Commercial register of the Canton of Bern
Find the address and opening hours of the Bern commercial register, search for a business in Bern or Biel/Bienne and obtain an extract. You can also find the procedures for registering, updating or removing a company from the register.
Looking to start a business or update your company’s details? Entreprendre.ch prepares the documents, coordinates with the notary where necessary and follows the registration through to publication.
Cantonal commercial register office
3071 Ostermundigen
13:30–16:00
13:30–16:00
Important: Entreprendre.ch is not the official commercial register. Links labelled “official” lead to the services of the Canton of Bern. Entreprendre.ch is a private platform that supports entrepreneurs in starting or updating their companies.
Which procedure would you like to complete?
Go directly to the right service without having to search across different platforms.
Search for a business
Search for a business in Bern free of charge and view its registered name, registered office, business purpose, governing bodies and signing authority.
Obtain an extract
Download a free standard extract or order a certified extract from the canton.
Update a company
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 Bern commercial register
The Bern search portal, also known as Handelsregister Bern, lets you find a business registered in Bern, Biel/Bienne or another municipality in the canton. You can search by registered name, business identification number, registered office or the name of a registered person.
For a search across Switzerland, you can also use Zefix, the federal Central Business Name Index. Uncertified extracts can be downloaded free of charge, but are not legally binding. A certified extract can be ordered online, by email, by post or at the counter for a fee of CHF 40. Entreprendre.ch does not sell extracts: always use the official service for this procedure.
Information you can access
Update a company registered with the Bern commercial register
Registered information must be kept up to date. The procedure and supporting documents vary according to the change and the legal form.
Change the registered office or address
Notify a change of registered municipality, a new address or a c/o registered address.
Change the company name
Change your company’s name and update its articles of association and commercial register entry.
Change the business purpose
Adapt your company’s business 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, transfer of shares, auditor or branch: we prepare the documents, coordinate with the notary where necessary and follow up on the registration.
Commercial register registration in the Canton of Bern
LLCs (Sàrl) and limited companies (SA): incorporation takes place before a notary. The documents include the articles of association, the deed of incorporation and, where the 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 filing, consult the canton’s official procedure.
Set up an LLC
Minimum share capital of CHF 20,000. Formation and registration from CHF 490 excluding VAT, including notary fees.
Set up a limited company
From CHF 590 excluding VAT, including notary fees.
Set up a sole proprietorship
AHV/AVS formalities and commercial register registration where required.
Documents, costs and processing times
Depending on the procedure, the register may request a signed application, minutes of a meeting, updated articles of association, an identity document, consent to a registered address arrangement or an authenticated signature.
Uncertified extracts available online are free of charge. A certified extract costs CHF 40. Copies of register documents cost CHF 20 per entity and file, with a possible additional CHF 10 per authentication plus postage. According to the office, a preliminary review of documents generally takes at least seven working days. Consult the official extract fees and the procedure for your legal form.
Remove a business from the register
Removing a sole proprietorship from the register differs from dissolving and liquidating an LLC or a limited company. For a company with share capital, several decisions and publications are generally required before final removal from the register.
Consult the official removal procedure. For a liquidation, seek advice suited to your circumstances before starting the process.
Procedures handled by Swiss specialists
Entreprendre.ch is led by Romain Prieur, a Swiss certified public accountant and member of EXPERTsuisse. After eight years at PwC, he founded the platform to make company formations and changes simpler, more transparent and more predictable.
Frequently asked questions about the Bern commercial register
How can I contact the Bern commercial register?
The commercial register office of the Canton of Bern is located at Poststrasse 25, 3071 Ostermundigen. The counter and telephone service are open Monday to Friday from 08:00 to 12:00 and from 13:30 to 16:00. The telephone number is +41 31 633 43 60 and the email address is hrabe@be.ch.
Is there a separate commercial register in Biel/Bienne?
There is no separate office for Biel/Bienne. Businesses in Biel/Bienne fall under the same commercial register office of the Canton of Bern, whose public counter is in Ostermundigen. Business searches and extract orders can be completed online.
How can I search for a business in the Canton of Bern?
Use the official search portal of the Canton of Bern or Zefix. You can search for an entity by its registered name and view the published information free of charge.
How can I obtain an extract from the Bern commercial register?
You can download an uncertified extract free of charge from the Bern search portal, but it is not legally binding. A certified extract costs CHF 40 and can be ordered online, by email or by post, or collected at the counter.
Who must register with the commercial register in the Canton of Bern?
LLCs (Sàrl), limited companies (SA), cooperatives, foundations, general partnerships and branches, among others, must be registered. For a sole proprietorship operated on a commercial basis, registration becomes mandatory from CHF 100,000 in annual turnover.
How can I change a company’s registered office, name or business purpose?
The procedure depends on the change and the articles of association. A decision by the relevant governing body, amended articles of association, an application and a notarial deed may be required. Entreprendre.ch can prepare and follow up on the company update for an LLC or a limited company.
Is Entreprendre.ch the official website of the Bern commercial register?
No. Entreprendre.ch is a private, independent platform. Business searches, extracts and official information are provided by the Canton of Bern. Our role is to support entrepreneurs when starting their business or updating their company’s details.
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Are you starting or updating a business in the Canton of Bern?
Our team prepares the documents, coordinates with the notary where necessary and follows your application through to registration.
Other commercial register offices
Quickly find the contact details and procedures for other commercial registers in French-speaking Switzerland.
