Registering a PFA, II or IF in Romania

Individuals can carry out business activities in Romania in three forms, governed by Government Emergency Ordinance (GEO) no. 44/2008 (art. 4):

  • PFA (persoană fizică autorizată) – authorised self-employed individual;
  • II (întreprindere individuală) – sole proprietorship;
  • IF (întreprindere familială) – family business.

None of them is a legal entity (art. 2(g)–(i)). They differ in the number of owners or members, the number of activities (CAEN classes) and the number of employees:

Infographic: differences between a PFA, a sole proprietorship (II) and a family business (IF) in Romania – owners, CAEN classes, employees and liability under GEO no. 44/2008

PFA II IF
Who sets it up 1 owner 1 owner at least 2 members of the same family*, with an appointed representative
Activities (CAEN classes) up to 5 up to 10 no limit in GEO no. 44/2008
Employees up to 3 up to 8 cannot hire employees
Liability for debts with the business assets (patrimoniu de afectațiune), then with the owner’s other assets with the business assets, then with the owner’s other assets members are jointly and indivisibly liable, also with all their assets, in proportion to their shares
Combining roles a PFA owner cannot also own an II an II owner cannot also be a PFA members may also be PFAs or own an II
Legal basis (GEO no. 44/2008) art. 16, 17, 19, 20 art. 23, 24, 26 art. 28, 29, 31

*Family means the spouses, their children aged 16 or over at the time of registration, and relatives by blood or marriage up to the fourth degree (art. 2(d)).

Activity codes are chosen from CAEN Rev. 3. Students who are at least in their second year, have passed all their exams and are under 30 do not pay the Trade Register fees for registering a PFA or an II (art. 351).

We can handle the registration for you. Send us a message using the form below; we will reply by e-mail with a price offer and the draft documents, including the power of attorney for the Trade Register, which must be signed before a Romanian notary and sent to us by post.

Updated on 27 October 2026. Source: GEO no. 44/2008, art. 2, 4, 16, 17, 19, 20, 23, 24, 26, 28, 29, 31, 351, as in force.