Glossary
Key terms around business addresses, company formation and postal services in Austria. Explained clearly with practical context.
Legal Foundations
Legal terms relating to company formation and business addresses in Austria
Address for Service of Documents
In Austria, an address capable of receiving service of documents is a genuine address located in Austria at which author...
Address for Service of Documents explainedImprint Obligation
The imprint obligation requires operators of websites, online shops and other telemedia to make certain information publ...
Imprint Obligation explainedDeemed Service (constructive service)
Deemed service means that an official document is considered to have been served with legal effect even if the recipient...
Deemed Service (constructive service) explainedCompany Types
Legal forms and company types under Austrian company law
GmbH
The limited liability company (GmbH) is the most popular type of corporation in Austria. The liability of the shareholde...
GmbH explainedFlexCo (Flexible Company)
The FlexCo (Flexible Company) is a legal form regulated under the FlexKapGG since 1 January 2024, which makes the corpor...
FlexCo (Flexible Company) explainedSole Proprietorship
The sole proprietorship is the simplest legal form for self-employed people in Austria. The owner has unlimited liabilit...
Sole Proprietorship explainedPostal Services
Terms from the Austrian postal and service of documents system
RSb Letter
An RSb letter (return receipt letter b) is an official document that must be served with proof of delivery. Unlike the R...
RSb Letter explainedRSa Letter
An RSa letter (return receipt letter a) is an official document that may be served to the recipient in person or to a pe...
RSa Letter explainedPostal Power of Attorney
A postal power of attorney authorises a designated person to receive post on behalf of the principal. It is deposited wi...
Postal Power of Attorney explainedMail Forwarding
Mail forwarding refers to the service of forwarding incoming postal items from a receiving address to another address. F...
Mail Forwarding explainedBusiness Address & Virtual Office
Terminology around business addresses, virtual offices and registered offices
Virtual Office
A virtual office is a professional business address with associated services such as mail receipt, mail forwarding and t...
Virtual Office explainedBusiness Address
A business address is the official address of a company in Austria. It must be capable of receiving service of documents...
Business Address explainedRegistered Office
The registered office (also seat of the company) is the address of a company entered in the commercial register. It dete...
Registered Office explainedc/o Address
A c/o address (care of) is a delivery instruction in which post is addressed to a person or company that can be reached ...
c/o Address explainedAuthorities & Registers
Austrian authorities, registers and official procedures
Commercial Register
The commercial register is a public register in Austria in which all corporations (GmbH, AG) and registered partnerships...
Commercial Register explainedTrade Registration
Trade registration is the official registration of a commercial activity in Austria. It is carried out with the competen...
Trade Registration explained