Articles on: Becoming Self-Employed

€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, 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 × €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

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 ≤ €2 million
Business permit	You hold a valid autorisation d'établissement, 6 months old or less at the date of application
First-time entrepreneur	You (and your co-shareholders, if any) have not held a business permit in your own name or as a partner in the last 10 years
No activity abroad	No economic activity abroad during the last 10 years
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:
No business permit in own name or as partner in last 10 years
No economic activity abroad in last 10 years
No shareholding above 25% in other companies
No replacement income (pension, salary, unemployment, REVIS)
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. 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.

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 €300,000 over 3 years.

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 innovative businesses under 5 years old, up to 70% co-financing of R&D (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 × €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 (€300k / 3 years)
Law?	Loi du 5 juillet 2023

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.

Last updated: April 2026. Rates and thresholds may change — always verify with the relevant authorities for the most current figures.

Updated on: 17/04/2026

Was this article helpful?

Thank you!