Swiss UID number: how to find it and check VAT registration

How to find a Swiss company’s UID number

Use the official UID register, maintained by the Federal Statistical Office (FSO, or OFS in French). You can search by the company’s name or an identifier you already know.

1. Enter the full registered name where possible.
2. Add the location or other criteria if several results look similar.
3. Check the address and legal form of the selected entity.
4. Review its status and any former names where relevant.
5. Check the VAT information and dates if your question concerns an invoice.

A brand name used on a website may differ from the registered company name. A shop sign or person’s name alone may not identify the party entering the contract.

Example: you receive a quotation under a trading name, followed by an invoice from a Sàrl. Before creating the supplier in your accounting software, match the contract, full legal name, address and UID. Finding a similar name is not enough: establish which entity is billing you.

What does the UID identify?

The UID is a common administrative reference designed to prevent one entity being confused with another. Its usual format is CHE-123.456.789; this is an illustration of the format, not a number to use for your business. The first eight digits are allocated without encoding a canton or legal form; the ninth is a check digit. Punctuation helps readability, but a number that looks valid still needs to be matched against the register.

A UID is not a quality mark, evidence of solvency or proof that all licences have been obtained. For a material transaction, request the appropriate commercial register extract, evidence of signing powers or sector authorisation. See our Swiss commercial register directory for the relevant register.

How is a UID allocated when you start a business?

The number is allocated through information supplied by administrative bodies connected to the UID system. For a Swiss LLC or corporation, commercial registration is usually a key step. A sole proprietor may enter the system through social insurance registration or another relevant administrative relationship.

Do not confuse incorporation costs with a UID fee. Entry in the official UID register is free. Notary fees, commercial register charges or an adviser’s fees relate to separate services.

The route is not identical for every entity. Information concerning self-employed healthcare professionals may, for example, be supplied through MedReg. Prepare consistent details: official name, address, legal form and contact person. Use them across the business formation process, rather than registering variations of the same entity.

For an incorporated business, keep the registration details consistent with the corporate purpose stated in its articles of association.

UID number versus Swiss VAT number

The Swiss VAT number consists of the UID followed by TVA in French, MWST in German or IVA in Italian. Even on an English-language invoice, the Federal Tax Administration does not accept the English suffix “VAT” as the official designation.

A business can hold a UID without being registered for VAT. Check the VAT section of the register, including the relevant dates. Its status today may not explain an invoice issued in a previous period.

Do not add VAT to your first invoices merely because you have received a UID. Assess Swiss VAT registration separately. The broader Swiss VAT article explains taxable and exempt supplies and input tax recovery.

A variation in the punctuation of a supplier’s VAT number does not automatically remove the customer’s right to deduct input VAT; the legal conditions remain decisive. If the invoice, supplier details and register do not agree, ask for an explanation or corrected document before processing the transaction.

What if the business is missing or its details are wrong?

Try alternative spellings, a former name, the address or different active/inactive filters. For a sole proprietorship, search the proprietor’s name as well. An unsuccessful search does not, by itself, prove that an activity is illegal.

For a newly announced business, ask the body that received the application whether it has transmitted the information. Avoid repeated registrations intended to create another identifier. If the issue remains unresolved, contact the FSO’s UID team.

The register supports data sharing between participating authorities. It does not ensure that every register, bank or supplier updates its records instantly. Correct the information with the responsible bodies, including the commercial register, tax office, compensation office, insurers and bank as applicable. Check whether separate notifications are needed and update your invoices and contracts.

When investigating a problematic invoice, keep the original, the date of your register search and the supplier’s response. This gives the accounting team a clear record of the checks made.

Swiss UID, EU VAT numbers and foreign business identifiers

A Swiss CHE number is not an EU intra-community VAT identification number. Similar abbreviations used abroad do not make the systems interchangeable.

If an overseas form asks for a French SIREN or SIRET, or an EU VAT number, do not automatically enter your Swiss UID in that field. Ask which identifier the form expects for a Swiss contracting party and provide the legal name and supporting documents.

In France, SIREN identifies a legal entity while SIRET identifies an establishment. SIREN is therefore the closer comparison when explaining the general function of a Swiss UID, but the systems have different scopes.

Whether your Swiss business needs a foreign tax registration depends on its transactions. Selling to an EU customer, installing goods abroad or holding overseas stock can raise different questions. A Swiss UID does not resolve those obligations.

Frequently asked questions