Opening a representative office of a foreign company in Ukraine
A representative office is a separate subdivision of a foreign legal entity, not a separate Ukrainian company. Before registration begins, this model must be compared with a Ukrainian LLC, and the functions of the subdivision, the powers of its head, the parent company’s documents and the tax consequences must be defined.
Representative office or LLC
The choice depends on the purpose of the presence in Ukraine — representative and auxiliary functions often do not require a separate legal entity, whereas full commercial activity is usually better suited to an LLC.
Representative office
A separate subdivision of the parent company, not an independent legal entity. Suitable for representative and auxiliary functions.
LLC
An independent Ukrainian legal entity able to carry on full commercial activity, hire employees and hold its own accounts.
What is needed to open one
- Initial information: the purpose of the presence, the functions of the subdivision and the expected volume of activity.
- Documents of the foreign legal entity (the parent company’s registration documents).
- Translation and certification of the documents as required.
- Appointment of the head of the representative office and definition of their powers.
What the support includes
- Comparison of the representative-office model with an LLC for your purpose.
- Review and preparation of the parent company’s documents.
- Registration and tax steps for opening.
- Determination of the head, the account and, where necessary, the employees.
- Accounting support for the representative office after opening.
Limits of the service
The procedure for registering separate subdivisions of foreign legal entities changed in 2024–2026 and is linked to the State Register. The final list of documents and the registration route for your situation must be verified by a lawyer before work begins — this page is not legal advice.
Related services
Discuss the structure of your presence in Ukraine
A short introductory conversation is free of charge. Tell us about the purpose of your presence — we will advise which model suits it.
Discuss the structure of your presence