Geneva REG: registration, updates and the commercial register
Have you received a REG survey, opened a new place of business or moved your business in Geneva? The canton’s business directory is separate from the commercial register. This article explains what the REG does, how registration works and which details to keep up to date, with examples for an LLC, a self-employed professional and a business operating from several locations.
By Sarah Prieur · Swiss certified accountant
The essentials
The REG lists businesses and establishments carrying out economic activity in the canton of Geneva. The obligation does not depend only on the registered office: a business based elsewhere may also have activity in Geneva that needs to be listed.
Registration is automatic in several situations, including following commercial register entry or recognition of a self-employed person by Swiss social insurance (AVS/AHV) with allocation of a UID. Changes subject to the reporting obligation must be notified within one month of the event, through e-démarches or directly to the REG. There are exceptions, including data imported from the commercial register, explained below.
REG, commercial register and UID: what is the difference?
These three terms often come up when you start a business, but they serve different purposes. REG is the French abbreviation used for the Répertoire des entreprises du canton de Genève, Geneva’s directory of businesses and establishments. It is administered within the cantonal labour inspection and employment relations office, known as OCIRT.
The commercial register is called the registre du commerce in French, often abbreviated to RC. UID is the Swiss business identification number, called IDE in French. Keeping these roles separate makes the administrative steps easier to understand.
| Term | Purpose | What it does not replace |
|---|---|---|
| Geneva REG | List businesses and establishments with economic activity in the canton | Separate commercial register or social insurance procedures. |
| Commercial register (RC) | Publish legal information about the entities registered there | Updating all operational details of an establishment in the REG. |
| UID / IDE | Identify a business through a unique administrative number | Professional licences or recognition of a professional status. |
The Swiss business identification number (UID) allows authorities to identify the entity they are dealing with. It does not replace REG registration or other required procedures. A business may therefore need to appear in the REG even if it is not required to enter the commercial register.
For the legal steps involved in registration or amendments, see our article on the Geneva commercial register.
Which businesses must appear in the REG?
According to the canton, any business carrying out economic activity in Geneva must be listed, even if its registered office is in another canton or abroad. The directory covers more than conventional commercial companies.
Example 1: an LLC with one office
A consultancy has its registered office and working premises in Geneva. Its business details and the information about the place where it operates should be consistent. If it later opens a second establishment, it needs to check that the directory reflects the new situation.
Example 2: a self-employed professional in Carouge
A self-employed professional recognised by AVS/AHV works from a workshop in Carouge. She must appear in the REG even if commercial register entry is not compulsory for her business. In this situation, the canton provides for automatic registration after social insurance recognition and allocation of the UID. She then checks that the workshop is correctly listed.
Example 3: a registered office in Lausanne and activity in Geneva
A business based in the canton of Vaud opens a location in Geneva. It should not assume that its Vaud registration also settles its Geneva REG obligations. It checks whether its Geneva activity is listed and contacts the REG office if anything is unclear.
The starting point is therefore the activity carried out in the canton, rather than simply the address printed on the business’s letterhead.
Is registration automatic, or do you need to apply?
The official REG registration page sets out several routes. These avoid duplicate applications when another authority already passes on the necessary information.
| Situation | Route described by the canton | What to check |
|---|---|---|
| Business required to enter the commercial register | REG registration follows commercial register entry | Check that the details and Geneva establishment have been correctly included. |
| Self-employed person not required to enter the commercial register | Registration follows AVS/AHV recognition and allocation of the UID | Complete the status recognition procedure first, then check the REG entry. |
| Association or NGO not entered in the commercial register | Registration in the Federal Statistical Office’s Business and Enterprise Register (BER, or REE in French) to obtain a UID, followed by automatic REG registration | Follow the federal route described by the canton and check the resulting details. |
| Situation not covered, or no entry found | Check directly with the REG office | Describe the entity, its registered office and its activity in Geneva. |
Automatic registration still needs checking. An incomplete address, an inaccurate description of the activity or a new establishment that has not been identified may require a correction. Before sending a new application, check whether the business is already listed.
How do you find and check your entry?
- Open the online REG directory and search for your business.
- Check the registered name, UID and address to make sure you have found the correct entity.
- Review its places of business: one business can have several establishments.
- If an entry is missing or incorrect, contact the REG office with enough information to identify it.
For a self-employed person, recognition of self-employed status by AVS/AHV remains a separate procedure. Being listed in a directory does not grant that status: the compensation office assesses how the activity is actually carried out.
How do you update your REG details?
Under Article 60(2) of the RIRT, cessation of activity and changes subject to the reporting obligation must be notified within one month of the event. This proactive notification requirement does not cover the identification number, the size category of the business or establishment, or data imported from the commercial register. RIRT is the French acronym for Geneva’s implementing regulations on labour inspection and employment relations.
In practice, check which information has already been imported from the commercial register, then report the other relevant changes. You can always request correction of inaccurate data. The online update procedure requires an e-démarches account with a business profile, including for a sole proprietorship. The REG office reviews submitted changes before incorporating them.
If you do not have that access, you can contact the REG at reg.geneve@etat.ge.ch. Give the exact registered business name, the UID and, if known, the establishment’s REG number. Specify the old and new details and the date of the change. This helps the office update the correct entry.
- Record the current details: the business, establishment and contact information shown in the directory.
- Prepare the new information: an address, activity, opening, closure or other reportable change.
- Submit the update: through e-démarches or the channel indicated by the REG.
- Keep a record: save the submission date and the details sent.
- Check the result: make sure the corrected entry matches your request.
If your Swiss LLC (Sàrl) or corporation (SA) moves, distinguish a change of address from a transfer of registered office. Commercial register formalities depend, in particular, on whether the registered office remains in the same municipality. Then check that the REG correctly reflects the locations where activity continues, starts or ends.
A change of name, business purpose or authorised signatories may also require you to update the company’s commercial register details. Updating the REG does not replace those legal formalities.
Why distinguish the business from its establishments?
The business is the entity carrying out the activity. An establishment is a place where that activity takes place. This distinction becomes useful when you have several offices, shops, workshops or other locations.
Imagine a company operating one shop in Carouge and opening a second in Meyrin. It does not necessarily need to form another company: the same entity can operate several establishments. The directory should reflect each relevant location.
Conversely, closing the Carouge shop does not necessarily mean the whole business has stopped trading if the Meyrin shop remains open. When reporting a change, specify what is closing and what continues.
Keeping the REG correct does not, on its own, determine all the tax or legal consequences of a new location. Opening a site may require other steps depending on the activity. If you are arranging business domiciliation in Geneva, also distinguish the administrative address from the places where work is actually carried out.
Do you have to respond to REG surveys?
Yes. The canton states that the businesses concerned must respond to REG surveys. These help keep information about establishments and employment up to date. Use figures you can check rather than an improvised estimate where records are available.
Choose someone to handle these responses and make sure they can access the information needed. For the total number of jobs, the canton specifies that the REG counts people employed, rather than full-time equivalents. Detailed employment data are not public.
Example: one person working at 100% and two working at 50% represent three people but two full-time equivalents (1 + 0.5 + 0.5). If the question asks for the number of people, the answer in this example is three. Always follow the categories and reference period specified in the questionnaire.
A simple way to stay organised is to include the REG in your checklist whenever something changes: a new address, a site opening or closure, a change of activity or updated contact details. This reduces the risk of missing correspondence or preparing a response in a hurry.
My advice
When moving, keep one tracking list with a row for each organisation or task: commercial register, REG, Federal Tax Administration, insurers, bank and contracts. Record the notification date and the confirmation received. Problems often arise when a business assumes that an update sent to one organisation has automatically reached all the others.
Conclusion
The REG is part of the ongoing administration of a business active in Geneva. Registration often follows entry in another register, but the business should still check its details, report relevant changes within the required period and respond to surveys. Distinguishing the legal entity from its places of business makes these steps easier to manage.
Further reading
- Geneva commercial register: procedures and contacts
- Organising bookkeeping for a self-employed business
- Business domiciliation support in Geneva
Organise your business formalities in Geneva
Karpeo helps you plan business formation and the administrative, accounting and tax follow-up of your activity.
Explore our support →Frequently asked questions
Is the REG the same as the commercial register?
No. The REG is Geneva’s cantonal directory of businesses and establishments active in the canton. The commercial register publishes legal information about the entities registered there.
Does a self-employed person need a REG entry without commercial register registration?
Yes. Not being entered in the commercial register does not, by itself, exempt a business from the REG. For self-employed people who are not required to enter the commercial register, the canton provides for registration after AVS/AHV recognition and allocation of the UID.
What is the deadline for reporting a change?
Changes subject to the reporting obligation must be notified within one month of the event. Article 60(2) of the RIRT provides for exceptions, including data imported from the commercial register. You can submit the notification through e-démarches with a business profile or directly to the REG office.
Can a sole proprietor use a personal e-démarches account?
For REG updates, the cantonal instructions require an account with a business profile, including for a sole proprietorship.
Do you have to answer a REG survey?
Yes. The businesses concerned must respond to the directory’s surveys. Follow the definitions and reference period stated in the questionnaire.
Official sources and references
References checked on 3 October 2026. The official resources below are in French. The examples are fictional and illustrate the stated circumstances; they are not administrative decisions.
- Canton of Geneva — obligation to register with the REG
- Canton of Geneva — purpose of the business directory
- Canton of Geneva — REG registration routes
- Canton of Geneva — updating REG details through e-démarches
- Canton of Geneva — obligation to answer surveys
- Canton of Geneva — public information and employment data
- LIRT, Articles 40 and 41 — directory and duty to provide information
- RIRT, Articles 59–63 — data, notifications, corrections and access
About the author
Sarah Prieur
Sarah Prieur is a Swiss certified accountant, partner and head of operations at Karpeo. She supports SMEs, self-employed professionals and entrepreneurs with accounting and tax matters, and oversees the quality of client work. Before Karpeo, she spent eight years in audit at PwC Switzerland, progressing to manager.
Discover Sarah’s background →