Swiss Moving Dates 2027: Notice Dates in All 26 Cantons
Published on 14.10.2026 · Offrendo editorial team
In Switzerland you give notice on a rented apartment with three months' notice to an official moving date set locally (Art. 266c of the Swiss Code of Obligations, CO), unless your tenancy agreement says otherwise. There is no single set of moving dates for the whole country: common dates are 31 March, 30 June and 30 September; many cantons allow the end of every month except December; in Vaud the dates are 1 April, 1 July and 1 October. Lucerne, Geneva and Valais have no official moving dates. The table below covers all 26 cantons (as of October 2026, source: conciliation authorities for tenancy matters).
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Key facts at a glance
These official moving dates (Zügeltermine in German, termes usuels in French) are the dates on which a tenancy can normally end. If you are new to Switzerland, this is often the biggest surprise: you usually cannot end a lease at any time.
- Your tenancy agreement takes precedence: if it states a termination date or a longer notice period, that applies (Art. 266a CO).
- The notice period is three months. Your notice must reach the landlord before the notice period begins – the postmark does not count.
- Notice given too late? It is not invalid; it simply takes effect on the next possible date (Art. 266a para. 2 CO).
- Notice on an apartment must be given in writing. For a family home, both spouses or partners must sign.
- Where there is no official moving date, you give notice to the end of a three-month tenancy period, counted from the start of the tenancy.
Official moving dates 2027 by canton
The official dates are not set by the federal government but by the cantons, and in some cases by districts or municipalities. What counts is where the apartment is located.
| Canton | Official moving dates (apartments) | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Aargau | 31 March, 30 June, 30 September | The same in all districts |
| Appenzell Ausserrhoden | End of every month except 31 December | – |
| Appenzell Innerrhoden | End of every month except 31 December | – |
| Basel-Landschaft | End of every month except end of December | Set by law (§ 11 EG OR BL) |
| Basel-Stadt | Last day of every month except 31 December | Apartment must be vacated by the morning of the 3rd day of the following month (§ 214 EG ZGB BS) |
| Bern | Bern-Mittelland, Biel/Seeland, Emmental-Oberaargau: end of every month except 31 December | Bernese Oberland varies by municipality. For the city of Bern, other guides mention 30 April and 31 October – please check your tenancy agreement or ask the conciliation authority |
| Fribourg | 31 March, 30 June, 30 September, 31 December | Throughout the canton |
| Geneva | No official moving dates | The dates in the tenancy agreement apply |
| Glarus | End of every month | Whether 31 December also applies is not clearly documented – please check your agreement |
| Grisons | Mostly 31 March, 30 June, 30 September | Prättigau/Davos and Imboden: only 31 March and 30 September. Moesa and Bernina: no fixed practice |
| Jura | Varies by district | Delémont and Moutier: end of every month. Franches-Montagnes: 31 March, 30 June, 30 September, 31 December. Porrentruy: please check locally |
| Lucerne | No official moving dates | Throughout the canton |
| Neuchâtel | 31 March, 30 June, 30 September | La Chaux-de-Fonds, Le Locle and Val-de-Ruz also 31 December |
| Nidwalden | 31 March, 30 June, 30 September | – |
| Obwalden | 31 March, 30 June, 30 September | – |
| Schaffhausen | End of every month except 31 December | – |
| Schwyz | End of every month except 31 December | – |
| Solothurn | Varies by region | Solothurn, Grenchen, Wasseramt, Bucheggberg, Lebern, Thal-Gäu: 31 March and 30 September. Olten-Gösgen, Dorneck-Thierstein: 31 March, 30 June, 30 September |
| St. Gallen | End of every month except 31 December | Buchs SG: end of every quarter except 31 December. Rorschach: no official moving dates |
| Thurgau | Varies by municipality | For example Kreuzlingen, Arbon, Amriswil: end of every month except 31 December. Frauenfeld, Weinfelden: 31 March, 30 June, 30 September |
| Ticino | Lugano area: 29 March, 29 September | Bellinzona: no official moving dates. Locarno, Mendrisio, Chiasso, Biasca: please check locally. In 2027, 29 March falls on Easter Monday |
| Uri | End of every month except 31 December | – |
| Valais | No official moving dates | Throughout the canton |
| Vaud | 1 April, 1 July, 1 October (at 12 noon each) | Throughout the canton |
| Zug | 31 March, 30 June, 30 September | – |
| Zurich | Varies by district | City of Zurich, Dietikon, Affoltern: 31 March and 30 September. Bülach: end of every month except December. Other districts (e.g. Winterthur, Uster, Horgen): 31 March, 30 June, 30 September |
As of October 2026. Source: database of the conciliation authorities (mietrecht.ch); for Basel-Stadt and Basel-Landschaft also cantonal law, for Vaud the City of Lausanne. Dates can differ between municipalities – if in doubt, your tenancy agreement applies; otherwise the conciliation authority for your municipality can help.
2027 calendar: when your notice must arrive
With the statutory notice period of three months, your notice must reach the landlord no later than these days:
| Date in 2027 | Day of the week | Notice must arrive by |
|---|---|---|
| 31 March 2027 | Wednesday | Thursday, 31 December 2026 |
| 30 April 2027 | Friday | Friday, 29 January 2027 (31 January is a Sunday) |
| 30 June 2027 | Wednesday | Wednesday, 31 March 2027 |
| 30 September 2027 | Thursday | Wednesday, 30 June 2027 |
| 31 October 2027 | Sunday | Friday, 30 July 2027 (31 July is a Saturday) |
| 31 December 2027 | Friday | Thursday, 30 September 2027 |
Rule according to the Swiss Tenants' Association (Mieterinnen- und Mieterverband): the notice must arrive during business hours on the last day before the notice period begins; if that day is a Saturday or a public holiday, on the day before. Send a registered letter at least three working days in advance. A longer notice period in your tenancy agreement takes precedence.
Moving out before the date: proposing a replacement tenant
If you want to move out outside the notice period or official date, you are only released early if you propose a solvent replacement tenant who is acceptable to the landlord and willing to take over the tenancy agreement on the same terms (Art. 264 CO). Otherwise you owe the rent until the next regular termination date. The law does not set a fixed deadline for the landlord's reply; the Swiss Tenants' Association generally reckons with 14 to 30 days.
Apartment handover: protocol and cleaning
- It is common to complete a handover protocol together with the landlord or property management. According to the Swiss Tenants' Association there is no obligation to sign it – if you sign, you acknowledge the damage listed. If you disagree, sign only with a reservation.
- The landlord must check the condition of the apartment at the handover and report defects immediately; later claims are otherwise excluded, except for hidden defects (Art. 267a CO).
- Many cleaning companies offer end-of-tenancy cleaning with a handover guarantee: they attend the handover and re-clean any areas the landlord objects to on the spot.
- Record the meter readings and take photos of the rooms at the handover.
Planning your move around the moving date
- On the official moving dates many removal companies and rental vans are fully booked – request quotes early, ideally six to eight weeks in advance.
- Ask about dates shortly before or after the official date: if your new tenancy starts a few days earlier, you avoid the busiest day.
- Arrange parking permits for the removal van with both municipalities in good time.
- Plan the end-of-tenancy cleaning and the handover appointment together with the move: the apartment must be empty before it is cleaned.
Comparing quotes for your move
Compare two to three quotes based on the same details: rooms, floor, lift, distance, furniture lift and cleaning. On Offrendo you describe your move once and can compare up to 3 quotes from local companies, free and without obligation.
Moving in your region: local pages
Sources & methodology
As of: 14.10.2026 · editorially reviewed by the Offrendo editorial team
Basis: publicly available price information from Swiss specialist companies, industry information from the professional organisations listed below and Offrendo's own market data where sufficient data is available. All prices are indicative values in CHF incl. VAT for Switzerland – not quotes.
Percentages for price differences, surcharges or budget shares are industry experience values, not Offrendo statistics.
Offrendo's own market data will be included as soon as there are at least 20 quotes per category. Insights →
Professional organisations and primary sources
- ASTAG – Schweizerischer Nutzfahrzeugverband (Fachgruppe Möbeltransport)
- Swiss Code of Obligations (Art. 264, 266a, 266c, 267a CO) – Fedlex
- Conciliation authorities: official dates by municipality (mietrecht.ch)
- Swiss Tenants' Association: fact sheet on giving notice
- Swiss Tenants' Association: apartment handover and protocol
- Basel-Stadt: § 214 EG ZGB
- Basel-Landschaft: § 11 EG OR
- City of Lausanne: tenancy agreement and dates
Public sources for the guide prices (checked on 15.10.2026)
- Move, 2.5-room apartment (local): CHF 700 – CHF 1'500 flat rate · Sources: comparis.ch (2025), top-offerten.ch (2026)
- Move, 4.5-room apartment (local): CHF 1'500 – CHF 3'000 flat rate · Sources: comparis.ch (2025), ofri.ch (2026)
- Moving crew (2 people + van): CHF 150 – CHF 250 per hour · Sources: ofri.ch (2026), offerten-portal.ch (2026)
- End-of-tenancy cleaning with handover guarantee (3.5-room apartment): CHF 600 – CHF 1'500 flat rate · Source: comparis.ch (2026)
Frequently asked questions
What are the official moving dates in Switzerland?
There are no uniform moving dates. Depending on the canton, the official dates are for example 31 March, 30 June and 30 September, the end of every month except December, or – in Vaud – 1 April, 1 July and 1 October. Lucerne, Geneva and Valais have no official moving dates (as of October 2026).
Which moving dates apply in Zurich?
In the city of Zurich and the districts of Dietikon and Affoltern, 31 March and 30 September. Most other districts also have 30 June, and the district of Bülach the end of every month except December (source: conciliation authorities, as of October 2026).
By when must I give notice for 31 March 2027?
With three months' notice, your notice must reach the landlord by 31 December 2026 at the latest. If your tenancy agreement states a longer notice period, that applies.
What happens if my notice arrives too late?
It is not invalid but takes effect on the next possible date (Art. 266a para. 2 CO). If you still want to move out earlier, you can propose an acceptable, solvent replacement tenant.
Does the date in my tenancy agreement or the official moving date apply?
Your tenancy agreement takes precedence. The official moving dates only apply if the agreement does not say otherwise.
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