If you are doing business with a Romanian company, working with a Romanian partner, or running a company registered in Romania, you will likely encounter a document called certificat constatator — the Romanian company status certificate. This guide explains exactly what it is, what information it contains, when you need it, and how to obtain it quickly online.
What is the Romanian company status certificate
The certificat constatator (literally "certifying certificate") is the official document issued by Romania's National Trade Register Office (ONRC — Oficiul Național al Registrului Comerțului) that certifies the current legal status of any company registered in Romania.
It is the Romanian equivalent of a company status certificate, certificate of good standing, or company extract — depending on which country you are familiar with. Every company registered in Romania has one, and it can be obtained by anyone for any Romanian company, as the information is public.
What information does it contain
The certificate provides a comprehensive snapshot of the company's legal situation at the exact moment of issuance:
- Company identification — official name, unique registration code (CUI/CIF), trade register number (format: J[county code]/[number]/[year]), European Unique Identifier (EUID)
- Legal form — SRL (private limited company, equivalent to Ltd or GmbH), SA (joint-stock company), PFA (sole trader), etc.
- Company status — Active (Funcțiune), Dissolved, In liquidation, Struck off, or Inactive
- Registered office — current official address and registered office contract details
- Share capital — subscribed and paid-up capital, number and nominal value of shares
- Shareholders / Associates — names of all shareholders with their percentage of ownership
- Directors / Administrators — names, appointment dates, mandate expiry dates and representation powers
- Business activities — main and secondary activities registered under the Romanian CAEN classification (equivalent to NACE codes)
- Secondary offices and branches
- Financial data — turnover, profit/loss, number of employees for the last three financial years
- Special procedures — any insolvency, dissolution or liquidation proceedings currently in progress
Why is it important
The certificat constatator is the primary due diligence document for Romanian companies. It is required in a wide range of situations:
- Public procurement and tenders (SEAP platform) — mandatory qualification document, must be issued within the last 30 days
- Bank account opening and credit applications
- Notarial acts — property transactions, share transfers, mortgage deeds
- European funding applications (PNRR, POR, POCU and other programmes)
- Operating permits and licences
- Court proceedings
- Commercial due diligence before signing contracts
- International business relationships — apostilled for use outside the EU
How to verify a Romanian company using this document
If you receive a certificat constatator from a Romanian business partner, here is what to check first:
- Company status — must say "Funcțiune" (Active). Any other status is a red flag.
- The person signing your contract — must appear in the Directors section with an active, non-expired mandate
- Representation powers — check whether the director has full or limited powers, or whether joint representation is required
- Business activities (CAEN codes) — confirm that the activity you are contracting for is listed as authorised
- Insolvency section — all fields should show "Nu există înregistrări" (No records) for a healthy company
- Document issue date — the more recent, the more accurate; most institutions require documents issued within the last 30 days
→ Full guide: how to verify a Romanian company before signing a contract
Types of company status certificates in Romania
There are several variants of the certificat constatator:
- Standard certificate (certificat constatator complet) — current status of the company, including financial data. Used in 95% of cases. Official fee: 30 RON.
- Extended certificate with full history (certificat constatator cu historicul complet / forma extinsă) — includes all changes registered since incorporation: former directors, previous addresses, capital changes. Used for in-depth due diligence, M&A, litigation. Official fee: 250 RON.
- Certificate for a specific branch or place of business — covers a specific location rather than the company as a whole. Official fee: 30 RON.
- Certificate for a sole trader (PFA) — equivalent document for individually registered traders. Official fee: 30 RON.
→ Full guide: all types of Romanian company status certificates
Validity period
There is no statutory validity period set by law. Each institution determines its own requirements. In practice:
- 30 days — the standard accepted by banks, public procurement authorities and most public institutions
- 30–90 days — notaries, depending on the type of transaction
- As specified in the call for applications — European funding programmes
As a rule of thumb: always use a certificate issued within the last 30 days and you will not face any rejections.
How to obtain the certificate online
The Romanian company status certificate can be obtained online in minutes through CertificatConstatatorOnline.ro:
- Enter the company's CUI (unique registration code) — this is the Romanian tax identification number
- Confirm the company details displayed
- Enter your email address and billing details
- Pay by card (Visa, Mastercard)
- Receive the certificate by email as a PDF electronically signed by ONRC
The service is available 24/7, including weekends and public holidays. No account is required. No Romanian digital signature token is needed. The document received is issued directly by ONRC and is legally equivalent to one obtained at the counter.
Total cost: 100 RON (approximately 20 EUR), including the official ONRC fee of 30 RON.
Can anyone request the certificate for any Romanian company?
Yes. Information in the Romanian Trade Register is public. Any person or entity — Romanian or foreign — can request the company status certificate for any company registered in Romania, without the company's consent and without stating a reason.
This makes it a straightforward tool for international due diligence: you can verify any Romanian partner or supplier without having to ask them for their own documents.
Using the certificate outside Romania
For use within the European Union, the electronic certificate with a qualified electronic signature from ONRC is recognised under the eIDAS Regulation (EU 910/2014) without requiring an apostille.
For use outside the EU, in countries that are signatories to the Hague Convention of 1961, the certificate must be apostilled by the Romanian Ministry of Justice. If the destination country is not a signatory of the Hague Convention, a more complex legalisation procedure through the Ministry of Foreign Affairs applies.
→ Full guide: apostilling a Romanian company certificate for international use
Key Romanian terms you will encounter
When reading a Romanian company status certificate, here are the most important terms translated:
- Certificat constatator — company status certificate
- CUI / CIF — unique registration code / tax identification number
- Număr de ordine în Registrul Comerțului — trade register number
- Stare firmă: Funcțiune — company status: Active
- Sediu social — registered office
- Capital social — share capital
- Asociați — shareholders / associates
- Administrator — director / managing director
- Obiect de activitate / Coduri CAEN — business activities / NACE codes
- Nu există înregistrări — no records (used in insolvency sections — means the company is clean)
- Insolvent / Dizolvată / Radiată — insolvent / dissolved / struck off
- Data emiterii — issue date
Frequently asked questions
Is the online certificate legally equivalent to one obtained at the counter?
Yes. The online certificate is issued directly by ONRC and carries a qualified electronic signature. It has full legal validity and is accepted by all Romanian and EU institutions. There is no difference in legal standing between an online and a counter-issued certificate.
What is the difference between CUI and CIF?
CUI (Cod Unic de Înregistrare) and CIF (Cod de Identificare Fiscală) refer to the same number — the unique registration and tax identification code of a Romanian company. CUI is used in the context of the Trade Register; CIF is used in fiscal contexts. They are the same number. When a company is registered for VAT, the code appears as RO followed by the number (e.g. RO12345678).
How do I find the CUI of a Romanian company?
The CUI is public information. You can find it by searching the company name on the ONRC public database at recom.onrc.ro, or on the company's invoices and official documents. On our platform, you can also search by company name to find the CUI automatically.
The certificate is in Romanian. Can I get a translated version?
ONRC only issues certificates in Romanian. For international use, the certificate is translated by an authorised translator. Some platforms provide informal translations alongside the official document, but only the Romanian original has legal validity.
How current is the information in the certificate?
The certificate reflects the exact data registered in the Trade Register at the moment of issuance. Changes made to the company after the certificate was issued will not appear in it. This is why institutions impose validity deadlines — a certificate issued today reflects today's situation; one issued six months ago may be outdated.
Conclusion
The Romanian company status certificate (certificat constatator) is the essential document for verifying any Romanian company's legal existence, ownership structure, management, and business activities. It is public, available for any registered Romanian entity, and can be obtained online within minutes.
Whether you are a foreign business partner conducting due diligence, an international bank verifying a client, or a Romanian company needing documentation for cross-border transactions, this document provides the authoritative, official snapshot of a company's legal status directly from the Romanian Trade Register.
Get the Romanian company status certificate online — delivered in minutes →