Acquisition or incorporation: which route for your Luxembourg company?
What an existing company gives you, what a new one gives you, and what each route involves.
Request informationTwo routes to the same goal
You need a Luxembourg company. You can acquire one that already exists and is registered, or you can have a new one incorporated for you. Neither route is better in every case: the right answer depends on your timing, your corporate object and how much history you are willing to take on.
What an existing company gives you
- A company already registered with the Luxembourg Trade and Companies Register (RCS) and already known to the authorities.
- A corporate object, a legal form and sometimes a bank relationship already in place, which may shorten the path to first use.
- A track record: filed accounts, a history of general meetings and, in some cases, a seniority that a new company cannot show.
What a new company gives you
- A clean slate: no past activity, no inherited liabilities.
- A name, a corporate object and articles of association written for your project.
- Shareholders and managers chosen by you from day one.
The counterpart is the time needed to incorporate, to obtain the documents the bank will ask for and, where the legal form requires it, to go through a notary.
Side by side
| Existing company (acquisition) | New company (incorporation) | |
|---|---|---|
| Starting point | A company that already exists and is registered | A company created for you |
| History | Past years, filed accounts, possible legacy | None |
| Corporate object | Fixed by the existing articles, amendable | Written for your project |
| Name | The existing name, which can be changed | Your choice, subject to availability |
| Formalities | Share transfer and registration of the changes | Incorporation deed or contract, then registration |
| Identification checks | Required for the buyer | Required for the founders |
Annual obligations, whichever route you choose
- Bookkeeping and preparation of annual accounts.
- Filing of the annual accounts with the Register.
- Keeping the register of beneficial owners up to date.
- Tax returns and, where applicable, the general meeting.
- Maintaining a registered office.
A company is not finished once it is acquired or incorporated. Plan these obligations from the start. They apply to a new company and to an existing one alike.
Where this site fits
Some of the companies shown on the home page belong to the operator of this site and are sold directly, as owner, for its own account. For any other company, this site only introduces you to professionals, and does not act as intermediary in a sale. Requests are answered only when the requester can be identified. See the contact page.
Frequently asked questions
Is an existing company always faster than a new one?
Not always. It can shorten the path to first use, but a bank still applies its own onboarding. The time saved depends on the file.
Can the shares be transferred to a new owner?
Yes, subject to the formalities of the legal form and to the articles of association.
Can the name or the corporate object be changed?
In general yes, by amending the articles of association, following the rules of the legal form and the formalities of the Register.
How do I get in touch with professionals?
Use the contact page. Only requests that allow the requester to be identified are answered.
General information only. It is not legal, tax or accounting advice. This site introduces you to independent professionals and provides no such service.
Tell us what you are looking for
Identified requests only. We reply to every request from an identifiable person.