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Regulated activities in Algeria: how to tell if yours is one

A regulated activity is a commercial activity that requires, on top of trade register registration, an approval or a licence from the competent authority. The common framework is set by Executive Decree No. 15-234 of 29 August 2015, amended in 2020, and each activity has its own text naming the authority and the conditions. To find out whether yours is regulated, start from its code in the CNRC (trade register centre) nomenclature of activities, then from the text that governs it.

Becoming an auto-entrepreneur in Algeria: conditions, ANAE registration, tax and CASNOS

To become an auto-entrepreneur (self-employed status) in Algeria, you register in the national auto-entrepreneur register kept by the ANAE (National Auto-Entrepreneur Agency), for an activity on the official list, and receive the auto-entrepreneur card. The status, created by Law No. 22-23 of 18 December 2022, is for natural persons whose yearly turnover does not exceed 5,000,000 DA. The tax is 0.5% of turnover, with a minimum of 10,000 DA per year.

Setting up an EURL in Algeria: the single-member company, step by step

An EURL is a SARL with a single partner: you set up a company on your own and bear its losses only up to your contribution. It is formed like a SARL (name at the CNRC, articles at the notary, notice in the BOAL, registration in the trade register), with capital set freely since 2015. It pays IBS (corporate tax) under the standard regime, and a sole partner who manages it is in principle covered by CASNOS (social security fund for the self-employed).

Registering in the trade register as a natural person in Algeria

To trade in your own name in Algeria, you register in the trade register as a natural person at the local CNRC (National Trade Register Centre) office, with proof of the premises where you work. There are no articles and no capital: you are the business, and your personal assets answer for its debts. As long as your yearly turnover does not exceed 8,000,000 DA, you fall under the IFU (single flat-rate tax): 5% for selling goods and 12% for other activities.

Setting up a SARL in Algeria: partners, capital, steps and documents

A SARL (limited liability company) is set up in Algeria with at least two partners and at most fifty, articles of association drawn up by a notary, an incorporation notice published in the BOAL (Official Bulletin of Legal Notices), and registration in the trade register at the CNRC (National Trade Register Centre). Since Law No. 15-20 of 30 December 2015, the partners set the capital freely: the former 100,000 DA minimum no longer exists. Each partner bears losses only up to the amount they contributed.

Setting up an SNC in Algeria: general partnership rules and steps

A general partnership (société en nom collectif, SNC) is set up in Algeria with at least two partners, who all have trader status and are jointly and severally liable, without limit, for the company's debts (article 551 of the Commercial Code). The law sets no minimum capital. As with a SARL, the articles are drawn up by a notary and the company is registered with the CNRC (trade register). It is a company built on trust, designed for partners who know each other well.

Setting up a SPA in Algeria: shareholders, capital, governance and steps

To set up a joint-stock company (SPA) in Algeria, you need at least seven shareholders and capital of at least 1,000,000 DA, raised to 5,000,000 DA if the company makes a public offering. The articles are drawn up by a notary, the company is registered with the CNRC (trade register), and it is then run by a board of directors, or by a management board overseen by a supervisory board. Startups holding the official label can use a more flexible form, the simplified joint-stock company (SPAS).

Setting up a startup in Algeria and getting the 'start-up' label

In Algeria, a startup is first an ordinary company under Algerian law (SARL, EURL or SPA) that then obtains the 'start-up' label from the national labelling committee, through the national startup portal. Executive Decree No. 20-254 of 15 September 2020 sets the criteria: a company under eight years old, an innovative business model, no more than 250 employees, and at least 50% of the capital held by natural persons or recognised investors. The label opens access to tax benefits and to the simplified joint-stock company (SPAS).

Opening a travel agency in Algeria: licence, conditions and steps

To open a tourism and travel agency in Algeria, you need an operating licence issued by the minister in charge of tourism, after an opinion from the national approval board for agencies. The rules are set by Law No. 99-06 of 4 April 1999 and Executive Decree No. 17-161 of 15 May 2017. You need a tourism qualification or a qualified agent, equipped commercial premises, and civil and professional liability insurance. Opening an agency without a licence is punishable by a fine and a prison term.

Opening a real estate agency in Algeria: approval, conditions and steps

To open a real estate agency in Algeria, you need a real estate agent approval and trade register registration. Since 2019, the wali issues the approval for five years, on an application filed with the wilaya's housing directorate. The conditions come from Executive Decree No. 09-18 of 20 January 2009, amended several times. Among them: a diploma, Algerian nationality with residence in Algeria, a guarantee deposited with a bank, liability insurance and suitable commercial premises.

Auto-entrepreneur or sole trader: which status to choose?

Auto-entrepreneur status fits if your activity is on the list of eligible activities and your turnover stays under 5,000,000 DA a year: you pay 0.5% of turnover (at least 10,000 DA) and can opt for a flat CASNOS contribution of 24,000 DA a year. Otherwise, you register in the trade register as a sole trader (personne physique), under the IFU flat tax (5% or 12% of turnover up to 8,000,000 DA) with CASNOS of at least 43,200 DA a year. In both cases, your personal assets answer for the business's debts.

Share capital in Algeria: minimum, payment and contributions

A SARL or an EURL no longer has a minimum capital: since Law No. 15-20 of 30 December 2015, members set it freely in the articles of association. At least one fifth of cash contributions is paid in at formation, with the notary, and the rest within five years of registration. An SPA (joint-stock company) needs at least 1,000,000 DA, or 5,000,000 DA if it raises funds from the public.

How much does it cost to start a company in Algeria?

Excluding capital and professional support, setting up an EURL or a SARL with one manager costs about 102,700 DA, based on the official and third-party fees Neuron observed in 2026. Add the registered office: 6,000 DA a month for domiciliation at Neuron, or 72,000 DA a year. The capital itself remains the company's money.

How long does it take to set up a company in Algeria?

Expect 10 to 15 days to get the trade register extract for a SARL or an EURL, and 4 to 5 weeks for the complete file with NIF, NIS and CASNOS. These figures come from our practice and bind no public body. Other time limits are set by law: the name certificate is valid for 6 months, the declaration of existence is due within 30 days, and beneficial owners are declared within one month.

Starting a business in Algeria: every step, in order

To set up a SARL or EURL in Algeria, you first reserve the company name at the CNRC, sign the articles of association before a notary with a registered address, publish a notice in the BOAL, then register in the trade register. Tax registration follows in the first week (NIF and the G n°8 declaration of existence), then the manager's enrolment with CASNOS within 10 days, the NIS from the ONS and the bank account. In our experience, the whole process takes 4 to 5 weeks.

EURL or SARL: which one should you choose?

Choose the EURL if you start alone, the SARL if you have two to fifty members. Legally, an EURL is a SARL with a single member: free capital, liability limited to contributions, the same steps and the same fees. The difference lies in decision-making: the sole member decides alone, while SARL members decide together under the rules in the articles.

Opening a restaurant or café in Algeria: premises, licence and hygiene

To open a restaurant or café in Algeria, you need your own commercial premises, trade register registration, and you must follow the rules for on-site consumption, which cover the drinks licence, hygiene standards and fire safety rules. Decree No. 75-59 of 29 April 1975 classifies the licences, and an interministerial order of 7 May 2025 sets the hygiene rules for food service establishments. Before you sign the lease, ask the wilaya services and the CNRC (trade register centre) office which procedure applies to your activity code.

SARL or SPA: which form for your company?

For most small and medium businesses, a SARL is enough: 2 to 50 members, free capital, simple management. An SPA (joint-stock company) suits projects with at least seven shareholders and capital of at least 1,000,000 DA (5,000,000 DA with a public offering), with a board of directors and a statutory auditor. Certified start-ups also have a dedicated form, the SPAS, created by Law No. 22-09 of 5 May 2022.

Articles of association in Algeria: content, notary, cost

The articles of association (statuts) are your company's founding document: they set its form, name, registered office, purpose, duration and capital, as well as the rules between members. In Algeria, a commercial company is formed by an authenticated deed, so the articles are drawn up and signed before a notary, then a notice is published in the BOAL. Expect about 30,000 DA depending on the capital, based on the files we handle.