If you have decided to start your own business, you should assess your wishes and possibilities because the type of the economic activity you choose and the expected turnover you plan will determine the form of registering your economic activity as well as the types, amount and the procedure of administration of the taxes to be paid to the state. Please note that the requirements of the Law on Accounting apply to everyone who performs any type of business. Commercial companies must delegate the maintenance of their accounting to a person competent in accounting issues.
Updated: 13.02.2024.
To be registered at the SRS |
To be registered in the Register of Enterprises of the Republic of Latvia [1] |
2. Partnership (general partnership and limited partnership) |
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3. Capital company (private limited company (Ltd.) and public limited company (Plc.)) |
(!) When starting economic activities, you must provide information on the type of the principal activity (NACE2)[1] to the SRS
[1] Form in Latvian
Performer of business activities |
Company |
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Performers of business activities must choose one of the following methods to pay personal income tax (PIT):
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Entrepreneurs must pay the following: |
Depending on the type of activity chosen and the form of registration, you may have an obligation to pay also other taxes:
- Vehicle operation tax
- Company car tax
- Electricity tax
- Subsidised electricity tax
- Immovable property tax
- Labour resource tax
- Excise duty
- Lottery and Gambling Tax
- Value added tax
Regardless of the fact, whether you are a natural person - performer of economic activities - or a legal person - enterprise, if your revenues exceed 50,000 euro a year or you perform transactions with taxpayers of the European Union Member States, you have an obligation to register in the SRS Register of Value Added Tax (VAT) Payers[1]. It is possible to become registered in the Register of VAT Payers also upon starting the business and having not reached the threshold of 50,000 euro.
[1]Form in Latvian
If you employ employees, then you are an employer[1], and the employees must be registered with the SRS (see "Methodological material" below)[1] even before entering into employment relationship.
Methodological material:
If you wish to perform activities beyond the address registered with the SRS or in the Register of Enterprises of the Republic of Latvia, you must register also the structural unit - a place (address) where you perform business, a website where you plan to perform the economic activities.
If you plan to receive the payment for your products or services in cash or via bank card transactions, you must register an electronic cash register.
Every entrepreneur, regardless of the chosen form of business, must perform his/her cooperation with the SRS via the SRS Electronic Declaration System (EDS). This is the system where tax declarations and statements are submitted in compliance with the deadline determined by the law on the relevant tax (see attached below)[1]. When sending us the questions arisen, submissions and requests, please do it electronically via the EDS. It is possible to sign in into the EDS using the authentication options provided by www.latvija.lv - internetbank or electronic identification card (eID).
[1] Form in Latvian
Honest attitude towards the transaction partners and the observation of tax discipline are the basis for fair competition, therefore, use the information available in the SRS databases of public data[1], to be confident with regard to your business.