Company formation in Switzerland for English-speaking founders Sàrl and SA incorporation support in Vaud
Set up your Swiss Sàrl or SA through one coordinated process — from structure choice and bank preparation to notary coordination, Commercial Register filing and accounting activation.
The mandate is designed for founders who want a Swiss company that is not only registered, but operationally ready for invoicing, accounting, VAT and payroll where applicable.
A coordinated company formation service — from decision to launch
Our company formation services in Switzerland connect Swiss company incorporation, company registration in Vaud and the accounting setup required after launch. The result is a formation file with defined responsibilities rather than a collection of disconnected administrative steps.
Tangible deliverables
The final deliverables depend on the legal form and validated quote, but a coordinated mandate can provide the following working file.
The formation is connected to invoicing, accounting, VAT and employer setup after registration.
Capital, cash flow, remuneration, VAT and accounting are considered together where relevant.
The founder knows what Robuste, the bank, notary and authorities each handle.
Documents and decisions are prepared through written exchanges and video meetings.
The formation scope changes with the real project
A simple resident-owned Sàrl, an investor-led SA and a foreign corporate shareholder do not require the same documents, banking review or governance work.
Resident founder creating a Sàrl
The focus is usually structure, capital deposit, notary, Commercial Register and accounting activation. VAT and employer steps depend on turnover and planned salaries.
SA with investors or formal governance
The file becomes more substantial where share classes, board governance, investor entry or future fundraising are central.
Foreign shareholder or parent company
Banking, beneficial-owner documents, Swiss-resident representation, signatures and effective management must be resolved before the timetable is confirmed.
What the formation and launch mandate can cover
The scope is selected around the company, founders and operating model. Each included deliverable is stated in the quote before work begins.
- Sàrl, SA or alternative route reviewed against the project.
- Capital, founders, signature rights and governance mapped.
- Initial tax, VAT and social-insurance implications identified.
- Separate legal or tax opinions flagged before filing.
- Capital-account checklist and sequencing.
- Founder, shareholder and beneficial-owner documents organised.
- Foreign corporate documents identified where applicable.
- Bank decisions remain subject to the institution’s own due diligence.
- Formation data and corporate-purpose information prepared.
- Articles and notarial documents coordinated with the notary.
- Signing format and powers of attorney checked with the relevant parties.
- Commercial Register submission followed until the official response.
- Chart of accounts and document workflow defined.
- Bank, invoicing and accounting-tool setup coordinated.
- Opening balances and share-capital entries prepared.
- First-year accounting mandate scoped separately or added expressly.
- VAT liability and voluntary-registration position reviewed.
- OASI/AVS employer registration where salaries will be paid.
- LPP/BVG pension threshold and accident-insurance needs checked.
- Payroll setup added only where the mandate includes salaries.
- Three-year income projections.
- Monthly cash-flow forecast for the first year.
- Break-even and financing requirement.
- Bank or investor presentation file, according to the validated scope.
Robuste prepares and coordinates the file. The notary, bank, Commercial Register and authorities retain responsibility for their own review, timing and decisions.
How Swiss company formation works with Robuste
The sequence identifies banking, representation and document issues before the notary appointment, reducing avoidable rework later.
Project briefing and written scope
Activity, founders, residence, ownership, target legal form, expected turnover, salaries and launch date are reviewed. The reply identifies the suitable service page, missing information and indicative fee scope.
Structure, representation and bank preparation
The legal form, capital, signature rights, Swiss-resident representation and beneficial-owner documentation are mapped. The bank remains responsible for accepting the capital-account file.
Notarial documents and signing coordination
The required formation data are transmitted to the notary, the articles and deed are reviewed within the agreed role, and signing logistics or powers of attorney are coordinated with the competent professionals.
Commercial Register filing and follow-up
After notarisation, the file is submitted to the competent Commercial Register. Any questions or requested corrections are coordinated. The company obtains legal personality upon registration.
Capital release and compliance activation
The operating-account transition, opening accounting entries, VAT analysis, OASI/AVS employer registration, payroll, pension and accident-insurance steps are activated where the agreed scope and facts require them.
Launch handover and first-year calendar
The founder receives the agreed documents, responsibilities, deadlines and accounting workflow. Ongoing bookkeeping, payroll, VAT returns, annual closing and tax filings continue only under the confirmed post-formation mandate.
Documents usually needed to set up a Swiss company
The exact list depends on the bank, notary, founders and ownership chain. Preparing the core documents early is one of the most effective ways to reduce delays.
Personal and project information
- Valid passport or identity document.
- Current proof of residential address.
- Planned activity and proposed company name.
- Share allocation, roles and signing powers.
- Source of funds and expected first-year turnover.
- Target launch date and planned employee salaries.
Corporate and ownership file
- Recent commercial-register extract.
- Articles of association or equivalent constitutional documents.
- Board or shareholder resolution approving the investment.
- Ownership chart and ultimate beneficial-owner documents.
- Evidence of authorised signatories.
- Certified, translated or apostilled documents where required.
Already know the founders, structure and target date?
Send the project facts now for a scoped quote and a list of the missing documents.
How much does company formation in Switzerland cost?
The share capital is not the same as a fee. A credible formation budget separates money that remains in the company from charges paid to the bank, notary, Commercial Register and advisers.
| Budget line | Sàrl | SA | How it should be treated |
|---|---|---|---|
| Nominal share capital | At least CHF 20,000, fully paid or covered at incorporation. | CHF 100,000 nominal capital; at least CHF 50,000 paid in and at least 20% of each share. | Company funding, not a fiduciary fee. Released to the company after registration, subject to the bank process. |
| Bank and capital-account charges | Depend on the bank, founder residence, ownership chain and due-diligence work. | Quoted or charged by the bank. Approval is not controlled by the fiduciary. | |
| Notary and Commercial Register | Vary according to legal form, capital, canton and complexity of the documents. | Third-party and official charges, confirmed before filing where possible. | |
| Robuste formation support | Starting from CHF 1,500 according to the agreed formation and launch scope. | Defined in a written quote. Specialist legal, tax or domiciliation work is separate unless expressly included. | |
| Ongoing annual compliance | Bookkeeping, VAT, payroll, annual closing and corporate tax filing depend on transaction volume and complexity. | Separate recurring mandate or an expressly defined launch period. | |
Choose the support level that matches your launch
Each fee is a starting point. The written quote confirms deliverables, founder responsibilities and third-party charges.
- Project and legal-form briefing.
- Founder and capital-account checklist.
- Notary and Commercial Register coordination.
- Accounting launch checklist.
- Written handover of next obligations.
Bank, notary, register and recurring compliance excluded.
- Everything in Company Formation.
- Financial-plan scope where required.
- VAT and employer-registration review.
- Accounting environment and opening entries.
- Initial bookkeeping period if stated in the quote.
The included launch period is confirmed case by case.
- Everything in Formation & Operational Launch.
- Defined six-month advisory scope.
- Periodic launch and cash-flow review.
- First payroll setup where applicable.
- Year-one tax and compliance calendar.
Meeting frequency and deliverables are listed in the mandate.
SA formations, foreign corporate shareholders, complex ownership chains, regulated activities and additional governance work are quoted separately after review.
Choose the company formation route that matches your project
Start with the general formation service, then use the legal-form or specialist page that matches the decision you need to make.
Create a Sàrl in Switzerland
Dedicated formation service for a Swiss limited liability company with CHF 20,000 minimum capital, notary coordination and launch setup.
Open the Sàrl service →Create an SA in Switzerland
Dedicated formation route for investor, governance or transmission projects using a Swiss public limited company.
Open the SA service →Sàrl or SA?
Compare capital, governance, shareholder visibility, investor entry, transfer and annual administration before selecting the legal form.
Compare Sàrl and SA →How foreign ownership works
Ownership, Swiss-resident representation, work rights, bank KYC and effective-management questions explained separately from the commercial mandate.
Read the foreign-founder guide →Financial business plan
Three-year projections, first-year cash flow, break-even and financing assumptions prepared as a separate deliverable where needed.
Open the business-plan page →Holding company in Switzerland
For founders who already own an operating company, plan acquisitions, separate ownership from operations or need a group structure reviewed before incorporation.
Open the holding company service →Send the activity, founder residence, ownership structure, target date and expected first-year turnover. The reply will identify the appropriate next step.
Foreign ownership is possible — the formation file still needs Swiss operational coherence.
Foreign-owned companies require additional preparation around representation, banking, signatures and management. These facts are reviewed before the timetable and quote are confirmed.
Send the project facts — receive a scoped reply in English
Describe the activity, founders, residence, planned ownership, expected first-year turnover, preferred structure and target date. An initial written response normally follows within one working day, provided the key facts are included.
Describe the formation project
English-language form · confidential project briefing
Personal data are handled under applicable Swiss data-protection rules. Read the English Privacy Policy.
Questions founders ask before starting the mandate
Practical answers on scope, cost, timing, foreign ownership, VAT and post-registration accounting.
What does a company formation service in Switzerland include?
The agreed mandate can include a structure review, preparation of the founder and bank file, coordination of the notarial documents, Commercial Register follow-up and the launch of accounting, VAT, OASI/AVS, payroll and insurance steps where applicable. The final scope is confirmed in writing before work begins.
How much does company formation in Switzerland cost?
A Sàrl requires at least CHF 20,000 of fully paid nominal capital. An SA requires CHF 100,000 of share capital, with at least CHF 50,000 paid in at incorporation. The share capital remains company money after registration. Notary, bank and Commercial Register costs are separate. A straightforward Sàrl formation mandate may start from CHF 1,500, subject to the validated scope. SA formations, foreign corporate shareholders and complex governance are quoted individually.
How long does Swiss company incorporation take?
A prepared Sàrl or SA file often moves from confirmed scope to registration in approximately three to six weeks. The timing can be longer where bank due diligence, foreign shareholders, powers of attorney, regulated activities or complex governance are involved. No timetable is confirmed before the bank and document position are reviewed.
Can a foreign founder use this company formation service?
Yes. Foreign individuals and companies may generally hold shares in a Swiss Sàrl or SA, but the company must remain capable of being represented by an authorised natural person resident in Switzerland. Ownership, work rights, residence rights, bank due diligence and the place of effective management must be reviewed separately.
Is VAT registration automatic when a Swiss company is created?
No. VAT registration depends on the activity, place of supply, exemptions and relevant turnover. For many ordinary businesses, the general threshold is CHF 100,000 of relevant turnover in Switzerland and abroad. Voluntary registration can be considered where it fits the business model.
Does the formation mandate include ongoing bookkeeping?
Not automatically. Company formation and ongoing accounting are separate scopes. Some launch packages may include an initial bookkeeping period, but monthly accounting, VAT returns, payroll, annual closing and tax compliance are defined in a separate mandate or expressly added to the formation quote.
Choose the support that matches your current need
An existing company usually needs accounting, VAT or tax support rather than another formation mandate.
The company already exists
For document processing, bank reconciliation, VAT follow-up and monthly accounts, start with accounting services in Vaud.
The main problem is VAT
For liability, registration, rates, returns or international transactions, use Swiss VAT support.
You need a tax decision
For remuneration, dividends, deductions, cross-border taxation or year-one planning, use tax advisory in Vaud.
Legal and threshold information on this page was reviewed in July 2026. Formation requirements, bank practice and third-party charges must still be confirmed for the individual file.
Set up your Swiss company with a clear formation and launch plan
One English-speaking fiduciary coordination point, a written scope and a practical handover from incorporation to accounting and compliance.