Company Liquidation in Liechtenstein
Close a solvent Liechtenstein entity in order. We prepare the resolutions and the tax clearance; a licensed Liechtenstein trustee, named in your engagement letter, acts as liquidator and files.
- A licensed trustee acts as liquidator
- At least one liquidator must be qualified
- Tax clearance before deletion, as a rule
- Distribution block of half a year, which the Office of Justice can relax
How a solvent Liechtenstein company is closed
This page is for owners and advisers closing a solvent entity that has served its purpose. A dissolution for reasons other than bankruptcy leads to liquidation (PGR Art. 130(1)). The entity keeps its legal personality and carries the addition "i.L." until the liquidation is carried out (Art. 131(1)).
We prepare the resolutions, the creditor notices and the tax clearance file. The licensed trustee acts as liquidator and files with the Office of Justice (Amt für Justiz). If your seat and address already run through a licensed partner, see our registered office service. This page covers the voluntary road only.
Three roads that end a Liechtenstein entity
Trigger
Voluntary liquidation: Resolution of the members or the competent bodyInsolvency: Assets do not cover liabilities to third partiesDissolution and deletion by office: Business ceased and organs gone, public charges unpaid, no realisable assets, or no liquidators or board members leftWho acts
Voluntary liquidation: Liquidators, at least one qualifiedInsolvency: Liquidators stop and apply for insolvency proceedings; legal advice reserved to lawyersDissolution and deletion by office: Office of Justice
What's included
Solvency check and route pack
We gather the balance sheet and creditor list so the board and the licensed partner can see whether assets cover third-party liabilities. If not, the road is insolvency (PGR Art. 130(4)).
Dissolution resolution drafts
Drafts for the members or the competent body. A GmbH resolves with three quarters of all members holding three quarters of the capital, unless the statutes differ (Art. 423(1)).
Liquidator mandate
The licensed trustee on the board, or a legal person licensed under the TrHG, acts as liquidator. We arrange the mandate and are never the sole liquidator. Board roles held through a licensed partner more generally: nominee director Liechtenstein.
Register file
We collect the documents; the licensed trustee or the qualified liquidator files the dissolution and liquidator entries.
Liquidation balance sheet and creditor call
The liquidator draws up the Liquidationsbilanz, notifies creditors and settles debts. Bookkeeping runs through the licensed trustee, as for the annual accounts and tax returns of a Liechtenstein entity.
Tax clearance file
We prepare it; the licensed trustee acts under a written power of attorney. VAT deregistration first, then the Tax Administration's report to the Office of Justice.
Deletion application and aftermath
The liquidator files the deletion (Löschung). Assets found later lead to a supplementary liquidation (Nachtragsliquidation).
Who it is for
A solvent entity that has served its purpose
An AG, GmbH or other company whose assets cover its debts and whose owners want it closed by resolution.
A company left dormant
Public charges unpaid and nobody acting: the road ahead may be dissolution by office. We explain it so you can choose the voluntary road first.
A director who wants to act as liquidator
Possible alongside a qualified liquidator: at least one must meet PGR Art. 180a or hold a Trustee Act licence (Art. 132(1a)).
Owners who would rather combine than close
If the plan is a merger or conversion of Liechtenstein entities, that is a separate engagement.
How the liquidation works
Eight steps of a voluntary liquidation
Check solvency and the road
No official time published
Who acts: LFT collects data
Resolve to dissolve
No official time published
Who acts: Members or the competent body
Appoint liquidators, file the entries
No official time published
Who acts: Licensed trustee or qualified liquidator
Liquidation balance sheet and creditor call
No official time published
Who acts: Liquidator; Office of Justice publishes
Settle the debts
No official time published
Who acts: Liquidator
Distribution block
Half a year, relaxable
Who acts: Office of Justice decides
Tax clearance
VAT deregistration within 30 days
Who acts: Licensed trustee under power of attorney; Tax Administration reports
File the deletion
No official time published
Who acts: Liquidator files; Office of Justice enters
Two periods are set by law: the half-year distribution block and the 30-day VAT deregistration.
Check solvency and the road
If assets do not cover third-party liabilities, the liquidators stop and apply for insolvency. We collect the data; insolvency advice is reserved to lawyers (RAG Art. 8). Who: board, LFT.
Resolve to dissolve
The members or the body competent under the statutes pass the dissolution resolution (Auflösungsbeschluss) on our drafts. Who: client.
Appoint the liquidators and file
At least one liquidator is qualified (PGR Art. 132(1a)); the licensed trustee or the qualified liquidator files the entries. Who: licensed trustee.
Balance sheet and creditor call
On taking office the liquidator draws up the balance sheet; as a rule known creditors get a special notice and the Office of Justice calls the others by publication (Art. 135). Who: liquidator, Office of Justice.
Settle the debts
Debts are paid in the ranking order of insolvency law as far as assets allow (Art. 136(1)), with "i.L." on letterhead and website. We found no statutory duration for this step. Who: liquidator.
Wait out the distribution block
Half a year from publication (Sperrhalbjahr); the Office of Justice can permit earlier distribution, and deletion may come before it ends (Art. 138). Who: Office of Justice.
Clear the tax
A VAT-registered entity deregisters in writing within 30 days after business ends, at the latest at the close (MWSTG Art. 53(2)). The Tax Administration then reports to the Office of Justice. Who: licensed trustee.
File the deletion
The liquidator files the deletion and the Office of Justice enters it (PGR Art. 138(4)). No official processing time is published. Who: liquidator, Office of Justice.
Is your company solvent and ready to close?
Tell us the entity and its position. We set out the resolutions, the liquidator mandate and the tax file.
Documents you will need
- Corporate documents and a current register extract
- Latest accounts and books for the liquidation balance sheet
- A list of creditors and debtors
- The dissolution resolution, or our draft of it
- A written power of attorney for the tax steps
- Tax and VAT file details
- Identity and beneficial-owner documents for the licensed trustee's checks
Liechtenstein requirements at a glance
Official rules and figures only, each with its statute. No fee of LFT or the licensed partner appears; pricing on request.
Statutory requirements of a voluntary liquidation in Liechtenstein
| Requirement | Rule | Statute |
|---|---|---|
| Dissolution majority of a GmbH | three quarters of all members holding three quarters of the capital, unless the statutes differ | PGR Art. 423(1) |
| Qualified liquidators | at least one liquidator meets Art. 180a or is a legal person licensed under the Trustee Act | PGR Art. 132(1a); TrHG Art. 13 |
| Addition and status | "i.L." on the firm name until the liquidation is carried out; the status on letterhead, order forms and websites of an AG, KGaA or GmbH where applicable | PGR Art. 131(1); Art. 120a(1)(3) |
| Distribution block | half a year from publication; the Office of Justice can permit earlier distribution; deletion may come before the block ends | PGR Art. 138(2), (3), (5) |
| VAT deregistration | in writing within 30 days after the business activity ends, at the latest at the close of the liquidation | MWSTG Art. 53(2); Art. 14(2) |
| Tax clearance before deletion | as a rule, deletion only after the Tax Administration has told the Office of Justice that all taxes owed are paid; VAT paid or secured | SteG Art. 133a; MWSTG Art. 85 |
| Demand by office | the Office of Justice sets a period of at least two months to restore the lawful state or pay the public charges | HRV Art. 114(2), (4) |
| Asset-less entity | the board is asked for its reasoned interest within 30 days; third parties are called once, also 30 days | PGR Art. 971(2); HRV Art. 116(1), (2) |
| Fee for the dissolution resolution | CHF 150 public-deed fee for an AG, SE, GmbH or KGaA (a deed fee, not a register fee), version of 1 August 2024 | GbHr-GebV Annex 2 F |
Source: PGR; SteG; MWSTG; HRV, version of 1 July 2026; GbHr-GebV Annex 2 F, version of 1 August 2024; TrHG Art. 13. No total duration is stated: the law sets none.
Problems we solve
Letting the company lapse
Unpaid public charges let the Tax Administration apply for dissolution by office (PGR Art. 971(1) no. 4). The Office of Justice sets a period of at least two months first (HRV Art. 114(4)). We set out the voluntary road instead.
Acting as liquidator yourself
Allowed only if at least one liquidator meets the qualification test (PGR Art. 132(1a)). Otherwise the licensed trustee or a licensed legal person is appointed. LFT is not that person.
A company that may not be solvent
The liquidators stop and apply for insolvency proceedings (PGR Art. 130(4)). Advice on insolvency is reserved to lawyers, subject to the powers of trustees and patent attorneys (RAG Art. 8). We hand the file over.
Personal liability for tax
Persons charged with the liquidation are jointly liable up to the net assets or the liquidation result (SteG Art. 111(3)(a)); for VAT up to the liquidation result (MWSTG Art. 15). Liability lapses on proof of due care.
Assets or claims after deletion
Members or creditors can request a supplementary liquidation (PGR Art. 139(1)). A claim against the deleted entity is met by a representative (Beistand) whom the court appoints (Art. 141(1)).
Two roads that end in a deletion
| Aspect | Voluntary liquidation (this service) | Dissolution or deletion by office (official procedure) |
|---|---|---|
| Trigger | a resolution of the competent body | business ceased and organs gone; public charges unpaid, on the Tax Administration's application; no realisable assets; no liquidators or board members left |
| Who acts | the liquidators, at least one qualified | the Office of Justice, first with a written demand (at least two months for unpaid charges; 30 days for an entity with no realisable assets) |
| Tax clearance before deletion | normally required | normally required, with exceptions that include deletion by office |
| What LFT does | prepares the resolutions, the creditor notices and the tax file; the licensed trustee acts and files | nothing: it is not a service we offer |
Source: PGR Art. 130(1), 132, 971; HRV Art. 114(4); SteG Art. 133a.
Not sure which road fits your company?
Send us the balance sheet and the open charges. We show which road applies and who acts on each step.
Why work with us
From our practice
We collect the books, the creditor list and the tax papers, prepare the resolutions and the creditor notices, and keep the file in order until the deletion. The licensed Liechtenstein trustee named in your engagement letter acts as liquidator and files.
Frequently asked questions
Can I simply stop paying the fees and let the company lapse?
Not as a clean exit. If public charges stay unpaid despite repeated demands, the Tax Administration can apply for dissolution by office (PGR Art. 971(1) no. 4). The Office of Justice can set a period of at least two months (HRV Art. 114(4)), and deletion normally needs tax clearance (SteG Art. 133a).
Can I act as liquidator myself?
In part. The liquidators are the managing and representing members unless the statutes or a top-body resolution name others (PGR Art. 132(1)). At least one liquidator must meet Art. 180a or be a legal person licensed under TrHG Art. 13 (PGR Art. 132(1a)). LFT is not that person; the licensed trustee is.
Why must a licensed trustee be one of the liquidators?
The statute requires at least one qualified liquidator (PGR Art. 132(1a)). Taking on board mandates for third parties is a trustee activity (TrHG Art. 2(b)), and unlicensed exercise is an offence (TrHG Art. 80(1)). We prepare the resolutions and the tax clearance; the licensed trustee acts as liquidator and files.
Are the liquidators personally liable for tax?
The law makes the persons charged with the liquidation jointly liable for the tax debt up to the net assets or the liquidation result (SteG Art. 111(3)(a)). For VAT the limit is the liquidation result, for claims arising or falling due during their management (MWSTG Art. 15(1)(e) and Art. 15(2)). Liability lapses on proof of due care.
What happens if the Tax Administration has not cleared the company?
As a rule the company is deleted only after the Tax Administration has told the Office of Justice that all taxes owed are paid (SteG Art. 133a), and VAT is paid or secured (MWSTG Art. 85). Exceptions exist, including deletion by office. The VAT deregistration within 30 days belongs to the same file (MWSTG Art. 53(2)).
What if the company turns out to be insolvent?
The liquidators stop their work and apply for insolvency proceedings (PGR Art. 130(4)). Legal advice on insolvency is reserved to lawyers, subject to the powers of trustees and patent attorneys (RAG Art. 8(1)(a) and (3)). This page covers the solvent liquidation only.
How long does it take to liquidate a Liechtenstein company?
The law sets no total duration. It sets a distribution block of half a year (PGR Art. 138(2)) that the Office of Justice can relax (Art. 138(3)), and deletion may come before it ends (Art. 138(5)). No official processing time is published for the register steps, so we give no number of months.
Why is there a six-month wait, and can it be shortened?
Distribution may not take place before half a year after publication of the dissolution with the call to register claims (PGR Art. 138(2)). The Office of Justice may permit an earlier distribution when any danger to creditors is entirely excluded (Art. 138(3)). The block is a default the office can relax, not a fixed timeline.
What happens to creditors during liquidation?
As a rule known creditors receive a special notice and unknown creditors are called by the Office of Justice by publication (PGR Art. 135(2)), unless the office permits another form of call or all creditors agree. The liquidators then settle the debts in the ranking order of insolvency law as far as the assets allow (Art. 136(1)).
Who gets paid first in liquidation?
The liquidators settle the debts in the ranking order of insolvency law, as far as the assets allow (PGR Art. 136(1)). This page does not set out that ranking. If the assets do not cover the liabilities to third parties, the insolvency road applies (Art. 130(4)), and legal advice on it is reserved to lawyers.
Can a company be deleted without liquidation if it has no assets?
The Office of Justice may order deletion by office when no realisable assets are left (PGR Art. 971(2)). It asks the board by registered letter for its reasoned interest within 30 days and calls third parties once, also within 30 days (HRV Art. 116(1) and Art. 116(2)). That is an official procedure, not a service we offer.
What changes for an Anstalt or a foundation?
The general liquidation rules apply unless a special provision exists for the form (PGR Art. 130(3)). The Anstalt (PGR Art. 550(1)) and the foundation (PGR Art. 552 § 39(3)) have provisions of their own. Those mechanics sit on the Anstalt and foundation administration pages, not here.
Can assets that turn up after deletion be dealt with?
Yes. A supplementary liquidation can be requested when further assets subject to distribution turn up after the deletion (PGR Art. 139(1)). A claim against the deleted entity is met by a representative, a Beistand, whom the court appoints on application (PGR Art. 141(1)).
What must stay on the letterhead and website during liquidation?
The entity carries the addition in Liquidation, in Liq. or i.L. (PGR Art. 131(1)) until the liquidation is carried out towards third parties and any members. An AG, KGaA or GmbH also shows the liquidation status on letterhead, order forms and websites where applicable (PGR Art. 120a(1)(3)).
Close your Liechtenstein company with a clear plan
Call the Wealth Management department on +423 210 0004, Monday to Friday 09:00-17:30 (CET/CEST), or write to info@foundation-liechtenstein.com. LFF Heritage Trusts, Schlossplatz 5, 9490 Vaduz.