Limited liability company (GmbH)
Forming a GmbH in Switzerland: costs, steps, timeline
CHF 20'000 share capital paid in full, articles, notary and commercial register. With your seat in Zug and support until the entry.
Signature
Form your GmbHWhat it is
Limited liability from CHF 20'000
The GmbH (Gesellschaft mit beschränkter Haftung) is the Swiss limited liability company. Its share capital is at least CHF 20'000 (Art. 773 CO), and at formation every share must be paid in full (Art. 777c CO). Only the company's assets are liable for its debts (Art. 794 CO).
Two points set it apart from the AG. Its shareholders are entered in the commercial register with the number and nominal value of their shares (Art. 791 CO), so ownership is public. And it must be capable of being represented by a person resident in Switzerland, who must be a managing director or an executive officer with access to the share register (Art. 814 para. 3 CO, wording in force since 1 October 2026).
Compare it with the AG, see the package prices or read the FAQ.
Price and scope
Startup package for your GmbH
1'290CHF one-off
plus VAT
Notary fees included
On top come the commercial register fees, CHF 420 for a new GmbH (GebV-HReg, annex no. 1.3), and any bank fees. The CHF 20'000 stays with your company. Your registered office in Zug is available together with the Base package, from CHF 149 a month.
The services of Office Group Zug GmbH do not include legal or tax advice. For that, we bring in external advisers.
Package Startup: Company formation, GmbH or AG
- Formation advice for your GmbH and support until the entry
- Articles of association, public deed, powers of attorney and declarations of acceptance of office
- Notary appointment including notary fees, and filing with the commercial register of the canton of Zug
- Free advice on which bank suits the CHF 20'000
How it works
From name check to business account
A typical GmbH formation with us, from the first questionnaire to the business account.
Name and structure
We check your company name in the central business name index and agree on purpose, capital and managing directors.
Formation documents
We draft the articles of association, the share register, the domicile declaration and the managing directors' declarations of acceptance.
Pay in CHF 20'000
You transfer the full share capital to a capital deposit account at a Swiss bank, which confirms the payment for the notary.
Notarisation
All founders sign the deed of incorporation before the notary, in person or through a representative with a power of attorney.
Register entry and business account
The commercial register enters the GmbH, which then exists as a legal person. The bank releases the capital to its business account.
We start on the documents as soon as you give us the mandate. How long it takes until the entry depends mainly on the bank and the commercial register.
What you need
- CHF 20'000 for the share capital, from a source you can document
- Passport or ID copies of all shareholders and managing directors
- Name and address of the managing director resident in Switzerland
- The planned company name and business purpose
- Form F-01 for the anti-money laundering onboarding
What is a GmbH in Switzerland?
A GmbH is the Swiss limited liability company, a legal person from its entry in the commercial register (Art. 779 CO). It needs at least CHF 20'000 share capital (Art. 773 CO), fully paid in at formation (Art. 777c CO), and only its own assets are liable for its debts (Art. 794 CO). Many first-time founders choose it because the capital required is a fifth of the AG's.
GmbH or AG in Switzerland: what is the difference?
The GmbH needs CHF 20'000 capital, paid in full. The AG needs CHF 100'000, of which at least CHF 50'000 must be paid in (Art. 621 and 632 CO). GmbH shareholders are listed in the commercial register (Art. 791 CO); AG shareholders are not, only the board is. Since 1 October 2026, both report their beneficial owners to the Transparency Register, which is not public.
Can I form a GmbH in Switzerland without capital?
No. Every share must be fully paid in at formation (Art. 777c CO), so you need at least CHF 20'000. Contributions in kind are possible but must be stated in the articles of association. The money is not spent: after the entry in the commercial register, the bank releases it to the company's business account.
How much does it cost to set up a GmbH in Switzerland?
Plan with three items and any bank fees. Our Startup package at CHF 1'290 one-off, plus VAT, notary fees included. The commercial register fee of CHF 420 (GebV-HReg, annex no. 1.3). And the CHF 20'000 share capital, which stays the company's money. If we also keep the books afterwards, the Frontrunner package starts at CHF 579 a month.
Who has to live in Switzerland for a GmbH?
Shareholders can live anywhere. But the GmbH must be capable of being represented by one person resident in Switzerland, who must be a managing director or an executive officer and have access to the share register (Art. 814 para. 3 CO). If none of the founders lives in Switzerland, Office Group Zug takes on or arranges such a mandate after review, as a separate offer.
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More on the GmbH
Enquiry
Start your GmbH formation
Send us the planned name, the purpose and the people involved. We reply within one business day and tell you which documents we need.
Prefer to talk directly? +41 79 932 88 26 · WhatsApp · hello@myoffices.ch
