# Business Activities in Moldova Every field you can register a company in inside Moldova, grouped by category: CAEM codes, sector size, and which activities need a licence. At registration you declare a maximum of five main activities. One is the primary activity and the rest are secondary, and nothing obliges you to use them all from day one. The list can be changed later through an application to the Public Services Agency, so the first choice does not lock you in. Law no. 160/2011 sets out exhaustively which activities are carried on under licence — 33 in all, from alcohol and tobacco trade through to banks, pharmacies, casinos, energy and telecoms. The rest of the economy registers and starts trading. Of the 37 fields below, 18 touch at least one licensed activity, and the card tells you which one and who issues it. ## Trade and distribution Almost a third of Moldova’s small and medium companies resell something — to consumers or to other businesses. ### Retail and shops Grocery shops, boutiques, market stalls, second-hand goods. The code follows what you actually sell, and division 47 holds 37 of them. - Common CAEM codes: 47.11 · 47.19 · 47.71 · 47.78 - CAEM section: G - No licence required ### Online shop and e-commerce Selling online or by mail order has its own code, 47.91, separate from a physical shop. Plenty of companies declare both. - Common CAEM codes: 47.91 - CAEM section: G - No licence required ### Wholesale and distribution Selling to other businesses rather than consumers. Distribute alcohol or tobacco and the licence comes before the first delivery. - Common CAEM codes: 46.19 · 46.21 · 46.31 · 46.90 - CAEM section: G - Licensed: - Import and storage of ethyl alcohol; import, storage and wholesale of alcoholic production — ANSA - Import of tobacco products; industrial processing of tobacco; wholesale ### Automotive: sales, service and parts Vehicle sales, repair shops and the parts trade sit together under division 45 — motorcycles included. - Common CAEM codes: 45.11 · 45.20 · 45.32 - CAEM section: G - No licence required ### Fuel and filling stations Petrol, diesel and LPG can only be sold under an ANRE licence, and the annual fee is paid per station. - Common CAEM codes: 47.30 · 46.71 - CAEM section: G - Licensed: - Import and wholesale or retail of petrol, diesel and liquefied gas at filling stations — ANRE ## Manufacturing, agriculture and industry Everything grown, made or extracted in Moldova. The group with the most licensed activities in it. ### Agriculture, viticulture and forestry Crops, livestock, vineyards, forestry and fishing. Moldova’s third largest sector by number of small and medium companies. - Common CAEM codes: 01.11 · 01.21 · 02.10 · 03.22 - CAEM section: A - No licence required ### Food, beverages and tobacco From a bakery to a winery. Beer and alcoholic production need an ANSA licence, though wine is the exception, under the Vine and Wine Law no. 57/2006. - Common CAEM codes: 10.71 · 11.02 · 11.05 · 12.00 - CAEM section: C - Licensed: - Manufacture of ethyl alcohol, beer and alcoholic production — ANSA - Manufacture of tobacco products and wholesale ### Clothing, textiles and footwear Tailoring, garment factories, leather and footwear. Lohn production for clients abroad registers here too. - Common CAEM codes: 13.92 · 14.13 · 15.20 - CAEM section: C - No licence required ### Furniture and woodworking Joinery, made-to-order furniture, sawn timber. Division 16 covers the material and 31 the finished product — many workshops declare both. - Common CAEM codes: 16.23 · 31.01 · 31.09 - CAEM section: C - No licence required ### Pharmaceutical manufacturing and medical devices Manufacture of basic pharmaceutical products and preparations. The Medicines Agency licence applies regardless of volume. - Common CAEM codes: 21.10 · 21.20 - CAEM section: C - Licensed: - Pharmaceutical activity — Medicines and Medical Devices Agency ### Industrial manufacturing, metal and equipment Chemicals, plastics, metal, machinery, electronics, industrial repair. Three activities here are licensed; the rest need nothing beyond registration. - Common CAEM codes: 25.11 · 25.62 · 28.29 · 33.20 - CAEM section: C - Licensed: - Production, import and sale of civilian weapons and ammunition — Ministry of Internal Affairs - Production, sale and storage of explosive materials; civil blasting works — Ministry of Internal Affairs - Production, import and sale of pyrotechnic articles ### Mining and quarrying Extraction of stone, sand and clay. The National Bureau of Statistics does not publish a separate company count for this sector. - Common CAEM codes: 08.11 · 08.12 · 08.99 - CAEM section: B - No licence required ## Construction, real estate and infrastructure Who builds, who manages and who keeps the networks running. Utilities are licensed almost end to end. ### Construction and specialised works Building construction, civil engineering and specialised works — installations, finishing, demolition, insulation. - Common CAEM codes: 41.20 · 42.11 · 43.21 · 43.32 - CAEM section: F - No licence required ### Real estate and property management Brokerage, letting, and managing property owned or held for others. Division 68 is the only one in section L. - Common CAEM codes: 68.10 · 68.20 · 68.31 · 68.32 - CAEM section: L - No licence required ### Electricity, gas and heating Four separate licences cover the chain from generation to supply. Renewables, biogas and biofuel carry one of their own. - Common CAEM codes: 35.11 · 35.13 · 35.22 · 35.30 - CAEM section: D - Licensed: - Generation, transmission, distribution and supply of electricity — ANRE - Production, transport, distribution, storage and supply of natural gas — ANRE - Production, distribution and supply of thermal energy - Production of renewable energy, biogas and biofuel ### Water, sewerage and sanitation Collection, treatment and distribution of water, plus wastewater treatment. The licence is granted per territory, not per company. - Common CAEM codes: 36.00 · 37.00 - CAEM section: E - Licensed: - Public water supply and/or sewerage services at region, district, municipality, town, village or commune level ### Waste, recycling and remediation Waste collection and treatment, materials recovery, remediation. Scrap metal and used batteries can only be handled under licence. - Common CAEM codes: 38.11 · 38.21 · 38.32 · 39.00 - CAEM section: E - Licensed: - Collection, storage, processing, sale and export of ferrous and non-ferrous scrap, used batteries and accumulators ## Professional and financial services Companies that work for other companies. The financial half is the most densely licensed part of the economy. ### Accounting, legal and consulting Law firms, accountancy practices, management consultancies and holding companies. The second largest group in Moldova by company count. - Common CAEM codes: 69.10 · 69.20 · 70.22 - CAEM section: M - No licence required ### Architecture, engineering and design Architecture practices, engineering design, technical testing and analysis, plus research and development. - Common CAEM codes: 71.11 · 71.12 · 71.20 - CAEM section: M - No licence required ### Marketing, advertising and design Advertising agencies, market research, design, photography and translation. Nothing in this group needs a licence. - Common CAEM codes: 73.11 · 73.20 · 74.10 - CAEM section: M - No licence required ### Banking, payments and currency exchange Six different licences, two authorities. The National Bank licenses banks; the Public Services Agency licenses the rest of the payments chain. - Common CAEM codes: 64.19 · 64.91 · 64.99 - CAEM section: K - Licensed: - Banking activity — National Bank of Moldova - Cash currency exchange with individuals, other than by banks - Payment services by payment institutions and electronic money issuers - Electronic money issuance - Savings and loan associations - Credit history bureau ### Insurance, investment and capital markets Insurers and brokers, pension funds, investment firms. The National Commission for Financial Markets is the authority for insurance. - Common CAEM codes: 65.12 · 65.30 · 66.12 · 66.22 - CAEM section: K - Licensed: - Insurers, reinsurers and brokers — National Commission for Financial Markets - Asset management of private pension funds - Capital market activity: investment firm, market operator, fiduciary management ### Pawnshops, lending and precious metals Pawnshops and dealing in precious metals and stones are licensed together, under a single permissive act. - Common CAEM codes: 64.92 · 47.77 - CAEM section: K · G - Licensed: - Activity involving precious metals and stones; operation of pawnshops — Public Services Agency ## IT, telecom and media The only group with a tax regime of its own: eligible companies pay 7% of turnover through Moldova IT Park. ### IT, software and information services Custom software development, IT consultancy, infrastructure management, hosting and data processing. This is where companies join IT Park from. - Common CAEM codes: 62.01 · 62.02 · 62.09 · 63.11 - CAEM section: J - Licensed: - Information protection: special technical means for covert acquisition of information ### Telecommunications and broadcasting Electronic communications operators need an ANRCETI licence for frequencies and numbering. Broadcasters need one from the Audiovisual Council. - Common CAEM codes: 60.10 · 60.20 · 61.10 · 61.20 - CAEM section: J - Licensed: - Use of radio channels or frequencies and numbering resources — ANRCETI - Broadcasting of programme services — Audiovisual Council ### Media, publishing and video production Publishers, film and video production, post-production studios, video games. No licence, unlike broadcasting. - Common CAEM codes: 58.11 · 58.13 · 59.11 · 59.20 - CAEM section: J - No licence required ## Transport and logistics Freight, people, and everything that passes through a warehouse or customs. ### Road freight and passenger transport Freight haulage, taxis, urban and intercity passenger transport, removals. Each has its own code inside division 49. - Common CAEM codes: 49.31 · 49.32 · 49.41 · 49.42 - CAEM section: H - No licence required ### Warehousing, logistics, courier and customs Warehouses, transport support services, post and courier. Customs brokerage is the only activity in the group that needs a licence. - Common CAEM codes: 52.10 · 52.24 · 53.20 - CAEM section: H - Licensed: - Customs broker — Public Services Agency, with the Customs Service involved ## Hospitality, tourism and entertainment Where free time gets spent — from a coffee shop to a casino. ### Restaurants, cafés, bars and catering Restaurants, bars, event catering and other food service. Division 56 has four classes, not one. - Common CAEM codes: 56.10 · 56.21 · 56.29 · 56.30 - CAEM section: I - No licence required ### Hotels, accommodation and travel agencies Hotels, guesthouses, short-stay accommodation, travel agencies and tour operators. Accommodation and brokerage sit in different CAEM sections. - Common CAEM codes: 55.10 · 55.20 · 79.11 · 79.12 - CAEM section: I · N - No licence required ### Gambling, casinos and betting One CAEM class, 92.00, and a strict licence. The fee is recalculated for every gaming table or roulette unit added to the licence annex. - Common CAEM codes: 92.00 - CAEM section: R - Licensed: - Casino operation — Public Services Agency, with local public administration authorities involved ### Sport, culture and entertainment Gyms, clubs, theatres, museums and libraries. The only licensed activity in the group is fireworks displays. - Common CAEM codes: 90.01 · 91.02 · 93.12 · 93.13 - CAEM section: R - Licensed: - Provision of the “Pyrotechnic shows and fireworks” service ## Services for people Health, education, care, and the services other companies depend on. None of these sectors is published separately by the statistics office. ### Health, private clinics and pharmacies Medical practices, private clinics, dentistry, residential and non-residential care. Pharmacies fall under the same licence as medicine manufacturing. - Common CAEM codes: 86.21 · 86.23 · 87.30 · 47.73 - CAEM section: Q · G - Licensed: - Pharmaceutical activity — Medicines and Medical Devices Agency ### Education, courses and training Private nurseries and schools, language courses, driving schools, vocational training centres. - Common CAEM codes: 85.10 · 85.53 · 85.59 · 85.60 - CAEM section: P - No licence required ### Beauty and personal services Hairdressing, cosmetics, body treatment, dry cleaning. Division 96 gathers them all, across five classes. - Common CAEM codes: 96.01 · 96.02 · 96.04 - CAEM section: S - No licence required ### Recruitment and employment placement Placement agencies need a licence, whether they place people at home or abroad. The same licence covers student exchange programmes. - Common CAEM codes: 78.10 · 78.20 · 78.30 - CAEM section: N - Licensed: - Placement of citizens in employment at home and/or abroad; enrolment of students in educational and cultural exchange programmes ### Support services: cleaning, security, administration Cleaning, call centres, exhibition organisation and secretarial work need no permit. Security is the exception: de-licensed in 2017, it now requires an authorisation from the Ministry of Internal Affairs. - Common CAEM codes: 80.10 · 81.21 · 82.11 · 82.20 - CAEM section: N - No licence required --- 37 activities, 8 categories. Choosing CAEM codes and checking licences are part of the registration service.