Starting your own business in Belgium

Who can start a business in Belgium?

Anyone who dreams of starting their own business can actually start one. Of course, there are a few conditions you must meet – otherwise, unfortunately, you cannot establish your own business in Belgium. Age To start your own business, you must be at least 18 years old. Civil rights At the moment you want to start as an entrepreneur, you must not have been deprived of your civil rights. If you have previously been convicted of a criminal offence with an explicit professional ban, you cannot become an entrepreneur during the duration of your sentence. If you have previously started your own business and it was declared bankrupt, you can start a new company provided the court has not imposed a ban on you. Such a ban can be imposed in cases of fraudulent bankruptcy, fraud, or a serious fault that led to the bankruptcy itself. This ban applies for a minimum period of 3 years and a maximum of 10 years after the bankruptcy declaration.

What is legal capacity? And why is this so important if I want to start a business on Belgian territory?

In principle, every person is legally competent. This means that every person can perform legal acts. Minors and those under guardianship are legally incompetent. When you want to start your own business in Belgium, you must be legally competent. a starting entrepreneur who does not yet wish to buy/rent their own office space;

Which nationalities can start a business in Belgium?

If you are a citizen of the European Economic Area (the European Union, Liechtenstein, Norway and Iceland) and Switzerland, you are free to start a business in Belgium. All nationalities outside Europe must have a residence permit and professional card to become self-employed in Belgium. Such a professional card is valid for 5 years with the possibility of renewal, of course. The cost of a professional card is 140 EUR at application and 90 EUR per year that the card is valid.

How do you have to prove your knowledge if you want to start a business in Belgium?

If you want to operate a commercial enterprise as a starting entrepreneur, you must register with the Crossroads Bank for Enterprises at a business counter of your choice. During this registration, you must prove your knowledge of business management. The liberal, intellectual and service professions or non-commercial enterprises under private law do not need to prove knowledge of business management. For certain professions, in addition to basic knowledge of business management, you must also have sufficient professional knowledge. This can be based on your diplomas or practical experience. If you cannot provide this, your co-partner or assistant may do so on your behalf.

How do I receive my mail if I want to start a business in Belgium?

If you rent a virtual office at offiRent, your postal address will be registered at our office in Limburg. This means your mail will arrive here. offiRent manually sorts the mail into your personal mailbox and notifies you by phone or email when new mail is received. With a virtual office contract, there are 3 options to collect your mail: you can pick up the mail yourself at our office building near Hasselt. your mail is digitally scanned and sent to you by email. The mail is forwarded in a sealed envelope to your private address (excluding costs)

I want to start a business in Belgium, but what is the advantage of a virtual office for me then?

It provides a professional image for your company | Having a prestigious business address in a well-known area ensures that your brand maintains a credible, professional, and legitimate business image. Using a physical business address and a telephone number on your business cards, website, and email increases trust among prospects and customers, unlike displaying a mobile number and home address. It enhances your professionalism and credibility as a company and makes you more approachable. It also helps protect your privacy and keeps personal and professional domains separate, making it safer as well. No commuting and the ability to work from anywhere | Since you do not have an office, you have no commuting. This makes virtual offices more environmentally friendly than traditional office spaces. It allows you to reduce your ecological footprint and help the environment. Another great advantage is that you do not lose time in traffic or public transport, time that you can now actually spend on your important tasks. Another important benefit of a virtual office is the ability to work anywhere and anytime. Virtual offices are ideal for those who want to work remotely, as they give you the flexibility to work from anywhere – from home, the beach, the park, wherever you want. If all your business needs are an internet connection, then a virtual office is the ideal solution for you. Cost-effectiveness and flexible, simple expansion | One of the main advantages of a virtual office is that it is much more cost-effective than a traditional physical office. The key point is that you pay for a prestigious business address without having to bear the high rental costs associated with it. This allows you to keep business expenses low, as you reduce the costs of commuting and transport, office equipment, maintenance and utilities, the cost of a full-time receptionist, etc. This enables you to save money and allocate your finances where they are most needed – by reinvesting them in your business. A virtual office also allows you to expand your business without having to move to a larger office. This is a cheaper and stress-free alternative to traditional expansion, where you have to relocate to a bigger office with the accompanying rental costs. Larger Talent Pool | When working from anywhere, you are not limited to recruiting talent in the area where your office is located. A virtual office enables you to hire the best talent regardless of where they are based. You can also hire more talent without having to move to a larger premises. This gives you a much larger talent pool to recruit the best talent and help your business thrive. Additional business support | Virtual office packages offer many extra features to support your business, so you can focus solely on your company. You do not have to worry about time-consuming tasks such as handling calls and sorting mail, as most virtual office solutions take care of this for you.