Commercial register of Geneva
Find official Geneva Commercial Register contact details, search for a company and obtain an extract. Learn how to register, amend or deregister a business.
Looking to set up or make changes to a company? Entreprendre.ch prepares the documents, coordinates with the notary where needed and follows your registration through to publication.
Cantonal Commercial Register Office
1204 Genève
Friday: 10:00–15:00
1211 Genève 3
Important: Entreprendre.ch is not the official Commercial Register. Links labelled “official” lead to services provided by the State of Geneva. Entreprendre.ch is a private platform that supports entrepreneurs with company formation and company changes.
Which service do you need?
Go straight to the right service without searching across different platforms.
Search for a company
View company names, registered offices, business purposes, governing bodies and authorised signatories free of charge.
Get a register extract
Download a free standard extract or order a certified extract from the canton.
Make company changes
Registered office or address, company name, business purpose, managing director, board member or signing authority.
Start a business
Set up an LLC (Sàrl), a limited company (SA) or a sole proprietorship with support from our experts.
Search the Geneva Commercial Register
The cantonal portal lets you find a company registered in Geneva by name or keyword. Published information includes its legal form, registered office, business purpose, share capital, governing bodies and signing authority.
To search throughout Switzerland, you can also use Zefix, the federal Central Business Name Index.
Once the registration has been published in the Swiss Official Gazette of Commerce (SOGC), a standard extract is available free of charge. If a bank, authority or business partner requires an authenticated document, you can order a certified extract for a fee.
Entreprendre.ch does not sell register extracts: always use the official service for this procedure.
Available information
Update a company registered in the Geneva Commercial Register
Registered information must be kept up to date. The procedure and supporting documents depend on the change and the legal form.
Change the registered office or address
Register a move to another municipality, a new address or a care-of (c/o) domiciliation address.
Change the company name
Change your company name and update the articles of association and Commercial Register entry.
Change the business purpose
Adapt your company’s purpose to its new activities and update its articles of association.
One point of contact for the entire process
Managing director, board member, signing authority, share transfer, auditor or branch: we prepare the documents, coordinate with the notary where needed and follow up on registration.
Commercial register registration in Geneva
LLCs (Sàrl) and limited companies (SA): incorporation takes place before a notary. The application includes the articles of association, the deed of incorporation and, where capital is paid in cash, the bank’s capital deposit certificate.
Sole proprietorship: registration is mandatory from CHF 100’000 in annual turnover for a business operated on a commercial basis. It is generally optional below this threshold.
Other legal forms: general partnerships, limited partnerships and branches, among others, are subject to their own registration rules.
Before submitting your application, consult the canton’s official procedure.
Set up an LLC
Minimum capital of CHF 20’000. Incorporation and registration from CHF 490 excl. VAT, including notary fees.
Start a sole proprietorship
AHV/AVS registration and, where required, Commercial Register registration.
Documents, costs and timescales
Depending on the procedure, the register may require a signed application, minutes, updated articles of association, proof of identity, acceptance of an appointment or an authenticated signature.
See how to certify a signature in Geneva and what to bring to the appointment.
Official fees are set by federal regulations. Notary or advisory fees may also apply. The Commercial Register does not guarantee a standard processing time: a complete application reduces requests for additional information and generally speeds up processing.
Deregister a business
Deregistering a sole proprietorship differs from dissolving and liquidating an LLC or limited company. For a corporation, several resolutions and publications are generally required before final deregistration.
Consult the official deregistration procedure. For a liquidation, seek advice tailored to your situation before starting the process.
Your procedures handled by Swiss specialists
Entreprendre.ch is led by Romain Prieur, a Swiss certified public accountant and EXPERTsuisse member. After eight years at PwC, he founded the platform to make company formation and company changes simpler, more transparent and more predictable.
Frequently asked questions about the Geneva Commercial Register
How can I contact the Geneva Commercial Register?
The Geneva Commercial Register is located at Rue du Puits-Saint-Pierre 4, 1204 Geneva. Counter visits are by appointment only. The telephone number is +41 22 546 88 60 and the email address is rc@etat.ge.ch.
How do I search for a company in Geneva?
Use the Geneva Commercial Register’s cantonal portal or Zefix. You can search for an entity by its company name and view the published information free of charge.
How do I obtain a Geneva Commercial Register extract?
A standard extract is available free of charge on the cantonal portal once registration has been published in the SOGC. A certified extract can be ordered from the canton for a fee.
Who must register with the Geneva Commercial Register?
Among the entities that must register are LLCs (Sàrl), limited companies (SA), cooperatives, foundations, general partnerships and branches. For a sole proprietorship operated on a commercial basis, registration becomes mandatory from CHF 100’000 in annual turnover.
How do I change a company’s registered office, name or business purpose?
The procedure depends on the change and the articles of association. A resolution by the competent body, amended articles, an application and a notarial deed may be required. Entreprendre.ch can prepare and follow up on your company changes for an LLC or limited company.
Do company changes require a notary?
A notary is required when a change must be recorded in a public deed, including certain amendments to the articles of association. Other changes can be registered by submitting an application and the required supporting documents.
Is Entreprendre.ch the official Geneva Commercial Register website?
No. Entreprendre.ch is a private, independent platform. Company searches, extracts and official information are provided by the canton. Our role is to support entrepreneurs with starting their business or making changes to their company.
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