Lex Koller: buying property in Switzerland as a foreigner
Who counts as a person abroad, what each permit lets you buy, holiday homes and the 20% rule, the steps and costs in five cantons, and the 2026 reform.
In short
The Lex Koller (BewG) requires persons abroad to obtain cantonal authorisation before buying Swiss property. EU/EFTA citizens living in Switzerland and C permit holders are not persons abroad and need none. Non-EU B permit holders may buy one home they live in. Holiday homes need a permit from a cantonal quota; business premises need none.
Who counts as a person abroad under the Lex Koller?
Under Art. 5 BewG, a person abroad is an EU/EFTA citizen not lawfully and actually resident in Switzerland, or any other foreign national without a C permit. Companies with a foreign seat or under foreign control count too. Swiss citizens, EU/EFTA citizens living here and C permit holders of any nationality are not persons abroad.
The Lex Koller is the Federal Act on the Acquisition of Immovable Property by Persons Abroad (BewG). A permit is needed only when a person abroad acquires property whose use requires one; the Federal Office of Justice (FOJ) explains the rules in its questions and answers (BewG, checked ) (FOJ, checked ).
- Not persons abroad: Swiss citizens, dual nationals included; EU/EFTA citizens lawfully and actually resident here, usually on a B or C permit; other nationals with a C permit (settlement permit) (FOJ, checked ) (BewV, checked ).
- UK citizens: treated like EU citizens if resident under the free-movement agreement before 1 January 2021; later arrivals follow the non-EU/EFTA rules (FOJ, checked ).
- Companies: those with a seat abroad, and Swiss companies in which persons abroad hold more than a third of the capital or votes (BewG, checked ).
Residence must be real: a permit and a commune registration are not enough on their own. A Swiss spouse does not change your status, and owning property gives no right to a residence permit (FOJ, checked ). Permit types: B, L and C permits explained.
Can a B or C permit holder buy property in Switzerland?
C permit holders and EU/EFTA citizens living here, on a B or C permit, need no Lex Koller authorisation for any property. Non-EU/EFTA citizens on a B permit may buy, without authorisation, one home they live in as their main residence, plus business premises. EU/EFTA commuters with a G permit may buy a second home near their workplace.
The main-residence exception (Art. 2(2)(b) BewG) matters in practice only to non-EU/EFTA nationals on a B permit (BewG, checked ) (FOJ, checked ). Buying before the move works only together with a plausible move, and moving away later usually does not force a sale (FOJ, checked ). See C permit requirements and the B permit guide.
EU/EFTA commuters with a G permit, and UK commuters covered by the citizens’ rights agreement, may buy one second home near their workplace without authorisation, if it is not let (Art. 7(j)) (BewG, checked ) (FOJ, checked ).
What each status can buy
| Status | Main home | Second home | Holiday home | Business premises | Buy-to-let |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| C permit, any nationality | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| EU/EFTA citizen living here | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| EU/EFTA citizen, G permit | Lives abroad | Yes, near work | Permit, quota | Yes | No |
| Living abroad, any nationality | Only with a move here | Permit, 14 cantons | Permit, 17 cantons, quota | Yes | No |
| Non-EU/EFTA citizen, B permit | Yes: one unit, not let | Permit, 14 cantons | Permit, 17 cantons, quota | Yes | No |
BewG Art. 2, 5, 7, 9 and 12; BewV Art. 3; FOJ questions and answers, 1 October 2026.
Main-residence exception: the conditions
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Can a foreigner buy a holiday home or second home in Switzerland?
Only where the canton allows it. Seventeen cantons can grant permits for holiday homes in designated tourist places, within a federal quota of at most 1,500 units a year. Fourteen can allow a second home where the buyer has an exceptionally close tie. Zurich, Basel-Stadt, Geneva and Zug grant no holiday-home permits.
A second home needs a lasting, exceptionally close tie to the place, such as regular economic or cultural links; relatives or holidays alone do not count. A holiday home needs a quota unit in a place the canton lists as touristic (BewG, checked ) (BewV, checked ).
- Holiday homes (17 cantons): Appenzell Ausserrhoden and Nidwalden (flats only), Bern, Fribourg, Glarus, Graubünden, Jura, Luzern, Neuchâtel, Obwalden, St. Gallen, Schaffhausen (aparthotel units only), Schwyz, Ticino, Uri, Vaud, Valais (FOJ, checked ).
- Second homes (14 cantons): Appenzell Ausserrhoden, Basel-Stadt, Fribourg, Graubünden, Jura, Luzern, Neuchâtel, St. Gallen, Solothurn, Ticino, Uri, Vaud, Valais, Zurich (FOJ, checked ).
Limits: usually 200 m² net living area and a 1,000 m² plot (250 m² and 1,500 m² with proven need), one per family, in your own name, let only from time to time (BewV, checked ) (FOJ, checked ). Buying from a person abroad who held a permit uses no quota unit (BewG, checked ). Quotas are in Annex 1 of the ordinance; the FOJ lists the authorities (BewV, checked ) (FOJ authorities list, checked ).
Grounds, quotas and permit authorities in nine cantons
| Canton | Holiday homes | Second homes | Quota a year | Permit authority |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Basel-Stadt | No | Yes | None | Tenancy conciliation office |
| Bern | Yes | No | 140 | District prefect (Regierungsstatthalter) |
| Geneva | No | No | None | Département des institutions et du numérique |
| Graubünden | Yes | Yes | 290 | Land-register inspectorate |
| Ticino | Yes | Yes | 195 | Cantonal first-instance authority, Lugano |
| Valais | Yes | Yes | 330 | Land-register service |
| Vaud | Yes | Yes | 175 | Commission foncière, section II |
| Zug | No | No | None | Economic affairs directorate |
| Zurich | No | Yes | None | District council (Bezirksrat) |
FOJ questions and answers, 1 October 2026; BewV Annex 1; FOJ list of authorities, 20 July 2026.
What is the 20% second-home rule, and does it apply to foreigners?
The Second Homes Act bans new second homes in communes where second homes exceed 20% of all homes. It applies to Swiss and foreign buyers alike and is separate from the Lex Koller. Flats that lawfully existed on 11 March 2012 stay free in their use. The Federal Office for Spatial Development publishes the share for every commune.
The Second Homes Act (ZWG) governs building and use, not who may buy. Above 20%, new flats may be built only as first homes or flats managed for tourism; older flats keep their freedom of use (Art. 6, 7 and 10–11) (ZWG, checked ). A holiday home in such a resort must meet both laws. Shares as of 31 March 2026 (ARE, checked ):
Can foreigners buy commercial property or shares in property companies?
Yes, business premises need no authorisation under current law, even when bought purely as an investment and let to a third party. Housing never counts as business premises. Shares in companies that mainly hold housing count as buying property and need authorisation unless listed on a Swiss stock exchange; real-estate fund units need it unless regularly traded.
Art. 2(2)(a) BewG exempts permanent business premises such as offices, shops, hotels, restaurants and medical practices; the owner need not run the business (BewG, checked ) (FOJ, checked ). Flats come with them only if the business needs them or planning rules require them (BewG, checked ). Building, letting or trading housing is not a business activity (BewV, checked ).
Shares in a company whose actual purpose is acquiring property count as an acquisition unless listed on a Swiss stock exchange, as do fund units not regularly traded (Art. 4) (BewG, checked ). Above 20% of assets in flats, housing is generally no longer a side purpose (FOJ, checked ).
How does buying property work, and what happens without authorisation?
A notary records the sale in a public deed, and the land registry enters the new owner. If the registry cannot rule out a permit duty, it suspends the entry and gives the buyer 30 days to obtain authorisation or a finding that none is needed. A purchase without required authorisation is void, and wilful breaches are punishable.
Of the five cantons in the cost table, only Zurich has official notary offices, which also keep the land register (Notariate Zurich, checked ). Basel-Stadt, Bern and Vaud have self-employed notaries, and only a notary of the canton may authenticate a sale of land there; Geneva’s notaries are public officers in independent practice (Canton of Basel-Stadt, checked ) (Canton of Bern, checked ) (Canton of Vaud, checked ) (Canton of Geneva, checked ).
Without a final permit the purchase is void: payments can be reclaimed, and if the former position cannot be restored the property is auctioned, the buyer recovering only the cost price (Art. 26–27). Wilful breaches or false information carry up to three years’ custodial sentence or a monetary penalty, negligence a fine of up to CHF 50,000 (Art. 28–29) (BewG, checked ). See English-speaking lawyers.
Buying as a person abroad, step by step
-
Before signing
Status and use
Status and planned use decide whether a permit is needed; in doubt, the cantonal authority decides.
-
Signing
Public deed
A notary, or in Zurich the notary office, records the sale.
-
After signing at the latest
Application
Buyers whose permit duty cannot be ruled out apply to the cantonal authority.
-
At filing
Land registry
If a permit duty cannot be excluded, the registry allows 30 days to bring a permit or a finding that none is needed.
-
30 days
Appeals
The buyer, the cantonal authority, the FOJ and the commune may appeal.
-
Within 3 years
Completion
The purchase is completed, or the permit lapses.
Notaries
Aedilex Lausanne (Alliance de Notaires)
Notaries · LausanneNotary office in Lausanne within the Aedilex notarial alliance. Real estate deeds including LFAIE matters; notary Sarah Keiser-Wüger lists French, German and English. English version of the site.
Checked by our editors · not yet confirmed by the business.
Is this your business?Cattaneo Bionda Mazzucchelli (CBM)
Notaries · LuganoLaw firm and civil law notaries in Lugano. Notarial services cover real estate, corporate and inheritance instruments. States it serves clients in Italian, English, French and German.
Checked by our editors · not yet confirmed by the business.
Is this your business?FROMER Advokatur und Notariat
Notaries · BaselBasel law and private notary office: property purchases, mortgages, wills, marriage and inheritance contracts, company deeds and authentications, plus family and employment advice.
Checked by our editors · not yet confirmed by the business.
Is this your business?Gregorc, de Candolle & Arnbäck, Notaires
Notaries · GenèveGeneva private notary office handling property sales and mortgages, wills and marriage contracts, estates, company deeds, apostilles and signature certifications.
Checked by our editors · not yet confirmed by the business.
Is this your business?HotzGoldmann Advokatur/Notariat
Notaries · BaarLaw and notary office in Baar (canton Zug) serving private individuals and companies: marriage and inheritance contracts, wills, powers of attorney, company deeds, plus family and property law.
Checked by our editors · not yet confirmed by the business.
Is this your business?Kellerhals Carrard (Bern and Basel notaries)
Notaries · BernLaw firm with notaries in Bern and Basel. Notarial services cover property sale, purchase, gift and exchange; the real estate team lists property acquisition by foreign nationals. English site.
Checked by our editors · not yet confirmed by the business.
Is this your business?Property and tenancy lawyers
ADLEGEM
Property & tenancy law · LucerneLaw firm in Lucerne with an English site. Real estate law includes Lex Koller authorisations for foreign buyers; also tenancy law and a notary's office for real estate transactions.
Checked by our editors · not yet confirmed by the business.
Is this your business?Borel & Barbey
Property & tenancy law · GenèveGeneva law firm whose lawyers include a deputy judge at the Geneva Leases and Tenancy Tribunal; advice on rental, lease and real estate matters in French and English.
Checked by our editors · not yet confirmed by the business.
Is this your business?Hofstetter Rechtsanwalt
Property & tenancy law · ZürichZurich solo practice focused on landlord-tenant and employment law, from lease review and service charges to termination and eviction matters. Works in German and English.
Checked by our editors · not yet confirmed by the business.
Is this your business?Leximmo Avocat·e·s
Property & tenancy law · LausanneLausanne law firm specialising in real estate and construction law. Practice list includes Lex Koller advice for foreign non-residents, real estate sales, notarial law and lease law. English site.
Checked by our editors · not yet confirmed by the business.
Is this your business?meyer & meier Rechtsanwälte
Property & tenancy law · ZürichZurich firm for private individuals and companies with a strong tenancy law practice, also covering family, employment, inheritance and contract law. English site.
Checked by our editors · not yet confirmed by the business.
Is this your business?MLL Legal (Geneva)
Property & tenancy law · GenèveGeneva office of the Swiss business law firm MLL Legal; its real estate team covers rental law, with lawyers working in French, English and German.
Checked by our editors · not yet confirmed by the business.
Is this your business?What does buying property cost in each canton?
Cantonal law sets three main costs: a transfer tax, a land-register fee and the notary’s fee for the deed. Zurich has levied no transfer tax since 2005. Basel-Stadt and Geneva charge 3%, Bern 1.8%, and Vaud 2.2% plus a communal surcharge. Notary and land-register fees follow cantonal tariffs, mostly per mille of the price.
Main-residence relief: Geneva deducts CHF 20,924 for prices up to CHF 1,394,928 (from 1 March 2026); Bern defers and then drops the tax on the first CHF 800,000 after two years’ use as main residence; Basel-Stadt halves the rate, owed by the seller, for six years’ owner occupation (Canton of Geneva, checked ) (Canton of Bern, checked ) (Canton of Basel-Stadt, checked ). Vaud gives 3.3% as the usual combined rate (Canton of Vaud, checked ). Zurich and Bern add VAT to notary fees (Notariate Zurich, checked ) (Canton of Bern, checked ).
Property search services: home search. Renting: finding an apartment in Zurich.
Purchase costs in five cantons
| Canton | Transfer tax | Land-register fee | Notary fee for the deed |
|---|---|---|---|
| Basel-Stadt | 3%, buyer pays; 1.5% for owner-occupied homes, seller pays | 1‰, CHF 200 to 50,000 | 0.25% up to CHF 2 million, lower above; CHF 500 to 50,000 |
| Bern | 1.8%, buyer pays; main-residence deferral | CHF 200 for the entry | CHF 2,915 to 4,575 at a price of CHF 1 million |
| Geneva | 3%, buyer pays; main-residence reduction | 0.21%, at most CHF 40,000 | Scale from 7‰ down to 0.5‰ |
| Vaud | 2.2% plus up to half again for the commune; buyer pays | 1.5‰, CHF 100 to 20,000 | Scale from 7‰ down to 0.25‰; at least CHF 300 |
| Zurich | None since 2005 | 1‰ of market value, at least CHF 100, split equally | 1‰ of market value, at least CHF 100 |
Cantonal tax and fee laws, as listed in the sources.
How much own capital do Swiss mortgage rules require?
The banks’ minimum standard, recognised by FINMA, requires at least 10% of the lending value in own funds not taken from pillar 2 pension savings, and amortisation to two thirds of the lending value within 15 years. Imputed interest rates and income limits for affordability are bank practice, set in internal rules, not in law.
The Swiss Bankers Association guideline (December 2023, in force since 1 January 2025) is a minimum standard recognised by FINMA for mortgages on Swiss property (SBA guideline, checked ).
- Own funds: at least 10% of the lending value not from pillar 2 (occupational pension); any price above the lending value also comes from such funds (SBA guideline, checked ).
- Lending value: the lower of market value and price (ERV, checked ).
- Amortisation: to two thirds within 15 years, in straight-line instalments (SBA guideline, checked ).
- Affordability: each bank’s internal rules, based on prudently calculated imputed costs (ERV, checked ).
-
Own funds
10%
Of the lending value, not from pillar 2.
-
Amortisation
15 years
To two thirds of the lending value.
Is the Lex Koller being tightened in 2026?
Proposals exist, but nothing has changed yet. The Federal Council’s consultation on a tighter Lex Koller ran from 15 April to 15 July 2026, and no bill had gone to Parliament by 21 October 2026. Separately, the National Council adopted point 1 of motion 24.3961 on 22 September 2026; the Council of States committee has it now.
The draft would also cover contracts signed but not yet executed or finally decided when it takes effect. On 21 October 2026 the FOJ listed no dispatch (Botschaft) to Parliament (FOJ, Revision Lex Koller, checked ).
Motion 24.3961 (Aeschi) seeks to reverse forty years of loosening. The Federal Council opposed it; the National Council adopted point 1 by 123 votes to 54, with 17 abstentions. A motion passed by both chambers instructs the Federal Council to draft a bill (Curia Vista 24.3961, checked ).
Current law and the preliminary draft
| Topic | Current law | Draft of 15 April 2026 |
|---|---|---|
| Main home, non-EU/EFTA B permit | No permit | Permit; sell within two years once no longer the main home |
| Holiday-home quota | 1,500 units a year | 750, of which 150 for cantons without a holiday-home ground |
| Business premises | No permit, also as investment | No permit only for own business use |
| Listed shares, traded fund units | No permit | Permit ground needed |
| EU/EFTA residents, C permits | Not covered | Not covered |
A proposal in consultation, not law. FOJ, Revision Lex Koller.
Lex Koller questions
What is the Lex Koller in simple terms?
A federal law requiring persons abroad to get cantonal authorisation before buying Swiss property. Residents’ main homes and business premises are exempt; EU/EFTA residents and C permit holders are outside it.
Can a B permit holder buy property in Switzerland?
EU/EFTA citizens on a B permit can buy any property. Non-EU/EFTA citizens can buy one main home in their own name, not let, and business premises; anything else needs a permit.
Can foreigners buy a holiday home in Switzerland?
Only with a permit, in the 17 cantons with a holiday-home ground, in tourist places and within the yearly quota. Zurich, Basel-Stadt, Geneva and Zug grant none.
Can I rent out a property I buy as a foreigner?
Not a main home bought under the exception, not even in part. A holiday home may be let from time to time. Persons abroad get no permit for flats bought to let.
Does a Swiss spouse let me buy property freely?
No. A Swiss spouse does not change your own status; your nationality, permit and actual residence decide.
What happens if I buy property without authorisation?
The purchase is void. Payments can be reclaimed, the former position is restored, if necessary by auction, and wilful breaches can bring up to three years’ custodial sentence.
How much deposit do I need to buy a house in Switzerland?
The guideline recognised by FINMA requires at least 10% of the lending value from own funds not taken from pillar 2. Each bank sets its own affordability test.
Is the Lex Koller being tightened?
Proposals exist: a draft in consultation until 15 July 2026 and motion 24.3961, adopted by the National Council on 22 September 2026. Neither is law yet.
Sources
Last checked by the expat-services.ch editorial team
- Fedlex, SR 211.412.41 Federal Act on the Acquisition of Immovable Property by Persons Abroad (BewG), Art. 2, 4–7, 9, 11–13, 17, 18, 20 and 26–29 (English translation, status 1 July 2023, not legally binding) (opens in a new tab)
- Fedlex, SR 211.412.411 Ordinance on the Acquisition of Immovable Property by Persons Abroad (BewV), Art. 2, 3, 5, 6, 8, 10–12, 18, 18a and Annex 1, status 1 March 2024 (in German) (opens in a new tab)
- Federal Office of Justice (FOJ) Fragen und Antworten: acquisition of property by persons abroad, 1 October 2026 (in German) (opens in a new tab)
- Federal Office of Justice (FOJ) Revision Lex Koller: consultation of 15 April to 15 July 2026, preliminary draft, explanatory report and statements (in German) (opens in a new tab)
- Fedlex, SR 702 Federal Act on Second Homes (ZWG), Art. 1, 6, 7, 10 and 11, status 1 October 2024 (in German) (opens in a new tab)
- Federal Office for Spatial Development (ARE) Wohnungsinventar und Zweitwohnungsanteil 2026 (Q1): second-home share by commune, 31 March 2026 (in German) (opens in a new tab)
- Swiss Bankers Association Richtlinien betreffend Mindestanforderungen bei Hypothekarfinanzierungen, December 2023, in force 1 January 2025, recognised by FINMA (in German) (opens in a new tab)
- Fedlex, SR 952.03 Capital Adequacy Ordinance (ERV), Art. 72b and 72d, status 24 January 2025 (in German) (opens in a new tab)
- Swiss Parliament 24.3961 Motion Aeschi «Verschärfung der Lex Koller»: Federal Council reply, National Council vote of 22 September 2026 and status (in German) (opens in a new tab)
- Canton of Zurich, Notariatsinspektorat Kaufvertrag: Gebühren; no transfer tax since 2005, notary and land-register fees under NotGebV LS 243, as of 3 October 2025 (in German) (opens in a new tab)
- Canton of Geneva, SILGeneve Loi sur les droits d’enregistrement (LDE, D 3 30), Art. 8A, 33 and 163; land-register fees E 1 50.06; notary fees E 6 05.03; notaries’ law E 6 05 (in French) (opens in a new tab)
- Canton of Vaud Loi concernant le droit de mutation (LMSD, BLV 648.11), Art. 4 and 10; land-register fees LRF 211.61; notary tariff TNo 178.11.2; notaries’ law LNo 178.11 (in French) (opens in a new tab)
- Canton of Basel-Stadt Handänderungssteuergesetz (SG 650.100), § 1, 4 and 5; land-register fees SG 211.110 § 51; notary tariff SG 292.400 § 11; Notariatsgesetz SG 292.100 (in German) (opens in a new tab)
- Canton of Bern, BELEX Handänderungssteuergesetz (BSG 215.326.2), Art. 2, 11, 11a and 11b; land-register fees BSG 154.21; notary fees BSG 169.81; notaries’ law BSG 169.11 (in German) (opens in a new tab)