Liechtenstein Company Search Guide 2026: How to Verify a Liechtenstein Business

TL;DR. Liechtenstein’s official commercial register is the Handelsregister, accessible at handelsregister.li. Basic company search is free with no account required, but the interface is in German only. Liechtenstein is an EEA member, implements EU financial and AML regulations via the EEA Agreement, and uses the Swiss franc (CHF). It is a well-established international private wealth jurisdiction, known for the Anstalt and Stiftung structures. The FMA (Financial Market Authority) supervises financial services. Liechtenstein is not on the FATF grey list.

What is the official Liechtenstein business registry?

The Handelsregister des Fürstentums Liechtenstein (Commercial Register of the Principality of Liechtenstein) is the official public registry for commercial entities and legal structures incorporated in Liechtenstein. It is maintained by the Amt für Justiz (Office of Justice) under the Liechtenstein national government (Liechtensteinische Landesverwaltung).

The registry portal is at handelsregister.li, published by the Liechtenstein Gazette (Liechtensteiner Landesanzeiger), which also serves as the official publication vehicle for registry announcements.

Liechtenstein is a constitutional monarchy (Principality) in Central Europe. It is neither an EU member nor a Swiss canton, but has a unique double status: it is a member of the European Economic Area (EEA) through EFTA, implementing most EU single-market legislation, and it operates in a customs union and monetary union with Switzerland (using the Swiss franc, CHF). Liechtenstein’s legal system is based on Austrian civil law principles, adapted over decades to create a sophisticated private wealth and international finance environment.

Liechtenstein’s company law is governed by the Personen- und Gesellschaftsrecht (PGR, Persons and Companies Act of January 20, 1926, substantially amended), one of the most flexible and permissive company law frameworks in Europe. It enables a wide variety of legal structures not found in most other jurisdictions.

Key entity types registered in Liechtenstein include:

• AG (Aktiengesellschaft): joint-stock company (public limited company equivalent).
• GmbH (Gesellschaft mit beschränkter Haftung): private limited company.
• Anstalt (Establishment): a unique Liechtenstein vehicle combining elements of a corporation and a trust, with no equivalent in most other legal systems. Extremely flexible, used extensively in private wealth and asset holding structures.
• Stiftung (Foundation): a foundation without members, used for private wealth, philanthropy, and asset protection.
• Trust reg. (registered trust): common law trusts can be registered in Liechtenstein under the Liechtenstein Trust Law.
• KG (Kommanditgesellschaft): limited partnership.
• Branches of foreign companies.

The FMA Liechtenstein (Finanzmarktaufsicht, Financial Market Authority) at fma-li.li supervises licensed financial services entities and maintains a public register of FMA-licensed entities.

What can you search?

The Handelsregister portal allows free public searches by:

• Company or entity name (full or partial)
• Registration number (Registernummer)

Results show: entity name, registration number, legal form, registered office address, registration date, current status, and names of authorized signatories and directors (Geschäftsführer) where publicly filed. The Handelsregister Liechtenstein also provides access to gazette notices of corporate events.

Liechtenstein has a beneficial ownership register established under the Due Diligence Act (Sorgfaltspflichtgesetz, SPG) and updated under AML legislation to reflect EU AML Directive standards via the EEA Agreement. The UBO register is maintained centrally but is not publicly accessible. Access is through the FMA and through Liechtenstein’s Due Diligence Registry. Licensed due-diligence intermediaries (Sorgfaltspflichtige) in Liechtenstein — banks, fiduciaries, attorneys, and trust companies — are required to maintain and report UBO information.

Liechtenstein implements the OECD CRS for automatic exchange of financial account information, and FATCA under its IGA with the United States.

How much does it cost?

Fees are set by the Amt für Justiz and are subject to update. CHF/USD conversion: approximately CHF 1.10:1 USD (May 2026; verify at point of transaction). Documents requiring apostille authentication carry additional fees.

Do you need a local account or ID?

No. Basic name searches on the Handelsregister portal are publicly accessible without registration. Ordering certified extracts or official documents requires submitting a formal request to the Amt für Justiz, which can be done by correspondence or email for foreign requesters. Payment is typically by bank transfer.

Is the website in English?

No. The Handelsregister portal is entirely in German. Liechtenstein’s official language is German. For foreign compliance buyers:

• Browser-based translation (Google Translate, DeepL) provides workable access to navigation and basic search results.
• Key terms: “Aktiv” = active; “gelöscht” = struck off/deleted; “Geschäftsführer” = managing director; “Prokurist” = authorized signatory with commercial power of attorney; “Sitz” = registered office; “Handelsregisternummer” = commercial register number.
• Entity type names (Anstalt, Stiftung, AG, GmbH) are German legal terms without equivalent English translations for the unique Liechtenstein structures.
• The FMA portal at fma-li.li has partial English content for its licensee register, which is useful for regulated financial entities.

What’s the turnaround time?

Online searches are instant. Certified extract requests submitted by correspondence take 1-5 business days. Liechtenstein’s small size (population approximately 40,000) and professional public administration mean document requests are generally handled efficiently.

Is there an API?

No formal public API for the Handelsregister is documented for external use as of May 2026. Programmatic access for compliance platforms must be arranged through direct engagement with the Amt für Justiz or through licensed Liechtenstein fiduciaries, attorneys, or trust companies that maintain client databases and can provide structured data access under appropriate service agreements.

What you legally cannot do

Liechtenstein implemented the EU GDPR via the EEA Agreement (through the Datenschutzgesetz, DSG). The EU has confirmed that Liechtenstein maintains GDPR-equivalent data protection. Restrictions include:

• Automated bulk scraping of the Handelsregister for commercial redistribution is prohibited under the registry’s terms of use.
• Personal data of directors, signatories, and beneficiaries obtained from registry sources must be processed in compliance with the DSG.
• The beneficial ownership register is not publicly accessible; unauthorized access is a criminal offence under Liechtenstein’s Due Diligence Act.
• Documents from the Handelsregister intended for use abroad require apostille authentication by the competent Liechtenstein authority (Amt für Justiz). Liechtenstein is a party to the Hague Apostille Convention.

Practical tips for foreign compliance buyers

• Anstalt and Stiftung are unique to Liechtenstein. These entity types do not exist in most other legal systems. An Anstalt has no shareholder or member; its founding documents (Statuten) define its purpose, governance, and beneficial interests. A Stiftung (foundation) likewise has no members or shareholders; a Foundation Council manages it. Both are used extensively in international private wealth planning. When your due diligence reveals a Liechtenstein Anstalt or Stiftung in a corporate chain, expect that beneficial interest disclosure requires going through the licensed fiduciary administrator, not a public registry search.
• Due Diligence Act intermediaries are the gatekeepers. All Liechtenstein-based banks, trust companies, fiduciaries, attorneys, and fund managers are required to collect and verify UBO information under the SPG. The licensed intermediary (Sorgfaltspflichtige) is your practical route to UBO information. Engaging a licensed Liechtenstein fiduciary or attorney is the standard method for enhanced due diligence on material Liechtenstein structures.
• FMA licensee register. The FMA publishes a complete public register of licensed banks, investment firms, fund managers, insurance companies, and fiduciaries at fma-li.li. This is the primary check for any regulated Liechtenstein financial counterparty.
• CHF currency. Liechtenstein uses the Swiss franc (CHF), tied to Switzerland through its monetary and customs union. There is no separate Liechtenstein franc. CHF is a traditionally safe-haven currency but can be volatile against other currencies.
• OECD Global Forum. Liechtenstein has committed to and implemented the OECD’s framework on tax transparency, including automatic exchange of financial account information under CRS. Liechtenstein’s banking sector operates under these reporting standards, reducing banking secrecy for tax evasion purposes while maintaining privacy for lawful private wealth.
• EEA membership means EU AML Directives apply. Through the EEA Agreement, Liechtenstein transposes EU AML Directives (currently the 6th AML Directive framework). This provides a high baseline of AML/CFT technical compliance aligned with EU standards.

Alternatives if you cannot access the registry directly

• FMA licensee register (fma-li.li): free public access to all licensed financial services entities, with partial English content.
• Licensed Liechtenstein fiduciaries and law firms: for certified document retrieval, enhanced due diligence, and UBO inquiry under the AML framework.
• OpenCorporates: has partial Handelsregister Liechtenstein coverage; use only for indicative name checks.

Local data suppliers

Liechtenstein does not have its own commercial credit bureau. Due diligence on Liechtenstein entities is primarily handled by:

• Licensed Liechtenstein fiduciaries, attorneys, and trust companies: Vaduz-based practitioners (the capital and main business center) with direct Handelsregister access and AML-framework UBO inquiry capability. Major fiduciary firms include Kaiser Partner, Marxer and Partner, and Allgemeines Treuunternehmen (ATU).
• Swiss credit bureaus and compliance platforms: Dun and Bradstreet Switzerland and other Swiss-based providers sometimes have coverage of Liechtenstein operating entities with commercial ties to Switzerland.
• International compliance platforms (LexisNexis, Refinitiv): include Liechtenstein-registered entities in adverse media and sanctions screening databases.

FAQ

Is Liechtenstein a member of the EU?

No. Liechtenstein is a member of the European Economic Area (EEA) through the European Free Trade Association (EFTA), but not a member of the EU. EEA membership means Liechtenstein implements most EU single-market legislation, including EU financial services regulations, GDPR, and AML Directives. Liechtenstein also operates in a customs union and currency union with Switzerland, using the Swiss franc (CHF).

What makes Liechtenstein unique for international structures?

Liechtenstein’s PGR (Persons and Companies Act of 1926) creates entity types — notably the Anstalt and Stiftung — that do not exist in other legal systems and offer exceptional flexibility for private wealth planning, asset protection, and succession planning. Liechtenstein’s combination of EEA membership (providing EU market access), Swiss monetary stability, low corporate tax rates, political stability, and sophisticated legal infrastructure makes it attractive for international holding and wealth structures.

Does Liechtenstein have a public beneficial ownership register?

No. Liechtenstein’s UBO register is centralized and accessible only by competent authorities and, through information exchange, by foreign financial intelligence units and tax authorities. Licensed Liechtenstein intermediaries (fiduciaries, banks, attorneys) are required to collect, verify, and maintain UBO records under the Due Diligence Act (SPG). The UBO register is not publicly accessible. Liechtenstein has committed to reviewing public access in line with international developments.

Is Liechtenstein on the FATF grey list?

No. Liechtenstein is not on the FATF Increased Monitoring list. Liechtenstein participates in the FATF process through the MONEYVAL committee and has been assessed as broadly compliant with FATF technical requirements. Its most recent MONEYVAL evaluation confirmed high levels of technical compliance. See fatf-gafi.org for current status.

Last verified: May 2026. Sources: Handelsregister Liechtenstein (handelsregister.li); FMA Liechtenstein (fma-li.li); Amt für Justiz Liechtenstein (llv.li); FATF (fatf-gafi.org). For the full global due diligence framework, see our Global Business Due Diligence Guide.