Registrations and Address Changes
When moving in Switzerland, it is not enough to organise furniture, boxes and keys. The municipality, post office, banks, insurance companies, employer, tax authorities, health insurer, energy provider, internet provider, schools, subscriptions and other contract partners also need to receive the new address in good time.
In brief
Registrations and address changes should be planned early when moving. In Switzerland, reporting the move to the new municipality of residence is particularly important, usually within 14 days after the move. In addition, Swiss Post, banks, insurance companies, health insurer, employer, tax authorities, road traffic office, energy provider, internet and phone provider, schools, subscriptions, clubs, online shops, friends and family should be informed. A mail forwarding order helps during the transition period, but it does not replace direct address changes with important offices and providers.
What are registrations and address changes?
Registrations and address changes are all notifications used to inform authorities, companies, insurance providers, employers and private contacts about your new place of residence. This includes the legally relevant registration with the municipality as well as practical address changes with Swiss Post, banks, health insurer, internet provider or subscriptions.
The existing UrbanHome guide already lists the most important offices and providers: residents’ registration office or municipality, Swiss Post, banks and financial institutions, employer, insurance companies, telecommunications providers, authorities, subscriptions, schools and kindergartens as well as other providers and organisations.
The most important principle is: a mail forwarding order with Swiss Post is only a temporary solution. It ensures that mail is redirected for a certain period. However, it does not replace the obligation to actively report the new address to important offices and contract partners.
Swiss rules: reporting a change of residence
Anyone moving in Switzerland must report the change of residence to the responsible municipality. As a rule, the deadline is 14 days after the move. Depending on the canton, municipality and personal situation, the notification can be made online via eMovingCH or in person at the residents’ registration office.
When moving within the same municipality, an address change within the municipality is often sufficient. When moving to another municipality, deregistration and registration or the digital moving notification usually have to be recorded correctly.
For families, foreign nationals, weekly residents, shared apartments or adult children, additional information or separate notifications may be required. The requirements of the previous and new municipality should therefore be checked before moving.
Planning registrations: the right timeline
Address changes should not only be handled after moving in. Some providers need lead time, while others should only be informed from the actual moving date. A good timeline prevents lost mail, duplicate invoices, interruptions to internet or energy services and late official notifications.
| Timeframe | Task | Why important? |
|---|---|---|
| 6–8 weeks before | Create a list of all offices and providers, check tenancy agreement, review internet, energy and insurance. | Enough lead time for contracts and connections. |
| 4–6 weeks before | Plan Swiss Post mail forwarding, inform employer, school, childcare and important contract partners. | Prevents organisational problems in everyday life. |
| 2–4 weeks before | Inform banks, insurance companies, health insurer, telecommunications providers, subscriptions and clubs. | Invoices and documents arrive at the correct address. |
| Shortly before moving | Prepare mailbox, doorbell, nameplate, meter readings and moving documents. | Makes delivery and move-in easier. |
| After moving | Complete municipal registration, road traffic office updates, tax address and remaining address changes. | Meet deadlines and update official data. |
| 1–3 months later | Check which mail still went to the old address and inform senders afterwards. | Use mail forwarding as a control tool. |
Municipality, residents’ registration office and eMoving
The most important registration is the notification to the new municipality of residence. This notification concerns the official place of residence and forms the basis for population registers, taxes, voting documents, settlement, residence status and further administrative processes.
Many municipalities support digital moving notification via eMovingCH. Depending on the municipality, however, the notification may also have to be made in person or require additional documents. When moving within the same city or municipality, there may be a separate online address change.
Prepare identity document, tenancy agreement, registration confirmation, residence permit, family details and other documents. For married couples, registered partnerships, minor children, shared apartments or adult children, the notification process may be handled differently.
Swiss Post, address change and mail forwarding order
Swiss Post should be informed of the new address early. A mail forwarding order ensures that letters still sent to the old address are redirected to the new address during a transition period. This is particularly useful because not all senders update their records immediately.
Despite a mail forwarding order, important offices and providers should be informed directly. Authorities, banks, insurance companies, health insurers or courts should not rely only on redirection. Parcels, special deliveries or certain delivery types may also be subject to different rules.
| Measure | Benefit | Limit |
|---|---|---|
| Address change with Swiss Post | Swiss Post knows your new address. | Does not automatically inform all contract partners. |
| Mail forwarding order | Mail is forwarded for a transition period. | Does not replace direct address changes with important offices and providers. |
| Check senders | Shows who is still using the old address. | Subsequent correction remains your task. |
| Mailbox and nameplate | Makes delivery at the new address easier. | Incorrect or missing labelling can make delivery more difficult. |
Banks, insurance, health insurer and taxes
Financial and insurance data should be updated particularly carefully. Incorrect addresses can cause cards, policies, tax documents, reminders, premium invoices or confidential documents to be sent to the old address.
Inform banks, credit card providers, pension institutions, health insurer, household contents insurance, personal liability insurance, car insurance, legal protection insurance and other insurance providers. At the same time, check whether household value, insured amount, location, premium or insured risks need to be adjusted.
The place of residence is also relevant for tax purposes. Moving to another municipality or canton can affect tax jurisdiction, municipal tax rate, withholding tax, payment instalments or delivery of tax documents.
Vehicle, driving licence and road traffic office
Anyone who owns a car, motorcycle or other vehicle should also check the address change with the responsible road traffic office or the relevant cantonal authorities. Depending on the canton and moving situation, vehicle registration document, driving licence, licence plates, insurance or parking permit may be affected.
When moving to another canton, additional steps may be required. Check early whether licence plates, vehicle registration document, car insurance or parking card need to be updated.
Anyone living in a city should also update resident parking cards, blue zone permits, garage spaces or private parking contracts in good time.
Employer, school, childcare and education
The employer should receive the new address so that payslips, tax documents, social insurance data, employment contract, accident insurance and internal HR records remain correct. For cross-border workers, withholding tax or commuting, the address may also be relevant.
For children, school, kindergarten, childcare, after-school care, music school, sports club and care facilities must be informed. A change of municipality or canton can affect school district, childcare, transport routes and registration formalities.
Universities, further education providers, scholarship offices or training companies should also receive the new address so that invoices, confirmations and important communications are delivered correctly.
Energy, internet, phone and TV
Electricity, gas, water, district heating, internet, phone and TV should be checked as early as possible. Some contracts can be transferred to the new address, while others need to be terminated or newly concluded. Internet connections often require lead time and technical availability at the new location.
Record meter readings when moving out and moving in. Photograph electricity, gas, water or heat meters if available. This makes it easier to check final bills and new instalment payments.
For internet and phone, moving date, router, installation, notice period, minimum contract term and possible duplicate charges should be checked.
Subscriptions, clubs, online shops and private contacts
In addition to authorities and contracts, there are many smaller address changes that are easy to forget. These include newspapers, magazines, streaming or delivery services, customer accounts, online shops, pharmacies, doctors, gym, clubs, library, political parties, donation organisations and customer cards.
Friends, family, neighbours, work colleagues and important private contacts should also receive the new address. An outdated address can be inconvenient especially for invitations, gifts, children’s mail, invoices or private documents.
Priorities: who should be informed first?
Not every address change is equally urgent. Start with offices and providers where deadlines, money, insurance cover or official mail are involved. Everyday providers and private contacts follow afterwards.
| Priority | Offices and providers | Why? |
|---|---|---|
| Very high | Municipality, tax authorities, health insurer, banks, insurance companies, employer. | Deadlines, money, insurance cover and official documents. |
| High | Swiss Post, energy, internet, phone, road traffic office, school, childcare. | Everyday life, delivery, connections and care. |
| Medium | Subscriptions, clubs, doctors, pharmacies, online shops, delivery services. | Regular mailings and customer accounts. |
| Low | Friends, acquaintances, newsletters, customer cards, rarely used providers. | Important, but usually less deadline-critical. |
Common mistakes with registrations and address changes
Many problems arise not because no address change is made at all, but because individual offices or providers are forgotten or informed too late. Old addresses are particularly common with online shops, credit cards, insurance companies, employers, vehicle data or subscriptions.
| Mistake | Consequence | Better approach |
|---|---|---|
| Only setting up mail forwarding | Important providers keep the old address. | Make direct address changes with all contract partners. |
| Forgetting municipal registration | Missed deadline and incorrect register data. | Register with the new municipality of residence within the deadline. |
| Transferring internet too late | No connection at the new address. | Clarify availability and appointment several weeks in advance. |
| Not checking insurance | Incorrect cover or wrong premium. | Update household value, address and risks. |
| Forgetting online shops | Parcels go to the old address. | Change default address in customer accounts. |
| Forgetting nameplate | Delivery at the new address becomes more difficult. | Label mailbox and doorbell correctly early. |
Step by step: completing registrations and address changes
- Collect all authorities, providers, insurance companies, banks, subscriptions and private contacts in one list.
- Record moving date, new address, move-in date and handover date centrally.
- Check whether municipal notification must be done online via eMovingCH or in person.
- Set up Swiss Post address change and mail forwarding order in good time.
- Inform banks, insurance companies, health insurer, employer and tax offices.
- Transfer or newly conclude internet, phone, TV, electricity, gas, water and other energy contracts.
- Update school, kindergarten, childcare, clubs, subscriptions, doctors, pharmacies and online shops.
- After moving in, check municipal registration, vehicle data, nameplate and mailbox.
- Check forwarded mail and inform senders still using the old address.
Template: sending an address change to providers
The following template can be adapted for banks, insurance companies, subscriptions, clubs, doctors or other contract partners.
Subject: Address change due to move
Hello,
I am moving as of [date] and kindly ask you to update my address in your records.
Previous address:
[First name Last name]
[Street no.]
[Postcode City]
New address:
[First name Last name]
[Street no.]
[Postcode City]
Customer number / contract number:
[number, if available]
Please briefly confirm the change by email.
Kind regards
[Name]Template: informing the employer
The message to the employer should be brief and complete so that HR and payroll records can be updated correctly.
Subject: New residential address from [date]
Hi [name]
I am moving as of [date]. Please update my address in the HR records.
New address:
[First name Last name]
[Street no.]
[Postcode City]
If you need any further information, please let me know.
Many thanks and kind regards
[Name]Practical examples
Example 1: moving within the same city
A person moves within Zurich to a new apartment. Important steps include address change with the city, mail forwarding order, employer, banks, health insurer, insurance companies, internet provider, electricity, subscriptions and online shops. Because the municipality remains the same, an address change within the city is often sufficient, but the 14-day deadline remains important.
Example 2: family move to another canton
A family moves to another canton. In addition to municipal registration, Swiss Post and mail forwarding, school, childcare, health insurer, employer, tax authorities, road traffic office, insurance companies, energy, internet, clubs and childcare providers are important. Because canton and municipality change, documents and deadlines should be checked especially early.
Checklist: registrations and address changes when moving
Frequently asked questions about registrations and address changes
Summary
Registrations and address changes are a central organisational step when moving in Switzerland. Particularly important are timely registration with the new municipality of residence, address change with Swiss Post, possible mail forwarding and direct notification to banks, insurance companies, health insurer, employer, tax authorities, road traffic office, energy provider, internet provider, schools, subscriptions and other contract partners. Anyone who creates a complete list early, sets priorities and checks forwarded mail afterwards avoids missed deadlines, incorrect invoices, lost mail and unnecessary follow-up questions after moving.