You can launch an online store in Moldova within a couple of weeks — if you go step by step: first register the business, then choose a platform, connect payments and delivery, and take care of the legal requirements.
An online store in Moldova is a full commercial activity: it requires registering a business, connecting payments and delivery, and complying with laws on commerce, consumer protection and personal data. This guide covers every step in the right order, with requirements current for 2026 and real costs. Legal details are worth checking against the official sources (ASP, SFS, the town hall): tariffs and thresholds change from time to time.
Step 1. Registering the business and the activity code
In Moldova, selling goods through a website is a commercial activity, so you first register a legal entity: most often an SRL (limited liability company) or an ÎI (sole proprietorship). Registration is handled by ASP (Public Services Agency), usually within 24 hours. Current fees are always listed on asp.gov.md; as a rough guide, state registration of a legal entity costs about 1,149 lei, and checking and reserving the company name about 242 lei.
The activity code: CAEM 47.91
During registration, the activity is stated in the statute. For online retail this is CAEM code 47.91 — “Retail sale via mail order houses or via the Internet.” This class covers retail sale of goods to order over the internet. Selling cars and motorcycles online is excluded — they have separate codes.
The notification about commercial activity
Under Law No. 231/2010 on internal trade, operating permits for commercial units have been replaced by a simple notification (notificare) filed with the local town hall — it can be submitted online, with no supporting documents required. The notification is filed separately for each commercial unit. This is not an “authorization” in the old sense, but informing the local authority that the activity is starting.
Taxes and the VAT registration threshold
The threshold for mandatory VAT (TVA) registration in Moldova, from 1 March 2026, is 1.7 million lei of turnover over any 12 consecutive months (previously 1.2 million). While turnover is below the threshold, VAT registration is not mandatory but can be done voluntarily. The standard VAT rate is 20%. Check the tax regime and how to issue fiscal receipts with SFS (State Tax Service): online sales and card payments have their own rules.
Step 2. Choosing a platform for the store
Technically, a store can be launched in three ways, each with its own cost and level of control:
- A website builder — fast and cheap, but limited in functionality, integrations and SEO; good for testing an idea.
- A ready engine (for example, WooCommerce) configured yourself — more flexibility, but you need a developer and support on your side.
- Turnkey development at a web agency — unique design and logic, but more expensive up front, and afterwards you maintain and update the site yourself.
- A product platform — the store runs on a ready engine with local integrations, hosting, support and continuous updates on a subscription. This is how ECOM is built.
What to look for specifically for Moldova: local payment and courier integrations, support in Russian and Romanian, a mobile app, SEO readiness and the option to add wholesale (B2B) sales. The more of this is available out of the box, the fewer hidden costs appear later.
Step 3. Connecting online payments
To accept card payments and mobile banking, you sign an acquiring contract with a bank or a payment integrator. Payment services in Moldova are regulated by Law No. 114/2012 on payment services and electronic money. ECOM supports integration with local banks and systems: maib, Moldindconbank, victoriabank, FinComBank, as well as Paynet, MIA, MPay, Netopia Payments and the international PayPal and Stripe. If needed, installments and financing can be connected — for example, iutecredit or Microinvest.
Step 4. Delivery
A store needs clear delivery methods and a way to calculate their cost. ECOM integrates with the courier services Nova Poshta, FAN Courier, EVS Courier and Sameday, and for shipments abroad — with FedEx, UPS, DHL and USPS. Orders and statuses are passed automatically, without manual data transfer.
Step 5. Content, SEO and launch
Before launch, fill the catalog with product cards with photos, specifications and clear descriptions, and set up categories and filters. For growth from search, correct titles and meta tags, readable URLs, load speed, a mobile version and structured data all matter. Inventory and stock are conveniently linked to systems such as 1C, MoySklad or SmartBill — ECOM supports this.
Step 6. What the law requires you to publish on the site
Online commerce in Moldova is regulated by Law No. 284/2004 on electronic commerce; the buyer’s rights are protected by Law No. 105/2003 on consumer protection, and the processing of personal data by Law No. 195/2024, the Moldovan equivalent of the GDPR: since 23 August 2026 it has replaced the former Law No. 133/2011 (supervision still rests with the National Center for Personal Data Protection). In practice, this means the site must show the seller’s contact details, a public contract with the terms of sale and returns, and a privacy policy describing how you process customer data. What exactly the new law requires is covered in the article GDPR in Moldova: law 195/2024 for online stores.
How much it costs to launch an online store
The final amount consists of state fees (registration at ASP — about 1,149 lei plus minor charges) and the cost of the store itself. At ECOM the pricing is transparent: the online store starts at 1,500 lei per month, with a one-time implementation of 20,000 lei (optional: you can do the basic setup yourself). A mobile app is added for +3,000 lei per month, and a wholesale B2B portal for +2,000 lei per month. Paying for six months gets a 10% discount, and paying annually gets 20%. The calculator on the pricing page works out the exact amount for your needs.
How ECOM helps you launch the store
ECOM is a product platform for online sales, from Chișinău: an online store, a mobile app and a B2B portal all run on a single engine. The subscription includes hosting, updates, protection and support, and the team develops the product continuously. We take on the technical side — from local integrations to publishing the mobile app to the App Store and Google Play — so you can focus on selling rather than administering a server. A standard launch takes about two weeks.