Search Albania QKB: Kerko per subjekt / NIPT

TL;DR. Albania’s official business registry is the National Business Center (QKB, Qendra Kombëtare e Biznesit) at qkb.gov.al. The NIPT search form is at https://qkb.gov.al/kerko-per-subjekt/. The older path qkb.gov.al/search/search-in-trade-register/search-for-subject/ no longer exists, and format.qkb.gov.al is an unfinished placeholder page rather than the form. Both hosts rejected requests from outside the country when last checked. QKB does not publish certified extract fees on its public pages; confirm at source. Albania is an EU candidate country and is not on the FATF grey list.

What is the official Albania business registry?

The National Business Center (QKB) is Albania’s single-window registration authority for business entities. Established under Law No. 131/2015 “On the National Business Center” and subsequently expanded by Law No. 9723/2007 on Registration of Business Organizations and Other Organizations (as amended), QKB operates as an institution under the supervision of the Ministry of Finance and Economy.

QKB replaced the previous court-based company registration system in Albania and introduced a one-stop-shop model where registration, licensing, and tax enrollment can be completed in a single administrative procedure. The registry covers limited liability companies (sh.p.k.), joint-stock companies (sh.a.), sole traders, branches and representative offices of foreign companies, foundations, associations, and other legal entities.

QKB’s main public portal is at qkb.gov.al. The NIPT/subject search sits at https://qkb.gov.al/kerko-per-subjekt/. format.qkb.gov.al is an unfinished placeholder page, not the search form, and qkb.gov.al/search/search-in-trade-register/search-for-subject/ no longer exists. Both hosts rejected requests from outside the country when last checked. An independent open-data portal opencorporates.al also indexes QKB data.

Albania began EU accession negotiations in 2022. Regulatory alignment with EU company law, beneficial ownership standards, and AML/CFT frameworks is actively progressing as part of the accession process.

What can you search?

The search path is the NIPT/subject form at https://qkb.gov.al/kerko-per-subjekt/; format.qkb.gov.al is a placeholder page, not the form. The fields the form returns (trade name, registered address, shareholder name, full profile columns) could not be confirmed on the retired search URL; confirm at source.

NIPT (Numri i Identifikimit per Personin e Tatueshem), also referred to as NUIS, is Albania’s business tax identification number and the primary company identifier.

Beneficial ownership data does not appear on the NIPT search form. Albania’s Beneficial Ownership Registry is reported to have entered into force on May 15, 2025 under Law No. 112/2020, but it is not searchable from kerko-per-subjekt; confirm at source.

How much does it cost?

QKB does not publish certified extract fees on its public pages, so the table above shows them as unknown rather than free; confirm at source. Exchange rate reference: ALL/USD approximately 95:1 (May 2026, approximate; verify at the Bank of Albania before any transaction).

Do you need a local account or ID?

The NIPT form URLs above were reachable as public paths on 2026-09-04, and no account and no local ID are needed to search. An eAlbania electronic identity is reported to be needed for filing, which is a separate path from search; confirm at source.

Is the website in English?

The QKB portal is offered in English, though the English coverage of the NIPT form itself could not be confirmed. Company names in the database are in Albanian.

What’s the turnaround time?

Unknown. QKB does not publish a turnaround time for certified extracts; confirm at source.

Is there an API?

No formal public API for QKB data is documented for external developer use. The opencorporates.al portal indexes QKB data and may offer programmatic access to Albanian company data as part of its own service. For compliance platforms requiring systematic Albanian entity lookups, engaging a local data partner or using QKB’s electronic services portal are the available options.

What you legally cannot do

Albania’s data protection framework is governed by Law No. 9887/2008 on Protection of Personal Data (as amended, and progressively aligned with GDPR as part of EU accession). The QKB Terms of Use and Albanian law prohibit:

• Automated bulk scraping of the QKB portal for commercial redistribution without an authorized data access arrangement
• Using personal data from the registry (director names, addresses, shareholder details) for unsolicited marketing or profiling
• Misrepresenting uncertified online extracts as certified official documents for legal or regulatory submissions

For compliance and KYC due-diligence purposes, individual company lookups are within permitted use. Albania’s Information and Data Protection Commissioner (Komisioneri per Mbrojtjen e te Dhenave Personale) oversees enforcement; see idp.al for current guidance. The global framework for lawful company data use is covered in our Global Business Due Diligence Guide.

Practical tips for foreign compliance buyers

• NIPT is the anchor identifier. The NIPT (also written as NUIS) follows the format: one letter prefix + 8 digits + one letter suffix (example: L12345678D). It is stable across name changes and the most reliable search key. Collect the NIPT from any Albanian counterparty before onboarding.
• No UBO data on the NIPT form. Where beneficial ownership data is absent, request direct disclosure from the counterparty.
• EU accession alignment. Albania opened EU accession negotiations in 2022 and has been aligning its corporate law, AML/CFT framework, and UBO disclosure requirements with EU standards.
• sh.p.k. vs. sh.a. Albania’s two primary company types are the sh.p.k. (shoqeri me pergjegjesi te kufizuar), equivalent to a private limited company, and the sh.a. (shoqeri anonime), equivalent to a joint-stock/public company. Sole traders operate as person fizike (PF). Branches of foreign companies (dege) are also registered with QKB.
• Capacity-building trajectory. Albania is engaged with UNODC and EU-funded programs (2024-2026) to strengthen AML/CFT investigation and prosecution capabilities. While not on the FATF grey list, Albania’s AML effectiveness ratings have historically noted gaps in investigation and prosecution rates. Apply standard enhanced due diligence for counterparties in higher-risk sectors (construction, real estate, cash-intensive businesses).

Alternatives if you cannot access QKB directly

• Aggregator search (indicative only): opencorporates.al indexes QKB trade register data with a search interface. OpenCorporates global also has Albanian entity coverage. Both lag official data and are useful only for indicative name checks, not compliance-grade verification.
• eAlbania platform (e-albania.al): Albania’s government digital services platform, which integrates QKB services. Some document types are available via eAlbania with an account.

Local data suppliers

No commercial credit bureau could be confirmed for Albania. creditreform.al does not resolve. Use QKB for the authoritative legal and corporate record. A local attorney remains the path for a certified extract or consolidated due-diligence package when QKB is not enough.

FAQ

Can a foreign company access the Albania QKB registry directly?

The NIPT form at https://qkb.gov.al/kerko-per-subjekt/ is a public page, though both QKB hosts rejected requests from outside the country when last checked. format.qkb.gov.al is a placeholder page rather than the form, and the older body search URL no longer exists. QKB does not publish certified extract fees; confirm at source.

What is the NIPT number in Albania?

The NIPT (Numri i Identifikimit per Personin e Tatueshem), also written as NUIS, is Albania’s primary business identifier: one letter prefix (indicating entity type and registration era) + 8 digits + one letter suffix. It is assigned at registration with QKB and used across the tax administration, customs, banking, and government procurement systems. It is the most reliable anchor identifier for any Albanian entity lookup.

What entity types are registered with QKB?

QKB registers: limited liability companies (sh.p.k.), joint-stock companies (sh.a.), sole traders (person fizike), general and limited partnerships, cooperatives, foundations, associations, and branches and representative offices of foreign companies. Public sector entities and state-owned enterprises have separate registration procedures but are included in the trade register.

Does Albania have a beneficial ownership (UBO) registry?

Not through the NIPT form. Law No. 112/2020 established a Beneficial Ownership Registry, but it is not searchable from kerko-per-subjekt; confirm at source.

How current is the data in QKB?

QKB does not state how quickly new filings appear in the public search; confirm at source.

Is Albania on the FATF grey list?

No. Albania is not on the FATF grey list and has not been subject to FATF increased monitoring. Albania’s 2018 FATF Mutual Evaluation rated it compliant or largely compliant for most technical compliance indicators. The 2023 follow-up report showed further improvement. Albania is currently in regular MONEYVAL follow-up. See fatf-gafi.org for current status.

What’s the difference between QKB and Albania’s tax administration?

QKB handles legal existence: incorporation, registration of changes, and the trade register. Albania’s General Directorate of Taxes (Drejtoria e Pergjithshme e Tatimeve, DPT) manages NIPT assignment, VAT registration, tax compliance, and arrears. A full counterparty check typically requires QKB (legal standing) and cross-referencing with DPT’s public taxpayer data. For credit risk, a commercial credit bureau report supplements registry data.

Last verified: 2026-09-04. Sources: the QKB NIPT form (qkb.gov.al/kerko-per-subjekt/); format.qkb.gov.al, a placeholder page rather than the form; the retired body search URL; creditreform.al, which does not resolve; FATF Albania country page (fatf-gafi.org/en/countries/detail/Albania.html). For the full global due diligence framework, see our Global Business Due Diligence Guide.