Moving also means having to deregister, register and change your address – which means that the person moving has to deal with a bit of bureaucracy. However, you don’t necessarily have to pull out waiting stamps any more, because in many cantons the re-registration can be done conveniently online. Whether online or on site at the residents’ registration office – with good preparation, the re-registration process can be completed smoothly after moving.
- Change of registration at the residents’ registration office
- Moving with car and driver’s licence
- Registration at the tax office
- Inform institutions and organisations
- Forwarding and change of address at the post office
1. Change of registration at the residents’ registration office
1.1. When and where does the registration change take place?
In Switzerland, registration is mandatory. The requirements for re-registration are laid down in the Law on Registration and Residents’ Registers (MERG § 142.1). According to it, the person moving has 14 days after deregistering from the old place of residence to register in the municipality of residence. As the registration office of the municipal administration, the personal registration office records all moves in, moves out and changes of address.
1.2 What do you need to register?
In addition to the passport or identity card, the residence permit must also be presented. All data that serve the municipality in identifying the residential address is recorded in the property permit. In addition to the surname and first name of the tenant, this includes the building address and the official flat number, the name and address of the landlord or the property management and the date on which the tenancy begins. Alternatively, a copy of the tenancy agreement can be submitted. The tenancy agreement contains information beyond the data to be recorded by the authorities, such as the rent. This information can be redacted.
Overview of the documents to be submitted:
- Identity card (or passport)
- Housing certificate (or tenancy agreement)
- Certificate of residence
- Family identity card (Familienbüchlein)
- These documents can also be requested:
- Health insurance certificate
- Birth certificate (for children)
- Service or civil defence booklet (for service personnel)
A registration form simplifies the registration process and ensures that no data is forgotten. Residents with foreign citizenship require a passport, residence permit and birth certificate to register. Foreign nationals who are married, divorced or widowed must provide official proof of their family status.
1.3 When is it necessary to deregister a flat?
Vor der Anmeldung am neuen Wohnort steht die Abmeldung bei der alten Gemeinde. Die Abmeldung hat spätestens am Tag des Wegzuges zu erfolgen. Bei der Einwohnerkontrolle kann sich der wegziehende Schweizer seinen Heimatschein ausgeben lassen. Diesen benötigt er, um sich bei zum Einzugstermin oder spätestens 14 Tage nach dem Wegzug bei der Einwohnerkontrolle der neuen Gemeinde anzumelden. Ausgabestelle ist das lokale Gemeindehaus oder das Kreisbüro (Einwohnerdienst) der Stadt.
1.4 How much does a change of registration cost?
There is a differentiation between moving out, moving in and moving within a district.
Move out
Moving away refers to the deregistration at the old residential address. There are no costs for deregistration at the Residents’ Registration Office.
Move in
The costs for moving to another administrative district also include fees for re-registration. A fee of 20 Swiss francs is charged for re-registration.
Moving (in the district)
A registration confirmation or residence permit for a week is sufficient for re-registration when moving within the same administrative district. Persons subject to military service must also present their service or civil defence booklet. The notification of relocation within a canton is usually free of charge.
2. Moving with car and driver’s licence
Your car must also be re-registered and after you move, your new address will be entered on your driver’s licence. If you already have a driver’s licence in the latest – credit card format, you can often re-register by telephone or online at the Road Traffic Office. Otherwise you need to apply for a new driver’s licence.
2.1 Where do I have to deregister my car?
When moving to another canton, the vehicle must be registered with the Road Traffic Office of the new municipality within 14 days. For this purpose, the form Registration for the registration of a vehicle must be completed. The vehicle owner must present his vehicle registration document and a new certificate of third party insurance. The exchange of licence plates can be done on the spot, otherwise the new licence plates can also be sent. In this case, the exchange of plates takes place at the post office of the new residential address.
2.2 How much does it cost to have the vehicle re-registered?
Changes to the vehicle registration document are charged 15 Swiss francs by the Road Traffic Office of the Canton of Zurich. A new pair of licence plates costs 40 Swiss francs. Similar amounts can be expected in the other Swiss cantons.
3. Registration at the tax office
When you move to another canton, a different tax administration becomes responsible for determining your taxes. This is also reflected financially, as the new place of residence has a different tax rate.
3.1 Which taxes apply after moving?
Taxes for a year are calculated at the place of residence where that Swiss citizen lives on 31 December. This means that the place of residence that is the centre of life is the determining factor. You can therefore save money by choosing your moving date wisely. If you move from a highly taxed canton such as Jura to a financially favourable canton, you should re-register before 31 December, because this way you will benefit from the lower tax rate for the whole year. If, on the other hand, you move from a tax-friendly canton to a municipality with a high tax rate, you should not do so until after the start of the new year.
3.2 Which cantons have different rules?
The cut-off date of 31 December is also usually applied to moves from municipality to municipality within a canton. The cantons of Obwalden, Nidwalden and Glarus are an exception. These cantons have chosen 1 January as the cut-off date for calculating the annual tax. In contrast, the cantons of Neuchâtel and Fribourg calculate the tax to the exact day and on a pro rata basis.
4. Inform institutions and organisations
When moving, good organisation helps to keep up correspondence with important authorities, institutions and companies. Therefore, inform all relevant institutions and partners about your new residence. These include:
- Employer
- School and kindergarten
- Banks and savings institutions
- Energy supplier
- Insurances
- Compensation office
- Doctors
- Clubs, associations, memberships
- Publishers and mail order companies (newspapers, magazines, consumer goods)
You should not miss any deadlines or incur reminder costs due to non-delivery because of moving. Before moving, check all your bills and debits from the last few months to make sure you don’t forget any of them.
5. Forwarding and change of address at the post office
Even with good planning, it is inevitable that letters and parcels will initially still be sent to the old address. A forwarding order prevents delays and lost items. Swiss Post redirects letters and parcels to the new address for one year. Swiss Post should receive the redirection order 4 working days before the first day of redirection. On request, Swiss Post will also send selected senders a relocation notice free of charge, informing the sender of the new address.
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