Swiss Business Licensing
Does your business need a license to operate in Switzerland? Some sectors in Switzerland require an additional license to the incorporation registration with the Swiss commercial registry. Sectors like financial services, labour placement, pharmaceutical and medical products as well as commodities may require a specific license. IncoSwiss can facilitate the application for such licenses.
Some licenses are municipal, some are federal
Financial sector activities
Regulated by FINMA or Self regulatory body like VQF
Employer of record, body leasing or recruitement
Require a SECO license
Pharmaceutical activities
Governed by Swissmedic
Legal professionals
Must be certified by the SAV (Swiss Bar Association)
Education
Governed by the SERI (State Secretariat for Education, Research and Innovation)
Construction and engineering, Food and Hospitality
Governed at Cantonal level
Experience
We have worked with such license applications in various Cantons and know the requirements and have gained valuable insights from past cases
Network
Where we don’t have the skills or network in-house, we have a network of professionals we can refer you to or gather information from
Neutral
As a fiduciary office we act as a neutral interlocuter between the Cantonal and Federal office and you, which gives assurance of neutrality and that qualified material be handed in by us on your behalf
Q&A
How do I know if I need a business license to operate in Switzerland?
Does your business operate in any of the following sectors (this list is not exhaustive): Financial, labour, medical, pharmaceutical, legal, education, construction or food & beverage. If yes, consult your Cantonal office or the relevant Federal office or reach out to IncoSwiss to help you narrow down the criteria and specify thresholds to qualify to require having that license.
How long does it take to acquire a business license?
To register as a business for the commercial registry license it typically takes 10-15 working days at the commercial registry. Other licenses vary very much dependent on the Cantonal or Federal office in charge of that license. The success and speed of the license also depends on how complete and strong your application is. Usually expect between a month and 6 months for standard licenses, with the more complex financial and pharmaceutical licenses taking longer.
What does it cost to apply for a license?
For the registration with the commercial registry, the fee is between CHF 650-over CHF 1’000. This fee is included in the IncoSwiss incorporation fee. Specific business licenses can vary very much depending on existing documentation of activity and profiles leading the team, to whether legal work needs to be carried out to comply international contracts to Swiss law. Please each out to IncoSwiss to discuss your goals.
Can anyone apply for a business license in Switzerland?
Once you have a registered Swiss company, you are able to apply for specific licenses. It is important that those people and companies applying for a license meet certain documentational, expertise and Swiss substance criteria.
How likely is it that my business license application will be successful?
Where a license application doesn’t meet the criteria of the Cantonal or Federal body responsible for the license, that office will typically send a letter listing the missing documents or criteria, giving the opportunity to supplement the missing information and hand this in to the existing license application within a given deadline. In some cases the Cantonal or Federal office in charge may write several rounds of letters to request what is needed to make the license application adhere to their standard. Often only once the application is complete will it be assessed and accepted or rejected.
Tell us about what activity you want to carry out in Switzerland, and we can guide you as to which license you may need to apply for.