Zefix (Zentraler Firmenindex — Central Business Name Index) is the Swiss federal government's official online portal for searching commercial register data across all 26 cantons. Maintained by the Federal Commercial Registry Office (EHRA) at zefix.admin.ch, it provides free public access to company entries, official register extracts, certified statutes, and SHAB publication history — with no account required for basic searches. For KYC entity verification under AMLA Article 3, Zefix is the operational starting point.
What is the Swiss Handelsregister?
The Swiss Handelsregister is Switzerland's official public register of all legally registered companies, partnerships, foundations, associations, and branch offices. Maintained by 26 cantonal register offices and overseen by the Federal Commercial Registry Office (EHRA), it records:
- Legal form (AG, GmbH, Einzelfirma, Kollektivgesellschaft, etc.)
- Registered address (domicile)
- Directors, board members, and authorised signatories with their signing authority type
- Company purpose (Zweck)
- Share capital
- UID number (unique identifier)
- Historical mutations (all changes since incorporation)
Registration is constitutive for AGs and GmbHs — the company does not legally exist until it appears in the register. For these legal forms, the register is not just a record; it is the act of creation.
Zefix vs the Handelsregister: what's the difference?
This is a common point of confusion:
| Handelsregister | Zefix | |
|---|---|---|
| What it is | The legal register itself | The search portal |
| Maintained by | 26 cantonal offices | Federal EHRA |
| Legal status | The authoritative record | An aggregation/search interface |
| Extract type | Certified (legal evidentiary value) | Informational PDF |
| Cost | CHF 40–50 for certified extract | Free |
| Coverage | One canton per office | All 26 cantons |
Zefix is the search tool; the Handelsregister is the underlying legal record. A Zefix PDF extract is informational — sufficient for most IAM KYC files. A certified extract from the cantonal Handelsregisteramt has legal evidentiary value for bank submissions, notarial proceedings, and formal filings.
The Handelsregisterauszug
The Handelsregisterauszug is the key document in KYC entity verification. It contains:
- Company name, legal form, and UID
- Current registered address
- Current directors and board members with their nationalities and domiciles
- Signing authority type for each person (Einzelunterschrift or Kollektivunterschrift)
- Company purpose (Zweck)
- Share capital
- GmbH quota holder list (shareholder list — not available for AGs)
- Mutation history and SHAB publication links
What it does not contain: Beneficial ownership declarations, financial statements, tax records, sanctions flags, or adverse media. The Handelsregister records legal structure and identity — not risk.
Using Zefix for KYC entity verification
For AMLA Article 3 compliance — verification of the contracting party's identity — the Zefix workflow is:
- Search by company name or UID at zefix.admin.ch
- Confirm the company is active (status: eingetragen, not gelöscht)
- Download the current Handelsregisterauszug PDF
- Review the extract: legal form, address, signatories, purpose, mutation history
- Record the UID — this is your stable identifier for all subsequent queries and SHAB monitoring
- Document the retrieval date in the client file (the extract reflects the state as of that date)
Deleted companies: Zefix includes entries for companies that have been deleted from the register (gelöscht), with their deletion date and the relevant SHAB publication. Enable "include deleted" in the Zefix search to find wound-up entities.
The UID: why it matters
The UID (Unternehmens-Identifikationsnummer) is Switzerland's unique company identifier, formatted as CHE-XXX.XXX.XXX. It is:
- Assigned at registration and never changes
- Consistent across the commercial register, VAT administration, and other federal registers
- The stable key for programmatic entity lookup — preferred over company name for API queries because names can change
- The correct parameter for SHAB monitoring queries via LINDAS or the Zefix REST API
Always record the UID in the KYC file. It enables reliable long-term monitoring and lookup even if the company changes its name.
Zefix access methods
| Method | Access | Use case |
|---|---|---|
| Web portal | zefix.admin.ch — free, no account | Manual single-entity lookup |
| PDF extract | Free download from portal | KYC file documentation |
| REST API | Free, account required (email zefix@bj.admin.ch) | Programmatic lookup by UID or name |
| LINDAS SPARQL | Free, no account | Flexible cross-dataset queries |
| Mobile app | Free | Field-use lookups |
Certified extracts ordered from cantonal offices cost approximately CHF 40–50. Several commercial portals charge for documents available free on the official register — these are unnecessary.
When a certified extract is required
For most IAM KYC files, the free Zefix PDF extract is sufficient. A certified extract from the cantonal Handelsregisteramt is appropriate for:
- High-risk relationships where the file may be subject to regulatory inspection
- Custodian bank requirements — some banks specify certified extracts for account-opening documentation
- Formal legal submissions — notarial proceedings, court filings, or cross-border compliance submissions
Key terms
| Term | Definition |
|---|---|
| Handelsregister | Swiss cantonal commercial register — the legal register |
| Zefix | Federal portal aggregating all cantonal commercial register data |
| Handelsregisterauszug | Official company extract from the commercial register |
| EHRA | Federal Commercial Registry Office — oversees Zefix and cantonal offices |
| UID | Unternehmens-Identifikationsnummer — unique company identifier (CHE-XXX.XXX.XXX) |
| Einzelunterschrift | Individual signing authority — one signature legally binds the company |
| Kollektivunterschrift | Collective signing authority — two signatories required |
| Zweck | Company purpose — the registered statement of business activities |