🇷🇴 Trade Register in Romania

Overview

The National Trade Register Office (ONRC) is at the core of the Romanian business information system. Under the principle of publicity enshrined in Law 26/1990, the Register is explicitly public, meaning company data becomes accessible to any interested party upon registration.

The Romanian environment is characterized by:

• Centralization: Nearly all commercial entities register with a single national authority (ONRC), operating through 42 regional offices.
• Digitalization: Online services enable company searches, document ordering, and electronic filings through the ONRC portal.
• Transparency for commercial entities: Comprehensive information on companies, including shareholders, directors, and share capital is publicly accessible.
• Fragmentation for non-profits: Associations and foundations register separately with local courts under the Ministry of Justice.

For KYB and AML professionals, Romania offers rich and reliable company intelligence through official channels. Beneficial ownership (UBO) information remains publicly accessible for now, though draft legislation may soon restrict access to those with legitimate interest, in line with post-ECJ ruling trends across the EU.

Official Registers

Oficiul Național al Registrului Comerțului (ONRC)

The National Trade Register Office is the official commercial register for Romania, operating under the Ministry of Justice. Established under Law 26/1990 and modernized by Law 265/2022, the ONRC maintains registration data for all Romanian companies, sole traders (PFA), individual enterprises (II), family businesses (IF), branches of foreign companies, and cooperatives.

The ONRC provides a comprehensive scope of information, including: company name and trade name, unique registration code (CUI), registration number, registered office address, legal form, registration date and status, share capital, shareholders and their ownership stakes, administrators and directors with their mandate details, main and secondary activities (CAEN codes), and branches.

Access to basic company information is free through the RECOM online service. Official documents such as the certificat constatator (trade register extract) can be purchased online via the InfoCert service for approximately RON 30 (the local currency is the lei), with electronic delivery available 24/7. The register is updated in real-time as filings are processed.

The publication of company notices takes place in the Official Gazette of Romania (Part IV for commercial entities), making changes legally binding once published.

Registrul Beneficiarilor Reali

The beneficial ownership register is maintained by ONRC as part of the Trade Register infrastructure, established under Law 129/2019 on the prevention of money laundering and terrorist financing. All companies registered with ONRC must declare their ultimate beneficial owners.

The register contains standard UBO information: names, dates of birth, personal identification numbers, citizenship, domicile, and the nature and extent of beneficial ownership or control. A person holding 25% plus one share or more than 25% of the company's capital is considered a UBO through direct ownership.

Romania currently maintains publicly accessible UBO information via the ONRC portal: users file a request, pay a fee (RON 20 for current extract, RON 100 for historical report), and provide an electronic signature. However, following the ECJ ruling of November 2022 that struck down blanket public access across the EU, draft legislation proposed in 2025 may limit access to those demonstrating legitimate interest.

Registrul Asociațiilor și Fundațiilor

Associations and foundations in Romania are registered separately in the Register of Associations and Foundations, maintained by local courts (tribunals) rather than the ONRC. Name reservation is handled by the Ministry of Justice.

Registration requires court approval and submission of founding documents including the statute, proof of initial patrimony, and UBO declarations. Basic information can be searched, but the register is less accessible than the commercial register, with document requests often requiring in-person applications to the relevant court.

Ministerul Finanțelor

The Ministry of Finance, through ANAF (National Agency for Fiscal Administration), maintains records of all annual financial statements filed by Romanian entities. The Ministry of Finance portal provides public access to key financial indicators extracted from filed statements, allowing searches by company name or CUI.

Registration and publication requirements

Obligations for companies

All commercial companies must register with the ONRC, including limited liability companies (SRL), joint-stock companies (SA), general partnerships (SNC), limited partnerships (SCS), and branches of foreign companies. Registration grants legal personality and the right to conduct business.

Companies must file annual financial statements with ANAF within 150 days after the end of the financial year (typically by May 30). These filings are mandatory and publicly accessible. Companies that had no activity during the year may submit a declaration on own responsibility instead.

UBO declarations must be filed at incorporation (or included in the articles of association), annually within 15 days of approval of financial statements, and within 15 days of any change in beneficial ownership. Non-compliance can result in fines of RON 5,000–10,000 and potentially company dissolution if not remedied within 30 days.

Obligations for sole traders (PFA, II, IF)

Sole traders (Persoană Fizică Autorizată – PFA), individual enterprises (Întreprindere Individuală – II), and family businesses (Întreprindere Familială – IF) must all register with the ONRC under Government Emergency Ordinance 44/2008.

Registration requires proof of professional qualifications for regulated activities, a business address, and standard identification documents. The business name must include the individual's full name followed by "PFA," "II," or "IF."

Sole traders must maintain bookkeeping records and file annual tax declarations with ANAF but are not required to file annual financial statements with the Trade Register. UBO requirements do not apply to sole traders, as they are natural persons.

Obligations for associations and foundations

Non-profit organizations in Romania are governed by Government Ordinance 26/2000 and must register with the local tribunal (court) in their jurisdiction rather than the ONRC.

Associations require a minimum of 3 founding members and initial patrimony of at least one minimum gross salary (c. RON 4 050 as of 2025). Foundations require initial patrimony of 100 times the minimum gross salary (c. RON 405 000).

Both must maintain updated statutes, file annual financial statements with the Ministry of Finance, and declare their ultimate beneficial owners to the Ministry of Justice. The registration process typically takes around one month and requires court approval.

With Topograph

Topograph provides streamlined access to Romanian company information through our API and web application, consolidating official data into a unified view for compliance workflows.

Available data and documents

Company profile:

• Company name and trade name
• Unique registration code (CUI) and Trade Register number
• EUID for EU interconnection
• Legal form
• Registered office address
• Registration date and status
• Share capital (subscribed and paid)
• Activity sector (CAEN codes)

Shareholders:

• Names and identification data
• Number of shares held
• Participation percentage in capital and profits

Legal representatives:

• Names and identification data
• Role (administrator, director, board member)
• Mandate details and signing powers

Trade register extract (Certificat constatator): Official document from ONRC presenting the current state of the company, including all identification data, shareholders, administrators, and registered activities.

🔍 Want simpler KYB workflows in Romania?

Topograph's API and web app enable automated company searches, instant document retrieval, and compliance-ready data for your due diligence processes.