Self-employed : formalities when you cease your activity

If you decide to cease your activity, a series of general formalities must be completed

Self-employed (natural persons)

Cancellation with the Crossroads Bank for Enterprises

In case of definitive cessation of a self-employed profession or a commercial activity, you can request the cancellation of your company in the Crossroads Bank for Enterprises with a one-stop business counter. You must request this within a month of the complete cessation of your activities. 
This will cost you €101 (amount 2023).

Declaration of cessation of business with the VAT administration

Your VAT cancellation must be requested within a month of the cessation of your activities. You can make this request via a one-stop business counter or the VAT administration in the administrative district where the commercial activity was exercised.

This can be done by you or by your one-stop business counter. In the latter case, you will be charged approximately €60 excluding VAT.

Cancellation of the social security fund

Within 15 days of the cancellation certificate from the Crossroads Bank for Enterprises obtained from a one-stop business counter, you must request the cancellation of your company with your social security fund.

Please note that you will still have to pay the social security contributions for the current quarter. Afterwards, you may have to pay any adjustments if the tax authorities find that your income is higher than the amount on the basis of which your social security contributions were calculated.

Cancellation of your registration with the social security office when you employ staff

In the month following the quarter in which you no longer employ staff, you must inform the social security office of the departure of the last staff member and mention the date.

Please note that depending on the type of business, you may need to complete additional formalities. Your one-stop business counter will provide you with more information on this.

Companies (legal entities)

If the activity is carried out through a company, you need to ask a notary to prepare a notary deed for the dissolution and liquidation. The notary then files this deed with the commercial court for publication in the official journal (Moniteur Belge). You must then complete the formalities described above.