How to Change Your Company's Registered Office in Belgium
Is your company relocating, do you want to separate your private address from your business address, or are you simply looking for a more prestigious address? Changing your company's registered office in Belgium is a common procedure, but it requires compliance with precise legal steps. This guide explains everything, step by step.
Why change your registered office?
In Belgium, the registered office is your company's official address, recorded at the Crossroads Bank for Enterprises (BCE) and published in the Belgian Official Gazette. This is the address where official notifications are sent: correspondence from the FPS Finance, court summons, VAT correspondence, and other administrative documents. Several reasons may motivate a change of registered office: • Physical relocation of the business to new premises • Separation between the manager's private address and the company address • Seeking a more professional or prestigious address • Cost optimization by switching from a commercial lease to domiciliation • Restructuring or merger with another company • Change of region (for example from Wallonia to Brussels) Regardless of the reason, the transfer of the registered office must follow a strict legal procedure defined by the Belgian Code of Companies and Associations (CSA).
The 5 steps to change your registered office
Transferring your company's registered office in Belgium follows a multi-step process. Here is the complete procedure.
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1. Review your company's articles of association
Start by reviewing your company's articles of association. In some cases, the power to move the registered office is assigned to the management body (manager or board of directors) if the transfer remains within the same linguistic region. If the transfer involves a change of linguistic region, an amendment to the articles by an extraordinary general assembly is mandatory.
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2. Make the formal decision
If the move stays within the same linguistic region and the articles allow it, a simple decision by the management body is sufficient. However, if the registered office changes linguistic region (for example from Flanders to Brussels), an extraordinary general assembly must be convened with a quorum of 50% and a majority of 75% of votes.
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3. Amend the articles and visit the notary
If an amendment to the articles is required (change of linguistic region), you must appear before a notary to have the change recorded by authentic deed. The notary then handles the filing at the clerk's office of the enterprise court. For transfers within the same linguistic region, a notary visit is not always required.
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4. Publish in the Belgian Official Gazette
Any change of registered office must be published in the Belgian Official Gazette (Moniteur Belge). This publication is mandatory and makes the change enforceable against third parties. The publication cost is approximately €250 for a single-language deed and approximately €350 for a bilingual deed. The notary or your domiciliation provider can handle this formality.
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5. Update the BCE and administrative bodies
After publication, you must update your registration at the Crossroads Bank for Enterprises (BCE) through an approved enterprise counter. Don't forget to also notify the VAT administration, your bank, insurers, suppliers, and clients. If you are domiciled at a business centre like Office Factory, we can handle all of these procedures for you.
How much does changing your registered office cost?
The total cost of transferring a registered office depends on the complexity of the operation: • Publication in the Belgian Official Gazette: €250 to €350 depending on language • Notary fees (if authentic deed required): €500 to €1,500 depending on complexity • BCE update via enterprise counter: €100 to €200 • Accountant or social secretariat fees: variable If you opt for domiciliation at Office Factory, these costs are considerably reduced as we handle the administrative procedures and can support you through the entire process. Our domiciliation service starts at €79 excl. VAT per month, and our administrative services cover the registered office transfer from A to Z.
Domiciliation: the simplest solution
Rather than renting new office space to house your registered office, business domiciliation offers an economical and flexible alternative. By domiciling your company at Office Factory, you benefit from: • A prestigious professional address in Brussels (Uccle) • Complete management of your official mail • A centre approved by the FPS Economy and AML-certified by the BWA • Full handling of your transfer procedures (BCE, Official Gazette, VAT) • Access to meeting rooms and coworking spaces This is the preferred solution for hundreds of Belgian entrepreneurs who want to change their registered office without the constraints of a commercial lease. The transfer can be completed in just a few days.
Mistakes to avoid when changing your registered office
Transferring a registered office is an administrative procedure that does not forgive shortcuts. Here are the most common mistakes to avoid: • Forgetting to publish in the Official Gazette — without publication, the change is not enforceable against third parties and you risk not receiving official correspondence at the correct address. • Neglecting the BCE update — the tax administration and courts rely on the address registered at the BCE. An outdated address can lead to missed notifications. • Choosing a non-approved domiciliation centre — since 2018, every domiciliation provider must be registered with the FPS Economy. A non-approved centre exposes your company to the risk of deregistration. • Failing to inform VAT and other administrations — the address change must be communicated to all relevant administrations, not just the BCE. • Underestimating the implications of a linguistic region change — a transfer between linguistic regions requires an amendment to the articles by notarial deed, which is more expensive and time-consuming than a simple local transfer.
In summary
Changing your company's registered office in Belgium is a structured procedure that requires following precise legal steps. By working with an experienced provider like Office Factory, you simplify the entire process and ensure your transfer is carried out properly.