The author examines the doctrinal foundations of the pre-company and the prevailing special law theory. For decades, there has been a consensus that the law of registered corporations applies to pre-companies, with the exception of provisions that require registration in the commercial register. Whether this is the case depends on the functions that the law associates with registration. The author identifies twelve functions of the initial registration of the corporation and investigates to what extent they can justify the non-application of stock corporation and limited liability company law to the stage of the pre-company.