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Company setup cost calculator

Official fees, firms' starting prices and registration times for 13 destinations, with the source of every figure.

Company setup cost

Switzerland

2. Choose a company type

Official fees paid to the authorities

At setup CHF 920 about EUR 999
Every year None counted

Official fees only. Excluding professional services (company formation, compliance, KYC, registered office), which vary from firm to firm.

Source: fedlex.admin.ch, notes.zh.ch

Professional services from a firm

At setup CHF 490 to 1,450 about EUR 532 to 1,570
Every year CHF 2,800 to 4,920 + on request: resident director about EUR 3,040 to 5,340

Range of the starting prices published by firms in the directory, for the services switched on below.

Get quotes from firms in Switzerland
Estimated total, setup CHF 1,410 to 2,370 about EUR 1,530 to 2,570
Estimated total, first year CHF 4,210 to 7,290 + firms' fees on request for resident director about EUR 4,570 to 7,910
Registration time 5 to 60 days once the application is complete

Estimated total: official fees of the base option plus the starting prices published by firms for the services switched on below. The figures do not include the firm's fees for resident director, which firms in Switzerland quote on request.

Services from a firm

Starting prices published by firms on Accountanty, one price per firm. Most firms do not say whether government fees are included.

  • CHF 490 to CHF 1,450 one-offStarting prices published by 33 firms
  • CHF 1,800 to CHF 3,120 per yearStarting prices published by 29 firms
  • CHF 996 to CHF 1,800 per yearStarting prices published by 25 firms
  • Price on requestFewer than 5 firms publish a price (4)
  • Price on requestFewer than 5 firms publish a price (2)
  • Price on requestFewer than 5 firms publish a price (3)

Breakdown of the estimate

Commercial register fee for a new company (SHAB publication included)CHF 420Official, at setupfedlex.admin.ch
Notary fee for the founding deed, canton of Zurich (tariff minimum, plus VAT)CHF 500Official, at setupnotes.zh.ch
Company formation by a firmCHF 490 to CHF 1,450Firms, one-offStarting prices published by 33 firms
Accounting and annual accounts (small company)CHF 1,800 to CHF 3,120Firms, per yearStarting prices published by 29 firms
Registered office or legal addressCHF 996 to CHF 1,800Firms, per yearStarting prices published by 25 firms
Resident director servicePrice on requestFirms, per yearFewer than 5 firms publish a price (4)
VAT registrationPrice on requestFirms, one-offFewer than 5 firms publish a price (2)
Bank account opening assistancePrice on requestFirms, one-offFewer than 5 firms publish a price (3)

Base: GmbH with the minimum capital, founding deed before a notary in the canton of Zurich (tariff minimum, plus VAT). The capital is deposited, not paid as a fee.

Get your detailed report and quotes from firms in Switzerland

We email you a PDF with the official fees and their sources, the firms' starting prices, the steps, the documents, the yearly obligations and the firms offering company formation in Switzerland. We also share your request with firms we select there, who may contact you with quotes.

Official fees paid to the authorities

At setup CHF 920 about EUR 999
Every year None counted

Official fees only. Excluding professional services (company formation, compliance, KYC, registered office), which vary from firm to firm.

Source: fedlex.admin.ch, notes.zh.ch

Professional services from a firm

At setup CHF 490 to 1,450 about EUR 532 to 1,570
Every year CHF 2,800 to 4,920 + on request: resident director about EUR 3,040 to 5,340

Range of the starting prices published by firms in the directory, for the services switched on below.

Get quotes from firms in Switzerland
Estimated total, setup CHF 1,410 to 2,370 about EUR 1,530 to 2,570
Estimated total, first year CHF 4,210 to 7,290 + firms' fees on request for resident director about EUR 4,570 to 7,910
Registration time 5 to 60 days once the application is complete

Estimated total: official fees of the base option plus the starting prices published by firms for the services switched on below. The figures do not include the firm's fees for resident director, which firms in Switzerland quote on request.

Services from a firm

Starting prices published by firms on Accountanty, one price per firm. Most firms do not say whether government fees are included.

  • CHF 490 to CHF 1,450 one-offStarting prices published by 33 firms
  • CHF 1,800 to CHF 3,120 per yearStarting prices published by 29 firms
  • CHF 996 to CHF 1,800 per yearStarting prices published by 25 firms
  • Price on requestFewer than 5 firms publish a price (4)
  • Price on requestFewer than 5 firms publish a price (2)
  • Price on requestFewer than 5 firms publish a price (3)

Breakdown of the estimate

Commercial register fee for a new company (SHAB publication included)CHF 420Official, at setupfedlex.admin.ch
Notary fee for the founding deed, canton of Zurich (tariff minimum, plus VAT)CHF 500Official, at setupnotes.zh.ch
Company formation by a firmCHF 490 to CHF 1,450Firms, one-offStarting prices published by 33 firms
Accounting and annual accounts (small company)CHF 1,800 to CHF 3,120Firms, per yearStarting prices published by 29 firms
Registered office or legal addressCHF 996 to CHF 1,800Firms, per yearStarting prices published by 25 firms
Resident director servicePrice on requestFirms, per yearFewer than 5 firms publish a price (4)
VAT registrationPrice on requestFirms, one-offFewer than 5 firms publish a price (2)
Bank account opening assistancePrice on requestFirms, one-offFewer than 5 firms publish a price (3)

Base: AG with the minimum capital, founding deed before a notary in the canton of Zurich (tariff minimum, plus VAT). The capital is deposited, not paid as a fee.

Get your detailed report and quotes from firms in Switzerland

We email you a PDF with the official fees and their sources, the firms' starting prices, the steps, the documents, the yearly obligations and the firms offering company formation in Switzerland. We also share your request with firms we select there, who may contact you with quotes.

Taxes in Switzerland

  • Corporate tax: 8.5% federal on profit after tax, plus cantonal and communal tax: total about 12% to 20% depending on the city (2025)
  • Tax on dividends paid abroad: 35% withholding tax, refundable in full or in part under a double taxation agreement
  • VAT: 8.1%; registration required from CHF 100,000 of worldwide turnover a year

Try a yearly profit in the corporate tax calculator

Destination taxes only, before tax treaties and before any tax in your country of residence. Facts checked on 2026-11-05; the sources are in the corporate tax calculator.

How the estimate is built

What the figures include

  • Firms' figures are starting prices published by firms listed on Accountanty, read from their websites in October 2026: the range runs from the lower to the upper quartile, with at least 8 firms; "from" means 5 to 7 firms; below 5 the price is on request.
  • Official fees are added up only for the base option named in the breakdown. Other options and fees that apply only in some cases are listed separately.
  • Euro amounts are approximate: Euro equivalents at the ECB reference rate of 2026-10-22; AED and SAR via their US dollar pegs.
  • Notary fees are set by each canton. The estimate uses the tariff of the canton of Zurich (CHF 500 plus VAT); in Zug the minimum is CHF 1,000.
  • The share capital (CHF 20,000 for a GmbH) is not a fee: it is deposited and released to the company after registration.

All official fees: Limited liability company (GmbH / Sàrl / Sagl)

Commercial register fee for a new company (SHAB publication included)CHF 420At setupfedlex.admin.ch
Notary fee for the founding deed, canton of Zurich (tariff minimum, plus VAT)CHF 500At setupnotes.zh.ch
Notary fee for the founding deed, canton of Zug (tariff minimum)CHF 1,000At setupbgs.zg.ch

Not published by the authorities: Notary fees in cantons other than Zurich and Zug; Bank charges for the capital deposit account; Whether the CHF 20 entries for persons and signing authority are charged on top of the CHF 420.

Time to register: Registration takes between 5 and 60 days depending on the case and the register office's workload; in Zurich the review usually takes one working week, plus three working days until the entry is visible. Minimum share capital: Minimum share capital CHF 20,000, fully paid in at founding and deposited with a bank until registration.

All official fees: Company limited by shares (AG / SA)

Commercial register fee for a new company (SHAB publication included)CHF 420At setupfedlex.admin.ch
Notary fee for the founding deed, canton of Zurich (tariff minimum, plus VAT)CHF 500At setupnotes.zh.ch
Notary fee for the founding deed, canton of Zug (tariff minimum)CHF 1,000At setupbgs.zg.ch

Not published by the authorities: Notary fees in cantons other than Zurich and Zug; Bank charges for the capital deposit account; Whether the CHF 20 entries for persons and signing authority are charged on top of the CHF 420.

Time to register: Registration takes between 5 and 60 days depending on the case and the register office's workload; in Zurich the review usually takes one working week, plus three working days until the entry is visible. Minimum share capital: Minimum share capital CHF 100,000, of which at least 20% of each share and at least CHF 50,000 in total paid in.

Steps

  1. Draft the articles and choose the legal domicile: the company's own address or a c/o address with the holder's declaration fedlex.admin.ch
  2. Deposit the share capital in a capital deposit account; the bank confirms the deposit fedlex.admin.ch
  3. Sign the founding deed before a notary, with the Stampa statement and the articles kmu.admin.ch
  4. File the application, with the Lex Friedrich/Koller declaration, at the cantonal commercial register kmu.admin.ch
  5. The register reviews and enters the company and publishes it in the SHAB; the bank then releases the capital fedlex.admin.ch

Documents and requirements

  • Public deed of the founding act and the articles of association fedlex.admin.ch
  • Acceptance of appointment by the managing directors or board members fedlex.admin.ch
  • Bank certificate for cash contributions, unless the bank is named in the deed fedlex.admin.ch
  • Domicile holder's declaration when the company uses a c/o address fedlex.admin.ch
  • A GmbH must be represented by a person domiciled in Switzerland who is a managing director or director fedlex.admin.ch
  • An AG must be represented by a person domiciled in Switzerland who is a board member or director fedlex.admin.ch
  • The company needs a legal domicile at its seat: its own address or a c/o address fedlex.admin.ch
  • Cash contributions are deposited with a bank and released only after registration fedlex.admin.ch

Every year

  • Annual report within six months of the end of the financial year, approved by the shareholders' meeting fedlex.admin.ch
  • Restricted audit, unless all shareholders opt out and the company has no more than 10 full-time positions fedlex.admin.ch
  • The audit opting-out can be declared at founding fedlex.admin.ch

Sources and notes: Switzerland

  1. kmu.admin.ch read 2026-11-05
  2. fedlex.admin.ch read 2026-11-05
  3. fedlex.admin.ch read 2026-11-05
  4. notes.zh.ch read 2026-11-05
  5. bgs.zg.ch read 2026-11-05
  6. fedlex.admin.ch read 2026-11-05
  7. fedlex.admin.ch read 2026-11-05
  8. swisstaxcalculator.estv.admin.ch read 2026-11-05
  9. estv2.admin.ch read 2026-11-05
  10. fedlex.admin.ch read 2026-11-05
  11. estv.admin.ch read 2026-11-05
  12. estv.admin.ch read 2026-11-05
  13. fedlex.admin.ch read 2026-11-05
Compare 284 firms offering company formation in Switzerland Guide: setting up a company in Switzerland

Official figures checked on 2026-11-05. General information, not legal or tax advice: check the official sources and confirm costs with a firm before you act.