Virtual office in Austria

A GmbH registered in Austria needs a business address in the country, which is entered in the commercial register and appears on its invoices and letters. Owners who do not rent premises in Austria often use a virtual office for that address, with a service that receives post, scans it and forwards originals on request. Letters from the tax office, the commercial register court and the social insurance fund keep arriving whether or not anyone is in Austria, so the speed of scanning matters more than the street name. An address on its own does not show that the company is managed in Austria, and where decisions are actually taken can still decide where it is taxed.

Firms offering virtual office services in Austria

Questions for an Austrian address provider

Ask whether the address may be entered in the Firmenbuch as the business address and used for the trade licence. Ask how quickly letters are scanned, how deadlines in official letters are flagged, and whether registered mail can be accepted on your behalf. Expect the provider to verify your identity and the company’s owners before signing, as anti-money laundering rules apply to address services. Check the notice period, because moving the address later means a new filing with the register.

Firms on Accountanty

Accountanty lists three firms that offer a virtual office in Austria, all in Vienna: two corporate service providers and one accounting firm, of which one is small, one medium-sized and one part of a large network. All three work in English and two in German, and between them they add Polish, Russian, Japanese and Greek. All three also keep accounts, handle VAT and run payroll, and two handle company formation and corporate secretarial work. For the registration steps that need the address, see company formation in Austria.

Frequently asked questions

Can a virtual office be the registered address of an Austrian GmbH?

It can serve as the business address entered in the commercial register, provided post actually reaches the company there. Confirm with the provider and your adviser that the address is accepted for the trade licence as well, and that official letters are passed on quickly.

Does a virtual office in Austria make my company Austrian for tax?

Not by itself. Tax residence follows where the company is effectively managed, and a mailing address says little about that. If the directors live abroad, ask an adviser how board decisions should be taken and recorded for your structure.

Other services in Austria

Accountants by city in Austria

Setting up a company in Austria: the guide and every firm

General information, not legal or tax advice. Rules, rates and fees change: check them with the official sources linked on this page or with a qualified adviser before you act.