SRL incorporation · SRLS · Single-member SRL
An SRL protects your assets and opens doors — but it has costs that run even with zero turnover, and it is not the right form for everyone. First we compare SRL, SRLS and sole trader on your numbers; then, if the SRL is the way to go, we set it up with a single coordinator: notary, tax, INPS, bookkeeping.
Video call or at our office in Erba (Como) · If an SRL doesn't pay off, we tell you
Three situations we see every month
Some say sole trader "because it costs less", some say SRLS "because the notary is free", some say SRL "because it looks more serious". Nobody has looked at your numbers: how much you invest, how much you risk, how much you plan to draw. That is where the decision is made.
More turnover, more suppliers, perhaps an employee: you are liable for the business's debts with everything you own, your home included. Moving to an SRL protects you — but it should be done when the benefits exceed the structural costs, not because it is fashionable.
Shares, roles, who decides what, what happens if someone leaves: articles of association and a shareholders' agreement written on day one cost little; fighting later costs a great deal. And here the standard articles of an SRLS are often not enough.
How we work
We don't start from the deed: we start from your numbers. And if an SRL is not the right form, we tell you at the first meeting — it costs us both less.
How it works
Free. Project, expected numbers, partners, risks: you leave with the recommended legal form and an overview of costs, both start-up and recurring.
Video call or officeShare capital, articles of association, any shareholders' agreement, tax and social security set-up. You receive the written proposal with the fee before we start.
Clear feeWe coordinate the notary and handle registration in the Companies Register, VAT number, PEC and corporate books. You sign; we take care of the rest.
≈ a couple of weeksReady to invoice, with bookkeeping, deadlines and initial advice on getting started: invoices, fees, payments. One point of contact afterwards too.
First year supportedHonesty first
The firm
A tax, accounting and corporate advisory firm for businesses. We set up and look after companies from day one: choice of legal form, articles of association and shareholders' agreements, tax and social security set-up, bookkeeping and financial statements — and, as the business grows, holding companies and extraordinary transactions.
We run companies of our own, too: we know the costs that run every year from experience, not from hearsay.
We work from Erba with entrepreneurs from Como, Lecco, Monza and all of Lombardy, at our office or by video call.
Setting up a limited company
Anyone wanting to set up a company with limited liability has two routes: the ordinary SRL and the simplified limited liability company (SRLS). They cost different amounts at the start, but the real difference is flexibility.
Shareholders must be individuals, share capital between €1 and €9,999.99 paid in cash, deed of incorporation following the standard ministerial template: no notarial fees, but the articles cannot be customised. Suited to those starting alone or with one partner, with no particular requirements.
The articles are written around your case: pre-emption and approval clauses on share transfers, withdrawal, quorums, special shareholder rights, management. Companies can also be shareholders, and the minimum capital can be below €10,000. It is the right form if there are several shareholders or you expect investors.
Double-entry bookkeeping, financial statements, Chamber of Commerce fees, tax returns: once incorporated, an SRLS costs as much to run as an SRL. The saving is only on the deed. That is why the choice should look at the years ahead, and an SRLS can still become an ordinary SRL later, by amending the deed of incorporation.
Frequently asked questions
There are the out-of-pocket costs — notarial deed, incorporation taxes and fees, VAT registration — and the fee of whoever assists you. Out-of-pocket costs differ between an ordinary SRL and an SRLS (the simplified form uses a standard template exempt from notarial fees, but its articles of association cannot be customised). In the first meeting we set out all the figures for your case, and you receive a written proposal with our fee before we start.
It depends on four factors: personal liability, taxation, running costs, and credibility with banks and customers. An SRLS costs less to start but has mandatory standard articles, poorly suited if there are several shareholders or particular arrangements; a sole trader set-up is lighter but does not separate your personal assets. No form pays the least in absolute terms: the comparison must be made on your expected numbers, and it is the first thing we do.
More than many expect, and the costs run even with zero turnover: double-entry bookkeeping, financial statements to prepare and file, Chamber of Commerce fees, the annual tax on the corporate books (around €310 as an order of magnitude), certified e-mail (PEC), tax returns, and the INPS (social security) position of the director or working shareholder. We set them out before the deed: if the SRL does not hold up on your numbers, we tell you and assess the alternative together. Read more: how much it costs to run an SRL →
Yes, with a single-member SRL. But limited liability with a single shareholder holds only under precise conditions: share capital fully paid up from incorporation, and single-member status made public in the Companies Register; contracts between you and the company must also be in writing. These are the details that, if overlooked, defeat the very protection you were looking for — and they are the reason incorporation must be done properly, not just done.
Once the structure is defined, the notarial deed, registration in the Companies Register, VAT registration and activation of PEC and corporate books generally take in the order of a couple of weeks, barring particular checks. We coordinate the notary and the formalities: you sign at the notary and receive a company ready to invoice, with its tax and social security set-up already in place.
The first step
You tell us about the project and the numbers you have in mind. You leave with an honest answer: which form pays off, what it really costs — everything included — and whether it makes sense to work together. Already in business and thinking bigger? Holding companies and planning →
Choose a day and time
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Further reading from the blog