Short answer
A license is the permit you need for certain activities beyond registration with the QKB. As a rule, activities in Albania are free and do not require a license, except for those provided for by Law No. 10081/2009. The application is made online through the QKB via e-Albania.
Effective today
Verified on from Andi Haxhillari, Certified Accountant. Compared with Law No. 10081/2009 “On Licenses, Authorizations, and Permits,” as most recently amended by Law No. 41/2025, and with Government Decree No. 538/2009, as most recently amended by Government Decree No. 853/2024.
This page explains when you need a license, how to determine if your activity requires one, where to apply, and how to check a license in the QKB register.
Registration with the QKB gives you your NIPT and makes you a trading entity. A license is something else. It grants you the right to carry out a specific activity when the law requires it.
Law No. 10081/2009 starts from a simple principle. The exercise of activities in Albania is generally free and does not require a license, except in cases provided for by the law itself. Therefore, most businesses operate solely with an NIPT, while some activities, such as private healthcare or certain food-related activities, also require a license.
The categories of licenses are listed in the annex of Law No. 10081/2009. Government Decree No. 538/2009 It specifies for each the criteria, the documents, and the deadline for the decision. When the request is reviewed, only the specific criteria for that license are taken into account.
The practical procedure has two steps. First, precisely determine the activity you will carry out. Then check whether it falls under the licensed categories in the QKB's information register. Do this before you sign the lease or purchase the equipment, because many criteria are tied to the premises, the equipment, or the technical manager.
We have explained how this works in practice for the clinic and for the restaurant.
The application is made online at QKB through the e-Albania portal.
For certain categories, the decision is made by another institution. For some food-related activities, for example, the application is reviewed by the National Food Authority, which may also conduct an on-site inspection before making a decision.
You can find the application steps, along with the video and the list of licenses that are applied online, at Our guide to applying on e-Albania.
QKB maintains the National Register of Licenses, Authorizations, and Permits, integrated into its official website. The register has three parts: the legal and sub-legal initiatives in the field of licensing; the informational register by category; and the application register of licenses and permits.
This is where you check whether an entity has a license, for example when you buy an existing business or when you choose a supplier for a licensed activity.
No. As a rule, activities are free. A license is required only for the categories provided for by Law No. 10081/2009 and its implementing acts.
Online, at the QKB through the e-Albania portal. Steps and the video They are in our guide.
It's sufficient when your activity is not licensed. When it is, the license is obtained before the activity begins.
Today the idea. Tomorrow the NIPT and the license.
We verify whether your activity requires a license, register your business with the QKB, and tell you what needs to be prepared. All under one roof.
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