Starting a business in Geneva: the complete guide

Starting a business in Geneva: where to begin?

You have an idea, your first clients in sight, and you want to get started in Geneva. Good news: setting up a business in Switzerland is quick, often a few days to a few weeks. But the choices you make at the start — legal form, social security registration, VAT, insurance — will stay with you for years.

This guide is for future self-employed professionals and entrepreneurs setting up their first company in Geneva. It covers the three most common legal forms, the steps in the right order and the mistakes we see most often among our clients.

Sole proprietorship, Sàrl or SA: which legal form should you choose?

A sole proprietorship (raison individuelle) is the simplest way to start on your own; a Sàrl (limited liability company) or an SA (public limited company) protects your personal assets but requires capital and more formalities.

In practice, many entrepreneurs start as a sole proprietorship and switch to a Sàrl when profits grow or risks increase. The right time depends on your personal tax situation: it has to be calculated case by case.

Are you a cross-border commuter?

A cross-border commuter can set up a business in Geneva, but each legal form comes with one extra condition.

• Sàrl and SA: a Swiss resident with signing authority. The law requires at least one person resident in Switzerland to be able to represent the company (art. 814 para. 3 CO for the Sàrl, art. 718 para. 4 CO for the SA). This can be a managing director, a board member or an executive with signing authority. You can therefore be managing director or board member, provided a Swiss resident registered in the commercial register is by your side. What matters is residence, not nationality.
• Sole proprietorship: a real business address in Geneva. The business must have a genuine registered office in the canton: an office, a lease or a domiciliation agreement.
• A G permit for self-employed persons. To work as a self-employed person in Geneva while living in France, you need a cross-border G permit for self-employed persons. EU/EFTA nationals must prove a genuine self-employed activity: AHV/AVS registration, clients, business plan.
• AHV/AVS: in principle in Switzerland. A self-employed person working in Geneva and living in France normally pays contributions in Switzerland. If they also work in France, the European coordination rules apply and the situation must be assessed case by case.

Our solution for cross-border commuters: RM Solutions can domicile your company in Geneva and act as the Swiss-resident board member or managing director required by law. You stay in charge of your business; we take care of the legal requirements, the accounting and the administrative formalities.

Steps to set up your business in Geneva

Here are the steps in order. Some can be done in parallel, but registration in the commercial register and AHV/AVS affiliation are the two pillars.

1. Choose the legal form and the name. Check that the name is available on zefix.ch, the central business name index. A sole proprietorship must include your surname.
2. For a Sàrl or an SA: prepare the incorporation. Open a capital deposit account at a bank, draft the articles of association and sign the deed of incorporation before a Geneva notary.
3. Register with the Geneva commercial register. Registration is mandatory for companies, and for a sole proprietorship from CHF 100,000 annual turnover. It is then published in the Swiss Official Gazette of Commerce (SOGC).
4. Join an AHV/AVS compensation fund. For a sole proprietorship, the fund must recognise your self-employed status: it checks that you have several clients, bear the economic risk and act in your own name. A company registers as an employer, including for its managing director's salary.
5. Check VAT. Registration with the Federal Tax Administration becomes mandatory from CHF 100,000 annual turnover. Below that, voluntary registration can be worthwhile if you have large initial investments.
6. Open a business bank account and organise your accounting. A sole proprietorship with less than CHF 500,000 turnover may keep simplified accounts (income, expenses and assets). A Sàrl or an SA must keep full accounts.
7. If you hire staff: accident insurance (LAA), occupational pension (LPP), family allowances and, for some employees, withholding tax. We cover this in a dedicated guide: Hiring your first employees.

Depending on the legal form, allow a few days (sole proprietorship) to two or three weeks (Sàrl or SA) between the first meeting and registration in the commercial register.

Insurance to arrange from day one

An employee is covered automatically; a self-employed person must organise their own protection. Here are the covers to review before signing your first contract.

• Professional liability insurance. It covers damage caused to your clients. It is mandatory for some professions and often required by clients or landlords.
• Accident insurance. As a sole proprietor, you are not covered by mandatory accident insurance (LAA): you need either voluntary LAA cover or the accident cover of your health insurance.
• Loss of earnings due to illness. Without it, several months off work means zero income. It is the insurance new self-employed people forget most often.
• Pension. The occupational pension (LPP) is not mandatory for the self-employed. Without LPP, in 2026 you can pay up to 20% of your net income into pillar 3a, up to a maximum of CHF 36,288, and deduct this amount from your taxes.
• Property and legal protection. Contents insurance for your equipment, and legal protection for disputes with clients or suppliers.

As an independent insurance broker registered with FINMA, RM Solutions compares offers from several insurers for you. See our Insurance page.

Common mistakes in the first months

Most of the difficulties we see among new entrepreneurs don't come from the business itself, but from bills that arrive late.

• Underestimating AHV/AVS. First-year advance payments are based on an estimate. If your actual income is higher, the fund claims the difference once your tax assessment is known, sometimes two years later.
• Not setting money aside for taxes. Put a reserve aside every month from the first invoice paid.
• Mixing private and business accounts. A separate bank account simplifies accounting and avoids questions from the tax authorities.
• Forgetting to monitor the VAT threshold. As soon as you exceed CHF 100,000 turnover, registration is mandatory, with retroactive effect if you delay.
• Working without contracts or terms and conditions. A signed quote and clear payment terms prevent most unpaid invoices.
• Not keeping records. Invoices, receipts and statements must be kept for 10 years.
• Choosing a legal form without doing the maths. A Sàrl set up too early is expensive in fixed costs; a sole proprietorship kept too long can be expensive in taxes and AHV/AVS.

Frequently asked questions

How much does it cost to set up a Sàrl in Geneva? In addition to the CHF 20,000 capital (which remains available for the business), you need to budget for notary fees, commercial register fees and professional support. Contact us for a quote tailored to your project.

Can I start my business while still employed? Yes, provided you comply with your employment contract: no competition with your employer and no activity during your working hours. To be recognised as self-employed by AHV/AVS, however, the activity must be genuine, with your own clients.

When should I switch from a sole proprietorship to a Sàrl? Generally when profits become significant, when you hire staff or when the risks of your activity increase. The switch can be made without starting from scratch, by converting the existing business.

Ready to get started?

RM Solutions supports Geneva entrepreneurs from A to Z: choice of legal form, commercial register registration, social insurance affiliations, VAT, insurance and accounting setup. For cross-border commuters, we also offer domiciliation and can act as the Swiss-resident board member or managing director. We welcome you in French, English, Spanish, Italian and Portuguese.