Do You Need a Notary to Form a Company?

Notary requirement by business type

In principle, the following applies:

• Sole proprietorship: No notary required
• General partnership: No notary required
• Corporations (LLC, PLC): Notary is mandatory

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Why corporations require a notary

Corporations such as an LLC or PLC have their own legal personality. Their formation documents are considered particularly worthy of protection because they clearly define the rights and obligations of the shareholders and are legally binding for the public.

Therefore, the law requires:

• The deed of incorporation must be publicly notarised.
• Signatures must be notarised.
• Proof of capital must be reviewed and confirmed.

The notary ensures that all steps are carried out correctly and that the company is legally established.

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Company formation via Startups.ch

If you complete your company formation through us, you do not need to visit a notary yourself. Notarial certification is included in our formation packages. You can conveniently submit your order online with your desired legal form, and we will prepare all formation documents for you. After you return the signed documents, we will handle the public notarisation for you together with our partner notary.

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