Moving Checklist Switzerland 2026: Deadlines, Costs
To move house in Switzerland you usually give three months’ notice on your old flat, get quotes from movers (around CHF 500–2,600) and register with your new municipality within 14 days – online via eUmzugCH in 25 cantons. Your driving licence and vehicle registration also need updating within 14 days. Swiss Post mail forwarding starts at CHF 35.
Updated 9 min read
Deadline to register in your new municipality
after the move – in many places online via eUmzugCH
Moving checklist: what to do when
A move rarely fails on moving day itself; it fails on the deadlines before it. Start early and you get your pick of dates and movers, and you save money. This order works well:
Your moving timeline
| When | What to do |
|---|---|
| 3 months before or earlier | Sign the new lease, then give written notice on the old flat (receipt counts); get quotes from removal companies |
| 6–8 weeks before | Book the movers and end-of-tenancy cleaning with a handover guarantee; agree handover and takeover dates with both property managers; tell your internet provider |
| 2–4 weeks before | Declutter and dispose of bulky waste, pack; get a parking permit for the van from the municipality; order mail forwarding from Swiss Post (at least 4 working days ahead) |
| Moving week | Defrost the fridge, do small repairs, label boxes by room |
| Moving day and handover | Photograph the meter readings, check the handover report, return keys against a receipt |
| Within 14 days | Register with the new municipality; inform the road traffic office, health insurer, employer, bank and insurers |
How much does moving house in Switzerland cost?
Most removal companies quote a fixed price or an hourly rate. What you pay depends on the volume of your belongings, the floor and lift, the distance and extras such as packing, furniture assembly, a furniture lift or disposal. As a rough guide for a local move:
Moving costs by flat size
| Flat | Removal company (guide) |
|---|---|
| 1.5 rooms | CHF 500–950 |
| 2.5 rooms | CHF 700–1,300 |
| 3.5 rooms | CHF 1,200–1,800 |
| 4.5 rooms | CHF 1,800–2,400 |
| 5.5 rooms | CHF 2,000–2,600 |
On top comes the end-of-tenancy cleaning (Endreinigung): for a 3.5-room flat cleaning firms charge around CHF 650–1,300 (moneyland.ch, comparis.ch). Get two or three quotes, ideally after a visit, and compare a fixed price with a cost ceiling against an hourly rate: with a fixed price the company carries the risk if it underestimated the job.
Move yourself or hire a removal company?
Moving a small flat yourself with friends and a rental van is cheap, but it takes time and energy, and any damage is on you. A company costs more but brings speed, materials and usually transport insurance. Rule of thumb:
- Moving yourself pays off for small flats, short distances and plenty of helpers.
- A removal company pays off from about 3 rooms, when time is short, for high floors without a lift or heavy furniture.
- A mix is often cheapest: pack yourself and have the company move only the heavy furniture.
Where do you need to register your new address?
The key deadline is set by law: when you move, you must register with the residents’ office (Einwohnerkontrolle) of your new municipality within 14 days. If you change municipality, you also deregister at the old one. The other places at a glance:
Changing your address: who, by when, how
| Where | Deadline | How |
|---|---|---|
| New municipality (residents’ office) | Within 14 days | Online via eUmzugCH or at the counter; usually with ID, lease and health insurance card |
| Old municipality | When you leave | Handled in the same notice with eUmzugCH |
| Driving licence | Within 14 days | Road traffic office of your new canton |
| Vehicle registration | Within 14 days | New registration document and new plates if you change canton |
| Serafe (radio and TV levy) | No notice needed | Serafe receives the data monthly from the municipalities |
| Health insurer | Straight away | Your premium depends on the premium region you live in |
| Swiss Post | 4 working days before | Mail forwarding online or at a branch |
eUmzugCH (eumzug.swiss) handles deregistration and registration in one notice, at no extra cost compared with the counter. 25 cantons take part, but not Geneva; Fribourg and Vaud partly redirect to their own portals. The portal tells you after you enter your address whether your municipality is connected. eUmzugCH is not available to weekly residents, for moves to or from abroad, or for some foreign permits. Have your AHV/OASI number ready.
The Serafe levy is CHF 335 per household per year (CHF 312 from 1 January 2027). If you move in with others or set up a new household, Serafe adjusts the bill from the municipality’s data; if something is wrong, contact the residents’ office.
How much does Swiss Post mail forwarding cost?
Change of address with forwarding (Swiss Post)
| Forwarding | Online | Branch |
|---|---|---|
| Switzerland, 6 months | CHF 35 | CHF 47 |
| Switzerland, 12 months | CHF 45 | CHF 57 |
| Switzerland, 18 months | CHF 55 | CHF 67 |
| Abroad, 12 months | CHF 90 | CHF 102 |
Place the order at least four working days before the move; an express order is possible until 11 pm the evening before. With its free change-of-address notice (Umzugsmitteilung), Swiss Post also tells participating companies such as banks and insurers your new address.
Handing over the flat: report, cleaning and deposit
You return the flat on the last day of the tenancy, in the condition that results from normal contractual use (Art. 267 CO); many leases allow the handover until noon the following day. At the handover the landlord must inspect the flat and immediately report defects you are liable for. If they fail to, they lose their claims, except for hidden defects (Art. 267a CO). You do not pay for normal wear and tear, and for damage only the current value.
- Read the report, then decide. Signing is voluntary. Signing means accepting the damage listed; only sign what is correct (Swiss tenants’ association).
- Keys against a receipt. Get written confirmation that you returned every key.
- Meter readings for electricity and, if relevant, gas: note and photograph them with the property manager.
- Deposit: the bank releases it with both parties’ consent. If the landlord has not taken legal action on a claim within one year of the tenancy ending, you can reclaim it directly from the bank (Art. 257e CO).
Insurance, electricity and internet: what else to update
- Contents and personal liability insurance: give your new address and check the sum insured if the flat is bigger.
- Electricity: deregister with the utility of your old municipality and register with the new one, with meter readings.
- Internet and TV: report the move to your provider early so the connection works from day one.
- Employer, bank, taxes: give your new address; tax liability follows your residence on 31 December.
- Subscriptions, online shops, clubs: update delivery addresses so nothing goes to the old one.
Frequently asked questions
- How early should I start planning a move?
- At least three months ahead, because that is the notice period for a flat. For moves on the popular local termination dates (often end of March, June and September), book movers and cleaners even earlier.
- How long do I have to register at my new address?
- Within 14 days of the move, at the residents’ office of your new municipality; Art. 11 of the Register Harmonisation Act requires it. In 25 cantons you can do it online via eUmzugCH, otherwise at the counter.
- Can I register my move online?
- Yes, via eumzug.swiss in 25 cantons, though not in Geneva and not in every municipality. Deregistration and registration happen in one notice. Weekly residents and moves to or from abroad have to go to the counter.
- How much does a removal company cost in Switzerland?
- For a local move roughly CHF 500–950 (1.5 rooms) up to CHF 2,000–2,600 (5.5 rooms), excluding packing and cleaning (comparis.ch guide values). Floor, lift, distance and extras push the price up; compare several quotes.
- How much does Swiss Post mail forwarding cost?
- Online CHF 35 for 6 months, CHF 45 for 12 and CHF 55 for 18 months; CHF 12 more each at a branch. Each additional person costs CHF 15. Order at least four working days before the move.
- Do I need to tell Serafe that I moved?
- No. Serafe receives address data monthly from the municipalities, so what matters is registering correctly with your municipality. The levy is CHF 335 per household per year, CHF 312 from 2027.
- How do I get my rental deposit back?
- Return the flat in proper condition and only sign a correct handover report. The bank pays out the deposit with both parties’ consent; if the landlord takes no legal action within a year, you can reclaim it yourself.