Doing Business in Argentina: Starting an SAS
Argentina · Step by Step
Key Facts
- The go-to vehicle. Most foreign founders open an SAS (Sociedad por Acciones Simplificada) — fast, flexible, one owner allowed.
- Surprisingly quick. In Buenos Aires an SAS can register in 24–72 hours through the online IGJ system.
- Low capital. Minimum capital is about two minimum salaries — roughly US$650 — and one shareholder is enough.
- Then the CUIT. You register with ARCA (formerly AFIP) for a CUIT and your taxes — IVA, income tax and more.
- Get an accountant. A monthly contador isn't optional in Argentina — the tax calendar is strict and complex.
Argentina has a reputation for red tape, and it's partly earned — but the deregulation push since late 2023 has made launching a company genuinely doable. Doing business in Argentina now starts with the nimble SAS, which you can register in days for a few hundred dollars. Here's a friendly guide to forming one and staying compliant.
Why the SAS
For most foreign entrepreneurs the answer is the SAS — the Sociedad por Acciones Simplificada, created in 2017 specifically to make starting a company fast and cheap. It allows a single shareholder, so you can be the sole owner; it gives limited liability, protecting your personal assets; its governance is light, with no need for a full board; and it permits digital record-keeping, sparing you the old physical company books.
The heavier alternative, the SRL, needs two to fifty partners and more paperwork, so unless you have a specific reason, the SAS is the obvious starting point.
How fast and how cheap
Here's the pleasant surprise: in the city of Buenos Aires, an SAS can be registered in roughly 24 to 72 hours through the online IGJ (Inspección General de Justicia) system, though provincial registrations take longer and real-world timelines often run one to four weeks with an accountant handling it. The minimum capital is modest — about two minimum salaries, very roughly US$650 — and total formation costs, including professional fees and a one-day publication in the Boletín Oficial, typically land in the few-hundred-dollars range.
By the standards of Argentine bureaucracy, that's lightning-fast and cheap.
The steps
The path is well-trodden. First, get a tax ID: if you don't have a CUIT through residency, you obtain a CDI from ARCA (the tax authority, formerly AFIP) with your passport, and you set up a clave fiscal (your online tax access).
Then you draft the instrumento constitutivo — the company's founding document and bylaws — name a legal representative, and file through the IGJ's online portal (TAD). A foreigner can be founder, shareholder and administrator; you don't need a definitive DNI, as a precaria residence plus the CDI is enough to sign and register.
Taxes and what comes after
Once the company exists, you register it with ARCA as a taxpayer: this means a company CUIT, registering for IVA (VAT at 21%), income tax (Ganancias), and the provincial gross-receipts tax (Ingresos Brutos, via AGIP in the city or ARBA in the province), plus setting up electronic invoicing. If you hire staff, payroll and social-security registrations follow.
The ongoing obligations — monthly VAT filings, income-tax returns, payroll filings — are real and the deadlines are strict, with automatic fines for late filing, which is why the next point matters so much.
Get a contador — really
If there's one rule for doing business in Argentina, it's this: hire a contador, a certified public accountant, and treat it as essential rather than optional. The tax calendar is complex and unforgiving, the rules change with some frequency, and a good accountant keeps you compliant for a modest monthly fee — typically US$100 to US$500 depending on your size and activity.
With the company formed, the CUIT in hand and a contador on your side, the famous red tape becomes a manageable monthly routine, and you're free to get on with the actual business in one of Latin America's most creative, entrepreneurial cultures.
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Frequently Asked Questions
What company should a foreigner open in Argentina?
Usually an SAS (Sociedad por Acciones Simplificada) — it allows a single shareholder, gives limited liability, and is the fastest, cheapest vehicle to set up.
How fast and how much?
In Buenos Aires an SAS can register in 24–72 hours online, with minimum capital around two minimum salaries (roughly US$650) and total costs in the few-hundred-dollar range.
Can a foreigner own a company here?
Yes — a foreigner can be founder, shareholder and administrator. You need a CUIT or CDI from ARCA; a precaria residence is enough to register, no definitive DNI required.
What taxes will the company pay?
Register with ARCA for IVA (VAT at 21%), income tax (Ganancias) and provincial Ingresos Brutos, plus electronic invoicing and payroll taxes if you hire.
Do I really need an accountant?
Yes. A monthly contador is effectively essential — Argentina's tax calendar is strict and complex, and fees are modest at roughly US$100 to US$500 a month.
This guide is general information, not legal, tax, immigration or financial advice. Argentina's rules change often, so confirm current requirements with official sources — Migraciones, ARCA/AFIP and the Banco Central — and consult a qualified Argentine abogado or contador before acting. Information is current as of June 2026.
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