Austria (AT)
Austria is a landlocked Central European republic of nine federal states (Bundesländer), renowned for its stunning Alpine landscapes, imperial history, world-class classical music, and high standard of living.
Capital: Vienna
Region: Europe
Language: German
Currency: EUR (€)
Cost of living: Expensive (index 72)
Emergency: 112
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Business Setup
Start a business or go freelance in Austria.
🧑💻 Freelancer / Self-Employed Guide
Steps to register:
- 1 1. Determine your profession category: Freies Gewerbe (unregulated trade — e.g. consulting, IT, marketing), Reglementiertes Gewerbe (regulated trade requiring proof of qualification — e.g. electrician, baker, hairdresser), or Freie Berufe/Neue Selbständige (liberal professions outside Gewerbeordnung — e.g. writers, artists, coaches, certain IT specialists).
- 2 2. Register your trade: For Gewerbe — register at the WKO (Wirtschaftskammer Österreich) via the Gründer-Service or online at WKO.at (Gewerbeanmeldung). Fee: €85–130. For Neue Selbständige (liberal professions not in Gewerbeordnung) — no trade registration needed, but register directly with Finanzamt.
- 3 3. Register at the Finanzamt: Submit a Veränderungsanzeige or use FinanzOnline (finanzonline.at) to register self-employment. You will receive your Steuernummer for invoicing.
- 4 4. Register with the SVS (Sozialversicherung der Selbständigen): Selbständige pay into SVS for health, pension, and accident insurance. SVS covers all tradespeople and new self-employed. Registration is automatic once your income exceeds the threshold (~€6,221/year 2026), or voluntary below that.
- 5 5. WKO membership is mandatory for Gewerbetreibende — base fee ~€94/year + Kammerumlage on revenue. Provides access to free legal advice, templates, and trade-specific support.
- 6 6. VAT decision: If annual turnover is below €35,000, you can use the Kleinunternehmerregelung (exempt from charging VAT). Above €35,000: must register for VAT (Umsatzsteuer), charge 20% (or 10%/13% where applicable), and file quarterly or annual VAT returns (Umsatzsteuervoranmeldung — UVA).
- 7 7. Bookkeeping: Maintain records of all income and expenses (Einnahmen-Ausgaben-Rechnung — EAR is simplest for small businesses under €700,000 turnover). Annual tax return (Steuererklärung) with Einkommensteuererklärung (E1 and E1a forms).
- 8 8. Quarterly advance tax payments (Einkommensteuervorauszahlung): Finanzamt will issue a schedule once your income is established.
Tax registration
Finanzamt via FinanzOnline (finanzonline.at). Register as Einzelunternehmer or Neue Selbständige. Receive Steuernummer within 2–4 weeks.
VAT threshold
€35,000 annual turnover. Below this, Kleinunternehmerregelung applies — no VAT charged and no VAT returns required. Above this threshold: mandatory VAT registration (Pflicht zur Umsatzsteuerveranlagung).
Invoicing
Invoices (Rechnung) must include: your name and address, client name and address, invoice date, consecutive invoice number, description of service/goods, net amount, VAT rate and amount (or note if Kleinunternehmer: "Umsatzsteuerbefreit gemäß § 6 Abs. 1 Z 27 UStG"), total amount, your bank details (IBAN), your Steuernummer or UID number (VAT ID, if registered for VAT). For invoices above €10,000: recipient's UID number required.
Social security
Self-employed are covered by SVS (Sozialversicherung der Selbständigen) — not ÖGK. SVS covers health insurance, pension, and accident insurance. Minimum annual contribution base: ~€6,221 (2026). Total SVS contributions: ~26.6% of net income (includes health + pension + accident). Freelancers/New Self-Employed who also have wage employment may be exempt from SVS health insurance up to a threshold.
💡 Key distinction in Austria: Neue Selbständige (e.g. coaches, IT consultants, graphic designers, journalists) are NOT registered with the Gewerbeordnung and pay lower registration costs. Gewerbetreibende (trades) must register with WKO and comply with trade regulations. Freie Berufe (doctors, lawyers, notaries) have their own Kammern (chambers). Use the WKO Gründer-Service for free startup consultation — highly recommended.
🏢 Business Structures
Einzelunternehmen · Einzelunternehmen / Gewerbetreibender / Freiberufler
Sole Trader / Freelancer
None
Min. capital
1–3 weeks
Setup time
Liability: Unlimited personal liability
Setup cost: Free (liberal professions) or €85–130 for Gewerbeanmeldung (trade registration at WKO)
Best for: Freelancers, consultants, IT contractors, artists, tradespersons, individual entrepreneurs.
OG · Offene Gesellschaft
General Partnership
None
Min. capital
2–4 weeks
Setup time
Liability: Unlimited joint and several personal liability for all partners
Setup cost: €300–800 (partnership agreement + Firmenbuch registration)
Best for: Small partnerships, family businesses, professional offices (lawyers, accountants, architects).
KG · Kommanditgesellschaft
Limited Partnership
None required, but Kommanditist (limited partner) liability capped at agreed contribution
Min. capital
2–4 weeks
Setup time
Liability: Komplementär (general partner): unlimited. Kommanditist (limited partner): limited to contribution.
Setup cost: €400–1,000 (Firmenbuch registration)
Best for: Businesses where one partner manages (full liability) and others invest (limited liability).
GmbH · Gesellschaft mit beschränkter Haftung
Limited Liability Company (LLC)
€35,000 (€17,500 paid in on founding for simplified GmbH — GmbH light)
Min. capital
3–6 weeks
Setup time
Liability: Limited to company assets
Setup cost: €500–2,000 (notary fees) + €600 Firmenbuch registration fee. Simplified GmbH: lower costs.
Best for: Most professional businesses, companies seeking investment, professional liability protection. The most common business form for serious ventures in Austria.
GmbH & Co KG · GmbH & Co Kommanditgesellschaft
Limited Liability Company & Co. Limited Partnership
€35,000 for the GmbH component
Min. capital
4–8 weeks
Setup time
Liability: GmbH has limited liability; KG structure provides tax flexibility
Setup cost: €1,500–4,000 (combined notary + registration costs)
Best for: Tax-optimised structure for larger businesses. Combines limited liability with pass-through taxation advantages.
AG · Aktiengesellschaft
Public/Joint-Stock Company
€70,000
Min. capital
6–12 weeks
Setup time
Liability: Limited to company assets
Setup cost: €5,000–15,000+
Best for: Large companies, companies planning to list on the Vienna Stock Exchange (Wiener Börse) or raise significant investment.
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