Company & Commercial · Liechtenstein
Company formation in Liechtenstein with the right legal counsel
Setting up a company in Liechtenstein means working inside a civil-law system received from the Austrian ABGB and, through the EEA, closely tied to European internal-market rules. Tell us what you are planning and we match you with a Liechtenstein lawyer who handles company formation work.
- Lawyers entered in the Liechtenstein Rechtsanwaltsliste
- EEA-qualified lawyers for cross-border structures
- Formation, contracts and later disputes
Free of charge, no obligation — typical first response within 24–48 hours.
Get matched with a lawyer
Tell us about your situation and receive a free, confidential case review.
Setting up in Liechtenstein
Company formation in Liechtenstein: what a local lawyer actually handles
Liechtenstein is a small civil-law jurisdiction whose private law was received from the Austrian Allgemeines Bürgerliches Gesetzbuch and which, as an EEA member, is directly linked to European internal-market law. Company formation in Liechtenstein therefore touches more than paperwork: the structure you choose, the contracts you sign and the way a disagreement with a partner or supplier is resolved are all read through that framework. A Liechtenstein lawyer can tell you which requirements apply to your project and represent you if a dispute reaches the Fürstliches Landgericht, the Obergericht or the Oberster Gerichtshof. We do not advise you ourselves — we match you, free of charge, with a lawyer who handles company formation and commercial work in Liechtenstein.
Liechtenstein in practice
Courts, representation, costs and time limits in Liechtenstein
Liechtenstein’s court structure, representation rules, fee system and limitation periods shape how a company project — and any later dispute about it — will actually run. The points below summarise the framework verified for this page so that you can brief a lawyer with the right questions.
A civil-law jurisdiction inside the EEA
Liechtenstein’s private law is largely a reception of the Austrian Allgemeines Bürgerliches Gesetzbuch, in force with numerous Liechtenstein amendments. As a member of the EEA, the country is also bound by EEA and EU internal-market law, and the EFTA Court in Luxembourg has jurisdiction in EEA-law matters. Cross-border founders therefore work with two layers at once.
Which courts hear company disputes
Ordinary jurisdiction runs through three instances: the Fürstliches Landgericht in Vaduz as first instance, including an enforcement division, the Obergericht as second instance with three senates, and the Oberster Gerichtshof as third instance, which also sits as the Administrative Court. The Staatsgerichtshof is separate and hears constitutional complaints.
Do you need a lawyer in court?
The Liechtenstein Zivilprozessordnung regulates powers of attorney and party representation, and no general statutory obligation to be represented by a lawyer was identified in it. §33(1) ZPO expressly permits a power of attorney to be granted to persons who are not lawyers. For high-value or higher-instance matters, representation rules should be checked case by case.
Who may practise as a Liechtenstein lawyer
Only persons entered in the Rechtsanwaltsliste kept by the Liechtensteinische Rechtsanwaltskammer may practise as Liechtenstein lawyers. The Lawyers Act requires, among other things, EEA or equivalent nationality, a bar examination or three years of regular practice, a domestic office and professional indemnity insurance. Lawyers qualified in other EEA states may provide services under Art. 78 RAG.
Contracts, claims and how long they survive
Liechtenstein’s 2026 limitation reform shortened the general civil period to ten years in the consolidated ABGB text, while claims established by final judgment, enforceable settlement or enforceable instrument stay at thirty years. Typical commercial and professional claims carry five years, and damages claims three years from the moment the damage and the wrongdoer are known.
Language, court fees and legal aid
Proceedings and advice are conducted in German, and in simple cases court interns give free oral advice by telephone. Court fees under the Gerichtsgebührengesetz are based on the value in dispute, rounded up to the next franc, with foreign-currency amounts converted into Swiss francs at the SIX AG reference rate. Verfahrenshilfe under §63 ZPO can exempt a party from fees and assign a Verfahrenshelfer.
Key time limits — Commercial & Corporate Law
| Matter | Period / deadline | Note |
|---|---|---|
| Damages claims where the damage and the wrongdoer are known | 3 years from knowledge | The clock runs from the moment you know both the loss and who caused it. |
| Typical commercial and professional claims (short limitation) | 5 years | Frequently relevant to business-to-business dealings and professional services. |
| Payment order procedure (Zahlbefehl / Mandatsverfahren): objection and reinstatement | 14 days | Applies both to the objection and to the reinstatement application in that procedure. |
All country-specific statements on this page come from official Liechtenstein sources — the courts, the consolidated legislation portal gesetze.li, the Liechtenstein Bar Association and government publications — consulted in 2026.
- Fürstliche Gerichte — the three instances of ordinary jurisdiction and the Oberster Gerichtshof
- Fürstliche Gerichte — free legal information in simple cases
- Lawyers Act (RAG) and Zivilprozessordnung (ZPO), consolidated texts on gesetze.li
- ABGB limitation periods, consolidated text on gesetze.li
- Zivilprozessordnung — procedural periods (Berufung, Rekurs, Zahlbefehl), gesetze.li
- Gerichtsgebührengesetz (GGG), consolidated text on gesetze.li
- Oberster Gerichtshof — selected rulings, including on EFTA Court advisory opinions
- Liechtensteinische Rechtsanwaltskammer (Liechtenstein Bar Association)
- Liechtenstein Government — information on the 2026 limitation reform
Typical difficulties
What makes a Liechtenstein company project feel complicated
Three situations we see most often when founders start looking for legal support in Liechtenstein.
The requirements are hard to pin down
Liechtenstein company work sits inside a civil-law system received from the Austrian ABGB and layered with EEA internal-market rules. Founders often cannot tell which requirements apply to their structure, their contracts or their cross-border shareholders.
Cross-border structures raise EEA questions
If your holding, shareholders or suppliers sit elsewhere in the EEA, both national Liechtenstein rules and EEA internal-market law may be in play, and the EFTA Court in Luxembourg has jurisdiction in EEA-law matters.
Proceedings are conducted in German
Court proceedings and legal advice in Liechtenstein are in German. If you do not work in German, that alone is a reason to have someone on your side who does, from the first letter onwards.
Why this route
How we get you to the right Liechtenstein lawyer
One short brief, a vetted match, and a first conversation about your project rather than about our fee.
Specialists in Liechtenstein company work
We match you with lawyers who deal with company formation and commercial matters in Liechtenstein, not with general practitioners who take anything that arrives.
Clarity on requirements before you commit
Your first conversation covers what the project genuinely needs: structure, contracts, filings and the practical sequence, so that you can decide with real information.
Support after formation
The same lawyer can act if a contract is breached: the Fürstliches Landgericht in Vaduz is the first-instance court, with the Obergericht and the Oberster Gerichtshof above it.
EEA-qualified options
Only persons entered in the Rechtsanwaltsliste may practise as Liechtenstein lawyers, while lawyers qualified in other EEA states may provide services under Art. 78 RAG. We help you choose.
Coverage
Liechtenstein and the countries that connect to it
Our network covers Liechtenstein itself and the European countries most often involved in cross-border company structures there.
Questions
Company formation in Liechtenstein: frequent questions
What does company formation in Liechtenstein involve from a legal point of view?
It sits inside a civil-law system whose private law is largely a reception of the Austrian Allgemeines Bürgerliches Gesetzbuch, with Liechtenstein amendments, and which is also bound by EEA internal-market law. A Liechtenstein lawyer reviews your intended structure, the contracts behind it and the interfaces with regulators and tax, then explains what has to be done and in what order.
Do I have to instruct a lawyer to set up a company in Liechtenstein?
Nothing in the Liechtenstein Zivilprozessordnung establishes a general obligation to be represented by a lawyer, and §33(1) ZPO expressly allows a power of attorney to be given to a person who is not a lawyer. Many founders nevertheless instruct a Rechtsanwalt from the outset, because the choices made at formation shape later contracts and disputes.
Can a lawyer from another EEA state advise me on a Liechtenstein company?
Only persons entered in the Rechtsanwaltsliste kept by the Liechtensteinische Rechtsanwaltskammer may practise as Liechtenstein lawyers, and the Lawyers Act requires EEA or equivalent nationality, a bar examination or three years of regular practice, a domestic office and professional indemnity insurance. Lawyers qualified in other EEA states may provide services under Art. 78 RAG.
In which language will I be advised and, if necessary, represented?
Proceedings and legal advice in Liechtenstein are conducted in German. In simple cases, court interns give free oral legal advice by telephone in German and can draft submissions, subject to a prior appointment, but they do not provide written opinions or expert reports. For anything more involved, you will work in German with your lawyer.
What do court fees and legal fees look like in Liechtenstein?
Court fees follow the Gerichtsgebührengesetz: the assessment base is generally the value in dispute, amounts are rounded up to the next franc, and foreign-currency amounts are converted into Swiss francs at the SIX AG reference rate. Lawyers charge according to the statutory Rechtsanwaltstarif. Verfahrenshilfe under §63 ZPO can exempt a party from fees and assign a Verfahrenshelfer.
How long do claims from a business contract last under Liechtenstein law?
After the 2026 limitation reform the general period for civil claims is ten years, while claims established by final judgment, enforceable settlement or enforceable instrument remain at thirty years. Typical commercial and professional claims carry a five-year period, and damages claims three years from the moment the damage and the wrongdoer are known.
Next step
Tell us about your Liechtenstein company project
Describe in a few lines what you intend to set up, who is involved and where they are based. We will match you with a Liechtenstein lawyer who handles company formation and commercial work, and you decide whether to take it further.