Opening a business bank account in Romania: SRL, branch or foreign company

Register the SRL before going to the bank

A business bank account in Romania is opened in the name of a company registered with the ONRC, usually an SRL, or of a foreign entity active in the country. The bank needs the CUI tax code and checks the shareholders, the beneficial owners and the reality of the business. Foreign investors most often choose the SRL, Romania's limited liability company.

The SRL, Romania's limited liability company, is the form most foreign investors choose. Registration with the Oficiul Național al Registrului Comerțului gives it a unique registration code, the CUI, which the bank needs to open the account.

Paid-up share capital and the capital account

Depending on the procedure used, the capital contribution is paid into a bank account and then evidenced to the register. Romanian banks know this process and issue the required certificate, provided the foreign shareholder's source of funds is documented.

Beneficial owners declared to the ONRC

Romanian companies declare their beneficial owners to the register kept by the ONRC and update it with every change. The bank compares this filing with the group chart provided; a chain of foreign holdings must be traced up to the individuals.

Foreign director and signing documents

A director living in France can run an SRL, but the bank wants to identify them in person or through a remote procedure it accepts. Foreign documents are generally required with an apostille and a certified translation into Romanian.

Mandatory e-invoicing through e-Factura

Romanian companies submit their invoices through ANAF's national e-Factura system. The bank plays no part in it, but matching declared invoices against receipts on the account makes flows highly traceable for the tax authority.

Romanian VAT and the account known to ANAF

A VAT-registered company invoices with the RO prefix before its tax code. The standard rate rose to 21% in August 2025. The company's bank accounts are known to ANAF, which can garnish them for unpaid taxes.

IT outsourcing and exported services

Bucharest, Cluj-Napoca and Iași host many software development centres working for European clients. These companies often invoice in euros; a EUR account avoids conversions, and SEPA transfers from clients arrive without currency charges.

Paying salaries and social contributions

On a Romanian business account, salaries are paid in lei, and the employer pays tax and contributions to ANAF monthly through the D112 return. A foreign director must make sure the lei account is funded for these deadlines, or penalties apply.

Payment terminals and e-commerce

To accept cards on its Romanian business bank account, the company signs a separate acquiring agreement with the bank or a payment provider. The review covers the sector, the merchant website and expected volumes; some high-risk activities are simply declined.

Bank contact for a foreign-owned SME

Banca Transilvania, very active with Romanian SMEs, offers business accounts with online banking in English; an application from a company with foreign shareholders nevertheless goes through a longer compliance review than a locally owned SRL.

Steps to open a business bank account in Romania

The company is first registered with the trade register, which gives it its tax code and its official articles. It then chooses a bank, contacts a business adviser and presents its file. The bank reviews the activity, the shareholders and the beneficial owners, then proposes an agreement. Depending on the institution and the complexity of the structure, the process takes anywhere from a few days to several weeks.

Decide from the start who can approve payments, with what limits and what dual approval. Changing the powers on a Romanian business account later requires new documents and another pass through compliance, which sometimes delays the business by several weeks. Setting this up well at the start saves time later on a company account in Romania.

After opening, test the account with a small first transfer, in lei and then, if needed, in euros. Check that the IBAN, the company name and the tax code are written exactly as in the register. Then give the bank details to customers and suppliers, and set up online banking with at least two users, so that one director’s absence does not block the payment of salaries and taxes.

Documents for a company account in Romania

The typical file brings together up-to-date articles, the registration certificate, proof of the registered office, the list of shareholders and directors and a group chart down to the individuals. The bank also asks for identity documents of the directors and beneficial owners, proof of address and, depending on the case, a description of the activity, the main contracts or the first invoices. These documents must be consistent with each other.

Where shareholders or companies are established abroad, prepare the local papers: register extracts, articles, powers of attorney. They are generally expected with an apostille and a certified translation into Romanian. Start these steps early, because legalisation and translation are, in practice, among the slowest stages. Ask the bank to confirm in writing what it expects for a bank account for an SRL.

Finally, write a short note describing the activity, the main customers and suppliers, the countries involved and the expected volume of operations. This note helps the adviser build the compliance file, and it must match the contracts and articles. A vague or contradictory story is one of the most frequent reasons for refusal or requests for extra papers for a company with foreign capital.

Running a bank account for an SRL: currencies and cash

An SRL that sells in Romania collects mostly in lei, whereas a company working with foreign clients often receives euros. Ask the bank which sub-accounts it offers, what fees apply to transfers and what conversion rate it uses. A Romanian business bank account is easier to manage when each currency has a clear purpose.

Plan recurring payments: salaries, taxes, social contributions, rent and supplier invoices. Always keep a sufficient lei balance before each deadline, since a delay can bring penalties.

Keep regular contact with the bank’s adviser. Tell them about changes of director, shareholder, address or activity. This information conditions the update of the compliance file. A bank informed in time adapts limits, services and authorisations more easily, whereas a change discovered afterwards can lead to a temporary restriction of the account or an urgent request for documents. Treat the Romanian business account as a long-term relationship rather than a one-off formality.

Common mistakes and checks before opening

Common mistakes are opening a file before registration is complete, untranslated articles, a group chart that does not trace back to the individuals and a vague account of the activity. Others are choosing a bank on fees alone, without checking its experience with companies owned by foreign shareholders, and giving the IBAN to customers before the account has been tested.

Before paying in funds, check that the institution is authorised and supervised in Romania, for example by consulting the registers published by the competent authority.

Always confirm the conditions that apply to your situation, in writing, before signing the account agreement or transferring the capital.