Short answer. No. Under Article 1845 of the Civil Code, a limited partner's contributions must be cash or property — services are expressly excluded. This is an absolute prohibition with no exception: you cannot substitute your labor or expertise for a capital contribution as a limited partner.
What the law says
The contributions of a limited partner may be cash or property, but not services.
Civil Code, Article 1845 — Limited Partner's Contribution. Read the full provision →
The rule is clear and absolute
Article 1845 of the Civil Code is direct: "The contributions of a limited partner may be cash or property, but not services." There is no exception, no workaround, and no room for agreement between the partners to override it. If you want to participate in a limited partnership as a limited partner, you must contribute money or something of tangible value — not your labor, skill, or personal effort.
Why the law prohibits service contributions
A limited partner enjoys a crucial benefit: limited personal liability. That partner's risk is capped at the amount contributed. In exchange, the law restricts the limited partner's contribution to cash or property — things that can be objectively valued and that creditors can look to for satisfaction. Services, by contrast, are subjective, difficult to appraise, and already consumed once rendered. Allowing service contributions would make the limited partner's liability cap meaningless, because there would be no real asset backing it.
What you can do instead
If your main contribution is expertise or labor, you have options outside the limited partnership form. You could become a general partner, in which case you can contribute services — but you would then bear unlimited personal liability for the partnership's debts. Alternatively, you could structure a separate service or management agreement under which the partnership compensates you for services rendered. That keeps your role as a service provider distinct from your investment role. The right structure depends on what you are trying to achieve, and a lawyer can help you match form to purpose.
Practical implications if you are already named as a limited partner
If the partnership certificate was filed with services listed as a limited partner's contribution, that portion of the contribution is legally invalid. It does not necessarily void the entire partnership, but it does mean the limited partner has not actually contributed what the certificate claims. This can affect profit-sharing calculations, voting rights tied to contribution levels, and the creditors' view of the firm's capitalization. If you are reviewing a partnership agreement and see services listed as a limited partner's contribution, the discrepancy is worth addressing with counsel before it causes a dispute. Article 1845 binds all parties from the moment the limited partnership is formed — no subsequent agreement between partners can waive it.