€12,000 Start-Up Aid in Luxembourg: How to Get It
Luxembourg offers up to €12,000 of financial aid to first-time entrepreneurs starting a commercial or craft business. Called the aide à la primo-création d’entreprise (Primo-Création for short), it’s paid as 6 monthly instalments of €2,000 after your business is up and running. It’s a grant, not a loan — you don’t pay it back, as long as you stay in compliance with the rules. This guide explains who qualifies, what you need, and how to apply.
| Key facts | Details |
|---|---|
| Name | Aide à la primo-création d’entreprise |
| Amount | Up to €12,000 total (6 x €2,000 monthly instalments) |
| Who runs it | Ministère de l’Économie — Direction générale Aides d’État et Financement des Entreprises |
| Legal basis | Loi du 5 juillet 2023 |
| Apply through | MyGuichet.lu |
| Decision time | 1 month from complete application |
Critical: 6-month deadline. You must apply within 6 months of your business permit being issued. Miss this window and the aid is lost — there is no extension. Two things to have ready before you apply: (1) your business management training certificate from the relevant chamber (Chambre de Commerce for commerce, Chambre des Métiers for crafts), and (2) non-residential business premises (the aid excludes home-based freelancers).
What the aid is and who it’s for
This is a cash grant for first-time entrepreneurs in commerce or craft activities. It’s designed to help you cover the early months of running a business, when revenue is often lower than expenses.
Key features:
- A one-time aid per entrepreneur — you can receive it once in your life
- Paid after you’ve got your business up and running (valid business permit, premises, registrations)
- Paid in 6 monthly instalments of €2,000 — not a lump sum
- Not a loan — no repayment if you follow the rules
- Clawback only if you breach the eligibility conditions
Eligibility — the checklist
You must meet all of these conditions:
| Condition | What it means |
|---|---|
| Sector | Commerce or craft, within the scope of the 2023 law. The law’s Annex lists 23 specific activity exclusions (see warning below) |
| Business size | Micro-enterprise — fewer than 10 employees AND turnover or balance sheet of no more than €2 million |
| Business permit | You hold a valid autorisation d’établissement, 6 months old or less at the date of application |
| First-time entrepreneur (LU and abroad) | You and your co-shareholders have neither held a business permit in Luxembourg (in your own name or as a partner) nor run your own business abroad in the last 10 years. Salaried employment abroad does not count against you |
| Minority in other companies | You don’t hold more than 25% of shares in another company (in Luxembourg or abroad) |
| No replacement income | You don’t receive old-age or invalidity pension, salary, professional income, unemployment benefit, REVIS, or similar (Luxembourg or abroad) |
| Training | The manager has completed a business management course recognised by the competent professional chamber for your sector (Chambre de Commerce for commerce, Chambre des Métiers for craft) |
| Premises | The business has its own premises, not used for residential purposes |
| Integrity | Not convicted on 2 or more occasions in the last 4 years for undeclared work (travail clandestin) or for illegally employing third-country nationals |
The “not from home” rule. The business must have its own premises not used for residential purposes. This effectively excludes home-based freelancers. If you work from a corner of your apartment, you don’t qualify. A rented office, a co-working space with a dedicated desk, or commercial premises does qualify.
Liberal professions — watch out. The aid targets “commerce et artisanat” (commerce and craft). Pure liberal professions (lawyer, doctor, architect) generally do not qualify. Commercial activities registered with the Chambre de Commerce typically do. If unsure, ask the House of Entrepreneurship before applying.
23 specific exclusions in the Annex. Even inside commerce and craft, the law’s Annex excludes specific activities, including: shops over 400 m², shopping centres, taxi and VTC (ride-hailing), tobacco and e-cigarette shops, fuel retail, transport companies, real-estate agents and developers, erotic shops, tattoo and piercing, cinemas, training centres, forestry, and security services. If you’re in any of these sectors, check the full list before applying — a refused application is an expensive way to find out. See the current list on guichet.public.lu.
Legal form — which ones qualify?
Both individual entrepreneurs (sole proprietorship) and companies (SARL, SARL-S, SA) can qualify, as long as the other conditions are met. The law refers to “the entrepreneur or partners” (l’entrepreneur ou associés). The first-time requirement applies to the natural persons involved, not to the legal form.
How to apply
Step 1 — Gather the documents
- Business permit (autorisation d’établissement) — valid, dated within the last 6 months
- CCSS affiliation statement covering the last 10 years
- Criminal record extracts from countries of residence for the last 10 years
- Training certificate — business management course from the competent chamber (Chambre de Commerce for commerce, Chambre des Métiers for craft)
- Declarations of honour — signed declaration templates provided by the Ministry. You sign and submit them; you don’t need to gather a separate document for each declaration. The Ministry verifies them through internal data exchanges with CCSS, ADEM, and LBR
- Proof of premises — commercial lease or title deed, confirming non-residential use
Step 2 — Log in to MyGuichet.lu
Use your LuxTrust token or Luxembourg eID.
Step 3 — Submit the application
A dedicated “aide à la primo-création” online form is available on MyGuichet.lu. See the official procedure on Guichet.lu for the form, the official documents list, and step-by-step screenshots. Fill in the form, upload the documents, and submit.
Step 4 — Wait for the decision
Legal target: 1 month from receipt of a complete application. If anything is missing, the clock pauses until you provide it.
Step 5 — Receive the instalments
Once approved, the Ministry pays €2,000 per month for 6 consecutive months into your business bank account.
Conditions after you receive the aid
- You must keep meeting the eligibility conditions during the payment period.
- If you breach them (for example, you take up salaried employment, you sell more than 25% of your shares, or your business permit is revoked), the aid paid so far can be reclaimed.
- There’s no fixed “must stay in business for X years” clause — clawback is triggered by non-compliance, not simply by closing.
Another good idea while you’re setting up: get your bookkeeping right from day one. BravoLisa is an accounting app for self-employed people in Luxembourg that makes tax, CCSS, and invoicing easy — and it’s ready to use now. Try BravoLisa for free →
Combining with other aids
The aid falls under the EU de minimis regime. You can combine it with other de minimis aids (Fit 4 Start, Luxinnovation grants, other Ministry of Economy schemes) as long as your total de minimis aid doesn’t exceed €200,000 over 3 fiscal years.
Related aids to know about
- ADEM StartYourBusiness — if you’re a registered job seeker, you can keep your unemployment benefit for up to 6 months while preparing a business launch. Not a grant, but useful if you’re transitioning from unemployment.
- Young Innovative Enterprise aid — for small innovative businesses under 5 years old, up to 70% co-financing of their financing needs over up to 3 years (different scheme).
- Chambre des Métiers and Chambre de Commerce publish their own grants, prizes, and support programmes — check their websites.
Practical tip: Before applying, talk to the House of Entrepreneurship (free guidance, run by the Chambre de Commerce + Ministry of Economy). They can walk you through the eligibility, help you build your application, and flag any red flags before you submit.
Quick reference
| Question | Answer |
|---|---|
| How much is the aid? | Up to €12,000, paid as 6 x €2,000 monthly |
| Is it a loan or a grant? | Grant — no repayment if you follow the rules |
| When must I apply? | Within 6 months of your business permit being issued |
| What’s the decision deadline? | 1 month from complete application |
| Does it work for home-based freelancers? | No — requires non-residential business premises |
| Does it work for liberal professions? | Generally no — targets commerce and craft |
| How do I apply? | Via MyGuichet.lu |
| Can I combine with other aids? | Yes, under the de minimis ceiling (€200k / 3 years) |
| Law? | Loi du 5 juillet 2023 |
Related articles
- The 4 criteria for a business permit
- How to apply for a business permit
- Legal forms for your business in Luxembourg
- Taxes for self-employed in Luxembourg
You took the leap. Bravo for starting — we’re here to help you keep going.
💜💙 Your BravoLisa Team
This article is for general information purposes only and does not constitute professional tax, legal, or accounting advice. Every situation is different — consult a qualified professional (tax adviser, accountant, or lawyer) for advice specific to your circumstances. BravoLisa does not accept liability for decisions made based on this information.
Guichet LU — Aide à la primo-création d'entreprise, Guichet LU — Aides aux jeunes entreprises innovantes, Legilux — Loi du 5 juillet 2023 instituant un régime d'aide en faveur de la primo-création d'entreprise, Legilux — Loi du 20 décembre 2019 ayant pour objet la mise en place d'un régime d'aides de minimis, House of Entrepreneurship, Chambre de Commerce.
