When do you need to register?
Registration with the communal authority is compulsory in Switzerland. You need to register with the relevant communal authority within 8 to 14 days (depending on the local municipality) of your arrival and before taking up employment. You are only allowed to start working after your registration.
How to register?
If you are moving to Switzerland from abroad, the registration is usually done in person. Depending on your local municipality you will need an appointment for the registration. Check with your municipality whether an appointment is required and book it well in advance.
When registering with the communal authority, the applicant also applies for the resident permit ("Ausländerausweis").
Find the relevant authority here.
Which documents do you need to register?
The documents required for registration can vary between the different cantons, but usually consists of the following:
Valid identity documents (for you and all accompanying family members),
A passport photo (for you and all accompanying family members),
A copy of the lease/rental agreement for your home,
Civil status documents such as family record booklet, marriage certificate, birth certificates of children, etc., and
The employment contract (if applicable).
Check with your local municipality which documents you need to bring prior to your appointment.
What happens if you change your address?
Should you move within Switzerland, it is not enough to simply register with your new municipal authority. You are also always required to de-register at your old place of residence. Often this needs to be done in person. Currently, for the following cantons the de-register and register services are also available online: Aargau, Appenzell Ausserrhoden, Bern, Glarus, Graubünden, Luzern, Schwyz, Solothurn, St.Gallen, Thurgau, Uri, Zug, and Zürich.