When registering an Estonian company (OÜ), foreign founders often wonder whether they need to appoint a contact person in the Estonian Business Register. The answer depends on where your company’s legal address is located.

What the Law Says

According to the Commercial Register Act § 24, a contact person must be designated if the company’s address is outside Estonia:

§ 24 (2) “A contact person must be designated if the address of the legal person is abroad.”

In other words:

• If your company has a valid Estonian business address, you do not need a contact person.
• If your company has a foreign address, then you must appoint one.

Who Can Act as a Contact Person

The law also makes it clear that not just anyone can be appointed. Only certain licensed professionals and companies can act as a contact person, such as:

• A notary, sworn advocate, or law firm
• A sworn auditor or audit firm
• A tax representative of a non-resident (under the Taxation Act)
• A licensed trust and company service provider (like Capture.ee), authorized under the Money Laundering and Terrorist Financing Prevention Act

This ensures that your contact person is qualified to handle official procedural documents on your company’s behalf.

Why Many Providers Add a Contact Person Anyway

Some service providers automatically include themselves as your contact person, even if you already have an Estonian address. This can create extra administrative overhead because:

• The contact person role can only be appointed for a fixed term.
• Each appointment or removal requires a separate amendment in the Business Register (with notary fees or state fees).
• It’s not legally necessary if you already use a licensed Estonian business address.

At Capture, we don’t believe in locking clients into unnecessary obligations. We provide a Tallinn business address, and only add ourselves as contact person if your company’s address remains abroad and you specifically request it.

When You Do Need a Contact Person

Here are the typical cases where a contact person is required:

• Your company’s registered legal address is outside Estonia.
• All management board members live outside Estonia, and you prefer not to maintain an Estonian address.

But if you use a licensed Estonian virtual office (business address), a contact person is generally not needed.

Capture’s Approach

With Capture, you get:

• Central Tallinn address accepted in the Business Register
• Licensed contact person service, available only if you need it
• Transparent pricing — no hidden fees or forced add-ons
• Ongoing support so you always know your company is compliant

From just €10/month, we help you meet the real legal requirements — no extras you don’t need.