Swiss Taxes Beyond Income Tax in 2026: VAT, Withholding, Wealth and More

Last reviewed: November 2026 · Reviewed by Stéphane Gombauld, tax expert, technologist and digital nomad

You know Switzerland taxes income, but the smaller taxes are what catch newcomers: a 35% deduction on your first dividend, a wealth-tax line you did not expect, a fee for a TV you do not own. This guide lists every specific tax a freelancer, remote employee or founder is likely to meet in 2026, who levies it, how much it costs and how to get the refundable ones back.

Switzerland specific taxes in 2026: the key figures

Is this guide for you?

Read on if you…

• have just moved to Switzerland and want to know which taxes exist besides income tax;
• invest through a Swiss bank or broker and see 35% disappearing from dividends and interest;
• own, buy or inherit Swiss property or run a small business that may need VAT registration.

Probably not your case if you…

• need the income tax rates and residence rules – start with the Switzerland tax landscape overview;
• are a company looking for the corporate rate – see corporate income taxes in Switzerland.

How does Swiss VAT work for freelancers and small businesses?

Switzerland runs its own VAT outside the EU system. The standard rate is 8.1%, the reduced rate 2.6% (food, books, medicines, newspapers) and the special rate 3.8% for accommodation, unchanged since 2024.

You must register once your worldwide turnover from taxable supplies reaches CHF 100,000 in a year. Worldwide matters: a Swiss freelancer billing CHF 90,000 to Swiss clients and CHF 20,000 to German clients crosses the line. Below the threshold, registration is voluntary and often useful to recover input VAT.

Services to business clients abroad are generally taxed where the recipient is, so most B2B exports carry no Swiss VAT but still count toward the threshold. Services bought from abroad are subject to acquisition tax (reverse charge) once they exceed CHF 10,000 a year, even for unregistered recipients.

Small businesses can choose the net tax rate method: you bill 8.1% but pay a flat sector rate on gross turnover (for example 5.9% for consultants) with a simpler semi-annual return. Returns are otherwise quarterly.

Why does 35% disappear from your dividends, and how do you get it back?

The withholding tax (Verrechnungssteuer) is Switzerland's tool against undeclared investment income. Swiss companies deduct 35% from dividends, bond issuers from interest, and banks from account interest above CHF 200 a year.

For a Swiss resident it is not a cost. You declare the gross income in your tax return and the 35% is credited against your cantonal tax or refunded. Miss the declaration and the money is gone – forfeiture is the penalty for non-declaration.

Non-residents reclaim under their double tax treaty, typically down to 15% on dividends and 0% on interest, via the FTA's refund forms. Our guide on international tax treaties of Switzerland covers the rates. Foreign dividends you receive in Switzerland carry the other country's withholding tax; the Swiss flat-rate tax credit lets you offset the non-refundable part.

Swiss withholding tax does not apply to crypto staking or foreign funds. See cryptocurrency taxes in Switzerland for how those are taxed.

What do wealth, inheritance and gift taxes cost?

Wealth tax

Switzerland has a general annual wealth tax, cantonal and municipal, never federal. You declare worldwide net assets on 31 December – accounts, securities, crypto, cars, life insurance surrender values, Swiss property at tax value – minus debts. Foreign real estate is exempt but counts for the rate.

Allowances and rates vary a lot. Single-person allowances run from about CHF 50,000 to over CHF 200,000. Top rates range from about 0.1% in Nidwalden and Schwyz to around 1% in Geneva and Basel-Stadt. On CHF 1 million of net wealth, that is roughly CHF 1,000 a year in central Switzerland and CHF 8,000–10,000 in Geneva.

Inheritance and gift tax

There is no federal inheritance or gift tax. In November 2025 voters rejected a popular initiative for a 50% federal tax on estates above CHF 50 million. Cantons levy their own taxes, with these common features:

• Spouses and registered partners are exempt in every canton.
• Children and grandchildren are exempt in most cantons; Vaud, Neuchâtel and Appenzell Innerrhoden tax them at low rates, and a few others apply small rates.
• Unrelated heirs pay the highest rates, often 20%–50% depending on canton and amount.
• Schwyz and Obwalden levy no inheritance or gift tax at all.

The decisive canton is where the deceased or donor lived, except for real estate, which is taxed where it sits.

Which taxes come with Swiss property?

Owning a home or an investment flat triggers a bundle of cantonal taxes:

• Real estate transfer tax: paid on purchase in most cantons at roughly 1%–3.3% of the price, usually by the buyer; Zurich, Zug, Schwyz, Aargau and a few others charge only register fees.
• Property tax (Liegenschaftssteuer): an annual 0.05%–0.3% of tax value in about half the cantons; Zurich, Zug and Schwyz have none.
• Imputed rental value: owner-occupiers add a notional rent to taxable income in 2026, deducting mortgage interest and maintenance. Voters approved abolition in September 2025; the new rules are expected from 2028.
• Real estate gains tax: on sale, the profit is taxed by the canton with holding-period discounts and short-term surcharges – details in capital gains tax in Switzerland.

Non-residents owning Swiss property pay these taxes too and file a limited return in the canton, as explained in ceasing your tax residency in Switzerland.

Which smaller levies will you meet?

• Stamp duties: 1% issuance duty on share capital above CHF 1 million, 0.15% or 0.3% securities transfer duty when you trade through a Swiss bank or broker, and 5% on most non-life insurance premiums. Foreign brokers charge no Swiss transfer duty.
• Church tax: 0.1–0.3 percentage points on income (and wealth in some cantons) if you register as a member of a recognised church. You can leave the church to stop paying; in Geneva and Neuchâtel it is voluntary anyway.
• Radio and TV fee: CHF 335 per household a year, collected by Serafe regardless of whether you own a TV. Businesses pay a turnover-based fee from CHF 500,000 of VAT-relevant turnover.
• Motor vehicle tax: cantonal, typically CHF 200–800 a year, plus the CHF 40 motorway vignette.
• Military service exemption tax: Swiss men who do not serve pay 3% of taxable income (minimum CHF 400) each year until the age of 37. Foreign residents are not liable.
• Federal excise and the CO2 levy: built into fuel, tobacco, alcohol and heating oil prices; the CO2 levy on heating fuels is CHF 120 per tonne. Part of it is refunded to every resident through health-insurance premiums.
• Social security: not a tax in name, but 10.6% AHV/IV/EO plus 2.2% unemployment insurance on salaries up to CHF 148,200, split equally between employer and employee. Self-employed people pay up to 10% themselves.

Common mistakes (and what they cost)

• Not declaring Swiss dividends and interest. The 35% withholding tax is forfeited instead of refunded – a straight loss of a third of your investment income.
• Missing the VAT threshold because foreign turnover was ignored. Worldwide turnover counts; late registration means paying 8.1% out of fees you never grossed up.
• Forgetting acquisition tax on foreign software and services. Unregistered businesses owe reverse-charge VAT above CHF 10,000 a year; audits add interest and penalties.
• Under-declaring wealth. Cantons reassess up to ten years back with interest and fines; see tax fraud regulations of Switzerland.
• Staying registered in a church by default. Ticking the religion box at the residents' office adds 0.1–0.3 percentage points to your tax bill every year until you formally leave.

Frequently asked questions

What is the VAT rate in Switzerland in 2026?

The standard rate is 8.1%, the reduced rate 2.6% for food, books, medicines and newspapers, and the special rate 3.8% for hotel accommodation. These rates have applied since 1 January 2024. Businesses must register once worldwide taxable turnover reaches CHF 100,000 a year; smaller businesses may register voluntarily to recover input VAT.

Is Swiss withholding tax a real cost for residents?

No. The 35% withholding tax on Swiss dividends and interest is a security deposit. When you declare the gross income in your tax return, the amount is credited against your cantonal tax bill or refunded. It becomes a cost only if you fail to declare the income, in which case the refund is forfeited.

Does Switzerland have inheritance tax?

Not at federal level. Cantons levy their own inheritance and gift taxes. Spouses are exempt everywhere, and children are exempt in most cantons, with a few exceptions such as Vaud, Neuchâtel and Appenzell Innerrhoden. Unrelated heirs can pay 20%–50%. Schwyz and Obwalden have no inheritance tax. The canton of the deceased's last residence applies its rules.

How much is wealth tax in Switzerland?

It depends on your canton and municipality. After a tax-free allowance, rates range from roughly 0.1% a year in low-tax cantons such as Nidwalden, Schwyz and Zug to about 1% in Geneva and Basel-Stadt on larger fortunes. On CHF 1 million of net wealth, expect roughly CHF 1,000 in central Switzerland and CHF 8,000–10,000 in Geneva.

Do I have to pay the Swiss radio and TV fee if I have no TV?

Yes. Every household pays CHF 335 a year to Serafe regardless of devices, because the fee is device-independent. Only households where every member receives supplementary benefits to AHV or IV, and people in care homes, are exempt. Companies pay a separate turnover-based fee once VAT-relevant turnover exceeds CHF 500,000.

Is there a real estate transfer tax when buying a home in Switzerland?

In most cantons, yes, at roughly 1%–3.3% of the purchase price, usually paid by the buyer. Zurich, Zug, Schwyz, Aargau and a few other cantons charge only land-register and notary fees instead. On top come annual property tax in about half the cantons, the imputed rental value until its abolition and real estate gains tax when you sell.

Related guides

• Capital gains tax in Switzerland
• Cryptocurrency taxes in Switzerland
• International tax treaties of Switzerland
• Switzerland tax landscape overview
• Specific taxes in Germany
• Specific taxes in Austria
• All country tax guides

Sources

• Federal Act on Value Added Tax (VAT Act), SR 641.20 – Fedlex
• Fedlex – Classified Compilation of Federal Legislation (withholding tax and stamp duty acts)
• Swiss Federal Tax Administration (FTA/ESTV) – VAT, withholding tax, stamp duties
• ch.ch – Taxes and finances (official portal)
• Serafe – radio and television fee
• PwC Worldwide Tax Summaries – Switzerland, other taxes (cross-check)

This guide is general information, not personalised tax advice. See how we research and review.