Company registration · Liechtenstein
Company registration in Liechtenstein 12.5% tax and access to the EEA market
- Support
- from $6 500
- Registration time
- 12.5%
- Corporate income tax rate
- 12.5%
A principality inside the European Economic Area with a currency and customs union with Switzerland.
A low corporate rate, solid banks and dedicated vehicles for owning family capital.
Registration
from $6 500
Turnkey work by BRIDGES. Government fees and duties appear as a separate line in the estimate at actual rates.
See packages12.5%
Corporate income tax rate
EEA
Single market access without EU membership
Swiss franc
Currency and customs union with Switzerland
Who it suitsLiechtenstein
Who Liechtenstein suits
Working on the company structure- 01Family ownership of assets through a foundation or trust
- 02Holdings with participations in European companies
- 03Licensed financial and management companies
- 04Businesses that need EEA access without EU membership
- 05Projects settling in Swiss francs
Does not suit
- Minimum budget: upkeep here is expensive
- You need a cheap operating company for trading
- You are counting on anonymity: compliance is strict
- A shell company with no economic purpose
Company forms4
Which company to open
Beyond ordinary companies, the principality is known for its family wealth vehicles.
- 01Aktiengesellschaft · AG — company limited by shares
Holdings, financial and management structures.
High standing and flexible share arrangements.
Capital and upkeep requirements above the average.
- 02Gesellschaft mit beschrankter Haftung · GmbH — limited liability company
Services, trade, smaller holdings.
Simpler to manage than a company limited by shares.
Less suited to complex investment structures.
- 03Stiftung · foundation
Family ownership and succession planning.
Separates the assets from the founder’s personal estate.
Requires careful statutes and a professional council.
- 04Anstalt / Trust · establishment and trust
Structuring family capital and ownership.
Flexibility in allocating rights and benefits.
Tax consequences are checked in the beneficiary’s country.
Packagesfrom $6 500
Three ways to launch
The scope is built from real scenarios, from a simple company to an ownership structure.
01 · 3-5 weeks
Company
from $6 500
A holding or an operating structure
- Choice of form and preparation of the statutes
- Registration with the principality’s registry
- Local representative and address for the first year
- Full set of corporate documents
- Tax registration
02 · 6-12 weeks
Company and account
from $11 000
A working structure with settlements
- Everything in the Company package
- Bank file and submission to suitable banks
- Substantiation of the origin of capital
- Support at meetings and in correspondence
- Initial tax position of the structure
03 · from 2 months
Ownership structure
by project
Family capital and succession planning
- Everything in the Company and account package
- Drafting the foundation statutes or trust terms
- Selection of a professional trustee
- Agreeing the tax position for the beneficiaries
- Accounting, reporting and audit where required
The minimum annual tax, registry fees and the representative’s fee appear as separate lines in the quote.
TaxesLiechtenstein
Taxes in Liechtenstein
The rate is low and predictable, but a minimum annual charge applies regardless of profit.
Taxes in Liechtenstein
Liechtenstein
- 12.5%
- Corporate income tax rate
- from $6 500
- BRIDGES fee
- EEA
- Single market access without EU membership
- Swiss franc
- Currency and customs union with Switzerland
- Corporate income tax
- A rate of 12.5% on taxable profit.
- Minimum annual tax
- Payable even where there is no profit; it is credited against the tax due.
- Notional interest deduction
- The law allows a deduction of notional interest on equity.
- VAT
- A system aligned with the Swiss one applies, at a low rate.
- Reporting and audit
- Annual accounts are mandatory; audit depends on the form and the size.
- Obligations at home
- Owning the structure creates obligations in the beneficiary country of residence.
Annual upkeep
- Minimum annual tax
- Corporate income tax
- Local representative and address
- Annual accounts
- Audit
- Trustee fees
- Bank compliance
- Changes to the structure
The minimum annual tax, registry fees and the representative’s fee appear as separate lines in the quote.
Bank
The bank account after incorporation
The principality’s banks specialise in private capital and demand complete transparency on its origin.
- 01What the bank looks at
The origin of the capital, the beneficiaries, the economic purpose of the structure and the expected flows.
- 02Which documents are needed
The corporate set, evidence of the source of funds and the beneficiaries’ tax history.
- 03Where the account is opened
In the principality and in Switzerland; for operating settlements, in EEA banks.
- 04What we do
We prepare the file, choose the bank and run the submission through to account opening.
Minimum balances and transparency requirements here are above average. If the capital is not documented, the account will not open.
Stages3-5 weeks
How the work runs
Timelines are split by who is responsible.
- 01Consultation and structure
Task, assets, beneficiaries, tax position.
One meeting - 02Quote and contract
We fix the scope of work and the amount.
2-3 days - 03Compliance and documents
Verification, collection of the set, translations and certifications.
1-3 weeks - 04Registration of the structure
Filing with the registry and issue of the documents.
3-5 weeks - 05Account and launch
Bank file, meetings and account opening.
The bank sets the timing - 06Annual support
Reporting, audit, minimum tax, changes.
Ongoing
Result: The outcome is an EEA structure with a clear tax position: a company or foundation, an account and reporting in place.
ComparisonLiechtenstein
Liechtenstein or Switzerland
| Liechtenstein | Switzerland | |
|---|---|---|
| Corporate tax | 12.5% | federal, cantonal and communal layers |
| Minimum annual tax | yes | none, depends on the canton |
| Single market | EEA membership | bilateral agreements |
| Currency | Swiss franc | Swiss franc |
| Vehicles for assets | foundations, establishments, trusts | narrower range |
| Upkeep cost | high | high |
| Who it suits better | family ownership and EEA access | operating business and reputation |
Liechtenstein wins on a predictable rate and dedicated ownership vehicles; Switzerland on the scale of its economy and its brand.
TeamBRIDGES
Company team
Questions
Registration questions
What is the corporate tax rate?+
12.5% on taxable profit. A minimum annual tax is also payable and is credited against the corporate tax.
Is Liechtenstein in the European Union?+
No, but it participates in the European Economic Area, which gives access to the single market.
What currency is used?+
The Swiss franc — the principality is in a currency and customs union with Switzerland.
How does a foundation differ from a company?+
A foundation has no members: the assets belong to the foundation and are managed under its statutes for the benefit of beneficiaries.
Does a foundation reduce tax?+
Not automatically. The tax consequences are determined by the beneficiaries’ country of residence.
How long does registration take?+
Three to five weeks after compliance. Foundations and trusts take two months or more.
Is a local representative required?+
Yes, a representative and an address in the principality are mandatory.
How hard is it to open a bank account?+
Banks are demanding about the origin of capital. With a documented history it is achievable; without one it is not.
Is an audit mandatory?+
It depends on the form of the structure and the level of activity.
Is the beneficiary visible?+
Information is held in the prescribed manner and is available to the competent authorities and the bank.
What does upkeep cost?+
Minimum tax, representative, reporting and, where required, audit and a trustee. We set it out three years ahead.
Is it suitable for small-scale trading?+
Generally no: the upkeep does not pay for itself at low turnover.
A company for your task
Tell us what the company will do: we will check whether the country fits and show the launch and upkeep budget before the contract.
- Other jurisdictionsA comparison of countries for company registration.
- A company in SwitzerlandThe neighbouring jurisdiction with different tax mechanics.
- Corporate accountsHow an account is opened and what the bank checks.
- Isle of ManRegistration: 1-2 weeks · from $3 200
- JerseyRegistration: 1-2 weeks · from $4 200
- LuxembourgRegistration: 2-4 weeks · from €4 500
Company registration
Want a company in Liechtenstein?
Write to us, we will set it up. We will choose the form, calculate the launch and the annual upkeep, register the company and help open the account.
