How many sole proprietorships are there in Belgium?

Last updated: 8 September 2026

How many sole proprietorships are there in Belgium? Er zijn 798,331 actieve sole proprietorships in België. Dat is 39.9% van alle Belgische bedrijven.

Short answer

Er zijn 798,331 actieve sole proprietorships in België (39.9% van alle bedrijven). De gemiddelde sole proprietorship is 15 jaar en 1 maanden oud. Afgelopen maand werden er 5,107 nieuwe sole proprietorships opgericht.

1. How many sole proprietorships are there in Belgium? The numbers.

Volgens de Kruispuntbank van Ondernemingen (KBO) zijn er 798,331 actieve sole proprietorships in België, op een totaal van 2,002,637 actieve bedrijven.

798,331

Active

39.9%

Of all companies

5,107

New this month

15j 1m

Average age

2. In which cities are most sole proprietorships?

Most sole proprietorships Antwerpen (31,031), followed by Gent, Brussel, Liège, Charleroi.

1 Antwerpen
31,031
2 Gent
19,156
3 Brussel
14,637
4 Liège
12,561
5 Charleroi
11,250

3. In which sectors are sole proprietorships?

The most popular sector for sole proprietorships: Schoonheidsverzorging en andere schoonheidsbehandelingen (22,603 companies).

1 Schoonheidsverzorging en andere schoonheidsbehandelingen
22,603
2 Schoonheidsverzorging
17,533
3 Kappers- en barbiersactiviteiten
17,075
4 Gemengd landbouwbedrijf
15,462
5 Landschapsverzorging
15,341

Age distribution

How old are the active sole proprietorships? The chart shows the number of sole proprietorships.

021,49642,99264,48885,9840j10j20j30j40j50jLeeftijd (jaren)

6. What is a sole proprietorship?

The sole proprietorship is the fastest and cheapest way to start as a self-employed person in Belgium. No notary, no minimum capital, no articles of association. You register at a business counter and can start the same day. The perfect choice for freelancers, part-time self-employed, consultants and small independent professionals who want to keep things simple.

The downside? You are personally liable with your entire estate, including your home and savings. If things go wrong, creditors can go after your personal assets. That is why many entrepreneurs switch to a BV once their turnover grows or they hire staff. A sole proprietorship is ideal to get started, but not always to stay.

Read more about the pros and cons of a sole proprietorship →

4. Comparison with other legal forms

How do sole proprietorships?

Look up a sole proprietorship?

Search by name, address or VAT number and find all info directly.

7. Frequently asked questions

How many sole proprietorships are there in Belgium?

798,331 active / 798,331 total.

What percentage of all Belgian companies is a sole proprietorship?

sole proprietorships: 39.9% (2,002,637 companies).

In which cities are most sole proprietorships?

Antwerpen (31,031), Gent (19,156), Brussel (14,637), Liège (12,561), Charleroi (11,250).

How old is the average sole proprietorship?

15j 1m.

Where can I look up sole proprietorships?

Databakkes.be

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