume one automatically replaces the other.

When is the Romanian payment-order procedure appropriate?

The payment-order procedure under Articles 1014 to 1025 of the Romanian Code of Civil Procedure applies to certain, liquid and due claims for payment of money arising from a civil contract and established through the documentary framework required by law. Commercial invoice claims commonly fit this structure when the underlying performance and amount are not genuinely in dispute.

“Certain” concerns the existence of the debt, “liquid” means the amount is determined or determinable, and “due” means the payment date has passed. These conditions must be established, not merely asserted. A debtor may contest the contractual basis, authority, delivery, acceptance, price, due date, payment, set-off or limitation.

What happens if the debtor raises a defence?

The existence of a defence does not automatically defeat the application. The court examines the documents and the parties’ explanations. It may reject the request if the debtor’s defence is well founded or if resolving the defence requires evidence that is admissible in ordinary proceedings but falls outside the payment-order framework. If the claim is established, the court may issue the payment order for the full amount or only for the part proved within the special procedure.

Rejection on either ground regulated by Article 1021 does not prevent the creditor from bringing an ordinary claim. If the court issues a payment order for only part of the claim, the creditor may use ordinary proceedings for the remainder. The Code also sets a procedural objective of issuing the order within 45 days from filing, but periods needed for service and delays attributable to the creditor are excluded. Actual duration depends on service, court workload, objections and the individual file.

Can the payment order be challenged?

The debtor may file an application for annulment within 10 days from communication of the payment order. Article 1024(2) also gives the creditor a narrowly defined annulment application against the rejection orders referred to in Article 1021(1)-(2) and against a payment order admitting only part of the claim. This limited remedy should be distinguished from the creditor’s separate right to bring ordinary proceedings after rejection or for the remainder not granted. The annulment application is not a general substitute for a full ordinary claim. The payment order remains enforceable while an annulment application is pending, although the debtor may request suspension subject to the statutory conditions and security.

When is an ordinary court action the better route?

Unlike the payment-order procedure, ordinary litigation can accommodate a fuller evidential process, including documents, witness evidence, party examination and expert evidence where admissible and relevant. This makes it better suited to construction, technology, professional services and supply disputes in which the unpaid invoice is only one part of a wider conflict. For broader procedural context, see our overview of the Romanian litigation process and court proceedings.

The claim should identify the legal basis and quantify principal, interest, contractual penalties and recoverable costs separately. Material jurisdiction is determined under the procedural law applicable when the proceedings are commenced. Claim value is only one criterion: the nature of the dispute, the relief sought and any special jurisdiction rules may displace the general allocation between district courts and tribunals. The competent court should therefore be verified against the claim as framed and the law applicable when the claim is registered with the court. Contractual arbitration clauses must also be checked before filing in a state court.

Ordinary court fees are normally calculated by reference to claim value under Government Emergency Ordinance no. 80/2013. The payment-order application has a fixed RON 200 court fee. Additional costs may include translations, experts, service, lawyer fees and enforcement advances. Recoverability of costs depends on the outcome, proof and the court’s assessment.

Can the small-claims procedure be used instead?

For eligible claims not exceeding RON 50,000 at the date of filing, the claimant may consider the Romanian small-claims procedure under Articles 1026 to 1033 of the Code of Civil Procedure. The threshold was increased to RON 50,000 by Law no. 57/2025. Interest, costs and other accessories are excluded when calculating the threshold.

The procedure is mainly written and uses standard forms, but statutory exclusions apply. It should not be treated as a smaller version of the payment order. A small claim may be disputed and still fit the procedure, while a payment-order claim is assessed against the special requirements for a certain, liquid and due contractual debt.

When can a creditor start enforcement in Romania?

An invoice, demand or favourable legal opinion is not by itself an enforceable title. A payment order, final or otherwise enforceable judgment, arbitral award, notarised instrument or another document given enforceable force by law may support enforcement, subject to its terms and any applicable formalities.

Possible methods include garnishment of bank accounts and third-party receivables, seizure and sale of movable property, enforcement against real estate and measures against security or guarantors where the title permits. The creditor should coordinate the title, outstanding calculation and asset information with the judicial executor. The European e-Justice Portal guidance on enforcing a court decision in Romania provides an official procedural overview.

Can the debtor challenge enforcement?

Yes. A debtor or another interested person may file an enforcement challenge on the grounds permitted by the Code. The ordinary period is often 15 days, but its start depends on the act challenged, knowledge of enforcement and the procedural situation. A challenge does not automatically mean the underlying debt never existed; it may concern the title, limitation, amounts, service, court approval or a specific enforcement act.

The general limitation period for obtaining enforcement is three years under Article 706 of the Code of Civil Procedure, unless the law provides otherwise. For court judgments and arbitral awards, it normally runs from finality. Acts of enforcement and other statutory events can interrupt the period.

What changes if the Romanian debtor is insolvent?

When insolvency proceedings open, Article 75 of Law no. 85/2014 generally suspends individual judicial, extrajudicial and enforcement measures for recovering claims against the debtor’s estate. The creditor must usually pursue the claim within the collective insolvency procedure and observe the deadline for filing its proof of debt. This general stay is subject to statutory exceptions, including certain proceedings against co-debtors or third-party guarantors, claims arising after the opening of insolvency and specific rules concerning secured funds or amounts already affected by enforcement. The position of secured creditors, including priority, distributions and any available relief from the stay, requires separate analysis under the insolvency legislation.

A creditor may apply to open insolvency if its claim satisfies the statutory requirements, including the RON 50,000 threshold and the presumption associated with a debt unpaid for more than 60 days. Insolvency should not be used merely as pressure where the debt is genuinely disputed or the statutory conditions are absent. It changes the recovery forum and priority structure rather than guaranteeing payment.

Security interests, guarantees, co-debtors and transactions concluded before insolvency require separate analysis. The opening of insolvency against the principal debtor does not necessarily eliminate every route against a guarantor or co-debtor. Our guide on Romanian company director liability explains why corporate debt and personal liability must not be treated as the same claim.

What interest and recovery costs can be claimed?

The creditor should distinguish principal, contractual penalty, statutory penalty interest, the EUR 40 minimum compensation and documented additional recovery costs. For qualifying B2B transactions, Law no. 72/2013 and Government Ordinance no. 13/2011 regulate statutory late-payment interest. Where Law no. 72/2013 applies and the parties have not agreed the level of late-payment interest, the legal penalty rate is the National Bank of Romania reference rate plus eight percentage points.

The EUR 40 minimum compensation under Law no. 72/2013 becomes due when the statutory conditions for late-payment interest are met. Additional recovery expenses must be substantiated. Contractual penalties require separate review under the Civil Code, including the court’s statutory power to reduce a manifestly excessive penalty in the circumstances allowed by law.

How do cross-border creditors recover Romanian debts?

A foreign creditor should first determine jurisdiction, governing law, service method and the place where assets are located. A Romanian proceeding may be appropriate when the debtor or assets are in Romania, but a valid jurisdiction or arbitration clause can change the route.

For qualifying uncontested cross-border pecuniary claims within the EU, Regulation (EC) no. 1896/2006 establishing a European order for payment may provide an alternative to the national payment-order procedure. Regulation (EU) no. 655/2014 may assist with a European Account Preservation Order in qualifying cross-border cases. Neither instrument replaces the need to establish jurisdiction, service and substantive entitlement.

Recognition and enforcement of judgments also depend on the country of origin and the applicable treaty or EU regulation. Our guide to the recognition and enforcement of foreign judgments in Romania explains that separate stage, while the guide to cross-border debt collection in Romania provides additional procedural context. The specific instrument should always be verified against the current parties and claim.

Common mistakes that weaken debt recovery

• Treating the invoice as the complete case. The creditor still needs the legal basis, performance evidence, maturity and a correct calculation.
• Using the payment order for an evidence-heavy dispute. A summary procedure cannot replace full litigation merely because the creditor wants speed.
• Ignoring the contract’s forum and notice clauses. Filing in the wrong court or serving the wrong address can cause delay and cost.
• Allowing limitation to drift. Commercial discussions do not always suspend or interrupt time. Each acknowledgment, notice and procedural step must be analysed legally.
• Accepting informal instalments without protection. A settlement should state the admitted amount, schedule, interest, default consequences, security and costs.
• Waiting until assets disappear. Litigation strategy should be coordinated with recoverability and lawful protective measures.
• Confusing company debt with director liability. A director is not automatically personally liable for every unpaid company invoice.
• Continuing individual enforcement after insolvency opens. The creditor may need to file in the insolvency proceedings instead.

A practical creditor checklist

1. Identify the exact debtor, contractual basis, currency and outstanding balance.
2. Collect the contract, orders, invoices, delivery records, acceptance evidence and correspondence.
3. Check governing law, jurisdiction, arbitration, notice and limitation.
4. Calculate principal, interest, penalties, EUR 40 compensation and documented costs separately.
5. Review debtor objections, payments, set-off and any counterclaim.
6. Assess assets, security, guarantors and insolvency indicators.
7. Serve the correct commercial and statutory demand.
8. Choose payment order, ordinary claim, small claims, settlement or insolvency participation deliberately.
9. Prepare for enforcement before judgment rather than after assets have disappeared.
10. Maintain one chronological file with originals, service records and calculations.

The Bottom Line

Debt recovery in Romania works best when procedure follows evidence. A payment order can be effective for a clear contractual money claim, but it is not a shortcut around a genuine dispute. Ordinary court proceedings provide the broader evidential framework required for contested cases. Enforcement comes after title and depends on identifiable assets, while insolvency can redirect the entire claim into a collective process.

For Romanian companies managing receivables, the earlier unpaid invoices guide for Romanian SRLs explains the operational starting point. Businesses can also reduce future disputes by strengthening the payment, acceptance, security and dispute clauses in their commercial contracts governed by Romanian law.

AI Notice: AI-assisted content, reviewed and approved by a qualified Romanian lawyer.