How to Close a Company (D.O.O.) in Montenegro in 2026: Step-by-Step Instructions
Independent liquidation of a D.O.O. in Montenegro in 2026: step-by-step procedure, company closure costs, tax checks, and the simplified process (skraćeni postupak).
For many business owners (D.O.O.), entrepreneurs, and expats, 2026 has become a time for a radical reassessment of business strategies. Due to the latest changes in legislation and the state’s tough crackdown on “zero” companies that were opened solely for a residence permit (now real activity is required, payment of taxes on salaries, or profit of 5,000 euros), many have decided to stop fictitious or unprofitable operations.
Although you can open a company in Montenegro in just a couple of days, the process of closing one has always been surrounded by myths about how difficult and expensive it is. In reality, the procedure is transparent, but in 2026 tax compliance is monitored more strictly than ever. Let’s look at how to liquidate a company legally, how much it really costs, and why “just abandoning” a company is the worst possible idea.
How to Close a Company (D.O.O.) in Montenegro in 2026
The most popular way to get rid of an unnecessary legal entity is
voluntary liquidation through the simplified procedure (skraćeni postupak)
. In the context of the mass closure of inactive D.O.O.s in 2026, 90% of owners are taking this route. The main condition: the company must have enough money to pay off all debts, or have no debts at all.
Unlike full liquidation, which takes months, the simplified option allows you to resolve the matter in a few weeks, if your documents are in perfect order. The method is simple: the founders declare to the state that they owe nobody anything and ask for the company to be removed from the register.
Preparing documents and obtaining a certificate from the Tax Administration
This is the most important and difficult stage. Before going to a notary or to the Central Register (Centralni registar privrednih subjekata or CRPS), you need to obtain Uvjerenje — a certificate from the Tax Administration confirming there are no outstanding debts. Without this “clean” certificate, the CRPS will simply not accept your documents for liquidation.
In 2026, the tax authorities check everything: from unpaid VAT to tiny penalties from five years ago.
Your accountant must reconcile (usaglašavanje) all accounts.
All reports, including the annual balance sheet, must be filed.
The company bank account must be brought to zero and closed before the final submission. Any remaining funds must be transferred to the founders (as dividends with tax paid, or as repayment of a loan) or used to settle the last obligations.
If the documents are in order, the CRPS issues a Decision on the deletion of the company from the register (Rješenje o brisanju). From that moment, the legal entity ceases to exist, but the founders’ obligations remain for a three-year period (we’ll explain this in more detail below).
Personal liability of the company founder (D.O.O.)
Many people are pleased with the speed of the simplified procedure, forgetting to read the fine print. To close a company quickly, the founder must sign a statement before a notary in which he assumes unlimited joint and several liability for the company’s obligations.
What does this mean? If, after a year or two, it turns out that the company “forgot” to pay a supplier invoice or a tax, the creditor has the right to demand this money from you personally. By law, this liability remains in effect for three years after the company is removed from the register. Your personal property (apartment, car, accounts) becomes collateral for repaying the company’s old debts.
Important point: for foreign owners who do not live in Montenegro, logistics become a critical factor. Signing the joint liability statement before a Montenegrin notary requires personal presence.
An alternative is to prepare a power of attorney in the country of residence, have it apostilled (if necessary), sent to Montenegro, and translated by a court translator. This adds another 200–300 euros and 2–3 weeks to the process.
Countries for which an apostille is not required: Algeria, Austria, Belgium, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Czech Republic, France, Greece, Croatia, Iraq, Italy, Cyprus, Hungary, North Macedonia, Mongolia, Poland, Romania, Russia, Serbia, Ukraine.
How much it costs to close a company in Montenegro
The price depends on whether you do everything yourself or hire an agency. It is important not to confuse government fees with actual expenses.
Mandatory expenses (minimum):
CRPS administrative fees: about 15–20 euros.
Publication in the Official Gazette (Službeni list): about 15–30 euros (depending on the length of the text).
Notary services: from 50 to 120 euros (depending on the number of founders and documents).
Related expenses:
Accountant’s services for preparing the liquidation balance sheet: from 200 euros.
Lawyer or agency services (if you do not want to go to the authorities yourself): from 300 euros.
Company liquidation timelines
The process itself in the Central Register (CRPS) takes about 7 working days from the moment the full set of documents is submitted.
However, the real time is always longer. Allow for:
1–2 weeks for reconciliation with the tax office and closing bank accounts.
A week for the notary and collecting documents.
1–2 weeks for the register to process the application.
On average, if the company has no problems, the entire process from the decision to the receipt of the closure document (Rješenje o brisanju) takes from one to several months.
What to do if the company has debts (bankruptcy)
If the company’s assets are not enough to pay off its debts, voluntary liquidation is not possible. In this case, the procedure of bankruptcy (Stečaj) is initiated. This is a court process that goes through the Commercial Court (Privredni sud).
Bankruptcy is long (from several months to several years) and expensive. The initial court deposit alone can exceed 500 euros, plus the payment for the work of the insolvency administrator, which will depend on the documents and the complexity of the case. This path is chosen only in extreme cases.
Why you can’t just abandon a company (D.O.O.)?
Some owners mistakenly believe that if they simply stop filing reports, the company will be closed “automatically.” This is a dangerous misconception.
Failure to file reports results in fines (from hundreds to thousands of euros), which are imposed on the director and the founder.
The tax authorities may initiate forced liquidation, but the debts and fines will remain “hanging” over you, which can lead to problems when entering the country or opening new accounts.
Summary: closing a D.O.O. in 2026 is a standard procedure, but one that requires care. The main secret to success is an experienced accountant who will provide you with a clean tax certificate.
Need help closing a company?
The liquidation procedure, despite its apparent simplicity, hides many bureaucratic nuances — from proper tax reconciliation to preparing notarized statements. A mistake at any stage can cost you time and money.
Our team is ready to take over the entire process: we will conduct a debt audit, prepare the documents, and represent your interests in the CRPS and the Tax Administration. Contact us for a consultation to close your business in Montenegro quickly, legally, and without risks to your personal property.
