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Table of Contents

Data Sources

Switzerland uses two official federal-level sources. For a given entity, all company data comes from a single primary source (Zefix), with legal representative data extracted separately from SOGC publications.

All company types

  • Zefix (Zentraler Firmenindex): The Central Business Name Index, operated by the Federal Office of Justice (FOJ) since 2004. Zefix aggregates data from all 26 cantonal commercial registers into a single searchable index via a REST API. This is the primary source for all company data: legal name, status, legal form, registered address, share capital, activity description (purpose), and identifiers. Zefix data is sourced from the cantonal commercial registers, which are the authoritative registers of record.
  • SOGC/SHAB (Swiss Official Gazette of Commerce): The Schweizerisches Handelsamtsblatt / Feuille officielle suisse du commerce, published electronically since 2002 and managed by SECO. All commercial register mutations are published in the SOGC as structured text. Used for two purposes: (1) as the source for legal representative extraction via AI parsing of publication texts (Zefix does not provide structured legal representative data); (2) as the source for the Certificate of Incorporation document (the SOGC publication announcing the initial registration).

Cantonal Commercial Registers (for documents)

Switzerland has 26 cantonal commercial registers (Handelsregisterämter), each maintaining the register of companies domiciled in that canton. While Zefix serves as the central index for company data, the cantonal registers issue the Trade Register Extract documents. There are two technical implementations:
  • chregister.ch: A web application used by 22 cantons (AG, AI, AR, BE, BL, BS, GL, GR, JU, LU, NW, OW, SG, SH, SO, SZ, TG, TI, UR, VS, ZG, ZH). Trade register extract PDFs are retrieved automatically.
  • HRC Modern: An Angular application with a REST API used by 4 cantons (Fribourg, Geneva, Neuchatel, Vaud). Trade register extract PDFs are downloaded directly via HTTP.
The cantonal commercial registers are the authoritative source of record. Zefix aggregates their data into a searchable central index but does not itself issue official documents. Trade register extracts are issued by the relevant cantonal register.

Company Identifiers

Query Identifiers

Company TypeSourceFormatExampleNotes
All registered entitiesZefixCHE + 9 digits (UID)CHE408600128For company profile, use without separators
UID Format Breakdown: CHE-408.600.128 = CHE (country prefix, always CHE for Switzerland) + 9 random non-descriptive digits. The UID (Unternehmens-Identifikationsnummer) is assigned by the Federal Statistical Office and is permanent.
UID Format for Profile vs SearchFor the companyProfile endpoint, only the UID format without separators is accepted: CHE408600128. For search, both CHE-408.600.128 (with separators) and CHE408600128 (without) are supported. The system automatically normalizes the format internally.

Identifiers in API Response

Once you retrieve company data, the identifiers object contains all available identifiers for that entity:
Identifier TypeFormatExampleNotes
uidCHE + 9 digitsCHE-408.600.128UID (Unternehmens-Identifikationsnummer), always present
ehraidNumeric12345678EHRA ID (Federal Commercial Registry Office internal ID), when available
chidCH + digitsCH12345678901CH-ID (legacy 13-digit identifier, no longer used publicly), when available

Search Capabilities

Search TypePatternExampleMatch TypeExpected Results
By UID (with separators)CHE-XXX.XXX.XXXCHE-408.600.128ExactSingle company (1 result)
By UID (without separators)CHEXXXXXXXXXCHE408600128ExactSingle company (1 result)
By NameText string (min 3 chars)"Nestlé"FuzzyMultiple results
Search Performance: Use UID-based searches for best performance and exact matching. Name searches query the Zefix API and may return multiple results. UID searches are automatically normalized to the canonical dotted format (CHE-XXX.XXX.XXX) before querying Zefix.
Search uses live Zefix API lookups. Both identifier and name searches query the Zefix REST API in real-time. Name searches require a minimum of 3 characters and a maximum of 100 characters.

Quirks & Gotchas

QuirkDetails
UID format matters for profileFor companyProfile, only CHE123456789 (no separators) is accepted. For search, both CHE-123.456.789 and CHE123456789 work.
Multi-language company namesSwiss companies can be registered in German, French, Italian, or Romansh. The legalForm.localName reflects the registration language. Translated names appear in commercialNames.
All activity codes are AI-inferredZefix provides only a free-text activity description (Zweck / But / Scopo), not structured codes. Both NACE and ISIC are always AI-inferred. isAIInferred is always true.
Legal representatives are AI-parsedExtracted from SOGC publication texts using AI. Companies without SOGC publications will have no legal representative data. Role classification as legal representative vs. other key person is AI-determined.
No shareholder dataSwiss commercial register does not publish structured shareholder data publicly.
No UBO dataUltimate beneficial owner data is not publicly accessible in Switzerland.
26 cantonal registers, 2 technical platforms22 cantons use chregister.ch; 4 cantons (FR, GE, NE, VD) use HRC Modern. Trade register extracts are always issued by the relevant canton.
Deletion date = closureWhen a company has a deletionDate in Zefix, it is mapped to Closed status. The deletion date is used as the closure date.
eCH-0097 legal form standardSwiss legal forms use the eCH-0097 national data standard. All 35 codes are deterministically mapped to ISO 20275 ELF codes (no AI inference for legal forms).
Capital in CHFMost Swiss companies report capital in CHF (Swiss Francs), though some may use EUR or other currencies. The capital.currency field reflects the actual currency.
SOGC multilingual publicationsSOGC publications may be in German, French, Italian, or mixed languages. The AI parser handles all three official languages.
Status “BEING_CANCELLED”Zefix has a third status value for companies in the process of being dissolved (in Liquidation). This is mapped to active status with appropriate details.

Mappings

Company Status

Company status is determined deterministically from Zefix data. No AI inference is involved.
Zefix StatusEnglishStandardized StatusNotes
ACTIVEActiveActiveCompany is currently active
BEING_CANCELLEDBeing cancelled / In liquidationActiveCompany is in the process of dissolution; still legally active
CANCELLEDCancelled / DeletedClosedCompany has been deleted from the register
When a company has status CANCELLED and a deletionDate is present, the deletion date is used as the closureDate in the statusDetails response. The BEING_CANCELLED status corresponds to companies undergoing liquidation proceedings.
Switzerland uses the eCH-0097 data standard (Datenstandard Unternehmensidentifikation) for legal form classification. The system maps all 35 eCH-0097 codes deterministically to ISO 20275 (ELF) codes and standardized forms. No AI inference is involved for legal forms.
Multilingual legal form names: Swiss legal form names from Zefix come in the registration language of the company (German, French, Italian, or English). The legalForm.localName reflects this. The eCH-0097 code is used for deterministic mapping regardless of language.
eCH-0097GermanFrenchEnglishISO 20275Standardized
0101EinzelunternehmenEntreprise individuelleSole proprietorshipAZA0Sole Proprietorship
0103KollektivgesellschaftSociete en nom collectifGeneral partnershipMRSYPartnership
0104KommanditgesellschaftSociete en commanditeLimited partnershipCQMYPartnership
0105KommanditaktiengesellschaftSociete en commandite par actionsPartnership limited by sharesW6A7Partnership
0106AktiengesellschaftSociete anonymeCompany limited by sharesMVIICorporation
0107Gesellschaft mit beschrankter HaftungSociete a responsabilite limiteeLimited liability company3EKSLimited Liability Company
0108GenossenschaftCooperativeCooperativeQSI2Cooperative
0109VereinAssociationAssociationH781Nonprofit Organization
0110StiftungFondationFoundation2JZ4Nonprofit Organization
0111Auslandische Niederlassung im HR eingetragenSuccursale etrangere inscrite au RCForeign branch registered in commercial registerJB25Branch or Representative Office
0113Besondere RechtsformForme juridique particuliereSpecial legal form5BEZOther
0114Kommanditgesellschaft fur kollektive KapitalanlagenSociete en commandite de placements collectifsLimited partnership for collective investmentsTL87Partnership
0115Investmentgesellschaft mit variablem Kapital (SICAV)Societe d’investissement a capital variable (SICAV)Investment company with variable capitalXJOTCorporation
0116Investmentgesellschaft mit festem Kapital (SICAF)Societe d’investissement a capital fixe (SICAF)Investment company with fixed capital54WICorporation
0117Institut des offentlichen RechtsInstitut de droit publicPublic sector institution7MNNGovernment-Owned Entity
0118Nichtkaufmannische ProkurenProcurations non-commercialesNon-commercial power of attorneyKJ9QOther
0119Haupt von GemeinderschaftenResponsable d’indivisionRepresentative of ownership in undivided sharesOBFUOther
0151Schweizerische Zweigniederlassung im HR eingetragenSuccursale suisse inscrite au RCSwiss branch registered in commercial registerUNA9Branch or Representative Office
eCH-0097GermanFrenchEnglishISO 20275Standardized
0220Verwaltung des BundesAdministration de la ConfederationFederal administration2XJAGovernment-Owned Entity
0221Verwaltung des KantonsAdministration du cantonCantonal administrationFFTNGovernment-Owned Entity
0222Verwaltung des BezirksAdministration du districtDistrict administrationYRGMGovernment-Owned Entity
0223Verwaltung der GemeindeAdministration de la communeLocal administrationGP8MGovernment-Owned Entity
0224Offentlich-rechtliche Korperschaft (Verwaltung)Corporation de droit public (administration)Public corporation (administration)E0NEGovernment-Owned Entity
0230Unternehmen des BundesEntreprise de la ConfederationFederal public companyBF9NGovernment-Owned Entity
0231Unternehmen des KantonsEntreprise du cantonCantonal public companyHX77Government-Owned Entity
0232Offentliches Unternehmen des BezirksEntreprise du districtDistrict public companyVPRHGovernment-Owned Entity
0233Unternehmen der GemeindeEntreprise de la communeLocal public companyL5DUGovernment-Owned Entity
0234Offentlich-rechtliche Korperschaft (Unternehmen)Corporation de droit public (entreprise)Corporate public companyM848Government-Owned Entity
eCH-0097GermanFrenchEnglishISO 20275Standardized
0302Einfache GesellschaftSociete simpleSimple partnership2B81Partnership
0312Auslandische Niederlassung nicht im HR eingetragenFiliale etrangere non inscrite au RCForeign branch not registered in commercial register1BL5Branch or Representative Office
0327Auslandisches offentliches UnternehmenEntreprise publique etrangereForeign public company2WFGGovernment-Owned Entity
0328Auslandische offentliche VerwaltungAdministration publique etrangereForeign public administration1RKSGovernment-Owned Entity
0329Internationale OrganisationOrganisation internationaleInternational organisationDP2EOther
0355Andere GenossenschaftenAutres societes cooperativesOther cooperativesQSI2Cooperative
0361TrustTrustTrustFJG4Trust
0362FondsFondsFundFLNBOther
eCH-0097GermanFrenchEnglishISO 20275Standardized
0441Auslandische UnternehmenEntreprise etrangereForeign enterpriseR9TCOther
0571Rechtsform nicht bestimmt oder unbekanntForme juridique non determinee ou inconnueLegal form not determined or unknown-Other
The full eCH-0097 specification is available at eCH. ISO 20275 ELF codes are maintained by GLEIF. All 35 Swiss legal form codes are deterministically mapped, so no AI enrichment is needed for legal forms.
Legal representatives are extracted from SOGC publications (Swiss Official Gazette of Commerce). Zefix does not provide structured legal representative data; extraction relies on AI parsing of SOGC publication texts, which may be in German, French, Italian, or mixed languages.
Local Role (German)Local Role (French)Local Role (Italian)English Translation
GeschaftsfuhrerGerantGerenteManaging Director
DirektorDirecteurDirettoreDirector
Local Role (German)Local Role (French)Local Role (Italian)English Translation
Prasident des VerwaltungsratesPresident du conseil d’administrationPresidente del Consiglio d’amministrazioneChairman of the Board
Vizeprasident des VerwaltungsratesVice-president du conseil d’administrationVicepresidente del Consiglio d’amministrazioneVice Chairman of the Board
Mitglied des VerwaltungsratesMembre du conseil d’administrationMembro del Consiglio d’amministrazioneBoard Member
Local Role (German)Local Role (French)Local Role (Italian)English Translation
ProkuristFonde de procurationProcuratoreAuthorized Signatory
Signature types documented in SOGC publications:
  • mit Einzelzeichnung / avec signature individuelle / con firma individuale = individual signature rights
  • mit Kollektivzeichnung zu zweien / avec signature collective a deux / con firma collettiva a due = joint signature rights (two jointly)
Local Role (German)Local Role (French)Local Role (Italian)English Translation
LiquidatorLiquidateurLiquidatoreLiquidator
GesellschafterAssocieSocioPartner
The classification of each role as legal representative or other key person is AI-determined based on the company’s legal form context. For example, a “Verwaltungsrat” (Board Member) is typically a legal representative for an AG (corporation), while a “Prokurist” (Authorized Signatory) may or may not be depending on the context. Both individuals and corporate entities can hold roles.

Representation Mode

Legal representatives extracted from SOGC publications include a representationMode field indicating signing authority:
  • { mode: "sole" }: Can sign alone (“mit Einzelzeichnung” / “avec signature individuelle” / “con firma individuale”)
  • { mode: "joint", minimumSignatories: 2 }: Must sign jointly with one other (“mit Kollektivzeichnung zu zweien” / “avec signature collective à deux” / “con firma collettiva a due”)
  • { mode: "joint", minimumSignatories: N }: Must sign jointly with a specified number of others
  • null: No signing authority explicitly stated in the SOGC publication
The field is extracted via AI parsing from the trilingual SOGC publication text (German, French, Italian).

Other Key Persons

SOGC publications may also contain references to:
Role TypeExamplesNotes
AuditorsRevisionsstelle / Organe de revision / Ufficio di revisioneStatutory auditor companies; referenced in Zefix via auditCompanies
Former officersPersons marked as “ausgeschieden” / “demissionnaire” / “dimesso”Resigned or removed; extracted with endDate but excluded from current representatives

Shareholders

Shareholder data is not currently available for Swiss companies. The Swiss commercial register (Zefix) and SOGC publications do not provide structured shareholder or ownership data in a programmatically accessible format.
AspectDetails
AvailabilityNot available
ReasonSwiss commercial register does not publish structured shareholder data publicly
WorkaroundShareholder information may appear in SOGC publication texts for some legal forms (e.g., GmbH partner lists), but is not systematically extracted

Activity Code Mapping

Switzerland does not use a national activity code classification in the Zefix registry. Activity codes are AI-inferred from the company’s purpose (Zweck / But / Scopo) field, which is a free-text description of the company’s business activities.
Activity Description (free text) → NACE Rev. 2 (AI-inferred) → ISIC Rev. 4 (AI-inferred)
ClassificationSourceExampleAI Inferred?
NACEDerived from activity description via AI62.01Yes (always)
ISICDerived from activity description via AI6201Yes (always)
Both NACE and ISIC codes are always AI-inferred for Swiss companies because the Zefix registry provides only a free-text activity description, not structured activity codes. The isAIInferred flag is always true for Swiss activity codes.

Data Availability

Data Availability Matrix

Data TypeAll Companies (Zefix)Notes
Company Profile✅ AsyncFull data from Zefix API (name, status, legal form, address, capital, purpose)
Legal Representatives⚠️ AI-parsedFrom SOGC publications; depends on publication availability
ShareholdersNot available from Swiss registries
Ultimate Beneficial OwnersNot publicly accessible in Switzerland
EstablishmentsNot available via Zefix API
Activity Codes⚠️ AI-inferredDerived from free-text activity description via AI
DocumentsTrade register extract (all 26 cantons) + Certificate of Incorporation (when SOGC exists)
Legend: ✅ Available | ❌ Not Available | ⚠️ Conditionally Available | Async = Asynchronous processing

Documents by Company Type

Document TypeAPI CategoryFormatSKUAvailabilityNotes
Trade Register ExtracttradeRegisterExtractPDFCHE_TRADE_REGISTER_EXTRACT✅ All registered companiesOfficial internet extract from the cantonal commercial register. Available for all 26 cantons.
Certificate of IncorporationcertificateOfIncorporationPDFCHE_CERTIFICATE_OF_INCORPORATION⚠️ When SOGC existsSOGC publication announcing the initial registration (status.neu mutation). Only available when such a publication exists.
Canton-specific document retrieval: Trade register extracts are fetched from the relevant canton’s register. 22 cantons use the chregister.ch platform (~10s delivery), while 4 cantons (FR, GE, NE, VD) use the HRC Modern platform (~1s delivery). The system automatically routes to the correct platform based on the company’s cantonal registration.

Example API Responses

All examples use placeholder data. Query: POST /company with { "id": "<id>", "countryCode": "CH", "dataPoints": ["companyProfile"] }
{
  "company": {
    "id": "CHE123456789",
    "countryCode": "CH",
    "identifiers": { "uid": "CHE-123.456.789", "ehraid": "12345678", "chid": "CH12345678901" },
    "legalName": "Beispiel Technologie AG",
    "commercialNames": ["Example Technology Ltd"],
    "registrationDate": "2020-03-15",
    "incorporationDate": "2020-03-10",
    "activityDescription": "Entwicklung und Vertrieb von Softwareloesungen fuer Unternehmen.",
    "status": { "localName": "ACTIVE", "active": true, "statusDetails": { "status": "ACTIVE" } },
    "legalForm": { "localName": "Aktiengesellschaft", "englishTranslation": "Company limited by shares", "standardized": "Corporation", "iso20275Code": "MVII" },
    "capital": { "amount": 100000, "currency": "CHF", "formatted": "CHF 100000" },
    "activities": {
      "NACE": [{ "code": "62.01", "description": "Computer programming activities", "isAIInferred": true }],
      "ISIC": [{ "code": "6201", "description": "Computer programming activities", "isAIInferred": true }]
    },
    "legalAddress": { "addressLine1": "10, Bahnhofstrasse", "city": "Zuerich", "postalCode": "8001", "region": "ZH", "countryCode": "CH" }
  },
  "legalRepresentatives": [
    { "type": "individual", "role": { "localName": "Verwaltungsratspraesident", "standardized": "Chairman" }, "representationMode": { "mode": "joint", "minimumSignatories": 2 }, "individual": { "name": { "fullName": "Hans MUELLER" } } },
    { "type": "individual", "role": { "localName": "Geschaeftsfuehrer", "standardized": "Managing Director" }, "representationMode": { "mode": "sole" }, "individual": { "name": { "fullName": "Anna WEBER" } } }
  ]
}
{
  "company": {
    "id": "CHE987654321",
    "countryCode": "CH",
    "identifiers": { "uid": "CHE-987.654.321" },
    "legalName": "Muster Consulting GmbH",
    "registrationDate": "2018-06-01",
    "activityDescription": "Erbringung von Beratungsdienstleistungen im Bereich Unternehmensorganisation.",
    "status": { "localName": "ACTIVE", "active": true, "statusDetails": { "status": "ACTIVE" } },
    "legalForm": { "localName": "Gesellschaft mit beschraenkter Haftung", "englishTranslation": "Limited liability company", "standardized": "Limited Liability Company", "iso20275Code": "3EKS" },
    "capital": { "amount": 20000, "currency": "CHF", "formatted": "CHF 20000" },
    "activities": {
      "NACE": [{ "code": "70.22", "description": "Business and other management consultancy activities", "isAIInferred": true }],
      "ISIC": [{ "code": "7020", "description": "Management consultancy activities", "isAIInferred": true }]
    },
    "legalAddress": { "addressLine1": "5, Rue du Marche", "city": "Geneve", "postalCode": "1204", "region": "GE", "countryCode": "CH" }
  },
  "legalRepresentatives": [
    { "type": "individual", "role": { "localName": "Gerant", "standardized": "Managing Director" }, "representationMode": { "mode": "sole" }, "individual": { "name": { "fullName": "Pierre DUPONT" } } }
  ]
}
{
  "company": {
    "id": "CHE555666777",
    "countryCode": "CH",
    "identifiers": { "uid": "CHE-555.666.777" },
    "legalName": "Alte Firma GmbH",
    "status": { "localName": "CANCELLED", "active": false, "statusDetails": { "status": "CLOSED", "closureDate": "2023-06-30" } },
    "legalForm": { "localName": "Gesellschaft mit beschraenkter Haftung", "englishTranslation": "Limited liability company", "standardized": "Limited Liability Company", "iso20275Code": "3EKS" },
    "capital": { "amount": 20000, "currency": "CHF", "formatted": "CHF 20000" },
    "legalAddress": { "addressLine1": "3, Avenue de la Gare", "city": "Lausanne", "postalCode": "1003", "region": "VD", "countryCode": "CH" }
  }
}
Note: Closed companies have active: false with a closureDate when available. Legal representatives may not be available for dissolved companies as SOGC publications for deleted entities may be limited.
{
  "company": {
    "id": "CHE111222333",
    "countryCode": "CH",
    "identifiers": { "uid": "CHE-111.222.333" },
    "legalName": "Marco ROSSI, Consulenza",
    "registrationDate": "2019-04-15",
    "activityDescription": "Consulenza aziendale e servizi di gestione.",
    "status": { "localName": "ACTIVE", "active": true },
    "legalForm": { "localName": "Entreprise individuelle", "englishTranslation": "Sole proprietorship", "standardized": "Sole Proprietorship", "iso20275Code": "AZA0" },
    "activities": {
      "NACE": [{ "code": "70.22", "description": "Business and other management consultancy activities", "isAIInferred": true }],
      "ISIC": [{ "code": "7020", "description": "Management consultancy activities", "isAIInferred": true }]
    },
    "legalAddress": { "addressLine1": "Via Nassa 3", "city": "Lugano", "postalCode": "6900", "region": "TI", "countryCode": "CH" }
  }
}
Note: Sole proprietorships (Einzelunternehmen / Entreprise individuelle / Ditta individuale) use the owner’s name as the legalName. Legal representatives are not typically present.
{
  "company": {
    "id": "CHE444555666",
    "countryCode": "CH",
    "identifiers": { "uid": "CHE-444.555.666" },
    "legalName": "Stiftung fuer Bildung und Forschung",
    "registrationDate": "2015-01-20",
    "activityDescription": "Foerderung von Bildung und wissenschaftlicher Forschung.",
    "status": { "localName": "ACTIVE", "active": true },
    "legalForm": { "localName": "Stiftung", "englishTranslation": "Foundation", "standardized": "Nonprofit Organization", "iso20275Code": "2JZ4" },
    "activities": {
      "NACE": [{ "code": "72.20", "description": "Research and experimental development on social sciences and humanities", "isAIInferred": true }],
      "ISIC": [{ "code": "7220", "description": "Research and experimental development on social sciences and humanities", "isAIInferred": true }]
    },
    "legalAddress": { "addressLine1": "Bundesplatz 1", "city": "Bern", "postalCode": "3003", "region": "BE", "countryCode": "CH" }
  },
  "legalRepresentatives": [
    { "type": "individual", "role": { "localName": "Praesident des Stiftungsrates", "standardized": "Chairman" }, "representationMode": { "mode": "sole" }, "individual": { "name": { "fullName": "Thomas SCHNEIDER" } } }
  ]
}
Documents are returned when "dataPoints": ["availableDocuments"] is requested.
API CategoryDocumentNotes
tradeRegisterExtractOfficial cantonal commercial register extract PDFAll registered companies. Delivery: ~1s (HRC Modern cantons) or ~10s (chregister cantons).
certificateOfIncorporationSOGC incorporation publication PDFWhen SOGC publication with status.neu mutation exists. Immediate delivery.

Data Source Priority & Routing

For a given entity, all company profile data comes from Zefix. There is no multi-source priority chain or fallback logic. Legal representatives come separately from SOGC publications via AI parsing.
Source Routing:
  1. Company data (name, status, legal form, address, capital, purpose, identifiers): Zefix API (live query via REST API)
  2. Legal representatives: SOGC publications (AI-parsed from combined SOGC text messages available via Zefix)
  3. Activity codes: AI-inferred from the free-text purpose field
  4. Legal form standardization: Deterministic eCH-0097 to ISO 20275 mapping (AI only used as fallback if eCH-0097 code is not in the mapping table)
  5. Status enrichment: AI-enriched for detailed status information

Attribute-Level Source Mapping

AttributeSourceNotes
Company name, legal formZefixFrom Zefix name and legalForm fields
Translated namesZefixFrom translation array
Registered addressZefixFrom address object + canton
Share capitalZefixFrom capitalNominal and capitalCurrency
Activity description (purpose)ZefixFrom purpose field (free text)
Activity codes (NACE, ISIC)AIInferred from activity description
Company statusZefixFrom status field + deletionDate
Legal representativesSOGC via AIAI-parsed from SOGC publication texts
Identifiers (UID, EHRAID, CHID)ZefixFrom uid, ehraid, chid fields
Registration/incorporation datesZefixFrom SOGC publication dates within Zefix data