Registering a secondary establishment in the trade register

The 2015 executive decree defines "secondary registration" as any registration covering secondary activities carried out by a natural or legal person: either an extension of the main activity or other commercial activities, set up in the wilaya of the main establishment or in other wilayas.

The 2004 law on commercial activities adds that any secondary establishment is registered by reference to the main registration. A secondary establishment is therefore a new location of the same business, known to the register.

The obligation applies to companies and sole traders alike, as soon as they operate a place in addition to their main establishment. The application is signed by the holder of the register entry: the trader, or the company's legal representative. A representative can file with a power of attorney.

• An SARL with its registered office in Algiers that opens a warehouse in Blida.
• A trader who opens a second sales outlet in the same municipality.
• A company that opens a sales agency in another wilaya.
• A manufacturing business that opens a workshop separate from its registered office.

1. 1

   Classify your plan

   A new place in addition to the office: secondary registration. A simple move: amendment. A regulated activity: check the licence.

2. 2

   Sign the lease in the business's name

   Exact address of the establishment, exact name of the company or trader, long enough term.

3. 3

   Company: formalise the decision

   Decision of the manager or partners to open the establishment, if your articles require it.

4. 4

   Choose the activity codes

   Use the titles from the classification for what you will do at the establishment. Each additional code increases the fee.

5. 5

   Fill in the form

   Main number, type and address of the establishment, activities, proof of occupation, signature.

6. 6

   Pay and file

   Pay the fees and lodge the file at the competent CNRC office.

7. 7

   Inform the tax office and other bodies

   Report the new establishment to your tax office, to the CNAS if you employ staff there, and to your bank and insurer.

The file is lodged at a local CNRC office. When the establishment is in a different wilaya from the registered office, ask both the office for your registered office and the one for the establishment's wilaya which of them handles the file and which copies it wants: we found no published rule settling this.

Neuron only fills in business setup forms and does not do bookkeeping or routine returns: this guide is free and all you need to do it yourself.

Register before you open the place to the public or start operating there. A warehouse or sales outlet running without registration exposes the business to the penalties of commercial law during an inspection, and you cannot invoice properly from that address.

The timing depends mostly on the lease. Plan for the lease or deed in the business's name, the opening decision for a company, then filing at the office and processing of the file.

• Opening the warehouse or shop before it is registered.
• Signing the lease in the manager's name instead of the company's.
• Confusing a secondary establishment with a transfer of registered office.
• Declaring an activity not covered by the company's objects.
• Forgetting the licence for a regulated activity carried out at the new establishment.
• Adding needless activity codes, which increase the fee.
• Not reporting the new establishment to the tax office.
• Thinking a domiciliation address can serve as a warehouse or sales outlet.