🏛️ Company formation

CAEN Codes in Romania: How to Choose (NACE Explained)

Every Romanian company is registered against one or more CAEN codes that describe what it does. Getting them right matters for licensing, VAT and even your tax regime — so it’s worth a few minutes before you file.

What is CAEN?

CAEN (Clasificarea Activităților din Economia Națională) is Romania’s official classification of economic activities. It is the national version of the EU’s NACE system, so a Romanian CAEN code lines up with the same activity across the EU. The current revision is CAEN Rev.3, which contains 651 codes.

When you form an SRL, you declare the activities your company is allowed to carry out using these codes.

Main code vs. secondary codes

You choose:

• One main code (activitate principală) — your company’s primary line of business. This is the activity most associated with the company.
• Any number of secondary codes (activități secundare) — everything else you may do.

A useful point for foreigners: you can declare codes you don’t use yet. Listing a secondary activity now lets you start invoicing for it later without amending the company’s registration. Many founders add several relevant codes up front to stay flexible.

Example code areas (verify before filing)

These are illustrative groupings only to show how the system works — confirm the exact code for your activity, as descriptions are specific.

Activity	Example CAEN area
Software / IT services	62xx
Information / web services	63xx
Online retail (e-commerce)	4791
Management & business consultancy	70xx

Do not treat these as authoritative selections. The precise code (and its exact wording) is what gets registered, so check the official CAEN Rev.3 list for your case.

Why the codes matter

• Regulated activities. Some codes (finance, transport, certain trades) require licences or extra authorisations. Declaring them doesn’t grant the licence — it just permits the activity once you’re authorised.
• VAT. Your activity affects VAT treatment. Romania’s standard VAT rate is 21%, with a reduced 11% rate for some categories.
• Micro-company eligibility. The 1% micro regime (turnover up to €100,000, with at least one employee) has activity-based limits — revenue from consultancy and management activities, for example, can affect whether a company still qualifies. Your code mix is part of that picture. See our 1% micro tax article.

Caution: the codes and rules above are for 2026 (CAEN Rev.3). Classifications and tax thresholds change — always confirm the exact code and current rules before filing.

Choosing well from the start

Pick a main code that genuinely reflects your core business, then add the secondary codes you’re likely to need. If you run an SRL for IT & e-commerce, that usually means a software or online-retail main code plus a few related services.

When we handle your company formation, we select and confirm the right CAEN codes with you so your registration matches your business — and keeps your tax options open. Ready to begin? Start here.