| LLC | PLC | SLC | Branch Office | Rep Office | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Local Name | SL | SA | SLNE | Sucursal | Oficina de Representacion |
| Company Setup Time | 10 days | 15 days | 15 days | 15 days | 15 days |
| Bank Account Opening | 5 days | 5 days | 5 days | 5 days | 5 days |
| Government Grants Available | Yes | Yes | Yes | No | No |
| Government Contracts Bidding | Yes | Yes | Yes | No | No |
| Limited Liability | Yes | Yes | Yes | No | No |
| Client Required to Travel | No | No | No | No | No |
| Inquiry | Inquiry | Inquiry | Inquiry | Inquiry |
Corporate Structure Explained
Spanish Limited Liability Company (Sociedad de Responsabilidad Limitada)
- This entity needs one manager and one shareholder who can be of any nationality and live anywhere.
- A minimum share capital of € 3,000 must be paid prior to the company setup.
Spanish Public Liability Company (Sociedad Anonima)
- Its required a minimum capital of € 60,000 and 25% of it to be paid out at the time of incorporation. Appointment of 1 director and 1 shareholder of any nationality.
- A PLC is not required to be listed on the stock exchange. PLCs are also not obliged to perform internal audits.
Spanish Free Trade Zone Company
- Free trade zones in Spain enable manufacturers and export companies to benefit from various public investment incentives.
- Businesses are eligible for corporate income tax rates reduction, reduced VAT rates and the exemption from paying duties.
- An export-oriented business benefits from the EU trading bloc.
Branch Office (Sucursal)
- A branch office can be 100% foreign owned and the scope is defined by the parent business.
- A branch office is authorized to have an independent management team and to operate a local corporate bank account.
- Apart from corporate taxes, branches in Spain face an additional 19% remittance tax.
- The branch must appoint a resident individual or a corporate entity as a legal representative to the tax authorities.
Representative Office (Oficina de Representación)
- This entity is forbidden from making direct sales and can be 100% foreign owned.
- It can only engage in research marketing and promotion of the parent company’s business and services.