Are you incorporating a new company, changing a managing director, or transferring shares in Slovakia? Starting August 17, 2026, you must adapt to a completely new set of legal requirements. The highly anticipated Act No. 29/2026 Coll. on the Commercial Register comes into effect, replacing the decades-old previous framework.
While the new law aims to eliminate red tape and digitalize processes, it also significantly increases the formal requirements for corporate documents. A single mistake can result in your registration proposal being rejected by the court.
Here is an overview of the most critical updates you need to watch out for.
1. Appointing Managing Directors: Avoid a Fatal Mistake at the General Meeting
The new legislation introduces the authorization of contracts by an attorney, a tool designed to streamline corporate changes without visiting a notary. However, when it comes to changing company executives (managing directors / konatelia), there is a crucial catch.
The required legal form strictly depends on who makes the decision:
- Sole Shareholder: If the s.r.o. has only one owner, the decision to change the managing director can be authorized by an attorney (or executed via a notarial deed).
- General Meeting (Multiple Shareholders): If the company has two or more shareholders, the resolution of the General Meeting appointing or recalling a managing director must be executed exclusively via a notarial deed. Attorney authorization is legally insufficient in this specific scenario.
Practical Warning: If a multi-shareholder s.r.o. submits a filing to register a new executive backed only by an attorney-authorized document, the registry will reject the entry.
2. Advanced Trade Name Reservation
Are you building a new brand and worried that someone might register your ideal company name before you finish your paperwork? The new system allows you to reserve a trade name for up to 60 days in advance. This service costs 50 EUR, and the registry will be centrally managed by the District Court of Žilina.
3. The Ban on Single-Member s.r.o. “Chain-linking” is Gone
Until now, Slovak law prohibited a single individual from being the sole shareholder in more than three companies. Additionally, a single-member s.r.o. could not be the sole founder of another s.r.o. This restriction is repealed as of August 17, 2026, paving the way for smooth, modern holding and corporate structures.
4. Strict Limits on Legal Representation
To crack down on unauthorized and fraudulent registration agents, the law restricts who can file a registry application on behalf of a company. The applicant may only be represented by an attorney, a notary, or an internal employee of the applicant.
5. Legally Binding Online Data and Lower Fees
In line with the “once and for all” administrative principle, data published online on the official Commercial Register website is now legally binding. You will no longer need to submit physical registry excerpts to state authorities or banks.
Court registration fees have also dropped:
- First entry of an s.r.o.: 220 EUR (down from 300 EUR)
- First entry of an a.s. (joint-stock company): 550 EUR (down from 750 EUR)
- Corporate changes: 50 EUR (down from 66 EUR)
On the flip side, if corporate executives fail to perform their statutory duties—such as failing to submit annual financial statements to the collection of deeds—the maximum fine increases to 4,000 EUR and can be issued repeatedly.
Do Not Risk Registry Delays and Fines
The 2026 reform modernizes the business environment but leaves zero room for error in corporate drafting. Outdated templates downloaded from the internet will no longer pass the rigorous registry screening.
Are you planning corporate changes or setting up a new business entity in Slovakia? We provide comprehensive legal support, from drafting pinpoint-accurate corporate documentation to securing required attorney authorizations, notarial deeds, and seamless filing.