For many company owners (D.O.O.), entrepreneurs, and expats in Montenegro, 2025 has become a time to rethink business strategies. Some are changing their residence permit status, some are optimizing expenses, and some have simply decided to stop operating. Although you can open a company in Montenegro in just a couple of days, the process of closing one has become surrounded by myths about how difficult and expensive it is.
In fact, the procedure has become more transparent, but the state has tightened the rules on tax discipline. Let’s look at how to liquidate a company quickly, how much it really costs, and why “just abandoning” a company is a bad idea.
- Closing a company in Montenegro through the simplified procedure
- Preparing documents and obtaining a certificate from the Tax Administration
- Personal liability of the company founder (D.O.O.)
- How much it costs to close a company in Montenegro
- Company liquidation timelines
- What to do if the company has debts (bankruptcy)
- Why you can’t just abandon a company (D.O.O.)?
- Need help closing a company?
Closing a company in Montenegro through the simplified procedure
The most popular way to get rid of an unnecessary legal entity isvoluntary liquidation through the simplified procedure (skraćeni postupak). This is the route chosen by 90% of small business owners. The main condition is that 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 order. The method is simple: the founders declare to the state that they owe nothing to anyone and ask for the company to be removed from the register.
Read also: A complete guide to obtaining a residence permit in Montenegro
Preparing documents and obtaining a certificate from the Tax Administration
This is the most important and difficult stage. Before going to a notary or the Central Register (CRPS), you need to obtain aUvjerenje— a certificate from the Tax Administration confirming there are no outstanding debts. Without this “clean” certificate, the CRPS will simply not accept your liquidation documents.
In 2025, 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 a loan repayment) or used to settle the final obligations.
If the documents are in order, the CRPS issues a Decision on Deletion from the Register (Rješenje o brisanju). From that moment, the legal entity ceases to exist, but the founders’ obligations remain in force 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 happy about the speed of the simplified procedure, forgetting to read the fine print. To close a company quickly, the founder must sign a notarized statement acceptingunlimited joint and several liabilityfor the company’s obligations.
What does this mean? If, a year or two later, it turns out that the company “forgot” to pay a supplier invoice or a tax bill, the creditor has the right to claim that money from you personally. By law, this liability remains in effect forthree yearsafter the company is removed from the register. Your personal assets (apartment, car, bank accounts) become security for the repayment of the company’s old debts.
Important:for foreign owners who do not live in Montenegro, logistics become a critical factor. Signing the statement of joint and several liability before a Montenegrin notary requirespersonal presence.
An alternative is to prepare a power of attorneyin your country of residence, have it apostilled (if required), send it to Montenegro, and have it translated by a court-sworn 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 cost 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: around 15–20 euros.
- Publication in the Official Gazette (Službeni list): around 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 handle the procedures yourself): from 300 euros.
Company liquidation timelines
The process itself in the Central Register (CRPS) takes about7 working daysby law from the moment the full set of documents is submitted.
However, the real timeframe is always longer. Allow for:
- 1–2 weeks for reconciliation with the tax authorities and closing bank accounts.
- A week for the notary and gathering documents.
- A week for the register to process the application.
On average, if the company has no issues, the entire process from the decision to the receipt of the closure document (Rješenje o brisanju) takesabout a month.
What to do if the company has debts (bankruptcy)
If the company’s assets are not enough to pay its debts, voluntary liquidation is not possible. In that case, thebankruptcy (Stečaj)procedure is initiated. This is a court process handled by 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 remuneration of the insolvency administrator, which will depend on the documents and the complexity of the case. This route 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 submit 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 still remain “hanging” over you, which can lead to problems when entering the country or opening new bank accounts.
Summary: closing a D.O.O. in 2025 is a standard procedure, but one that requires care. The main secret to success is an experienced accountant who can secure a clean tax certificate for you.
Need help closing a company?
The liquidation procedure, despite its apparent simplicity, hides many bureaucratic nuances — from proper tax reconciliation to 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 audit the debts, prepare the documents, and represent your interests before 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 assets.