All entities conducting economic/commercial activity in the Republic of Albania and subject to the registration obligation under the law must be registered in the commercial register. Initial registration may be carried out personally by the legal representatives of commercial entities or by persons delegated by them through the granting of authorization to perform the registration procedures. Representatives of the entities or their delegates may register the business via the e-Albania portal. It must, however, be kept in mind that, as a rule, businesses must be registered prior to the effective commencement of activity.

The commercial register is an electronic register, open to the public, administered by the National Business Center, containing necessary information on entities conducting commercial activity, including, inter alia, information on incorporation, organization, representation, activity, amendments, and deregistration of commercial entities.

Together with the application, applicants—depending on the form of business they are registering—must also submit the relevant documentation. Accompanying documents are submitted in electronic format, under the full responsibility of the applicant. Such documents must be in the Albanian language. Private deeds and official documents issued by foreign jurisdictions must be accompanied by a certified translation into Albanian, bearing an apostille or legalized in accordance with applicable laws and international agreements ratified by the Republic of Albania.

Following submission, the application and accompanying documents are reviewed by the authorized officers of the National Business Center. Verification establishes whether the application and documents comply with the requirements of the business registration legislation. The type of supporting documentation varies depending on the type of business being registered, and may include: the statute/articles of incorporation/ authorization document, etc. It should be noted that, in the same stage as the initial registration, the registration of the beneficial owner must also be carried out. In this review, the authorized officer does not verify the accuracy of the data or the authenticity of the documents, for which responsibility lies with the applicants or the persons drafting the acts. At the conclusion of the review process, the officer may approve, suspend, or reject the application.

Any decision of the National Business Center (NBC) regarding the approval, suspension, or rejection of an application is notified in writing to the applicant (via e-Albania) as well as published on the official website of the Center. In case of approval, the applicant is issued with the respective NIPT number, whereas in case of suspension or rejection, the applicant is provided with the reasons for such suspension or rejection.