Starting a Business in Sweden

For certain activities a permission, a report, or registration is required. It may be wise to find out at an early stage what permissions are needed and what is required to obtain them. Below you will find examples of such requirements and what authorities you should contact.

  • The municipality (kommunen): building permission for changed use of premises, etc. The environmental health protection department (miljö- och hälsoskyddsförvaltningen) authorises premises for handling of food (for example cafés) and it is a duty to report hygienic premises (for example for chiropody).

Activities

  • The county administrative board (Länsstyrelsen): permission for professional traffic, car rental, security companies and certain environmentally hazardous activities.
  • The municipality: permission to serve liquors and to arrange a temporary sale. Certain environmentally hazardous activities must be reported to the environmental health protection department.
  • The police authorities: permission for public assemblies and for activities in public places.
  • The county administrative board: permission to start private nursing homes for health care, rehabilitation, geriatric care, and care of addicts.
  • The National Board of Health and Welfare (Socialstyrelsen): All health-care personnel, doctors, nurses, physiotherapists, dentists, etc. are obliged to report the start of private businesses.

Foreign trade

  • The National Board of Trade (Kommerskollegium): issue of licenses to import, for example, textiles and clothing.
  • The National Board of Agriculture (Jordbruksverket): issue of licenses to import agricultural products.
  • The National Food Administration (Livsmedelsverket): registration of food importers.
  • The Customs Department (Tullverket): answers questions about customs regulations, for example how to make a customs declaration and what the current tariff rates, duties and taxes are.

Bolagsverket (Swedish Companies Registration Office)

that will register new companies, changes in established companies, receive annual accounts, register corporate mortgages, make decisions regarding liquidations and make the information in the registers available, and Patent- och registreringsverket (Swedish Patent and Registration Office).