When is a company required to keep accounts?

The requirement to keep books is solely determined by the obligation to register in the commercial register (according to Art. 957 OR), not by the registration itself.

The requirement to keep books is solely determined by the obligation to register in the commercial register (according to Art. 957 OR), not by the registration itself. If someone negligently fails to register in the commercial register, they are still required to keep books. If a company voluntarily registers in the commercial register, it is not subject to the bookkeeping requirement. You are obliged to register in the commercial register and thus to keep books if you run a commercial business. This means that you operate the business for profit. A sole proprietorship is only obliged to register in the commercial register and thus to keep books from a gross turnover of CHF 100,000.

In short: general partnerships, LLCs, and corporations are fundamentally obliged to keep books. If you are a sole proprietor, you must keep books from an annual turnover of CHF 100,000. However, it is advisable to engage in bookkeeping even with lower annual turnover to keep an eye on the financial situation.