
A
shelf company in Sweden is a legal entity that has been registered but had not been used, in most cases, for trading.
The age of the company can be important for some entrepreneurs and when this is a factor that will influence their business contracts and partnerships, the shelf or ready-made company can be a suitable choice.
Quick Facts |
|
Legal entities available for shelf company |
Limited company - the most commonly used business form for a shelf company in Sweden |
Time required for purchasing the company
|
Approximately 7 business days |
Types of features it includes (corporate bank account, VAT number, etc) |
It can include a bank account, although it is not a standard for a shelf company in Sweden.
|
The advantages of a shelf company in Sweden |
- flexible,
- ready to trade,
- the new owners can change its particularities to meet their needs
|
Appointing new directors (yes/no) |
Yes
|
Capital increase allowed (yes/no) |
Yes
|
Certificate of no commercial activities (yes/no) |
Upon request
|
Modify the objects of activity (yes/no) |
Yes
|
Participants in the purchase procedure |
The buyer (natural or legal person) and the seller, usually a Swedish legal entity
|
The cost of buying a shelf company in Sweden |
It can start at approximately EUR 2,000, not including the fully subscribed capital and other mandatory fees.
|
Documents necessary for the purchase |
- the buyer's identification documents,
- the controlling company's incorporation documents (in case of legal person shareholders),
-other documents/information about the new company owners
|
Taxes applied to a shelf company |
The corporate income tax in Sweden is 20.6%
|
Changing the registered address (yes/no) |
Yes
|
Aged shelf company available (yes/no) |
Yes. Different prices can apply for a shelf company in Sweden
|
The institution where corporate changes are registered |
The Swedish Companies Registration Office |
Read below to find out more about ready-made companies in Sweden and their most important features.
Shelf company advantages
Local and foreign investors who wish to open a company in Sweden can also choose to buy one that has already been incorporated and registered with the Companies Registration Office (Bolagsverket).
Some of the main advantages of buying a shelf company in Sweden include the following:
-
● Saved time: entrepreneurs will not need to wait for company name availability conformations, nor will they need to draw up the company’s constitutive documents; this step has already been completed.
-
● Credibility: a clean, debt-free company history can be important for many reasons and a company with a history can seem more credible in the eyes of clients and business partners;
-
● Corporate banking advantages: a company with longevity can have easier access to corporate credit; it can also have easier access to investment capital;
-
● Immediate trading: an already incorporated company is able to start trading right away; in practice, the buyer will need to finalize the purchase papers and obtain special permits and licenses, if needed.
Shelf company post-purchase steps
The new company owners have the option to fully tailor the now-owned shelf company in Sweden so that it will suit their business needs.
However, before the final purchase takes place, our team of
company formation agents in Sweden recommends that all those who buy a shelf company also perform a due diligence verification.
The due diligence is a complex evaluation of the company’s true status, and it focuses on areas such as financial information, tax compliance, assets and intellectual property, licenses and permits, contracts, litigation, and other areas.
Not all shelf companies in Sweden will have the data mentioned above checked before they are purchase for the simple reason that those which are truly incorporated and not used for trading will not have had the change to accumulate the information (such as licenses and permits or signed contracts, inter alia).
-
Change the company’s office: the registered address can and, in most cases is changed; it does need to be another address based in Sweden and a virtual office can also be used for this purpose;
-
Change the company’s name: the trade name and the business name can be different, however, if the name is important for the new owner, the desired one can be checked for availability and, if ready to use, reserved and changed with the help of our agents;
-
Change/add objects of activity: the company can add or change the business activities named in its Articles of Association;
-
Apply for licenses: special permits and licenses are mandatory in selected business fields; our team can help you apply for these.
Investors who purchase a shelf company will not have to complete all the steps to set up a company in Sweden themselves. The registration of the business with the Companies Registration Office and that with the Tax Agency will have already taken place. Our team can assist you if you have purchased a company and are now willing to make changes to its particulars.
As far as
payroll in Sweden is concerned, the country does not employ a payroll tax but the employer will need to pay a part of the social security contributions. These are calculated according to the age of the employee, up to a certain percentage. Investors who purchase a shelf company and who will eventually hire employees in the country can find out more about this from our team.
Company statistics in Sweden
According to
Statistics Sweden, the total value of investments in 2021 amounted to SEK 339.7 billion. Other data presented by our company registration experts shows the following:
-
- the real estate sector accounted for 40% of all the total investments in 2021;
-
- it was followed by the mining and quarrying sector, with 22% of the total investment value;
-
- the premilitary data for the planned investments in 2022 is that these are expected to amount to SEK 336.5 billion.
If you wish to start doing business in the country, and are interested in exploring the options available for purchasing a shelf company in Sweden, our team can assist you.
We also offer services for those who are interested in opening a
branch in Sweden.