Business and Company Name Suffixes List
It can be sometimes tricky to pick a company suffix. Every suffix has its own legal implications. Please follow the below guide to know more about suffixes' particularities. We are of course also at your disposal to advise you in this regards.
Item
Legal Suffix
Full form
Description
1
Ltd, Ltd.
Limited
Ltd, Ltd. refer to a Company limited by shares. Limited companies are the standard type of companies whose members' liability is limited to the share capital. IBCs (international business companies) are also modeled after the Ltd traditional standards. In jurisdictions permitting the registration of both LLC or Ltd companies, a Company Limited by Shares is a specific legal form more often used for corporations or larger companies. They often have higher set up and operating costs, and may be subject to more formal operating requirements than a LLC in general. The exact differences between a LLC and a LTD will vary from one jurisdiction to another.
2
S.A., SA
Société Anonyme
S.A., SA stand for Société Anonyme and is equivalent to Ltd in the reference language (French). Please refer to the Ltd description for additional details.
3
S.A., SA
Sociedad Anonima
S.A., SA stand for Sociedad Anonima and is equivalent to Ltd in the reference language (Spanish). Please refer to the Ltd description for additional details.
4
A.G., AG
Aktiengesellschaft
A.G., AG stand for Aktiengesellschaft and is equivalent to Ltd in the reference language (German). Please refer to the Ltd description for additional details.
5
N.V., NV
Naamloze vennootschap
N.V., NV stand for Naamloze vennootschap and is equivalent to Ltd in the reference language (Dutch). Please refer to the Ltd description for additional details.
6
Ltee
Limitee
Ltee stands for Limitee and is equivalent to Ltd in the reference language (Creole). Please refer to the Ltd description for additional details.
7
B.V., BV
Besloten vennootschap met beperkte aansprakelijkheid
B.V., BV stand for Besloten vennootschap met beperkte aansprakelijkheid and is equivalent to Ltd in the reference language (Dutch). Please refer to the LLC description for additional details.
8
GmbH
Gesellschaft mit beschränkter Haftung
GmbH stands for Gesellschaft mit beschränkter Haftung and is equivalent to Ltd in the reference language (German). Please refer to the LLC description for additional details.
9
L.L.C., LLC
Limited Liability Company
L.L.C., LLC refer to a Limited Liability Company. The liability of the members is normally limited to their shares. In jurisdictions permitting the registration of both LLC or Ltd companies, a Limited Liability Company is a specific legal form often used by smaller companies. They often have lower set up and operating costs, and may offer more managing flexibility than a Ltd company in general, which often makes them more convenient when operated by a single member. They may include characteristics imported from other legal forms such as the Partnership. The exact differences between a LLC and a LTD will vary from one jurisdiction to another.
10
SIA, Sia
Sabiedrība ar ierobežotu atbildību
SIA, Sia stand for Sabiedrība ar ierobežotu atbildību and is equivalent to Ltd in the reference language (Latvian). Please refer to the LLC description for additional details.
11
Inc., Inc
Incorporated
Inc., Inc stand for Incorporated. This is one of the admissible references to a large company (corporation) in the US in particular and is generally regarded as equivalent in form to Corp or Ltd.
12
Corp., Corp
Corporation
Corp., Corp stand for Corporation. This is one of the admissible references to a large company (corporation) in the US in particular and is generally regarded as equivalent in form to Inc or Ltd.
13
Pte. Ltd
Private Limited Company
Pte. Ltd stands for Private Limited Company. In Singapore in particular, this is a type of company limited by shares intended for entities which will not have more than 50 members. For exact details of the structure, please refer to the following link: https://www.acra.gov.sg/components/wireframes/howToGuidesBasic.aspx?Pageid=1776
Note: Company names must be registered with an indication of the legal form. That form may usually either be suffix or the full form. In most cases, the abbreviated legal suffix is the prefered form.
DISCLAIMER: Please note this page is for general information and convenience only, and based on commonly agreed definitions. For further information regarding a particular legal form in a specific jurisdiction, please refer to the jurisdiction regulations in order to be able to operate your company in accordance with the legal framework applicable to the place of registration.
