LexFins 360 – Global Private Company Name Endings Guide
At LexFins 360, we help clients understand international corporate structures. Below is a reference of common private company types and their legal name endings across countries, useful for cross-border business, compliance, and incorporation purposes.
| Country | Private Company Type | Typical Ending / Abbreviation | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Germany | Private Limited Company | GmbH | Gesellschaft mit beschränkter Haftung (“Limited Liability Company”) |
| Austria | Private Limited Company | GmbH | Same as Germany, limited liability |
| Switzerland | Private Limited Company | GmbH / Sàrl | Sàrl = Société à responsabilité limitée (French-speaking regions) |
| France | Private Limited Company | SARL | Société à responsabilité limitée (“Limited Liability Company”) |
| Italy | Private Limited Company | S.r.l. | Società a responsabilità limitata (“Limited Liability Company”) |
| Spain | Private Limited Company | S.L. / S.L.U. | Sociedad Limitada / Unipersonal (single-member company) |
| United Kingdom | Private Limited Company | Ltd | Common in England, Wales, Northern Ireland |
| Ireland | Private Limited Company | Ltd / Teoranta | Teoranta = Limited in Irish language |
| India | Private Limited Company | Pvt Ltd | Under Companies Act, 2013 |
| USA | Limited Liability Company | LLC | Limited Liability Company |
| Canada | Limited Liability Company | Ltd / Inc / Corp / LLC | Depends on province and federal registration |
| Australia | Proprietary Limited Company | Pty Ltd | Proprietary Limited company |
| New Zealand | Private Company | Ltd | Similar to UK Ltd |
| Netherlands | Private Company | B.V. | Besloten Vennootschap (“Closed Company, Limited Liability”) |
| Belgium | Private Limited Company | BV / SPRL | BV = Besloten Vennootschap, SPRL = Société Privée à Responsabilité Limitée |
| Sweden | Private Limited Company | AB | Aktiebolag (“Stock Company / Limited Liability”) |
| Denmark | Private Limited Company | ApS | Anpartsselskab (“Limited Liability Company”) |
| Norway | Private Limited Company | AS | Aksjeselskap (“Limited Company”) |
| Finland | Private Limited Company | Oy | Osakeyhtiö (“Limited Company”) |
| Japan | Private Limited Company | KK | Kabushiki Kaisha (“Joint-Stock Company / Limited Liability”) |
| China | Private Limited Company | Ltd / 有限公司 (Youxian Gongsi) | Limited liability company |
| Russia | Private Limited Company | OOO (Общество с ограниченной ответственностью) | Limited liability company |
| South Korea | Private Limited Company | Ltd / 유한회사 (Yuhan Hoesa) | Limited liability company |
LexFins 360 Insight:
“Understanding local corporate naming conventions is critical for cross-border compliance, legal contracts, and international business expansion. Each country has unique requirements for private companies, often reflected in their official suffix.”
