How To Start a Business in Spain

If you have a business idea that you want to start in Spain you will find that it is not hard to do. In fact, starting a business in Spain is very similar to starting a business in the United States. Turning your business idea into a thriving business in Spain is a fairly simple process that involves filling out a lot of paperwork and finding a suitable location for your business headquarters.

Select and register the name of your business with Registro del Nombre Comercial. Registro del Nombre Comercial is the Spain's business name registry office. For tax purposes, you will also need to register with the Industrial Property Registry, or the Registro de la Propiedad Industrial. 2009 fee to register: 15.50 Euros.

Pick a structure for your business in Spain. Spain offers several different structures. They are: Sole Proprietor (Autónomo), Comunidad de Bienes (C.B.), Partnership (Sociedad Civil), Public Limited Company or Corporation (Sociedad Anónima or S.A.), Limited Liability Company (Sociedad de Responsabilidad Limitada, S.R.L., or S.L.), New Enterprise Limited Company (Sociedad Limitada Nueva Empresa), Worker-Owned Company (Sociedad Laboral), General Partnership (Sociedad Colectiva), Limited Partnership (Sociedad Comanditaria) and Cooperative (Sociedad Cooperativa).

Draw up a business plan to attract investors or get financing. Be sure to have your business plan in both English and Spanish. The business plan should includea description of business, market strategies, a competitive analysis, a development and operations plan, a financial plan and financial projections. You can get tips on writing a business plan from “Elements of a business plan” on the Entrepreneur website.

Seek out financing for your business. You can use your business plan to help get financing for the business. The Instituto de Crédito Oficial, which is a state-owned corporate entity that is part of the Ministry of Economy and Finance of Spain, is a good place to look for a business startup loan. There are also new business grants made available by the European Union. The Grant Guide website is a good place to look for those. You may also have luck with angel investors through the Spanish Business Angels Network.

Find a location for your business in Spain. You can drive around Spain to look for places, look in local newspapers or hire an agent to look for a place for you. Fotocasa.es is a Spanish website that lists commercial and office locations for lease or purchase.

Apply for permits and licenses. Once you have selected and secured a location for your business you will need to get the necessary permits and licenses to run your business in that municipality. Visit the local Chamber of Commerce in the area to get license and permit information. There will be fees that will vary by license and municipality.