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When do I need planning permission and why?
Better to ask too many questions than not enough.
It is best to assume you need planning permission, as you will need it for conversion work, apart from a few exceptions. This particularly applies if you want to change the appearance of something or how it is used, or if the conversion measures have implications for fire safety. It is better to ask too many questions than not enough when dealing with the relevant building authority, as you will be breaking the law if you do not have the relevant permission and will have to obtain it later. If the authority does not give it to you later, you may have to undo any building work, as you will have to put things back to how they were originally.
When do you not need permission?
If you only want to make minor changes, you will not need permission. But these must not change the external appearance in any way or involve any structural modifications. So you may put up a partition wall, remove a non-load-bearing wall or replace your old kitchen. You may repaint the façade, but only in the same colour. The same applies to windows. If you are replacing your old windows with new ones of the same colour, size, and structure, you will not need permission. But if the new windows look different, for example because you are replacing lattice windows with larger panes or if the sizes are no longer quite the same, permission will be required.
When do you need permission?
In Switzerland, there is very little that does not require permission. Planning permission is generally required for any work that will change the external appearance of a building, such as changes to the façade, extensions or the creation of balconies or structural changes. This is also the case if you want to use the building, or even just parts of it, for other purposes, such as switching from residential to commercial use. You also need permission for energy-related renovation work such as façade insulation or a heat pump, and if you want to put a solar panel on the roof. If the property is located in a preservation area or the building itself is under a preservation order, permissions are almost always needed for conversion and renovation work.
How do you submit an application for planning permission?
Contact the relevant building authority to find out what documentation you need and how to go about submitting an application for planning permission. You will generally, at least, need the extract from the land register, an official cadastral map and the plans for your project. The more complete the documentation is, the shorter the process will be. The relevant provisions can vary significantly from canton to canton or even from commune to commune. Depending on the conversion project, it is advisable to get a specialist involved, in order to ensure that all the provisions are complied with and the planning permission process runs smoothly.
