The easiest way to add a shareholder into your Estonian company structure

Are you planning to involve investors in your Estonian company and wondering how to do it? Starting a business in Estonia offers flexibility, especially when you need to add a shareholder online in Estonia. The digital infrastructure allows for efficient Estonian company share transfer methods. We’d like to give you an overview of ways you can distribute shares, so you’d know exactly what to expect whether your investor is an e-Resident or not. Should you have any additional questions or need assistance, don’t hesitate to get in touch with us.

Adding a Shareholder Without Notary Involvement or e-Residency:

For companies with a fully paid share capital of at least €10,000, it’s possible to transfer shares without a notary. This digital share transfer in Estonia requires unanimous agreement among existing shareholders and corresponding amendments to the articles of association. The board is responsible for notifying the Business Register of any changes.

Do the share distribution yourself, without the notary. The requirements for this are:

• The company has fully paid 10 000€ of share capital.
• You have made an amendment to your articles of association, which approves this.
• *Note that you can only alter this change when all the shareholders have agreed upon it, majority votes won’t be enough. A notation will also be entered on the registry card of the private limited company to specify that the company removes the requirement of notarized approval when selling, redistributing or disposing of shares.
• It’s the responsibility of the company’s board members to notify the new shareholder of the business registry.

If you don’t want to pay in the 10 000€ of share capital, then you can increasing Share Capital

Increase your company’s share capital.

Another method to add a shareholder is by increasing the share capital in your Estonian OÜ. This involves issuing new shares to the prospective shareholder. Existing shareholders must digitally sign a resolution outlining the new share allocation. Notably, new shareholders are not required to have e-Residency for this process.

The requirements for this are:

• The company issues new shares online.
• A digitally signed document that outlines the new share allocation must be signed only by the existing shareholders.
• This means there is no need for the new shareholder to have e-Residency as their signature is not needed.

We always recommend to get e-Residency to avoid waiting in the future when it might be needed the most. For instance, if the shareholder wants to be a board member they should have e-Residency for ease of business sake. Mainly because board members have the right to make the type of high stake decisions on behalf of the company that require giving a signature.

Utilizing E-Notary Services

Distributing shares via e-notary

For new shareholders who are e-Residents, shares can be distributed via Estonia’s e-Notary for share transfer. This process can be conducted remotely or at designated Estonian embassies equipped with the necessary biometric verification systems. Notary fees apply for this service.

• We help you choose an Estonian notary who provides their services via e-notary.
• You agree on a time with the notary to do the remote authentication.
• Log in to the self-service portal and follow the guidelines on screen.

By leveraging Estonia’s advanced digital infrastructure, companies can efficiently manage shareholder additions through various methods, including adding shareholders online in Estonia and through e-Notary services. It’s essential to choose the method that aligns best with your company’s structure and the residency status of prospective shareholders.