Reading and Ordering a Land Register Extract

What the land register extract contains

The extract is organised into ownership (who owns the property and in what form), easements and land charges (rights of way, pipeline, or building rights), mortgages, and annotations and priority notices. Some of this data is public; for a full extract you must show a legitimate interest.

Source: Land register (Federal Office of Justice, bj.admin.ch) · Glossary: easement · Checklist step 1: read the land register extract

The land register is kept by canton, not nationally

There is no Switzerland-wide land register. Each canton keeps its own — depending on the canton through regional registry districts, one central cantonal office, or state notariates. The responsible body is always the one for the property's location; the Federal Office of Justice's directory leads to every cantonal land registry.

Source: Find a land registry office in Switzerland (Federal Office of Justice, bj.admin.ch) · See what a cited source looks like in the sample report

Who may see what

Ownership, the property description, and easements can be viewed without showing an interest; for anything beyond that — mortgages in particular — you must show a legitimate interest (Art. 970 CC). How strictly that is applied, and what evidence is required, is for the cantonal body to decide.

Source: CC, Art. 970 (Fedlex)

Ordering the extract in the right canton

The ordering route, the form, and the fee differ from canton to canton — some cantons publish a fixed tariff, others bill by effort. For these cantons, a dedicated page names the responsible body, the ordering route, and the costs.

Source: Find a land registry office in Switzerland (Federal Office of Justice, bj.admin.ch) · Land Register Zurich · Land Register Bern · Land Register Aargau · Land Registry Solothurn · Land Register Valais · Land Register Vaud · Land Register Fribourg

What is the difference between the land register and the PLR cadastre?

The land register records private-law relationships — ownership, easements, mortgages. The PLR cadastre shows public-law restrictions such as zones and building lines. For a complete picture you need both.

Can I view any land register extract?

Only partly. Base data — owner, area, parcel number — is public. For the full extract with all encumbrances, you must show a legitimate interest.

How much does a land register extract cost?

The fee is set by canton and depends on scope and certification. A simple extract usually costs a few to a few dozen francs; the exact amount is stated by the responsible land registry.

What is an easement in the extract?

An easement is a third-party right recorded in the land register over the property — such as a right of way, pipeline right, or building right. It can restrict your use of the property and survives a change of owner.