Registered entities

Must register with the CBE and are considered to be registered entities (hereinafter referred to as entities):

  • legal persons under Belgian law;
  • any natural person who pursues a professional activity in Belgium independently, except for the natural persons referred to in Article III.49, § 2, 6° and 9° of the Code of Economic Law, namely natural persons whose professional activity in a self-employed capacity consists in the exercise of one or more administrative mandates as well as natural persons who pursue an activity in Belgium in the collaborative economy;
  • legal persons under foreign or international law having offices in Belgium;
  • any organisation without legal personality which, in Belgium, is either a company, or is subject to social security as an employer, or is subject to value added tax;
  • establishments, bodies and services under Belgian law that carry out activities for the public benefit or associated with public order and that have financial and accounting autonomy which is separate from that of the legal persons under Belgian law on which they depend;
  • any natural person, legal person under foreign or international law or any other organisation without legal personality required to register under Belgian specific legislation.

Establishment units

An establishment unit is any place that is geographically identifiable by an address, where at least one activity of the entity is carried out or from which the activity is carried out. Examples of establishment units are:

  • workshops,
  • shops,
  • sales outlets,
  • offices,
  • directorates,
  • headquarters,
  • agencies and
  • branches.

For more information, please see “Cases of registration of an establishment unit.” (PDF, 512.6 KB)

The establishment units of the above-mentioned entities must also be registered.

Where do I register my entity? 

Below you will find a general overview of the services to which you can turn in order to register the entity with the CBE:

  • Belgian companies with legal personality (public limited companies, limited liability companies, limited partnerships, …): with the registry of the competent company court, the notary (for companies created by authentic instrument and electronically) or via the JustAct application (for companies constituted by private instrument and electronically);
  • non-profit associations, international non-profit associations and foundations: with the registry of the competent company court, via the JustAct application (for non-profit associations) or with the notary;
  • foreign companies having branches in Belgium: with the registry of the company court;
  • natural persons who carry out a professional activity on a self-employed basis and who have an establishment unit in Belgium: with a recognised one-stop shop;
  • organisations without legal personality which pursue a distribution purpose (or effectively distribute to their members or to persons who have a decisive influence on the organisation's policy): with a recognised one-stop shop;
  • organisations without legal personality which do not pursue a distribution purpose (and do not effectively distribute to their members or to persons who have a decisive influence on the organisation's policy): with the VAT administrative department (if subject to VAT) or the NSSO (if subject to social security as an employer);
  • educational establishments (PDF, 354.37 KB): with the NSSO (if staff are employed there) or the CBE’s Management Department. To know the different possible scenarios, consult the summary table (PDF, 225.19 KB);
  • federal administrative civil services: with the FPS BOSA (Strategy and Support).

! Do not forget to register any capacities and establishment units of the above-mentioned entities with the competent office.

Where do I register my entity’s characteristic(s)?

  • characteristic of company subject to registration: with a recognised one-stop shop;
  • NSSO characteristic: with the National Social Security Office;
  • VAT characteristic: with the VAT administrative department;
  • other characteristics: use our My Enterprise application, which will tell you which office to contact. In case you can’t use My Enterprise, please contact our CBE Helpdesk.

Where do I register my establishment unit(s)?

  • establishment units of Belgian companies, foundations, international non-profit associations, foreign companies, natural persons who carry out a professional activity independently: with a recognised one-stop shop;
  • establishment units of non-profit associations: via My Enterprise or the NSSO (the NSSO registers the establishment unit if staff are employed there);
  • establishment units of organisations without legal personality which pursue a distribution purpose (or distribute effectively): with a recognised one-stop shop;
  • establishment units with only NSSO capacity: with the NSSO (if staff are employed there);
  • establishment units of educational establishments (PDF, 247.87 KB): with the NSSO (if staff are employed there). If your entity does not have a capacity of NSSO employer, you must submit a form (DOC, 212 KB) requesting the creation of one or more educational establishment units to the CBE's Management Department;
  • establishment units of administrative civil services: with the FPS BOSA (Strategy and Support);establishment units of other entities: use our My Enterprise application, which will tell you which office to contact. In case you can’t use My Enterprise, please contact our CBE Helpdesk.

Company registration number

Upon registration in the CBE each entity receives a company registration number. The use of this number is required by law. The company registration number is a unique identification number consisting of 10 digits, starting with 0 or 1.

The company registration number assigned to a natural person is not transferable to another entity, even if that entity is a company incorporated by that natural person alone. It shall remain attributed to the same natural person, even if that person interrupts or suspends the activity giving rise to registration and even if the nature of the activity he or she carries out changes.

The company registration number assigned to a legal person is also not transferable to another entity.

Establishment unit registration number

Each establishment unit is allocated a unique identification number, which differs from the company registration number. The establishment unit registration number consists of 10 digits. The first digit is a digit from 2 to 8. This number is transferable from one entity to another, for instance in the event of a merger or takeover.

Last update
17 October 2023