Step 1

Choose the proper type of legal entity and determine the registered office of the company

Step 2

Enquire with the Commercial Register Division whether the desired corporate name can be used and decide on it

Step 3

Depending on the type of legal entity, draw up and/or obtain the formation documents (e.g. declaration of formation, articles of association or partnership agreement, proof of capital, declaration of acceptance by the audit authority, etc.)

Step 4

Register (for simple trade) or request a business licence (for qualified trade). For certain activities, however, a licence subject to special laws must be obtained.

Step 5

If necessary, apply to the Commercial Register Division for entry of the enterprise in the commercial register. If all required documents are filed, the licence can be granted as soon as within one week.

Formation documents of the most frequent types of legal entities

The four most frequent types of legal entities of businesses in Liechtenstein are the company limited by shares (Aktiengesellschaft - AG), the company with limited liability (Gesellschaft mit beschränkter Haftung - GmbH), the Establishment (Anstalt) and the sole proprietorship (Einzelunternehmen).

Formation documents of a company limited by shares 

  • Declaration of formation*
  • Declaration of acceptance and corporate signature by the directors and the managing director*
  • Declaration of acceptance by the audit authority
  • Articles of association*
  • Proof of capital issued by the bank
  • Business registration or business license application (or licence subject to special laws) 
  • Application to the Commercial Register Division

Founding a company with limited liability 

  • The founding of a company with limited liability does not require a public deed (declaration of formation), if there are no more than three members  and only one managing director.  If these criteria are not met, the drawing up of a public deed will be necessary.*
  • Declaration of acceptance and corporate signature by the company members and the general manager*
  • Declaration of acceptance by the audit authority
  • Articles of association*
  • Proof of capital issued by the bank
  • Business registration or business license application (or licence subject to special laws) 
  • Application to the commercial register division

Founding an Establishment

  • Declaration of acceptance and corporate signature by the founders*
  • Declaration of acceptance by the audit authority
  • Articles of association*
  • Proof of capital issued by the bank
  • Business registration or business license application (or licence subject to special laws) 
  • Application to the Commercial Register Division

Founding a sole proprietorship

  • Obtaining a business licence (or licence subject to special laws) 
  • With the exception of certain commercial trades (money, exchange, securities, stock exchange and debt collection transactions; activities as a commission agent, agent or broker; fiduciary and trustee transactions, activities as a consultant, messaging and exchange of information and insurance undertakings) all trades are exempt from the obligation to be entered in the commercial register, if the annual turnover does not exceed the sum of CHF 300,000.00. 
  • Voluntary application to the Commercial Register Division for entry therein

*The public deed can be made directly at the Office of Justice/Commercial Register Division.

Assistance

If necessary, the Entrepreneur service (Zentraler Unternehmensservice) of the Office of Economic Affairs will provide step-by-step assistance to prospective entrepreneurs during the formation process.