Accounting in Switzerland: what the law says
In Switzerland, accounting obligations are primarily governed by the Code of Obligations (CO), articles 957–963. Every company registered in the commercial register is required to maintain proper books that accurately reflect the asset, financial and income position of the business.
Swiss regulations do not impose a single accounting standard such as IFRS, but establish general bookkeeping principles that apply to all legal forms: sole proprietorships, LLCs (GmbH), corporations (AG), general partnerships and associations with economic activity.
For SMEs that do not exceed certain size thresholds, the law provides for simplified accounting. Larger companies are required to prepare a balance sheet, income statement and notes to the financial statements, in compliance with generally accepted accounting principles.
Who is required to keep accounts
The accounting obligation depends on the legal form and the turnover of the business. Here are the categories subject to the obligation:
Corporations (AG and GmbH)
All corporations (AG) and LLCs (GmbH) are always required to maintain full accounting, regardless of size. They must prepare a balance sheet, income statement and notes.
Sole proprietorships and partnerships with revenue > CHF 500,000
Sole proprietorships and general/limited partnerships with annual revenue exceeding CHF 500,000 must maintain full accounting in accordance with art. 957a–958f CO.
Sole proprietorships with revenue ≤ CHF 500,000
They may limit themselves to simplified accounting: a record of income and expenses with details of assets is sufficient (art. 957 para. 2 CO).
Associations and foundations
Associations and foundations registered in the commercial register or conducting economic activity are subject to full accounting obligations. Others may limit themselves to a statement of income and expenses.
Companies subject to ordinary audit
Companies exceeding two of the three criteria (total assets CHF 20 million, revenue CHF 40 million, 250 FTE employees) are subject to ordinary audit and must apply more rigorous accounting standards.
Even companies not required to maintain full accounting must still retain tax-relevant documents (invoices, receipts, contracts) to comply with obligations to the FTA and cantonal authorities.
Legal framework: the CO articles
Swiss accounting obligations are concentrated in articles 957–963 of the Code of Obligations. Here is a summary of the main provisions:
| CO Article | Content |
|---|---|
| Art. 957 | Defines who is subject to the accounting obligation and introduces simplified accounting for businesses with revenue under CHF 500,000. |
| Art. 957a–958 | Establishes the principles of proper accounting: completeness, clarity, prudence, continuity, accrual basis and consistency of methods. |
| Art. 958a–958f | Regulates the content of the balance sheet, income statement and notes. Defines the minimum mandatory items and the rules for valuing assets and liabilities. |
| Art. 959–963 | Rules on valuation (lower of cost or market principle for current assets, historical cost for fixed assets), depreciation, provisions and reserves. |
Mandatory financial statements
Companies subject to full accounting must prepare the following documents:
Balance sheet (Bilanz / Bilan)
Represents the financial position of the company at a given date (usually 31 December). It includes assets (current and fixed), liabilities (short and long-term) and equity.
Income statement (Erfolgsrechnung / Compte de résultat)
Shows revenue and costs for the financial year, determining net profit or loss. It can be presented using the nature of expense or function of expense method.
Notes (Anhang / Annexe)
Contains mandatory supplementary information: accounting policies applied, breakdown of significant items, off-balance sheet commitments, subsequent events and information on related party transactions.
Cash flow statement (optional for SMEs)
Mandatory only for companies subject to ordinary audit. Shows changes in cash and cash equivalents, divided into operating, investing and financing activities.
Swiss accounting principles
The CO establishes six fundamental principles that every set of accounts must respect (art. 957a and 958c):
Completeness
All economic transactions must be recorded. No transaction may be omitted, regardless of amount.
Clarity and comprehensibility
The accounts must be structured so that a qualified third party can understand them within a reasonable time. Items must be clearly and unambiguously labelled.
Prudence (Vorsichtsprinzip)
Foreseeable risks and losses must be accounted for as soon as they become known. Profits, on the other hand, are only to be recorded when actually realised.
Accrual basis (Periodenabgrenzung)
Revenue and costs must be attributed to the financial year in which they originated, regardless of when cash is received or paid.
Consistency of methods (Stetigkeit)
Valuation and presentation criteria must remain constant from one year to the next. Any change must be documented and justified in the notes.
Going concern
The accounts assume that the company will continue its operations for the foreseeable future. If this is not the case, assets must be valued at liquidation value.
Document retention requirements
Swiss law (art. 958f CO) imposes precise obligations regarding the retention of accounting documents. Non-compliance can have legal and tax consequences.
| Document type | Duration | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Balance sheet, income statement, notes | 10 years | Must be signed by the responsible person. The original must be kept in paper or unalterable electronic format. |
| Accounting books and entries | 10 years | Includes journal, ledger, VAT registers and all supporting documents. |
| Invoices issued and received | 10 years | Both in paper and digital format. For VAT purposes, retention runs from the end of the tax period. |
| Business correspondence | 10 years | Letters, emails and contracts relevant to accounting. |
Since 2024, the OelDI (Ordinance on commercial bookkeeping and retention) expressly permits digital archiving, provided the format guarantees integrity, readability and availability for the entire retention period. Software like AccountEX with hash sealing meets these requirements.
Simplified accounting: who can use it
Sole proprietorships and partnerships with annual revenue not exceeding CHF 500,000 may adopt simplified accounting (art. 957 para. 2 CO). Here is what it involves:
- A record of income and expenses (cash book) with details of assets at the beginning and end of the year is sufficient
- There is no obligation to prepare a formal balance sheet or a structured income statement
- The obligation to retain all supporting documents (invoices, receipts, bank statements) for 10 years remains
- For VAT purposes, even companies with simplified accounting must document every transaction with details of the applicable rate
Note: even with simplified accounting, the tax authorities may request detailed documentation in case of an audit. A well-ordered and complete record is always advisable.
Practical examples for SMEs
Here are some common scenarios illustrating how to apply accounting obligations in the daily practice of a Swiss SME:
Newly incorporated LLC (GmbH)
A GmbH with capital of CHF 20,000 must maintain full accounting from day one of business. Even if it generates no revenue in the first months, it must record all transactions (account opening, incorporation costs, paid-in capital) and close the first financial year with a balance sheet and income statement.
Sole proprietorship with revenue of CHF 380,000
Being below the CHF 500,000 threshold, it may adopt simplified accounting. A record of income and expenses is sufficient, but all invoices and receipts must be retained for 10 years. If subject to VAT (threshold CHF 100,000), it must still document every VAT transaction.
Corporation with 15 employees and CHF 3 million turnover
Must maintain full accounting with balance sheet, income statement and notes. It does not exceed the thresholds for ordinary audit, so it is subject to limited audit (or may opt out with the consent of all shareholders, if it has fewer than 10 FTEs).
Transition from simplified to full accounting
A sole proprietorship exceeding CHF 500,000 in revenue must switch to full accounting from the following financial year. It is advisable to prepare an opening balance sheet and adopt a structured chart of accounts (e.g. the Swiss SME chart of accounts integrated in AccountEX).
Practical tips for SME accounting
- Adopt a standard Swiss chart of accounts (SME plan or Käfer) from the start — it facilitates benchmarking and any future audit
- Record transactions within a few days of the economic event — timely recording reduces errors and simplifies year-end closing
- Strictly separate personal and business expenses, especially for sole proprietorships — this is one of the most frequent checks by the FTA
- Automate invoice recording with OCR software like AccountEX — it reduces manual data entry time by 90%
- Close provisional accounts every quarter, not just at year-end — you will have a constant view of your financial position and be ready for the VAT return
- Keep a digital copy of every paper document in PDF/A format with hash sealing — it meets the OelDI requirements for digital retention
- If you manage multiple mandates as a fiduciary, use a multi-mandate platform like AccountEX to standardise charts of accounts and closing procedures across all clients
Penalties for breach of accounting obligations
Failure to comply with accounting obligations can have significant consequences, both administrative and criminal:
Official assessment (art. 130 para. 2 LIFD)
If the accounts are absent, incomplete or unreliable, the tax authority may proceed with an official assessment based on flat-rate estimates — generally unfavourable to the taxpayer.
Denial of deductions
Without proper accounts and supporting documents, the FTA may deny input VAT deductions and deductions in the income tax calculation.
Liability of corporate officers
Directors of corporations and managers of LLCs are personally liable for breach of accounting obligations. In the event of bankruptcy, failure to maintain accounts can lead to civil liability (art. 754 CO) and criminal liability (art. 325 SCC — simple bankruptcy).
Criminal penalties
Irregular or fraudulent bookkeeping is punishable with a fine of up to CHF 10,000 (art. 325 SCC). In cases of fraudulent bankruptcy (art. 163 SCC), penalties can extend to 5 years' imprisonment.
Simplify your Swiss accounting
AccountEX handles VAT, QR-invoices and bookings with AI. Start for free.
Start Free