Romania recorded 12,639 new business registrations in April 2026 , a solid 10.1% increase year-over-year compared to the 11,481 entities registered in April 2025 . However, April’s total fell 12.5% short of the exceptionally strong March 2026 figure of 14,438 , a pullback that is broadly consistent with typical seasonal patterns following the first-quarter surge.

The 12-month moving average now stands at 13,326 registrations per month , up from 13,229 the previous month and well above the 10,085 recorded in April 2025’s trailing average , confirming a robust structural uptrend in new business formation over the past year.

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Entity Types: Sole Traders Surge as Limited Companies Dip

The most striking structural shift in April 2026 is the divergence between corporate and solo-entrepreneur formation. Limited liability companies (SRL) — historically the backbone of Romanian business registration — registered 7,066 new entities , a 4.9% decline from April 2025’s 7,427 . SRLs still account for the majority of all registrations at 55.9% of the total, but their share is shrinking relative to sole-trader forms.

By contrast, Authorized Natural Persons (PFA) posted a dramatic 36.6% year-over-year jump , reaching 4,930 new registrations versus 3,608 in April 2025 . Individual Enterprises (II) showed a similarly strong 38.7% increase to 552 units , while Family Associations (IF) doubled to 54 . This broad-based expansion in self-employment forms suggests that individual entrepreneurs — rather than incorporated startups — are currently driving new registration momentum.

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Industry Trends: Manufacturing and Agriculture Make Surprising Leaps

April’s industry-level data reveals some notable shifts in sectoral activity.

Transport and Storage remains the single largest sector with 1,933 new registrations , but it actually contracted 6.8% year-over-year . Similarly, Wholesale and Retail Trade fell 8.7% to 1,761 registrations . These two traditionally dominant sectors, which together account for nearly 30% of all registrations, are both losing ground relative to last year.

The faster-growing sectors tell a different story:

• Manufacturing (Industria prelucrătoare) surged 65.4% to 716 registrations , a substantial jump from 433 in April 2025 .
• Agriculture, Forestry and Fishing more than doubled, rising 134.2% to 555 registrations from just 237 a year earlier . Such a large increase likely reflects, in part, a seasonal registration wave tied to the spring agricultural cycle.
• Information and Communications grew 29.1% to 1,136 registrations , consolidating its position as one of Romania’s most dynamic registration sectors.
• Financial Intermediation and Insurance jumped 60.6% to 318 new entities .
• Hotels and Restaurants climbed 25.7% to 602 , a pattern consistent with pre-summer hospitality expansion.

One notable decline: Health and Social Assistance dropped 26.5% to 191 registrations , reversing what had been a multi-year expansion in that sector.

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Regional Picture: Coastal and Transylvanian Counties Lead Growth

Bucharest remains far ahead of all other counties with 2,907 new registrations , a moderate 5.8% gain over April 2025 . Ilfov, Cluj, Timiș, and Brașov complete the top five by volume, reflecting Romania’s established urban business corridors.

The growth league table, however, is dominated by counties that are catching up rapidly:

• Constanța led all major counties with a 64.3% year-over-year surge to 636 registrations , likely reflecting pre-season activity on the Black Sea coast.
• Galați rose 51.9% to 354 , and Brașov grew 51.1% to 547 .
• Teleorman and Giurgiu, both traditionally low-volume southern counties, posted headline growth rates of 105.9% and 87.8% respectively , though their absolute numbers (140 and 154 registrations) remain modest.

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Business Lifecycle: Deregistrations Surge, Ecosystem Under Pressure

The most concerning signal in April 2026 comes not from the registration side, but from business exits. Total lifecycle exits reached 15,657 , comprising:

• 9,827 deregistrations — formal removals from the business register
• 4,468 dissolutions — legal winding-down proceedings initiated
• 1,362 suspensions — temporary operational halts

The deregistration figure stands out: at 9,827, it is 25.0% higher than the 7,860 recorded in April 2025 . This spike drives the overall churn rate to 123.9% — meaning that for every 100 new businesses registered in April, roughly 124 exited the register in some form. This compares to a churn rate of 121.3% in April 2025 .

On the positive side, suspensions fell 12.5% year-over-year and dissolutions were broadly flat, down just 0.8% . The drop in suspensions may indicate that businesses facing difficulties are increasingly moving directly to deregistration rather than temporary suspension.

The ecosystem health ratio — registrations as a proportion of total exits — stood at 0.81 in April 2026 , meaning entries covered only 81 cents of every exit “dollar.” Net business stock change was -3,018 for the month , indicating that April saw a net contraction in the number of registered entities. This is not unusual for spring months when administrative cleanup of dormant or inactive entities often accelerates, but the trend warrants monitoring.

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Context and Takeaways

April 2026 presents a nuanced snapshot of Romania’s business landscape. New registrations are growing solidly on an annual basis — the 10.1% year-over-year gain outpaces inflation and reflects genuine expansion in entrepreneurial activity, particularly among sole traders and in knowledge-intensive sectors like IT, manufacturing, and professional services. The 12-month moving average continues to climb, signaling that the structural trend in business formation remains upward.

At the same time, the sharp rise in deregistrations — up a quarter versus a year ago — introduces a note of caution. Churn is running above the rate at which new entities enter, producing a net monthly contraction in registered business stock. Whether this reflects a catch-up in administrative clearing of dormant entities, tightened compliance enforcement, or genuine market exits by operating businesses requires closer examination of the underlying deregistration data.

The sectoral divergence is also worth noting: the traditional pillars of transport and trade are softening in relative terms, while manufacturing, agriculture, ICT, and hospitality are posting strong gains. April’s seasonal hospitality and agricultural registrations, in particular, are consistent with the approach of summer and the spring planting season, and may partially normalize in subsequent months.

Data sourced from Romania’s National Trade Register Office (ONRC) as compiled through the analytical tools. Figures cover all entity types registered or subject to lifecycle events during April 2026.