Register a Company in Argentina: Company Incorporation

Argentina is the perfect country for investors and entrepreneurs looking to start a business in Latin America. In recent years, the government has been promoting international investment and businesses to start operating in Argentina. This has given the country a very friendly environment, with simplified processes and great benefits.

Argentina is part of Mercosur, an international alliance that plays an important role in South America. Besides Argentina, Paraguay, Brazil, and Uruguay are also part of this very important trading block, which leads to a market of approximately 250 million people.

Are you interested in starting a business in Argentina? Below you’ll find a step-by-step guide with the process you need to follow and all the requirements.

1. Choose the right company for your type of business

   Depending on the nature of the business, the right type of company or legal structure has to be chosen. Each of them has certain advantages and disadvantages, so it is important to keep in mind the company’s needs, objectives, and goals for the future.

   These are the most common types of companies in Argentina:

   • Corporation or Sociedad Anónima (S.A.): A Corporation requires a minimum initial investment of AR$100,000, which is around USD$ 956. This type of company also needs to have a board of Directors residing in Argentina. The capital of the company is divided into stocks.

   • Limited Liability Company (SRL): A Limited Liability Company requires a minimum of 2 and a maximum of 50 shareholders. The capital of the company is divided into participation.

   • Simplified Shares Company (S.A.S): This is a company type created in 2017 with the goal to simplify the process of incorporating a company in Argentina. It only requires 1 shareholder and low minimum capital.

2. Check for the company’s name availability with Argentina’s General Inspection of Justice

   The first step in the process of registering a company in Argentina is to check for the name available at Argentina’s General Inspection of Justice or Inspección General de Justicia (IGJ), in Spanish. Once it’s verified that there are no other companies with the same name, the registration can be completed online.

3. Appoint a Legal Representative

   If your shareholders are not present in Argentina, a Power of Attorney will be required that allows your legal representative to carry out the process locally. This Power of Attorney has to be signed by the corresponding party.

   Also, consider that for foreign shareholders additional documentation will be required.

   All documentation that comes from abroad must be duly legalized and apostilled (if applicable), and these hard-copy documents must be sent to Argentina. Finally, consider that documentation that is not in Spanish, will require translations to be accepted by the local agencies.

   Although this step might sound cumbersome and time-consuming, it is a standard process to register your company in Argentina. Nevertheless, our team can help with the process. You can find more information at the bottom of this article.

4. Draft the company bylaws

   The articles of incorporation and the bylaws allow for the constitution of the company in Argentina. This document is essential for business formation as it is going to work as the backbone of the company and rule the way it is run. Consider this document has to include:

   • Company name

   • Legal Representative information

   • Share capital information

   • Company activities

   • Registered / Legal address

   • Management structure

   • Extinction and liquidation details

   • Other general dispositions

   This document requires the legal advice and signature of a lawyer in Argentina to make sure that it covers all required aspects. The bylaws also need to be signed by all the shareholders, and the signatures must be notarized.

5. Deposit the initial company capital at the National Bank of Argentina

   One important step to completing the registration of the company in Argentina is to deposit 25% of the initial company’s capital at the National Bank of Argentina (Banco Nación de Argentina, in Spanish). The money must stay there until the company’s bylaws are successfully registered. Once the registration is completed, you will be able the withdraw the capital and deposit it in any other bank.

6. Pay the incorporation fee and submit your company documents

   In order to be able to submit all documents to the Ministry of Justice and Human Rights, an incorporation fee has to be paid. This step is necessary for the registration of the business and the final incorporation of the company in Argentina. Both, the payment of the incorporation fee and the submission of the documents can be completed online.

7. Publish the company formation notice in the Official Gazette

   An extract of the company’s bylaws , as well as other important documents (registered office address, capital, date of incorporation, etc), have to be published in the Official Gazette. This has to be done by a registered lawyer in Argentina, in order to comply with all the requirements.

8. Register your company books

   The registration of the company’s accounting books is a mandatory step and must be completed in order to avoid any sanctions. Other books and documents also have to be notarized and registered, such as the information about the meetings, duration, deposit of shares, and records of actions. This is the most effective method of control, organization, and updating of the legal entity information, once your business starts.

9. Obtain a Tax Identification Number or CUIT

   Once your business is registered, it’ll be assigned a Tax Identification Number or CUIT, which stands for Código Único de Identificación Tributaria (in Spanish). If the company has an Argentinian legal representative, this taxpayer ID process is completed online. However, if the legal representative is a foreign person, the process has to be completed in person at the offices of the Federal Public Revenue Administration (AFIP).

10. Open a corporate bank account

    Each bank offers different types of accounts with many benefits depending on the agreement and goals of the company. It is recommended that the bank offers good pricing structures for international transactions.

    Also, it is important to consider that some banks may have foreign transaction restrictions for companies that have foreign shareholders. It is crucial to take this into account as part of your company establishment strategy, as identifying a bank that has flexible policies will determine when your new company can start its operations.

Get Assistance from Easyco Experts!

Argentina is the perfect country for your company incorporation! To make sure you register your company in the right way, you can get in touch with us, and our team of experts is going to make sure your business registration process complies with all Argentinian laws.

At Easyco, we make company formation in Argentina easy; our team of corporate experts has vast experience helping companies and individuals register their business in Argentina, with a proven track record of success across all of our services. Easyco aims to tackle the complex company formation processes across LATAM. We make business registration easy by providing a hassle-free online company registration experience. Start your company in Argentina today!

Easyco also provides additional services to guarantee your company’s compliance, which include:

• Appointment of legal representation,

• Providing a registered office address

• Handling tax and accounting

• Hassle-free Payroll Services

• Manage your Company bank account opening

• Manage your Trademark Registration

• Recruiting and Hiring Talent

• Corporate Legal Services.