A foreigner can own 100% of a Ukrainian limited liability company (TOV), be its only participant and run it from abroad. The company law does not limit the number of participants, sets no minimum charter capital and has no citizenship rule for participants or the director (Law No. 2275-VIII, Arts. 4, 12, 39). The state registrar has 24 hours to register it and charges no fee for that step (Law No. 755-IV, Arts. 26, 36).
The registration itself is the short part. Time goes on the paperwork around it: apostilles and translations abroad, an ownership-structure file, a Ukrainian tax number for each foreign individual, a work permit for a foreign director, and a bank that runs its own checks. The guides below follow that sequence, from choosing the vehicle to closing it down.
| Vehicle | Registrar's deadline | State fee for registration, 2026 | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| LLC (TOV) | 24 hours, weekends and holidays excluded | None listed | Law No. 755-IV, Arts. 26(1)(1), 36(1) |
| Branch or representative office of a foreign company | 5 working days | 1 subsistence minimum, UAH 3,330 after rounding | Arts. 26(1)(9), 36(1), 36(5) |
| Sole proprietor (FOP) | 24 hours | None listed | Arts. 26(1)(1), 36(1) |
| Any later change to an LLC's record | 24 hours | UAH 1,000 on paper, UAH 750 online | Arts. 26(1)(1), 36(1), 36(5) |
- Buying a Ready-Made Company in Ukraine → What to CheckA foreigner buys a Ukrainian LLC by taking over its share: notarised transfer act, 24 hours at the registrar, UAH 1,000 fee, and the checks that come first.
- Representative Office in Ukraine → How to Register in 2026How a foreign company registers a representative office in Kyiv or elsewhere in Ukraine: documents, apostille, five working days, the UAH 3,330 fee.
- How Does a Foreigner Register a Company in Ukraine?Registering a Ukrainian LLC as a non-resident: the 24-hour rule, apostille and translation, the ownership-structure file, and the director work-permit trap.
- Change the Director of a Ukrainian Company From AbroadHow participants abroad replace the director of a Ukrainian LLC: the decision, notarised signatures, a power of attorney, 24 hours at the registrar, UAH 1,000.
- What Is Diia.City, and Is It Right for a Foreign IT Firm?Diia.City read from the statute: entry tests, the 9% and 5% tax model, gig contracts, audit reporting, staff reservation, and where foreign owners trip up.
FAQ
Can a foreigner own 100% of a Ukrainian company?
Yes. Law No. 2275-VIII does not limit the number of participants (Art. 4), so one foreign participant is enough, and it sets no citizenship or residence condition for them.
Does a foreigner have to come to Ukraine to register a company?
No. Documents can be filed on paper or electronically, and a representative can file on a notarised power of attorney or one issued under foreign law (Law No. 755-IV, Art. 14). Documents issued abroad need an apostille or legalisation and a certified Ukrainian translation (Art. 15(1)(13), (14)).
How much does it cost the state to register an LLC in Ukraine?
Article 36 of Law No. 755-IV lists no administrative fee for registering the creation of a legal entity. Later changes to its record cost 0.3 of the subsistence minimum, UAH 1,000 in 2026, or UAH 750 online. Notarial, apostille, translation and bank costs are separate.
Which is better for a foreign company: a subsidiary or a representative office?
A subsidiary LLC is a Ukrainian legal entity that trades in its own name. A representative office is part of the parent company and represents its interests (Civil Code, Art. 95). Employees of a foreign company's branch or representative office work without a work permit (Law No. 5067-VI, Art. 42(6)(8)); the comparison is in the representative office guide.
Can a foreigner register as a sole proprietor (FOP)?
Yes, if the person is lawfully in Ukraine on a document that is the basis for their stay (Law No. 755-IV, Art. 6(7)). Once registered, a foreign FOP is a Ukrainian tax resident (Tax Code, para. 177.12) and may choose the single tax. The remote e-Residency route has been closed to new applicants since September 2025.
Legal Solutions registers Ukrainian companies with foreign founders and foreign capital, opens representative offices of foreign companies, changes directors and owners, and sells or liquidates companies for owners abroad. Its lawyers work under a power of attorney, so the founder signs at home.
Legal Solutions (legal.ua) is part of the same group as Ukraine For ALL.
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Primary sources
- Law of Ukraine No. 2275-VIII of 6 February 2018 "On Limited and Additional Liability Companies", Arts. 4, 12, 39 (current text, last amended by Law No. 4695-IX of 3 December 2025) — zakon.rada.gov.ua/laws/show/2275-19 (checked 2026-10-29)
- Law of Ukraine No. 755-IV of 15 May 2003 "On State Registration of Legal Entities, Individual Entrepreneurs and Public Formations", Arts. 6, 14, 15, 26, 36 (current text, last amended by Law No. 4833-IX of 7 April 2026) — zakon.rada.gov.ua/laws/show/755-15 (checked 2026-10-29)
- Law of Ukraine No. 4695-IX of 3 December 2025 "On the State Budget of Ukraine for 2026", Art. 7 (subsistence minimum UAH 3,328) — zakon.rada.gov.ua/laws/show/4695-20 (checked 2026-10-29)
- Civil Code of Ukraine No. 435-IV, Art. 95 (current text, last amended by Law No. 4863-IX of 29 April 2026) — zakon.rada.gov.ua/laws/show/435-15 (checked 2026-10-29)
- Law of Ukraine No. 5067-VI of 5 July 2012 "On Employment of the Population", Art. 42(6)(8) (text as amended by Law No. 4574-IX, in force from 12 September 2025) — zakon.rada.gov.ua/laws/show/5067-17 (checked 2026-10-21)
- Tax Code of Ukraine No. 2755-VI, para. 177.12 — zakon.rada.gov.ua/laws/show/2755-17 (checked 2026-10-29)