Branch Office in Romania — Drop Servicing Formation Guide
Choose a jurisdiction with strong payment gateway support (Stripe, PayPal) and low withholding taxes on foreign contractor payments, as you will be paying freelancers globally.
Last verified: June 13, 2026
Corporate Tax
16.0%
State Tax
0.0%
Formation Cost
$50
Annual Fee
$0
Forming a Branch Office in Romania as a Drop Servicing means a total tax burden of 16.0% and an official formation cost of $50. There is no minimum capital requirement. Standard formation takes 7-14 days, or 3-5 days expedited. No local director is required; the process can be managed remotely. This guide covers the steps, tax breakdown, banking options, and compliance requirements — all from verified data.
First-year total cost
≈ $2,990
Ongoing (per year)
≈ $1,700
Why Branch Office for Drop Servicing?
Drop servicing (or service arbitrage) involves selling digital services to clients and outsourcing the fulfillment to freelancers or white-label agencies. As a founder, your main focus is on marketing, sales, and client relationship management, while the actual work is handled by third parties.
Ideal for
- Marketers and sales professionals
- Entrepreneurs with strong networking skills
- Founders looking for location-independent businesses
- Those wanting to start an agency without technical skills
Challenges to watch
- Maintaining quality control over outsourced work
- Managing cash flow between client payments and freelancer fees
- Handling cross-border contractor tax compliance
- Building trust and brand reputation
Key decision criteria
- Access to global payment processors (e.g., US LLC or UK LTD)
- Tax implications of hiring international contractors (W-8BEN for US)
- Clear B2B contracts and terms of service
- VAT/Sales tax rules for digital services in your clients' countries
Branch Office formation requirements
Minimum capital
None
Standard timeline
7-14 days
Expedited timeline
3-5 days
Local director
Not required
Registered office
Virtual office allowed
Notarization
Required
A branch manager (authorized representative) must be appointed, but they can be a foreign national.
Estimated breakdown (based on avg. $80,000 revenue)
Simulate with your own revenue →
VAT / Sales Tax
Standard rate 19%. Registration threshold: 300,000 RON. Non-resident providers of digital services to Romanian consumers must register for VAT under the EU OSS scheme or locally.
Banking & payments for Drop Servicing
Opening a traditional bank account for a branch in Romania can be challenging and usually requires the branch manager to visit the bank in person. Extensive KYC documentation regarding the foreign parent company must be translated and apostilled. However, fintech solutions like Wise or Revolut Business offer smoother, fully remote onboarding processes.
Supported payment gateways
Remote-friendly accounts
Revolut Business
A leading fintech offering multi-currency accounts with local RON details, ideal for remote founders and international transactions.
Wise Business
Excellent for managing cross-border payments with low conversion fees, fully supporting Romanian entities remotely.
Romania incentives & advantages
Reinvested Profit Tax Exemption
16% corporate tax exemption on the reinvested amount.
IT Salary Tax Exemption
0% personal income tax (instead of 10%) on gross monthly salaries up to RON 10,000.
R&D Tax Deduction
50% additional deduction of eligible R&D expenses for corporate tax purposes.
Branch Office formation steps
Gather and apostille the parent company's corporate documents (Articles of Association, Certificate of Good Standing, recent financials).
Translate all foreign corporate documents into Romanian through a certified translator and notarize them.
Draft the parent company's board resolution officially deciding to establish the Romanian branch.
Secure a registered office address in Romania via a commercial lease or virtual office agreement.
Appoint a branch manager (authorized representative) and obtain their notarized signature specimen.
Submit the complete registration file to the Romanian Trade Register (ONRC).
Register for corporate tax and VAT with ANAF, and open a local corporate bank account.
Drop Servicing FAQ
Which country is best for a drop servicing company?
The US (LLC) and UK (LTD) are highly popular due to easy access to Stripe/PayPal, global credibility, and straightforward rules for paying international contractors.
Do I need to pay withholding tax when paying freelancers?
It depends on your company's jurisdiction and the freelancer's tax residency. For a US LLC, collecting a W-8BEN form from non-US contractors usually exempts you from withholding tax.
How do I handle VAT or Sales Tax?
You must track where your clients are located. If selling B2B, the reverse charge mechanism often applies. For B2C, you may need to register for VAT/Sales Tax in the client's jurisdiction once you cross specific revenue thresholds.
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Related guides
Complete Branch Office guide
Taxes, requirements, banking, compliance
Branch Office cost calculator
One-time and annual cost breakdown
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