Which company forms must be registered in Switzerland?

Registration is mandatory for general partnerships, limited partnerships, GmbH and AG. For sole proprietorships, registration is mandatory above annual turnover of CHF 100,000; below that, it is voluntary.

As a Hungarian entrepreneur, is a Swiss address required to found a company?

In practice, cantonal authorities generally expect at least the managing director to have a Swiss address. For GmbH and AG, the law requires that at least one signatory authorised to sign resides in Switzerland.

How much capital is required to found a GmbH and an AG?

For a GmbH, at least CHF 20,000 in share capital is required, which must be paid into a blocked bank account before registration. For an AG, CHF 100,000 in share capital is required, of which at least CHF 50,000 must be paid in before registration.

How long does company registration in Switzerland take?

If all documents are in order, processing typically takes 5–15 working days. However, the overall process can be slowed down by opening the bank account, which may take 2–8 weeks for foreign founders.

How much does it roughly cost to register a GmbH in Switzerland?

According to the article, the estimated total cost with professional support is roughly CHF 2,500–5,500. This includes the federal base fee, SHAB publication, notary fee and the fee for opening the capital account, but the share capital is additional.

What other notifications must be handled after company registration?

As a self-employed person, you must register separately with the competent AHV compensation fund, and separate notification to the cantonal tax authority is also required. If turnover exceeds CHF 100,000, VAT registration must also be completed with the ESTV.

What mistakes do company founders most often make?

Common mistakes include reversing the order of the residence permit and company registration, underestimating the time needed to open a bank account, ignoring the VAT threshold and failing to register with AHV. It is also common to forget the notification to the cantonal tax authority.

How do I register a company in Switzerland as a Hungarian entrepreneur?

What is the Swiss commercial register, and why is it mandatory?

The Swiss commercial register (Handelsregister, abbreviated HR) is a public register with legal evidentiary force, governed by federal law and administered at cantonal level, in which the details of businesses carrying out economic activity in Switzerland are recorded. The register is supervised by the Federal Office of Justice (Bundesamt für Justiz, EJPD), while each canton operates its own commercial register office (Handelsregisteramt).

The purpose of registration is twofold: first, it gives the business legal personality (for example, in the case of a GmbH, limited liability arises only upon registration); second, it creates transparency for third parties — creditors, business partners, authorities.

When is registration mandatory?

Legal form	Registration requirement
Sole proprietorship (Einzelunternehmen)	Mandatory if annual turnover exceeds CHF 100,000; below that, voluntary
General partnership (Kollektivgesellschaft)	Mandatory
Limited partnership (Kommanditgesellschaft)	Mandatory
Limited liability company (GmbH / Sàrl)	Mandatory, created upon registration
Public limited company (AG / SA)	Mandatory, created upon registration

The details of all registered companies can be searched publicly on the federal Zefix portal (zefix.ch).

What prerequisites apply to a Hungarian entrepreneur?

Personal requirements

As a Hungarian citizen, you fall under the 1999 Agreement between the European Union and Switzerland on the free movement of persons (Freizügigkeitsabkommen, FZA). This means that you may carry out self-employed economic activity under the same conditions as Swiss citizens.

In practice, this means the following:

Residence permit: As a self-employed person or company founder you are entitled to a B permit (Ausländerausweis B), which must be applied for at the local migration authority (Migrationsamt / Office cantonal de la population). The permit is issued on the condition that the self-employed activity is economically viable — this must be supported by a business plan and financial plan.
Residence in Switzerland: In technical terms, registration can be completed without a Swiss address for certain legal forms, but in practice the cantonal authorities expect at least the managing director (Geschäftsführer) to have a Swiss address. In the case of a GmbH and AG, the law requires that at least one person authorised to sign resides in Switzerland.
Clean criminal record: The registration procedure does not automatically require a criminal record certificate, but the migration authority may review this during the permit procedure.

Legal requirements by legal form

GmbH (Gesellschaft mit beschränkter Haftung / Sàrl)for incorporation:

Minimum share capital: CHF 20,000, which must be paid in before registration into a blocked bank account (Sperrkontoeinlage).
At least one managing director (Geschäftsführer), who may also be a partner (Gesellschafter).
At least one signatory authorized person residing in Switzerland.

For establishing an AG (Aktiengesellschaft / SA):

Minimum share capital: CHF 100,000, of which at least CHF 50,000 must be paid in before registration.
A board of directors (Verwaltungsrat) is required, with a majority of members residing in Switzerland.

Sole proprietorship (Einzelunternehmen) in the case of:

No capital requirement.
The entrepreneur bears unlimited personal liability.
Below annual revenue of CHF 100,000, registration is voluntary, but recommended.

How does the registration process work step by step?

Below, we outline the process of establishing a GmbH in detail, as this is the most common form among Hungarian entrepreneurs. Registering a sole proprietorship is simpler, while establishing an AG is more complex.

Step 1: Determine the company form and company name

Choose the company form based on your business objectives, capital strength, and willingness to take risks. The company name must be unique — you can check this in advance on the Zefix portal (zefix.ch). The name must include the legal form designation (e.g. “Müller Bau GmbH").

Step 2: Open a bank account and pay in the capital

For a GmbH, open a blocked capital payment account (Kapitaleinzahlungskonto) with a Swiss bank. The bank will issue confirmation of the amount paid in, which must be presented before the notary. Warning: in recent years, Swiss banks have tightened their acceptance of new clients, especially foreign nationals. Opening an account can take 2–8 weeks, and not every bank accepts founders with a foreign address.

Step 3: Prepare the founding documents and have them notarized

To establish a GmbH, the articles of association (Statuten) and the incorporation declaration must be signed before a notary (Notar). The notary authenticates the documents and prepares the registration application. Notary fees vary by canton: typically they range from CHF 500 to CHF 1500.

Step 4: Submit the registration application

The notary — or an authorized lawyer — submits the application to the competent cantonal commercial register office (Handelsregisteramt). The application can now also be submitted electronically via the federal EasyGov portal (easygov.swiss).

The required documents typically include:

Signed and notarized articles of association
Bank confirmation of capital payment
Identity documents of the managing directors
Declaration of beneficial owners (Beneficial Owner Declaration — based on the Anti-Money Laundering Act, GwG)

Step 5: Registration and publication

The commercial register office reviews the application and registers the company. The registration is published in the Swiss Official Gazette of Commerce (Schweizerisches Handelsamtsblatt, SHAB). From the date of registration, the company has legal capacity.

Processing time: typically 5–15 working days from submission of the application, provided all documents are in order.

How do the cantons and municipalities differ from one another?

In Switzerland, company formation is governed by federal law (Obligationenrecht, OR), but implementation takes place at cantonal level. This leads to differences in the following areas:

Cantonal differences:

Aspect	Example
Notary fees	Typically lower in Zürich and Bern than in some smaller cantons
Commercial register office processing time	Zürich, Zug: fast (5–7 days); in smaller cantons, up to 15–20 days
Tax burden	Zug, Nidwalden: low corporate tax; Genève, Basel-Stadt: higher
Banking accessibility	In larger cities (Zürich, Genève), more banks offer accounts to foreign founders

Municipal level:

In some cantons, the municipality (Gemeinde) also levies a local tax on the business. This is particularly relevant for profit tax (Gewinnsteuer) and capital tax (Kapitalsteuer), where the federal, cantonal, and municipal tax rates are added together.

To calculate the actual tax burden, the tax calculator on the kmu.admin.ch portal is a useful starting point, but only the tax authority of the relevant canton (Steueramt) or a tax advisor can provide an exact calculation.

How much does company registration cost?

The table below is for information only and is based on 2024–2025 data. Actual amounts may vary by canton and depending on the fees charged by the experts involved.

Item	Amount (CHF)
Federal commercial register base fee (GmbH)	~600
SHAB publication fee	~150–200
Notary fee	~500–1500
Bank capital account opening fee	~200–500
Lawyer / advisor fee (optional)	~1000–3000
Estimated total cost (GmbH, with expert)	~2500–5500
Sole proprietorship registration fee	~200–400

The minimum share capital of the GmbH (CHF 20 000) is in addition to this — this is not a cost, but the company’s assets, which you may use once the blocking has been lifted.

What tax and insurance obligations arise after the first year?

Taxation

In Switzerland, businesses are taxed at three levels: federal, cantonal, and municipal.

Profit tax (Gewinnsteuer): Payable on the profit of a GmbH or AG. The federal rate is 8.5%, but the actual effective tax burden (federal + cantonal + municipal) typically ranges from 12% to 24% depending on the canton.
Capital tax (Kapitalsteuer): A cantonal tax payable on the company’s equity. The rate is typically between 0.001% and 0.5%.
VAT (Mehrwertsteuer / TVA): If annual turnover exceeds CHF 100,000, VAT registration with the Federal Tax Administration (Eidgenössische Steuerverwaltung, ESTV) is mandatory. The standard rate has been 8.1% since 2024.
Hungarian-Swiss double taxation agreement: The agreement concluded between Hungary and Switzerland in 1981 and subsequently amended regulates which country taxes each type of income. If you live and work in Switzerland, income from a Swiss company is generally taxed in Switzerland, but the details depend on your individual situation.

Social insurance (AHV/AVS)

As a self-employed person and as a GmbH managing director, you are required to pay AHV/AVS (old-age, survivors’ and disability insurance) contributions. For self-employed persons, contributions are assessed on net income; the rate in 2024 is around 10% (combined employer and employee share, since for self-employed persons this is a single item).

If the managing director is treated as an employee in the GmbH, the employer and employee contributions must be split between the company and the managing director.

Accident insurance (SUVA / UVG)

If the company has employees, accident insurance (Unfallversicherung, UVG) is mandatory — typically with SUVA or a private insurer.

Health insurance (KVG / LAMal)

Running a business does not exempt you from the obligation to have individual health insurance. In Switzerland, every person residing in Switzerland must take out basic insurance (Grundversicherung) with an authorised health insurer (Krankenkasse). This is a personal obligation, independent of the company’s registration.

What are the most common mistakes regarding company registration?

1. They confuse the order of the residence permit and company registration. Registration can be initiated in parallel with the permit application, but the company can only operate once a valid residence permit is in place. The migration authority assesses the permit on the basis of the business plan — it is worth preparing this in advance.

2. They underestimate opening an account with a Swiss bank. Opening a blocked capital account as a foreign national can take months. Some banks reject new clients if they do not have a Swiss address or local ties. It is advisable to contact several banks in parallel.

3. They ignore the CHF 100,000 VAT threshold. This is especially common for fast-growing businesses, which may exceed the threshold in the first year and then have to sort out VAT registration and retroactive obligations afterwards.

4. They treat sole proprietorship as a “risk-free” option. A sole proprietor has unlimited personal liability — the company’s debts affect all of their personal assets. This is not necessarily worse than a GmbH, but it does require a conscious decision.

5. They fail to complete the mandatory AHV registration. As a self-employed person, AHV registration is not automatic — you must actively apply with the competent regional AHV compensation fund (Ausgleichskasse). Failure to do so can result in fines and retroactive contribution obligations.

6. They forget to register with the cantonal tax authority. Federal company registration does not automatically mean registration with the cantonal tax authority. This must be done separately with the competent cantonal Steueramt.

Where can you get help? Useful links and local support

Federal-level online tools

ch.ch (ch.ch/en/work/self-employment): the federal government’s information portal for self-employed persons, with step-by-step guidance.
kmu.admin.ch: the SME portal of the Federal Department of Economic Affairs (SECO), offering a tax calculator, a company-form selection tool, and guidance.
EasyGov (easygov.swiss): the electronic registration and reporting platform where GmbH and AG formations can also be completed online.
Zefix (zefix.ch): the public search portal of the federal commercial register — used to check company names and retrieve data on existing companies.

Cantonal commercial register offices

Each canton has its own Handelsregisteramt. The competent office can be identified based on the canton where the company’s registered office is located. The list and contact details of the cantonal offices can be found on zefix.ch.

Local chambers and business associations

Handelskammer (chamber of commerce): operates in every major canton and offers advice and networking opportunities. It is also available to Hungarian members.
Chambers of commerce and industry (e.g. Zurich: ZHK, Bern: BKB, Geneva: CCIG) regularly organize free information sessions on starting a business.
Enterprise Europe Network (EEN) Switzerland: the Swiss member of the EU business support network, which also provides advice for cross-border businesses.

Hungarian community contacts

For Hungarian entrepreneurs, a useful starting point can be the Hungarian community organizations operating in Zurich, Bern, and Geneva, where experienced entrepreneurs also offer informal exchange of experience. Their contact details can also be found on the community page of svajc.com.

Sources

Federal information portal (ch.ch): https://www.ch.ch/en/
Federal SME portal (kmu.admin.ch): https://www.kmu.admin.ch/
Self-employment in Switzerland (ch.ch): https://www.ch.ch/en/work/self-employment/
Federal commercial register search (Zefix): https://www.zefix.ch/
Electronic registration platform (EasyGov): https://www.easygov.swiss/
Federal Tax Administration – VAT (ESTV): https://www.estv.admin.ch/
Federal Office of Justice – Handelsregister (EJPD): https://www.bj.admin.ch/