In Switzerland, every change of address must be reported twice to the residents’ registration office (contrôle des habitants): your departure to the old commune, and your arrival to the new one. The federal Register Harmonisation Act requires you to register within 14 days of arriving, and the cantons set out the details. In a growing number of communes, everything can be done online with eDéménagement.
Why registration is compulsory
The residents’ registration office (also called the bureau des habitants, or the population service depending on the place) keeps the register of people living in the commune. This register underpins many things: voting rights, schooling for children, tax liability and the allocation of your official address.
Reporting your move is therefore not an optional formality. Failing to do so on time can lead to administrative problems and, depending on the commune, fees or fines. The exact rules depend on the canton and the commune, so check with the authority where you live.
The two registrations: departure and arrival
Every move within the country involves two separate steps, one after the other.
| Step | Where | When |
|---|---|---|
| Notification of departure | Residents’ registration office of the old commune | Before the move, within the deadline set by the canton |
| Notification of arrival | Residents’ registration office of the new commune | Within 14 days of arriving |
You report your departure to the old commune, which generally issues a certificate or passes the information on to the new one. You then report your arrival to the commune you are moving to, with supporting documents. If you stay in the same commune, a single change-of-address notification is enough, depending on local practice.
If you are moving from abroad, there is no departure notification in Switzerland: only the arrival needs to be reported. If you are leaving for another country, you report your departure to the commune, which will tell you what to do next.
How to proceed, step by step
- Find the competent authority. Check the website of your commune (old and new) for opening hours, conditions and the applicable deadline.
- Check whether online registration is possible. eDéménagement (eUmzugCH) lets you report your departure and arrival from home in many communes.
- Report your departure. Do so before the move, within the deadline set by the canton, with the old commune.
- Gather your documents before going to the counter or filling in the online form (see the list below).
- Report your arrival within 14 days of settling in. Keep a confirmation or a certificate of residence.
- Notify other organisations that do not update automatically (bank, employer, private insurers, subscriptions).
Documents you are often asked for
The exact list varies by commune, canton and your situation. You are most often asked for:
- a valid identity card or passport;
- the tenancy agreement or a confirmation of housing (for example from the landlord or the letting agency (régie));
- for Swiss nationals, a certificate of origin, and sometimes a family certificate or birth certificate;
- for foreign nationals, the residence permit;
- in some cantons, a health insurance certificate.
For a family, prepare the documents for each member. Fees may be charged: ask the commune for the rate rather than relying on a figure found elsewhere. If a document is missing, call the counter before making the trip: they can often suggest a workaround.
What registration updates, and what it does not
Registration updates the commune’s register. From the registers, other bodies receive your new address, notably the tax authorities and Serafe, which collects the radio and TV licence fee. For the tax side, see the guide on taxes and moving in Switzerland.
However, the residents’ registration office does not notify your bank, your employer, your private insurers or your subscriptions (phone, internet, press, associations). These changes of address are up to you; the guide on changing your address in Switzerland offers a method to make sure you forget nothing.
Special cases
- Terminating the lease and moving out. Reporting your departure does not replace the notice given to the letting agency (régie) or the landlord, which follows its own rules.
- Families and shared flats. Each adult is responsible for their own registration; for children, the parents generally take care of it.
- Students. A period of study may involve a main or secondary residence: ask the commune how it treats your situation.
- People arriving from abroad. Registering your arrival is often linked to your residence permit and health insurance. The guide to relocating to French-speaking Switzerland covers these steps in detail, and the page on international moving helps you plan the transport of your belongings.
In French-speaking Switzerland
The principle is the same everywhere, but the organisation differs from one canton, and even one commune, to another. The deadline for reporting your departure, counter opening hours, the existence of an online form, fees and required documents are set at cantonal or communal level. Check before making an appointment.
- In a large city, such as Lausanne, services are generally more structured and online procedures more widespread, but waiting times at the counter can be longer: make an appointment when possible.
- In Geneva, the Cantonal Office of Population and Migration (Office cantonal de la population et des migrations) plays a central role, particularly for foreign nationals. See the page on Geneva to prepare your move.
- In Valais or in a small mountain commune, for example around Sion and beyond, the counter may have reduced opening hours: a call beforehand avoids a wasted trip.
- Near the border, cross-border workers and people changing country must coordinate the Swiss registration with the formalities in the other country. Contact both administrations.
On moving day, also think about any parking permit you may need: occupying the public highway with a lorry, a furniture lift or a skip may require prior approval from the commune or the police. Contact them a few days or weeks beforehand.
Doing it yourself or getting help
Registering with the residents’ registration office is something you do yourself: it is personal, free or inexpensive, and is generally settled in one visit or a few minutes online. Prepare your documents in advance and keep a timeline: departure, move, then arrival within 14 days.
What really weighs on you is the move itself: loading, transporting, assembling furniture, sometimes in a building without a lift. For a residential move, professional movers are the sensible choice as soon as the volume is large, access is difficult or time is short. This site is a neutral matching service: you describe your move, the request is passed on to removal companies in the region, who provide a free, no-obligation quote. You can request a quote with no obligation to go ahead.
Frequently asked questions
Frequently asked questions: registering with the residents' registration office
The federal Register Harmonisation Act requires you to register within 14 days of arriving. The cantons set out the details, so check the deadline and procedure with your new commune.
In a growing number of communes, yes, thanks to eDéménagement (eUmzugCH). Not everywhere offers it yet: check the website of your old and new commune to see whether the service is available.
Most often an identity card or passport, the tenancy agreement or a confirmation of housing and, depending on your situation, a certificate of origin, a family certificate or a residence permit. Some cantons also ask for a health insurance certificate.
No. The registers pass your address on to certain bodies, such as the tax authorities or Serafe, but not to your bank, employer, private insurers or subscriptions. You have to make those changes yourself.
Fees may be charged, depending on the commune and canton. Ask for the rate at the counter or check the commune's website before making the trip.