Setting Up a Company in Geneva: The Complete Guide

To set up a company in Geneva, you first choose a legal form (sole proprietorship with no capital, a Sàrl (LLC) from CHF 20'000, or an SA from CHF 100'000), then you go through the notarial deed and registration in the Commercial Register.

Geneva is one of the most dynamic entrepreneurial ecosystems in Switzerland — and one of the most administratively complex. This guide pulls together everything you need to know before you get started.

Step 1: Choose the right legal form

Sole proprietorship

Who it's for: freelancers, consultants, and self-employed people starting out on their own.

• Minimum capital: none
• Commercial Register entry: mandatory if turnover exceeds CHF 100'000
• Liability: unlimited, against your personal assets
• Taxation: profit taxed as personal income (marginal rate up to 45% in Geneva)
• AVS: contributions on your entire profit

As a self-employed person, you pay the full AVS contributions (both the employee and employer share), roughly 10% of your net income. There's no employer to split the burden with.

Tip: the sole proprietorship is the simple option, but it puts your entire personal wealth on the line. If you have a commercial lease or significant inventory, a limited-liability form is strongly recommended.

Limit: from around CHF 80'000–100'000 in profit, the Sàrl becomes more tax-efficient.

Sàrl (limited liability company)

Who it's for: solo entrepreneurs or small teams, and service-sector SMEs.

• Minimum capital: CHF 20'000 (fully paid in)
• Notary required: yes (public deed)
• Liability: limited to the capital
• Taxation: profit tax (14.7% in Geneva) plus personal income tax on salary and dividends
• Advantage: separation of personal and business assets

SA (public limited company)

Who it's for: structures with investors, large-scale ventures, and holding companies.

• Minimum capital: CHF 100'000 (50% paid in at incorporation, i.e. a minimum of CHF 50'000)
• Notary required: yes (public deed)
• Anonymous shareholding: yes (shareholders do not appear in the Commercial Register)
• Incorporation cost: CHF 4'000 – 6'000

Where the capital is only partly paid in (a minimum of CHF 50'000 out of CHF 100'000), the company may issue only registered shares — bearer shares are not allowed in that case.

On the anonymity point: while shareholders don't appear in the Commercial Register, the company is nonetheless required to keep an internal register of beneficial owners for any shareholder holding 25% or more of the capital. Failing to meet this obligation carries a fine of CHF 10'000.

Comparison table

Step 2: The administrative steps in Geneva

The Commercial Register

For the SA and the Sàrl, the notary files the application with the Commercial Register after the deed of incorporation is signed.

For the sole proprietorship: entry in the Commercial Register is only mandatory once annual turnover reaches CHF 100'000. Below that threshold, registration is optional but recommended — it makes it easier to open a business bank account or secure a commercial lease.

Processing time: 5–10 business days Address: Commercial Register Office of the Canton of Geneva

The UID number

Assigned automatically on Commercial Register entry. Format: CHE-xxx.xxx.xxx. Essential for every official procedure.

The SOGC

Automatic publication of the entry in the Swiss Official Gazette of Commerce.

For an SA or a Sàrl, legal personality is acquired the moment the entry is made in the Commercial Register (once the registrar validates the file). Publication in the SOGC serves to make the company enforceable against third parties: the company exists legally from the Commercial Register entry, but it becomes officially "known to the world" from the SOGC publication.

Step 3: Social-insurance obligations

AVS/AI/APG (1st pillar)

Self-employed (sole proprietorship): personal affiliation with the AVS fund. The maximum rate of 10% applies once annual income reaches CHF 58'800 (2025). Below that, a sliding (regressive) scale applies, down to an income of CHF 9'900.

Employee of your own company (Sàrl/SA): joint employee/employer contributions (10.6% in total on the salary).

Competent fund in Geneva: OCAS (Cantonal Office of Social Insurance) or an industry fund.

LPP (2nd pillar — occupational pension)

The minimum annual salary for mandatory LPP affiliation is CHF 22'680 as of 1 January 2025.

The insurance covers death and disability risks from 1 January following your 17th birthday, and retirement savings from 1 January following your 24th birthday.

The choice of pension institution is a strategic one — some offer more attractive buy-back options than others.

LAA (accident insurance)

Mandatory for all employees. Suva for high-risk sectors, a private insurer for the rest.

Step 4: VAT

Mandatory registration threshold: CHF 100'000 of taxable turnover per year.

Voluntary registration: possible from the very first franc. Recommended if:

• Your clients are themselves VAT-registered (they reclaim the VAT)
• You have significant costs at the start of your activity (reclaim the VAT on your investments)

Rates:

• Standard rate: 8.1%
• Special accommodation rate: 3.8%
• Reduced rate (food, books, medicines): 2.6%

Step 5: Open a business bank account

The business bank account is separate from your private account — mandatory for any company.

Main banks in Geneva:

• PostFinance, UBS, Raiffeisen, BCGe, ZKB, BCV

Neobanks (Neon, Revolut Business, Wise): fine for a current account, but they can't handle the capital deposit for incorporation.

Step 6: Set up your accounting

Legal obligations

The type of accounting required for a sole proprietorship depends on turnover (Art. 957 CO), not on Commercial Register entry:

• Turnover below CHF 500'000: simplified accounting is sufficient (income, expenses, and net-worth statement), even if the sole proprietorship is registered in the Commercial Register.
• Turnover above CHF 500'000: full accounting is mandatory (balance sheet, income statement, and notes).

For Sàrl and SA companies, full accounting is mandatory from the very first franc, whatever the turnover.

What Klear Conseils sets up for you

From the moment you incorporate, we activate:

• Your workspace on our Swiss accounting software
• The automatic bank connection (bLink)
• Your dedicated email address for sending in invoices (AI processing)
• Your real-time cash-flow dashboard

The most common mistakes to avoid

1. Choosing a sole proprietorship when profit will exceed CHF 80'000 Tax-inefficient beyond that threshold — the Sàrl is the obvious move.

2. Neglecting the corporate purpose An overly narrow purpose in the articles of association can block future activities and force a costly amendment at the Commercial Register.

3. Using your home address without thinking it through It's allowed, but your address then becomes public in the Commercial Register. Think about privacy.

4. Ignoring voluntary VAT If you have significant start-up investments, registering voluntarily lets you reclaim the VAT on those purchases.

5. Putting off AVS affiliation Affiliation must happen as soon as the first salary is paid. Late-payment penalties are significant.

How much does it cost to set up a company in Geneva?

At Klear Conseils: all-in Sàrl setup (articles of association, notary, Commercial Register, SOGC) from CHF 490.See the offer →

Frequently asked questions

Which legal form should I choose?

Sole proprietorship (no capital, unlimited liability), Sàrl (CHF 20'000 capital, limited liability), or SA (CHF 100'000 capital). The right choice depends on your risk exposure, the capital you have available, and your goals.

How much capital do I need for a Sàrl or an SA?

CHF 20'000 fully paid in for a Sàrl; CHF 100'000 for an SA, of which at least CHF 50'000 must be paid in at incorporation.

How much does it cost to set up a company in Geneva?

It depends on the legal form. At Klear, setup starts at CHF 190 for a sole proprietorship, CHF 490 for a Sàrl, and CHF 590 for an SA.

How long does it take?

From a few days to two weeks, depending on the legal form and the notary's availability, once the capital is deposited and the articles of association are ready.

Legal forms compared

How much does setup cost in Geneva?

The cost depends on the legal form: a sole proprietorship costs little; a Sàrl or an SA involves a notarial deed and Commercial Register fees. At Klear, support starts at CHF 190 (sole proprietorship), CHF 490 (Sàrl), or CHF 590 (SA), at a fixed price.

Further reading: setting up a Sàrl in Geneva · choosing between a Sàrl and an SA · setting up a sole proprietorship · becoming self-employed in Geneva · the holding company in Switzerland · the share capital of a Sàrl or SA · registering your company's address in Geneva · the resident director