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Data Sources

All company data is sourced from the official Liechtenstein Handelsregister (Trade Register), operated by the Amt fuer Justiz (Office of Justice). The system uses two tiers of data extraction depending on the requested data point.

Onboarding Profile (lightweight)

  • Handelsregister Company Details Page (handelsregister.li) — The public company details page of the official trade register. Provides basic company information: legal name, legal form, registered city, status, and company purpose (Zweck). No legal representatives, shareholders, or detailed address data.

Company Profile (comprehensive)

  • Handelsregister Trade Register Extract (Handelsregisterauszug) — A paid PDF document purchased automatically from the Handelsregister. The document is delivered by email (from info.hr.aju@llv.li) and processed using AI parsing for structured data extraction. This is the primary source for comprehensive company data: legal name, legal form, status, capital, registered address, legal representatives, shareholders, and company purpose.
Document Purchase Flow: The trade register extract is purchased automatically via credit card payment. The document is sent by email (typically within 1-5 minutes) and retrieved automatically. Documents are cached for 24 hours to avoid duplicate purchases.
The system follows a multi-step automated flow:
  1. Search & Navigate — Navigate to the company page via the Handelsregister
  2. Order Form — Submit the order for “Registerauszug unbeglaubigt aktuelle Informationen”
  3. Payment — Complete automated credit card payment
  4. Email Delivery — Wait for email from info.hr.aju@llv.li containing the register extract PDF and invoice PDF
  5. AI Parsing — Extract text from the PDF, then run AI parsers to produce company data, legal representatives, and shareholders
Important: The payment step has a maximum of 2 retry attempts to avoid duplicate charges. Email delivery typically takes 1-5 minutes but may take up to 30 minutes.

Company Identifiers

Query Identifiers

Company TypeSourceFormatExampleNotes
All companiesHandelsregisterFL-XXXX.XXX.XXX-XFL-0002.658.754-1FL-Nummer with checksum digit
FL-Nummer Format Breakdown: FL-0002.658.754-1 = FL- (prefix) + 0002 (block 1) + . + 658 (block 2) + . + 754 (block 3) + - + 1 (checksum digit). The regex pattern is: ^FL-\d{4}\.\d{3}\.\d{3}-\d$
Always include the full FL-Nummer format including the FL- prefix and the checksum digit after the hyphen. The system validates this format strictly and rejects identifiers that do not match.

Identifiers in API Response

Once you retrieve company data, the identifiers object contains:
Identifier TypeFormatExampleFound In
registrationNumberFL-XXXX.XXX.XXX-XFL-0002.658.754-1All companies
flNumberFL-XXXX.XXX.XXX-XFL-0002.658.754-1All companies (alias)

Search Capabilities

Search TypePatternExampleMatch TypeExpected Results
By FL-NummerFL-XXXX.XXX.XXX-XFL-0002.658.754-1ExactSingle company (1 result)
By NameText string (2-100 chars)"Fürstentum Automobile"FuzzyMultiple results
Search includes deleted companies. Name searches include deleted (geloescht) companies in results by default.
Search by FL-Nummer provides direct lookup and returns a single result. Search by name requires automated web interaction with the registry portal.

Quirks & Gotchas

QuirkDetails
Document purchase required for full profileCompany profile data requires purchasing the trade register extract (~10 CHF). The document is automatically purchased and delivered via email. Documents are cached for 24 hours.
Processing time ~2-5 minutesCompany profile retrieval is slower than most countries due to the automated purchase, email delivery (1-5 min), and AI parsing pipeline.
All activity codes are AI-inferredThe Handelsregister provides only a free-text purpose (Zweck). NACE and ISIC codes are always AI-inferred. isAIInferred is always true.
Legal representatives are AI-parsedExtracted from the trade register extract PDF via AI. Only available in companyProfile, not in onboardingProfile.
Shareholders depend on legal formGmbH companies typically disclose all Gesellschafter with capital contributions. AG, Anstalt, Stiftung, and Trust entities generally do not publish shareholder information.
Currency is CHFLiechtenstein uses the Swiss Franc (CHF). Capital amounts and document prices are denominated in CHF.
German-only documentsAll official trade register documents are in German. Company names and legal form names are in German.
Limited ISO 20275 coverageThe ISO 20275 mapping covers the most common forms (GmbH, AG). Less common forms (Anstalt, Stiftung, Trust, Einzelunternehmen) may not have ISO 20275 codes.
No UBO dataLiechtenstein has a UBO register, but it is not publicly accessible.
Deleted companies cannot be purchasedThe available documents workflow returns empty results for deleted (Geloescht) companies because documents cannot be purchased for them.
Registry web applicationThe Handelsregister uses a web application that requires automated web interaction for search and document ordering due to dynamic page behavior.
In Liquidation detected from company nameCompanies with “in Liquidation” in their legal name are classified as closed, even if no explicit deletion indicator exists on the page.
Email delivery can take up to 30 minutesWhile the document email typically arrives within 1-5 minutes, the system polls for up to 30 minutes (60 attempts, 30-second intervals) before timing out.

Company Status

Company status is determined differently depending on the data point requested.

Onboarding Profile (from company details page)

Status is derived from keyword matching on the Handelsregister company details page:
Local StatusEnglishStandardized StatusDetection Logic
AktivActiveActiveRegistry indicates active status
GeloeschtDeletedClosedRegistry indicates company has been deleted
In LiquidationIn LiquidationClosedCompany legal name contains “in Liquidation”

Company Profile (AI-parsed from trade register extract)

Status is extracted from the trade register extract PDF using AI parsing. The AI analyzes the document text and produces a standardized status.
Local StatusEnglishStandardized StatusNotes
ActiveActiveActiveAI-parsed from document text
AktivActiveActiveGerman variant from document
GeloeschtDeletedClosedCompany has been deleted from register
In LiquidationIn LiquidationClosedCompany is being liquidated
For the onboarding profile, status classification is deterministic (keyword matching). For the company profile, status is AI-parsed from the trade register extract document, which may use either German or English terminology.
Liechtenstein has a distinctive set of legal forms, including entity types unique to the principality (Anstalt, Trust). Legal form names come from the Handelsregister and are enriched via the enrichLegalForm AI parser for standardized names and ISO 20275 codes.

Key Business Forms

German NameAbbreviationEnglish TranslationStandardizedISO 20275
AktiengesellschaftAGStock CorporationCorporation5ZJC
Gesellschaft mit beschraenkter HaftungGmbHLimited Liability CompanyLimited Liability CompanyY8LH
KommanditgesellschaftKGLimited PartnershipPartnership
KollektivgesellschaftGeneral PartnershipPartnership

Unique Liechtenstein Entity Types

German NameEnglish TranslationStandardizedISO 20275Notes
AnstaltEstablishmentOtherUnique to Liechtenstein; hybrid between company and foundation
StiftungFoundationFoundationPrivate or public purpose foundation
TrustTrustTrustAnglo-Saxon trust structure recognized under Liechtenstein law
TreuhänderschaftTrusteeshipTrustAlternative German term for trust

Sole Entrepreneurs & Cooperatives

German NameEnglish TranslationStandardizedISO 20275
EinzelfirmaSole ProprietorshipSole Proprietorship
EinzelunternehmenSole ProprietorshipSole Proprietorship
GenossenschaftCooperativeCooperative

Non-Profits

German NameEnglish TranslationStandardizedISO 20275
VereinAssociationNonprofit Organization
Legal form standardization and ISO 20275 assignment are AI-enriched. The local German legal form name from the Handelsregister is always preserved verbatim. ISO 20275 codes are only reliably available for the most common forms (AG, GmbH).
Legal representatives are extracted from the trade register extract (Handelsregisterauszug) PDF using AI parsing. This data is only available in the full companyProfile, not in onboardingProfile.

Extraction Details

AspectDetails
SourceTrade register extract (Handelsregisterauszug) PDF
MethodAI parsing of document text
AvailabilitycompanyProfile only (not onboardingProfile)
AI-inferredYes — extraction and role classification from PDF is AI-based
Role enrichmentRoles are enriched via enrichRole parser using the company’s ELF code

Complete Role Nomenclature

German RoleEnglish TranslationTypical Legal Forms
GeschaeftsfuehrerManaging DirectorGmbH
DirektorDirectorAG, Anstalt
PraesidentPresidentAG, Stiftung
VizepraesidentVice PresidentAG
German RoleEnglish TranslationTypical Legal Forms
VerwaltungsratBoard MemberAG, Anstalt
VerwaltungsratspraesidentChairman of the BoardAG
StiftungsratFoundation Board MemberStiftung
StiftungsratspraesidentChairman of the Foundation BoardStiftung
German RoleEnglish TranslationTypical Legal Forms
ZeichnungsberechtigterAuthorized SignatoryAll
ProkuristAuthorized Officer (Prokura)All
BevollmaechtigterAuthorized RepresentativeAll
German RoleEnglish TranslationTypical Legal Forms
LiquidatorLiquidatorAll (during liquidation)
RevisorAuditorAG, GmbH
RevisionsstelleAudit BodyAG, GmbH
TreuhänderTrusteeTrust
The classification of each role as legal representative or other key person is AI-determined and depends on the company’s legal form context. For example, a “Verwaltungsrat” is typically a legal representative for an AG but might be classified as an other key person depending on the specific context. Signing authority details (Einzelzeichnung, Kollektivzeichnung zu zweien) are captured when available in the trade register extract.

Other Key Persons

Other key persons follow the same extraction logic as legal representatives (AI-parsed from the trade register extract). The AI determines whether a person listed in the register extract is a legal representative or an other key person based on their role and the company’s legal form. Common other key person roles include:
German RoleEnglish TranslationNotes
RevisorAuditorStatutory auditor
RevisionsstelleAudit BodyCorporate audit entity
ProkuristAuthorized OfficerMay be classified as other key person depending on context

Shareholders

Shareholders are extracted from the trade register extract (Handelsregisterauszug) PDF using AI parsing. This data is only available in the full companyProfile.

Extraction Logic

AspectDetails
SourceTrade register extract (Handelsregisterauszug) PDF
MethodAI parsing of document text
AI-inferredYes — extraction from PDF is AI-based
Legal FormShareholders AvailableNotes
GmbHYesAll Gesellschafter (partners) listed with capital contributions (Stammkapital)
AGNoShareholders (Aktionaere) are not publicly disclosed in the trade register
AnstaltNoFounder/beneficiary information is not public
StiftungNoFoundation structure does not have shareholders
TrustNoBeneficiary information is not public
KGPartialKomplementaer (general partner) is listed; Kommanditisten may be listed
EinzelfirmaNoSole proprietorship has no shareholders
GenossenschaftNoCooperative members are not listed individually

Ownership Fields

FieldDescriptionSource
sharePercentageOwnership percentageCalculated from capital contributions (AI-parsed)
numberOfSharesNumber of shares heldExtracted from document when available
typeIndividual or CompanyDetermined from document context
nominalCapitalHeldCapital contribution amount and currencyExtracted from Stammkapital/Aktienkapital data

Key Terminology

German TermEnglishDescription
GesellschafterShareholder/PartnerGmbH shareholders
AktionaerShareholderAG shareholders (not publicly disclosed)
StammkapitalShare capitalGmbH share capital (in CHF)
AktienkapitalShare capitalAG share capital (in CHF)
AnteilShare/StakeOwnership share
StammeinlageCapital contributionIndividual partner’s contribution to GmbH
Shareholder data availability depends on the legal form. GmbH companies typically list all Gesellschafter with capital contributions in the trade register extract. AG (Aktiengesellschaft) companies and entities like Anstalt, Stiftung, and Trust generally do not disclose shareholders publicly.

Activity Code Mapping

Liechtenstein does not use a national activity code classification in the Handelsregister. Activity codes are always AI-inferred from the company’s Zweck (purpose) field, which is a free-text description extracted from the trade register extract or the company details page.
Zweck / Company Purpose (free text) --> NACE Rev. 2 (AI-inferred) --> ISIC Rev. 4 (AI-inferred)
ClassificationSourceExampleAI Inferred?
NACEDerived from company purpose via AI45.1Yes (always)
ISICDerived from company purpose via AI4510Yes (always)
Both NACE and ISIC codes are always AI-inferred for Liechtenstein companies because the trade register provides only a free-text purpose description (Zweck), not structured activity codes. The isAIInferred flag is always true. For the onboarding profile, activity codes are enriched via the enrichActivities parser using the activityDescription field.

Data Availability Matrix

Data TypeOnboarding ProfileCompany ProfileNotes
Company ProfileYes (fast)Yes (async, ~2-5 min)Onboarding: basic data from details page. Company: AI-parsed from trade register extract
Legal RepresentativesNoYes (AI-parsed)From trade register extract only
Other Key PersonsNoYes (AI-parsed)From trade register extract only
ShareholdersNoConditionalGmbH: typically available; AG/Anstalt/Stiftung/Trust: not available
Ultimate Beneficial OwnersNoNoNot publicly accessible in Liechtenstein
EstablishmentsNoNoNot available from Handelsregister
Activity CodesYes (AI-inferred)Yes (AI-inferred)Always AI-inferred from Zweck (company purpose)
DocumentsYesTrade register extract (paid)
Legend: Yes = Available | No = Not Available | Conditional = Depends on legal form | Async = Asynchronous processing

Documents by Company Type

All companies (active only)

Document TypeAPI CategoryFormatSKUAvailabilityNotes
Trade Register Extract (uncertified)tradeRegisterExtractPDFLIE_REGISTER_EXTRACTYes (active companies only)Official Handelsregisterauszug. Automatically purchased, delivered via email, cached 24h.
Documents are only available for active companies. The available documents workflow validates that the company exists and is not deleted (Geloescht) before listing any documents. Deleted companies return an empty document list.
Document Naming: The register extract PDF is named AuszugAktuelleInformationenUnbeglaubigt.pdf (uncertified extract with current information). The invoice PDF is named Bestellung_HR_Auszug_V2_0.pdf.

Data Source Priority & Routing

Liechtenstein uses a single data source (the Handelsregister) with two access methods depending on the requested data point:
Data PointSourceMethodNotes
SearchHandelsregisterDirect lookup (FL-Nummer) / Automated retrieval (name)Free
Onboarding ProfileHandelsregister company details pageAutomated retrieval from registryLightweight, no document purchase
Company ProfileTrade register extract (Handelsregisterauszug)Automated purchase + AI parsingRequires paid document
Available DocumentsHandelsregisterAutomated retrieval (validates company exists & is active)Free
Document (Register Extract)HandelsregisterAutomated purchase and email deliveryPaid (~10 CHF)

Pricing

Data PointSKUPriceNotes
SearchFREEFree
Onboarding ProfileLIE_ONBOARDING_PROFILEFast, lightweight data
Company ProfileLIE_COMPANY_DATA + LIE_REGISTER_EXTRACTIncludes trade register extract purchase
Register ExtractLIE_REGISTER_EXTRACTPDF document (~10 CHF cost)
Company Profile includes the trade register extract — you are not charged twice if requesting both. The company profile workflow fetches the trade register extract as an intermediate step and uses it for AI parsing.

Example API Responses

All examples use placeholder data. Query: POST /company with { "id": "<id>", "countryCode": "LI", "dataPoints": ["companyProfile"] }
{
  "company": {
    "id": "FL-0002.658.754-1",
    "countryCode": "LI",
    "identifiers": {
      "registrationNumber": "FL-0002.658.754-1"
    },
    "legalName": "Fuerstentum Automobile GmbH",
    "registrationDate": "2021-05-21",
    "activityDescription": "Zweck der Gesellschaft ist der Kauf und Verkauf sowie die Vermittlung von Neuwagen und Gebrauchtwagen aller Marken.",
    "status": {
      "localName": "Active",
      "active": true,
      "statusDetails": {
        "status": "ACTIVE"
      }
    },
    "legalForm": {
      "localName": "Gesellschaft mit beschraenkter Haftung",
      "englishTranslation": "Limited Liability Company",
      "standardized": "Limited Liability Company",
      "iso20275Code": "Y8LH"
    },
    "capital": {
      "amount": 50000,
      "currency": "CHF",
      "formatted": "CHF 50,000"
    },
    "activities": {
      "NACE": [
        {
          "code": "45.1",
          "description": "Sale of motor vehicles",
          "isAIInferred": true
        }
      ],
      "ISIC": [
        {
          "code": "4510",
          "description": "Sale of motor vehicles",
          "isAIInferred": true
        }
      ]
    },
    "legalAddress": {
      "addressLine1": "Wirtschaftspark 23",
      "city": "Eschen",
      "postalCode": "9492",
      "countryCode": "LI"
    }
  },
  "legalRepresentatives": [
    {
      "entityId": "person_001",
      "type": "individual",
      "startDate": "2021-05-21",
      "role": {
        "localName": "Geschaeftsfuehrer",
        "englishTranslation": "Managing Director",
        "standardized": "Managing Director"
      },
      "individual": {
        "name": {
          "fullName": "Hans Mueller",
          "firstName": "Hans",
          "lastName": "Mueller"
        },
        "residenceAddress": {
          "city": "Bad Ragaz",
          "postalCode": "7310",
          "countryCode": "CH"
        }
      }
    }
  ],
  "shareholders": [
    {
      "entityId": "person_001",
      "type": "individual",
      "sharePercentage": 100,
      "numberOfShares": 1,
      "individual": {
        "nationality": "CH",
        "name": {
          "fullName": "Hans Mueller",
          "firstName": "Hans",
          "lastName": "Mueller"
        },
        "residenceAddress": {
          "city": "Bad Ragaz",
          "postalCode": "7310",
          "countryCode": "CH"
        }
      },
      "nominalCapitalHeld": {
        "amount": 50000,
        "currency": "CHF",
        "formatted": "CHF 50'000.00"
      }
    }
  ]
}
{
  "company": {
    "id": "FL-0001.122.356-7",
    "countryCode": "LI",
    "identifiers": {
      "registrationNumber": "FL-0001.122.356-7"
    },
    "legalName": "Alpenbank Aktiengesellschaft",
    "registrationDate": "2005-08-12",
    "activityDescription": "Die Gesellschaft bezweckt den Betrieb einer Bank gemaess dem Bankengesetz.",
    "status": {
      "localName": "Active",
      "active": true,
      "statusDetails": {
        "status": "ACTIVE"
      }
    },
    "legalForm": {
      "localName": "Aktiengesellschaft",
      "englishTranslation": "Stock Corporation",
      "standardized": "Corporation",
      "iso20275Code": "5ZJC"
    },
    "capital": {
      "amount": 20000000,
      "currency": "CHF",
      "formatted": "CHF 20,000,000"
    },
    "activities": {
      "NACE": [
        {
          "code": "64.19",
          "description": "Other monetary intermediation",
          "isAIInferred": true
        }
      ],
      "ISIC": [
        {
          "code": "6419",
          "description": "Other monetary intermediation",
          "isAIInferred": true
        }
      ]
    },
    "legalAddress": {
      "addressLine1": "Staedtle 28",
      "city": "Vaduz",
      "postalCode": "9490",
      "countryCode": "LI"
    }
  },
  "legalRepresentatives": [
    {
      "entityId": "person_001",
      "type": "individual",
      "role": {
        "localName": "Verwaltungsratspraesident",
        "englishTranslation": "Chairman of the Board",
        "standardized": "Chairman of the Board"
      },
      "individual": {
        "name": {
          "fullName": "Peter Frick",
          "firstName": "Peter",
          "lastName": "Frick"
        },
        "residenceAddress": {
          "city": "Balzers",
          "postalCode": "9496",
          "countryCode": "LI"
        }
      }
    },
    {
      "entityId": "person_002",
      "type": "individual",
      "role": {
        "localName": "Geschaeftsfuehrer",
        "englishTranslation": "Managing Director",
        "standardized": "Managing Director"
      },
      "individual": {
        "name": {
          "fullName": "Maria Wanger",
          "firstName": "Maria",
          "lastName": "Wanger"
        },
        "residenceAddress": {
          "city": "Vaduz",
          "postalCode": "9490",
          "countryCode": "LI"
        }
      }
    }
  ]
}
Note: AG (Aktiengesellschaft) companies do not publicly disclose shareholders in the trade register. The shareholders array is empty or absent.
{
  "company": {
    "id": "FL-0003.456.789-0",
    "countryCode": "LI",
    "identifiers": {
      "registrationNumber": "FL-0003.456.789-0"
    },
    "legalName": "Alte Handelsgesellschaft GmbH",
    "status": {
      "localName": "Geloescht",
      "active": false
    },
    "legalForm": {
      "localName": "Gesellschaft mit beschraenkter Haftung",
      "standardized": "Limited Liability Company",
      "iso20275Code": "Y8LH"
    },
    "legalAddress": {
      "city": "Schaan",
      "countryCode": "LI"
    }
  }
}
Note: Deleted companies have active: false and status Geloescht. Full company profile (with legal representatives and shareholders) is not available for deleted companies because the trade register extract cannot be purchased.
{
  "company": {
    "id": "FL-0001.987.654-3",
    "countryCode": "LI",
    "identifiers": {
      "registrationNumber": "FL-0001.987.654-3"
    },
    "legalName": "Vermoegensverwaltung Anstalt",
    "registrationDate": "2010-03-15",
    "activityDescription": "Die Anstalt bezweckt die Verwaltung eigenen Vermoegens.",
    "status": {
      "localName": "Active",
      "active": true,
      "statusDetails": {
        "status": "ACTIVE"
      }
    },
    "legalForm": {
      "localName": "Anstalt",
      "englishTranslation": "Establishment",
      "standardized": "Other"
    },
    "capital": {
      "amount": 30000,
      "currency": "CHF"
    },
    "activities": {
      "NACE": [
        {
          "code": "64.99",
          "description": "Other financial service activities",
          "isAIInferred": true
        }
      ],
      "ISIC": [
        {
          "code": "6499",
          "description": "Other financial service activities",
          "isAIInferred": true
        }
      ]
    },
    "legalAddress": {
      "addressLine1": "Landstrasse 11",
      "city": "Vaduz",
      "postalCode": "9490",
      "countryCode": "LI"
    }
  },
  "legalRepresentatives": [
    {
      "entityId": "person_001",
      "type": "individual",
      "role": {
        "localName": "Verwaltungsrat",
        "englishTranslation": "Board Member",
        "standardized": "Board Member"
      },
      "individual": {
        "name": {
          "fullName": "Thomas Buechel",
          "firstName": "Thomas",
          "lastName": "Buechel"
        },
        "residenceAddress": {
          "city": "Triesen",
          "postalCode": "9495",
          "countryCode": "LI"
        }
      }
    }
  ]
}
Note: Anstalt (Establishment) is a legal form unique to Liechtenstein. It does not have shareholders in the traditional sense — the founder or beneficiary information is not publicly disclosed.
Documents are returned when "dataPoints": ["documents"] is requested.
API CategoryDocumentNotes
tradeRegisterExtractOfficial Handelsregisterauszug PDFActive companies only (paid, ~10 CHF)
Note: Only the uncertified register extract is currently available. Certified register extracts (certifiedTradeRegisterExtract) are defined as a document type but not yet implemented.