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Guide · Registers Explained

PLR Extract or Land Register? What Each One Shows

Many searches for an "RDPPF extract" actually want the land-register extract — or the reverse. This page separates the two documents and shows you how to order the right one in the cantons of Vaud and Fribourg.

This page explains publicly accessible registers and does not constitute tax, legal, construction, or financial advice. Consult a qualified professional for legal or tax questions.

Two registers, two documents

The PLR extract (public-law restrictions cadastre) and the land-register extract answer different questions about a property. Ordering the wrong one won't get you the information you wanted — and the fee is still due.

PLR and land register are two distinct documents

The PLR extract (cadastre of public-law restrictions on landownership) shows the public-law restrictions on a parcel — zoning, building lines, noise-sensitivity levels. The land-register extract shows private-law relationships — ownership, easements, mortgages. The two complement, not replace, each other.

On record

Source: PLR Cadastre vs. land register (cadastre.ch) · Glossary: PLR

What the land register additionally shows

Easements such as rights of way or utility easements, land charges, and mortgages are recorded in the land register, not the PLR cadastre. The PLR extract says nothing about them — for the complete picture of a parcel's encumbrances, you need both sources.

None recorded

Source: CC, Art. 942 et seq. (Fedlex) · Glossary: Easement

Ordering the land-register extract in the canton of Vaud

In the canton of Vaud, the certified land-register extract is ordered from the responsible office; only the certified version carries legal force. The full list of services and responsible offices is on vd.ch.

On record

Source: Order a certified land-register extract (vd.ch) · Guide: Land Register Vaud

Ordering the land-register extract in the canton of Fribourg

In the canton of Fribourg, the land register sits under the Finance Directorate and is organised into seven district offices; the certified version of the extract is ordered from the responsible district office.

On record

Source: Obtain a land-register extract (fr.ch) · Guide: Land Register Fribourg

See the full pre-purchase checklist

The Four Honesty States

Every fact in an alpflo report carries exactly one of these states — so you can see at a glance what's documented and what isn't.

On record

Confirmed in an official Swiss register. Direct source.

None recorded

Register queried; nothing on this parcel. The absence is documented.

Modelled

Derived from a model or an API: real, but not directly from the register. Please verify.

Could not resolve

Hit an edge case. Stated honestly at the boundary, never silently discarded.

Frequently asked questions about the PLR extract and the land register
What does PLR / RDPPF mean?

PLR stands for public-law restrictions on landownership (French: RDPPF) — the official cadastre recording the public-law restrictions that apply to a parcel.

Do I need the PLR extract or the land-register extract?

For zoning, building lines, or noise rules, you need the PLR extract. For ownership, easements, or mortgages, you need the land-register extract — often both for a complete picture.

Is the PLR extract free?

Yes, the PLR extract is available free of charge for every recorded parcel via the federal portal cadastre.ch. The land-register extract is fee-based and ordered from the responsible cantonal office.

Where do I find my land-register office outside Vaud and Fribourg?

The Federal Office of Justice maintains a nationwide finder for the responsible land-register office.

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