Time required to start a business in Romania

Romania: Time required to start a business was 20 days in 2019. ◆ Volatile

Latest (2019)
20 days
Change on year
down 42.9%
World rank
50th
of 188 countries
All-time high
35 days
in 2018
All-time low
8 days
in 2007
Years of data
17
2003–2019

Time required to start a business in Romania, 2003–2019

102030402003201120192003: 29 days2004: 28 days2005: 11 days2006: 11 days2007: 8 days2008: 8 days2009: 8 days2010: 8 days2011: 12 days2012: 8 days2013: 8 days2014: 8 days2015: 8 days2016: 12 days2017: 12 days2018: 35 days2019: 20 days

Source: Doing Business project, World Bank (2025) – processed by Our World in Data. Measured in days.

Analysis

The most recent figure for time required to start a business in Romania is 20 days, measured in 2019.

That represents a change of down 42.9% on the previous year and up 150.0% over ten years.

Over the whole period, time required to start a business in Romania peaked at 35 days in 2018 and was at its lowest, 8 days, in 2007.

That places Romania 50th out of 188 countries with data for 2019, putting it in the middle of the range.

The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.

Time required to start a business in Romania, year by year

Annual values for Time required to start a business in Romania, 2003 to 2019.
Year days Change
2003 29 days
2004 28 days -3.4%
2005 11 days -60.7%
2006 11 days +0.0%
2007 8 days -27.3%
2008 8 days +0.0%
2009 8 days +0.0%
2010 8 days +0.0%
2011 12 days +50.0%
2012 8 days -33.3%
2013 8 days +0.0%
2014 8 days +0.0%
2015 8 days +0.0%
2016 12 days +50.0%
2017 12 days +0.0%
2018 35 days +191.7%
2019 20 days -42.9%

Romania compared with similar countries

  • Romania's 20 days is above the median for high income countries, which is 8.5 days, 2.4× the median. (62 countries reporting)
  • Romania's 20 days is above the median for Europe & Central Asia, which is 7.25 days, 2.8× the median. (48 countries reporting)

Biggest year-on-year movements

Years where Time required to start a business in Romania changed far more than this series normally does. A large move can be a real event or a change in how the figure was measured — the source note below says who published it.

YearChange FromTo
2018 +191.7% 12 days 35 days
2005 -60.7% 28 days 11 days
2011 +50.0% 8 days 12 days
2016 +50.0% 8 days 12 days
2019 -42.9% 35 days 20 days
2012 -33.3% 12 days 8 days

Averages by decade

DecadeAverage LowestHighest Years
2000s 14.71 days 8 days 29 days 7
2010s 13.1 days 8 days 35 days 10

Countries ranked near Romania

  1. 48 Austria 21 days compare
  2. 49 Malta 20.5 days compare
  3. 51 Bangladesh 19.5 days compare
  4. 51 Croatia 19.5 days compare
  5. 53 Kuwait 19.4 days compare

See the full ranking of 188 places →

More reference data data for Romania

All data for Romania →

Frequently asked questions

What is time required to start a business in Romania?
Time required to start a business in Romania was 20 days in 2019, according to Doing Business project, World Bank (2025) – processed by Our World in Data.
What is the highest time required to start a business recorded in Romania?
The highest recorded value was 35 days in 2018.
What is the lowest time required to start a business recorded in Romania?
The lowest recorded value was 8 days in 2007.
How does Romania rank for time required to start a business?
Romania ranks 50th out of 188 countries with data for 2019.
Is time required to start a business rising or falling in Romania?
Over the last ten years it is up 150.0%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
Where does this Romania data come from?
The figures come from Doing Business project, World Bank (2025) – processed by Our World in Data, published as part of Time required to start a business. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.

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Time required to start a business in Romania. Statizoid, drawing on Doing Business project, World Bank (2025) – processed by Our World in Data. Retrieved 23 September 2026, from https://reference.statizoid.com/stat/time-required-to-start-business/romania/

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About this data

Indicator
Time required to start a business
Unit
days
Source
Doing Business project, World Bank (2025) – processed by Our World in Data
Licence
CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data)
Coverage
188 places, 2,945 data points, 2003–2019
Last refreshed

Number of calendar days needed to complete the procedures to legally operate a business.