Company Formation in Austria: Address First

In Austria, company formation starts with the address: the commercial register (Firmenbuch) will not register a GmbH, the Austrian limited liability company, without a registered seat and a delivery address. A rented business address in Vienna's first district costs from 49 EUR per month plus VAT and is available immediately, while a conventional office lease can take weeks to negotiate. Fixing the address first removes the most common bottleneck in the formation timeline. Last updated June 2026.

Why does company formation in Austria start with the address?

Because the registered seat and the delivery address are mandatory elements of the articles of association and the commercial register application. The notary records both in the deed, the register court checks them before registration, and the bank needs a company address to open the account for the capital deposit.

The practical order looks like this:

• Secure the business address and get written confirmation
• Sign the notarized articles of association
• Open the bank account and deposit the share capital
• File the application with the commercial register
• Apply for a tax number after registration

If the address changes after the notary appointment, the deed has to be amended. That means a second notary fee and a delayed registration, which is why experienced founders settle the address before booking the appointment.

What counts as a valid registered address?

A valid registered address is a real physical address where official documents can be delivered to the company. A post office box does not qualify anywhere in Austria. The address appears in the public commercial register, in your website imprint and on your invoices, so courts, tax authorities and business partners all rely on it.

Someone has to be available at the address to accept deliveries, either you or a service provider acting under a clear agreement. Our guide to registered addresses in Austria explains the requirements in detail, including what happens when official mail cannot be delivered.

How much capital does an Austrian GmbH require?

The minimum share capital has been 10,000 EUR since 2024, and at least 5,000 EUR of it must be paid in cash before registration. On top of that, budget for notary fees, the commercial register fee and, depending on your activity, a trade licence.

Compared to these one-off costs, the address is a small recurring item. A business address in Vienna at Seitenstettengasse 5/37, 1010 Vienna starts at 49 EUR per month with annual billing, or 59 EUR with monthly billing, cancellable monthly. A conventional office in the first district easily costs ten times that, plus deposit and a multi-year lease.

Should you use your home address instead?

You can, but it becomes public information: the commercial register and your imprint show the company address to anyone who looks it up. Marketing mail, unannounced visitors and, in a dispute, court deliveries then arrive at your apartment. For founders relocating to Austria there is an additional catch: the home address often does not exist yet when the formation paperwork starts, which makes a rented address the only workable option.

There is also a maintenance cost. If you move house, the company seat moves with you, and that triggers a register amendment with notary involvement. A rented address stays stable no matter where you live.

What does the formation timeline look like?

With the address fixed on day one, most founders complete the process in two to four weeks. The notary appointment can usually be scheduled within days, the capital deposit depends on your bank, and the register court typically decides within one to two weeks. Non-resident founders should add time for identity verification at the bank, which is often the slowest step.

The address itself is the fastest part: at 1010 Works it is active as soon as the agreement is signed, with mail acceptance from day one and pickup seven days a week, or unlimited scanning from the Plus plan.

Conclusion

An Austrian GmbH needs three things before anything else: an address, a notarized deed and 10,000 EUR in share capital with at least 5,000 EUR paid in cash. The address comes first because every other step refers to it. If you want to start without leasing an office, 1010 Works provides a business address in Vienna's first district from 49 EUR per month plus VAT, cancellable monthly. See the company formation guide for the full process, or set up your business address in Vienna today.