Registration in the Crossroads Bank for Enterprises (CBE)

Registered entities

The following registered entities (hereinafter referred to as entities) must be registered in the CBE.

• Any legal person under Belgian law;
• Any natural person required to register as an enterprise subject to registration.
  This concerns every natural person who exercises a professional activity in Belgium in or from an establishment unit in a self-employed capacity, with the exception of natural persons who are only registered in the CBE in their capacity as employers of domestic staff, natural persons whose professional activity as a self-employed person consists of exercising one or more managerial mandates, as well as natural persons who carry out an activity in Belgium within the context of the sharing economy;
• Any legal person under foreign or international law that has a registered seat, an establishment unit or a branch in Belgium;
• Any organisation without legal personality that must register as an enterprise subject to registration.
  This concerns any organisation without legal personality that has the purpose of distributing profit/benefits  and/or actually distributes profit/benefits to its members or to persons exercising a decisive influence on the organisation's policy and that carries out activities in or from an establishment unit, with the exception of the representative workers' organisations;
• Any establishment, body or service under Belgian law which carries out tasks of public interest or related to public order and has financial and accounting autonomy distinct from that of the legal person under Belgian public law on which they depend;
• Any natural person, legal person under foreign or international law or any organisation without legal personality required to register in application of special Belgian legislation.

Establishment Units

An establishment unit is a place of activity that can be geographically identified by an address in Belgium, where at least one activity of the registered entity is exercised or from which the activity is exercised. Examples of establishment units include:

• Workshops
• Shops
• Sales outlets
• Offices
• Directorates
• Headquarters
• Agencies 
• Branches

For more information, please see “Cases of registration of an establishment unit.” (PDF, 513.23 KB)

The establishment units of the entities mentioned above must be registered in the BCE.

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 an accredited business counter;
• 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 an accredited business counter;
• 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).
• Multinational enterprise groups and large-scale domestic groups, for which a minimum tax is assured: with the FPS Finance – General Administration of Taxation

Where Do I Register my Entity’s Characteristic(s)?

• Characteristic of company subject to registration: with an accredited business counter;
• 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 an accredited business counter;
• 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 an accredited business counter;
• 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.