If you run an Estonian company from abroad, sooner or later you will receive a letter from the Commercial Register or the Tax and Customs Board.
Most of these letters are in Estonian.
Often, the letter itself is not the problem. The problem is that the entrepreneur does not understand how urgent it really is.
The good news is that you do not need to know Estonian. It is enough to recognize a few key terms.
They will tell you within a few seconds whether it is a normal message or a situation that requires urgent action.
Before reading the letter, check three things:
No matter what official letter you receive, look for three things first.
1. Who sent the letter?
Is the sender:
- Commercial Register;
- Tax and Customs Board;
- another authority?
2. What is the deadline?
Almost every official letter has a date by which you must respond.
This is the most important part of the letter.
3. Do you see any of the red-level terms below?
If so, do not leave the letter for later.
🟢 Standard message
These terms do not yet indicate a crisis, but it is worth knowing what they mean.
Annual report
Company annual report.
If you see the words “not submitted,” it means that the report is missing and the problem needs to be addressed.
Board member
Most of the time, that means you.
If the letter is addressed to a board member, it is worth reading it carefully.
Contact person
If the company needs to have a contact person in Estonia, check whether their authorization is still valid.
Käibemaks or KMKR
This usually concerns VAT returns or VAT registration.
If you see the words “not submitted,” immediately check which declaration is missing.
🟡 Warning
These terms mean that the problem has already been identified and you have time to fix it.
Net assets or equity
If there is a note in the letter that the equity does not meet the requirements, this does not mean that the company will be closed.
It means that the situation must be resolved by the specified deadline.
Warning order
An official warning from the registry. This is not yet a fine.
In most cases, this is the last chance to solve the problem without additional costs.
🔴 Act now
If any of the following terms appear in the letter, do not delay taking action.
Penalty order
The fine has already been imposed.
It is important to know that paying the fine does not eliminate the problem itself.
The reason for which the fine was imposed must be corrected.
Deletion warning
The register informs that the company may be deleted from the register.
In this case, every day often counts.
Compulsory dissolution
The company's liquidation procedure has begun.
The sooner you react, the greater the chance of resolving the situation.
Prohibition on business
The most serious concept on this list.
This concerns court-ordered restrictions on doing business and always requires thorough attention.
What do all these letters have in common?
Almost no problem arises overnight.
In most cases, the procedure proceeds in a specific order.
Notice → warning → fine → deletion warning → forced termination
The sooner you respond, the easier and cheaper it is usually to resolve the problem.
Can you handle it yourself?
Probably yes, if:
- you can generally understand the content of the letter;
- the problem concerns only one defect;
- the deadline is not close.
It is worth seeking the help of an expert if:
- you do not understand what the letter means;
- there are several different shortcomings in the letter;
- it is a fine order or a deletion warning;
- the deadline is approaching.