How to Choose an Accounting Firm in Serbia: 12 Questions to Ask

Choosing an accountant is one of the few decisions that affects every single month of your business. A good accounting firm in Serbia saves you time and money and warns you about changes before they become a problem. A bad one costs you fines, interest and hours spent fixing mistakes. If you are wondering how to choose an accountant in Belgrade, the short answer is: do not choose on price, choose on the answers to the twelve questions below. Ask every firm you are considering and compare the answers before you sign.

Licensing, liability and insurance

1. Are you listed in the APR Register of Accounting Service Providers

Since 2021, a company or sole trader that keeps books for clients must hold a licence from the Chamber of Certified Auditors and be entered in the Register of Accounting Service Providers kept by the Serbian Business Registers Agency (APR). The register is public, so you can check in a few minutes. If a firm is not listed, the financial statements it prepares may be challenged, and you as the taxpayer bear the consequences.

2. Who is liable for a mistake, and how does the contract handle it

The Tax Administration always sends the penalty to the taxpayer, meaning you. The question is whether the firm contractually agrees to cover damages when the mistake is theirs, for example a missed deadline or a wrong calculation. Ask for this in writing, including how liability is established and the time limit for claims.

3. Do you carry professional liability insurance

Professional liability insurance is not mandatory in Serbia, but it shows that the firm takes risk seriously. Ask about the coverage amount and what the policy excludes.

Digital document flow and availability

4. How do I send you documents, and where can I see my numbers

In 2026 almost every company works with e-invoices through the SEF platform, and paper folders are the exception. Ask how the firm collects incoming and outgoing invoices, whether it has a client portal or shared folder for bank statements and contracts, and whether it can send you a trial balance and a list of upcoming payments at any time. If the answer is "email us when you get around to it", expect delays on both sides. We describe a clean workflow in our post on e-invoicing and SEF in 2026.

5. Who answers my questions, how fast, and through which channels

Ask for specifics: the name of the person, working hours, average response time and what happens when that person is on leave. Good practice is a lead accountant plus a backup who knows your file.

6. How are deadlines tracked, and who reminds me

A company in Serbia has around ten recurring monthly and annual deadlines, from VAT returns to year-end statements. Ask whether the firm keeps an internal deadline calendar per client and whether it tells you the amount and date of each payment in advance.

Who actually keeps your books

7. Who records, who reviews, and who signs

At larger firms the owner handles sales while a junior associate keeps the books. That is fine as long as there is review. Ask who enters the documents, who checks the calculations before filing, and which certified accountant stands behind the reports. Also ask how many clients one accountant manages. More than forty active companies per person usually means no time left for questions and advice.

8. Do you have experience with companies in my industry

An IT company with foreign clients, a restaurant with a fiscal cash register and a construction company with interim certificates face completely different accounting challenges. Ask for two or three references from your industry and which specific issues the firm has already solved. For IT companies, for example, these are foreign currency inflows, transfer pricing and R&D tax incentives; for foreign-owned companies, reporting to the parent and dividend payments abroad.

Fees, languages and the contract

9. What exactly does the fee include, and what is billed separately

The most common misunderstanding between client and firm is not the fee itself but what it does not cover. Ask for a written list: payroll per employee, VAT returns, year-end statements, statistical report, communication with the Tax Administration, employment contracts, tax advice. Ask how the fee changes when document volume or headcount grows. We explain the price drivers in accounting fees in Serbia and how to compare offers, and you can see our packages on the pricing page.

10. Which languages do you work in, and how do you communicate with a foreign owner

If the owner or director is a foreign national, the firm must explain obligations and reports in a language they understand, usually English or Russian. Ask whether reports and emails come bilingual and whether the firm has experience with foreign founders, transfer pricing and dividend payments abroad.

11. What does exiting the contract look like

A notice period of 30 to 60 days is standard. What matters is what you receive on exit: the complete ledger in electronic form, trial balance, account cards, fixed asset register and every return filed on your behalf. Ask the contract to specify the handover deadline and to state that the firm cannot withhold documents over a billing dispute.

12. Can I see the contract and general terms before signing

A firm that has no contract ready, or sends it on the day of signing, has not organized its own business either. Read the section on client obligations, because you also have deadlines for delivering documents, and the section on fee changes.

Red flags to watch for

• The firm is not in the APR register or avoids the question.
• The fee is far below market without an explanation of what is excluded.
• There is no written contract, or the contract does not mention liability for errors.
• Communication goes through one person only, with no backup.
• They promise "optimization" through fictitious expenses or off-the-books payments.
• They cannot show you a sample of the monthly report you will receive.

Common mistakes when choosing an accountant

• Choosing on price alone without comparing the scope of service.
• Signing without a liability clause and a document handover clause.
• Switching firms mid-year without a proper trial balance handover.
• Expecting the accountant to "know" about changes in your company you never reported.
• Relying on verbal agreements that cannot be proven later.

Frequently asked questions

Does an accounting firm in Belgrade need a licence

Yes. A company or sole trader providing accounting services must hold a licence from the Chamber of Certified Auditors and be listed in the APR Register of Accounting Service Providers. The check is public and free.

How many clients can one accountant handle well

It depends on complexity, but in practice the limit is between twenty and forty active clients per person. Beyond that, deadlines and advisory work suffer.

Can I change accountants in the middle of the year

Yes. The best moment is the start of a month or quarter, with a handover of the trial balance, account cards and all filed returns. The new firm should verify balances before continuing.

What if the firm misses a filing deadline

The Tax Administration collects the fine and interest from you as the taxpayer. Whether you can pass the cost to the firm depends on the liability clause in your contract, which is why it is question number two on our list.

How NOTA GROUP can help

NOTA GROUP is an APR-registered accounting firm in New Belgrade with a digital document flow and communication in Serbian, English and Russian. Take a look at our accounting services and book a consultation so we can go through these twelve questions together.