Business Premises

In order to perform certain activities – especially in the field of catering, trade, warehousing, manufacturing, education, workshops, laboratories, clinics and similar – a company requires adequate business premises.

If a company runs a business in Slovenia that requires a business premise, the company must obtain the correct permit and provide suitable business premises.

Business premises in Slovenia can be rented or bought. Before renting or buying a property check if it has already been authorized for appropriate business purposes, so that the compnay can begin operating immediately.

Every building with business premises should have an operating permit, regardless of the activity (this also applies to office activity).
An operating permit is issued by a competent administrative unit (Department of Environment and Spatial Planning), in an area where real estate is located.

Most companies initially register their business address at home, in a private house or in an apartment. This can be done by everybody carrying out quiet activities if it is not specified by law that the business premises is required for the activity. Silent activity is allowed if it does not disturb the neighbours and does not excessively overburden common areas.

Obtaining an operating permit is not necessary if the business area does not exceed 50% of a private house.

If you want to carry out your business activity in an existing private house, it is not necessary to obtain a building permit or an operating permit for the change of use of part of it to an office building if the business area does not exceed more than 50% of the whole facility.

It is not necessary to obtain an operating permit if only a smaller part of the apartment is used as a business premises.

You can carry out a business activity in part of an apartment in a multi-dwelling building if this activity does not disturb the occupants in the peaceful use of (their) apartments and does not overburden the common parts of a multi-dwelling building. You must obtain the consent of the co-owners who have more than three-quarters of co-ownership share, including the consent of the unit owners of all apartments with walls or ceilings adjacent to your apartment.

At the beginning of the business activity it is necessary to notify the manager (if there is one). The same applies to rented apartments; furthermore, you must obtain the permit of the owner of the apartment in which you live.

If you want to change the purpose of your apartment entirely to a business purpose, you need a construction and operating permit, and consent of all unit owners when a building permit is issued.

Detailed rules on registering a business address at home can be found in the Housing Act (in Slovene).

In the process of setting up a business an individual chooses the place, street address and number of the business address where business activities occur or where the business will be mostly run. More about the business address.