Register an Estonian company
Estonia company search 2026

Estonia company search: every document free, owners now hidden

Updated 13 November 2026Prices from the registry and notary fee lawAbout 6 minutes to read
The short answer

Search the e-Business Register in English, by name, registry code or VAT number. No login, and since October 2022 no fee for anything: board, shareholders, articles and every annual report.

What changed in 2026: the beneficial owners are hidden from the public since 10 July. For tax debts, use the free Tax and Customs Board check.

Open the e-Business Register Spot the red flags
Since 2022 EUR 0 for the registry card, the shareholders and every annual report Only notary copies cost money. Beneficial owners went private on 10 July 2026.

Estonia gives away what other registers sell. That makes the hard part reading it, not paying for it. Here is what each tab on the record means, the two free checks that catch most problems, and what the July 2026 change hid.

Key takeaways

  • The register is free, in English and needs no login.
  • Shareholders and board members are public, with personal codes.
  • The Tax and Customs Board check shows unpaid taxes and unfiled returns, free.
  • A missing annual report leads to compulsory dissolution after at least 3 months' notice.
  • Certified extracts and apostilles come from notaries: EUR 3.20 and EUR 22.35, plus VAT.
Chapter 1

How to read an Estonian registry card

The quick search finds a company after three letters; one match opens it directly. The record is split into parts. Pick one to see what it holds.

Illustration of the layout. Field names paraphrased, not a real company.

Use the registry itself, not a copy. Other portals rebuild pages from the open data, and the register warns they may not have accurate and up-to-date information.

1
Key takeaway

The 8 digit registry code is the safest way to be sure you have the right company.

Chapter 2

The free tax debt check most people skip

EUR 0

The registry card tells you who runs a company. The Tax and Customs Board's partner check tells you whether it pays its bills to the state, also free and without logging in.

Tax and Customs Board
  • Tax arrears, by type of tax
  • Tax returns not submitted
  • Debt that is contested or in a payment schedule
  • The oldest unpaid due date
  • Whether the VAT number is valid
e-Business Register, from tax data
  • Taxes paid each quarter
  • Turnover each quarter
  • Number of employees
  • A warning for unfiled annual reports or unpaid fines

A company with turnover but no employees and no taxes paid isn't automatically suspect; an owner-run company often looks like that. A company with arrears and an unfiled report is a different story.

2
Key takeaway

Run both checks: two free searches cover most of what a paid report would.

Chapter 3

Red flags on an Estonian company record

Estonia acts on missing filings. Under section 58 of the Commercial Code, the registrar can dissolve a company that ignores its duties. Pick what you see on the record.

3
Key takeaway

A late annual report is the earliest public warning sign in Estonia.

Chapter 4

Beneficial owners went private on 10 July 2026

When the EU court struck down public owner registers in November 2022, Estonia kept its own open. That ended on 10 July 2026. The Ministry of Finance's rules now show the public only "access restricted".

Until 9 July 2026Anyonesaw the beneficial owners of any Estonian company, free.
Since 10 July 2026Authorities, regulated firms, approved requestsA legitimate interest request goes to the Ministry, takes up to about 12 working days, and shows birth dates, not personal codes.

Shareholders didn't change. They are still on the registry card, so for most small OÜs the owner is visible anyway. The change bites when the shareholder is another company.

4
Key takeaway

Shareholders are still public; only the owners behind a corporate shareholder are hidden.

Chapter 5

Certified extracts and apostilles come from a notary

Online pages are official data, but a bank abroad may want a certified copy. In Estonia notaries issue both the extract and the apostille; the ministry stopped issuing apostilles in 2010, and the Hague Conference listing names the Chamber of Notaries. Prices are fixed by law; VAT of 24% comes on top.

Sending it to your country? You can confirm any Estonian apostille online in the notaries' apostille register.

5
Key takeaway

An apostilled paper extract costs about EUR 32 with VAT, from any notary.

Chapter 6

What the register shows about an e-resident founder

If you form an OÜ, flip the search around. Your name and personal code go on the registry card, and the registry card is indexed by search engines.

Public and indexedYour name as board member and shareholder, your personal code, and the size of your share.
Readable from itYour date of birth, which an Estonian personal code encodes.
Not publicYour beneficial owner entry, and your home address if you use a provider's legal address and contact person.

The register's own advice is not to enter a personal phone, email or home address as company contacts. With us, the address and contact person on your record are ours. The disclosure rules list what is indexed.

6
Key takeaway

Your name and code are public in Estonia; your address doesn't have to be.

Chapter 7

Estonia company search questions, answered

?OÜ
Is the Estonian company search free?
Yes. Since 1 October 2022 every company record and document, annual reports included, is free in the e-Business Register, in English and without logging in.
Can I see who owns an Estonian OÜ?
Yes. The shareholders and their share sizes are on the free registry card. The beneficial owners behind a corporate shareholder have been hidden from the public since 10 July 2026.
How do I check if an Estonian company owes tax?
Use the free Tax and Customs Board query. It shows tax arrears, unfiled returns and the oldest unpaid due date.
Where do I get a certified extract of an Estonian company?
From an Estonian notary: EUR 3.20 on paper or EUR 4.80 digital, plus VAT. Notaries also issue the apostille.
Are other Estonian company websites official?
No. They copy the register's open data and can be out of date. The registry itself warns about this.
Do you register Estonian companies?
Yes: EUR 444 in year one with the state fee, legal address and contact person, then EUR 159 a year.

Changelog

  • 13 November 2026: first published, including the 10 July 2026 change to beneficial owner access.
Your own company

Ready to register an Estonian company yourself?

EUR 444 in year one with the state fee, legal address and contact person, then EUR 159 a year.

See the Estonian company Yearly fees and dates