UID Number Switzerland: what freelancers actually need to know

Quick answer

The UID is the Swiss business identification number in the format CHE-123.456.789. Since January 2011, every company active in Switzerland receives a UID. Since 1 January 2014, it has also been the valid identifier for the Commercial Register and for Swiss VAT.

For freelancers and sole proprietors, these are the key points:

• The UID is not the same thing as the VAT number.
• The VAT number is your UID with the suffix MWST, TVA, or IVA.
• The official UID register is public and free for companies.
• If you are not VAT-registered, you should not add the VAT suffix to your invoices just to look more established.

If you only need the short version: UID = your base business number, VAT number = UID plus the VAT suffix.

When does a sole proprietor get a UID?

The official logic is straightforward: a business receives a UID once it is recorded by an administrative office connected to the UID system.

For freelancers, that matters because:

• you do not only get a UID once your business feels "big enough",
• a Commercial Register entry can be one path, but not the only one,
• and a sole proprietorship can appear in the UID system before people expect it to.

In practical terms, the better question is not "Am I already in the Commercial Register?" but: Has my business already been recorded by a connected official office?

If you also need the registration side, read our guide to the Swiss Commercial Register.

UID, VAT number, or Commercial Register entry: what is the difference?

Which number belongs on your invoice?

This is where many freelancers make avoidable mistakes.

If you are not VAT-registered

You may already have a UID, but that does not automatically turn it into a VAT number.

In that situation, what matters most on the invoice is usually:

• your correct business or personal trading name,
• full address,
• invoice date,
• invoice number,
• clear service description,
• total amount,
• payment deadline.

If you are VAT-registered

Then you use your UID with the correct suffix, for example:

• CHE-123.456.789 MWST
• CHE-123.456.789 TVA
• CHE-123.456.789 IVA

The Swiss Federal Tax Administration explicitly states that VAT is not the official Swiss suffix.

If you want the tax-side detail, read our guide to the Swiss VAT number.

Where can you check a UID?

The official Swiss UID register is public. It is useful when you want to:

• confirm your own published business details,
• verify another company before sending an invoice or signing a contract,
• check whether a business is VAT-registered,
• make sure your invoice details match the official register.

That matters especially for sole proprietors, because the legal register name and the customer-facing brand name are not always identical.

How to look up your UID in under a minute

If you do not have the number in front of you, this is usually enough:

1. Open the official Swiss UID register.
2. Search for your business name or official personal trading name.
3. Compare the address and legal form so you land on the right record.
4. Check separately whether a VAT suffix is listed as well.

That quick check avoids a common problem: freelancers often know their public brand name, but the official register entry may use a slightly different spelling.

What if a client asks for a VAT number but you only have a UID?

That happens all the time. Some clients ask for a "VAT number" when they really just want to see that your business exists as a registered entity.

What matters in practice is this:

• UID only: You can share your business identification number, but you should not present it as a VAT number.
• VAT-registered: Then the UID with the correct suffix belongs on the invoice.
• Client is unsure: A short explanation is safer than adding the wrong suffix just to avoid a follow-up question.

For freelancers, that distinction matters because one incorrect line on an invoice can create more friction than a brief, clear explanation.

The most common UID mistakes

1. Treating UID and VAT number as the same thing

The UID is the base number. The VAT number is the UID with the VAT suffix.

2. Adding a VAT suffix too early

If you are not VAT-registered, adding MWST, TVA, or IVA to look more professional creates confusion instead of trust.

3. Mixing up the Swiss UID with EU VAT IDs

The Swiss UID and EU VAT identification systems are not the same thing.

4. Never checking the official register

Small differences in business name, address, or VAT status can create friction later with clients, banks, or authorities.