SA incorporation template in Genève explained simply
Delegate, digitalise or do it all yourself? Around SA incorporation in Genève, every SME draws its own line. The reference points below — federal law, cantonal practice and lessons from the field — help you place the cursor well.
Choosing the structure: Sàrl, SA or sole proprietorship
Settling in Genève does not change federal law, but the canton shapes what follows: profit and capital tax rates, family allowances, possible start-up support. Comparing seriously before fixing the seat can pay off — moving a company later costs more.
Settling in Genève also means thinking about insurance from incorporation: professional liability, property, business interruption — the accounts keep track of them and the closing allocates them correctly.
Swiss VAT: rates, threshold and filings
Registration happens with the Federal Tax Administration and yields a VAT number based on the business identifier (format CHE-xxx.xxx.xxx VAT). From then on, every invoice must state that number, the rate applied and the tax amount — three details SA incorporation should lock down from day one to avoid retroactive fixes.
Also useful for SA incorporation: some supplies are excluded from VAT (health, education, property rental) — with no corresponding input VAT right. Qualifying revenues correctly from the start avoids surprises.
Salaries and social contributions: the rates to know
Family allowances are financed by the employer through a cantonal compensation fund — rates and amounts vary from canton to canton, including in Genève. They come on top of the federal social insurances and appear on every payslip.
For SA incorporation, the monthly payslip is only the visible part: instalments to the funds, annual settlements and certificates form the real cycle, January to January.
Digitalising SA incorporation: what actually works
Security is part of digitalisation: named access, tested backups, encryption of sensitive data. A digital accounting file is protected like a safe — because it is one.
For an owner in Genève, a dashboard only has value if the data is fresh: automating data entry means, first of all, buying up-to-date information about your own business.
Genève: what changes, what does not
Sole proprietorship, Sàrl or SA in Genève: the AHV contact remains the competent compensation office, and taxes follow the scales of the canton Geneva.
Genève requires no special bookkeeping: the Code of Obligations applies at postal code 1201 as everywhere else, and a well-kept digital file transfers smoothly to any auditor in the canton.
Frequently asked questions
When is entry in the commercial register mandatory?
A Sàrl and an SA only come into existence with their registration. A sole proprietorship must register from CHF 100,000 of annual revenue; below that, registration stays voluntary but adds credibility and protects the business name. Registration goes through the canton's commercial register office — for Genève too.
What are the current Swiss VAT rates?
Since 1 January 2024: 8.1% (standard), 2.6% (reduced — for example food and medicines) and 3.8% (accommodation). Returns must be filed and paid within 60 days after the period ends (quarterly under the effective method, semi-annually under the net tax rate method). These federal rates apply unchanged in Genève.
Effective VAT method or net tax rate: how to choose?
The effective method deducts actual input VAT and files quarterly; the net tax rate method applies a flat industry rate to turnover, semi-annually, with no separate input VAT deduction. The flat rate suits low-cost structures; as investments grow, the effective method usually wins again. The choice rests on the company's own figures, in Genève as anywhere.
What is simplified bookkeeping and who can use it?
Sole proprietorships and partnerships under CHF 500,000 of revenue may limit themselves to recording income, expenses and assets (art. 957 para. 2 CO). Once over the threshold — or upon founding a Sàrl or an SA — full accounts with balance sheet, income statement and notes become mandatory. The CHF 500,000 threshold is assessed the same way in Genève.
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