StovitaDo I have to report guests staying in my holiday rental to the police?
What does federal law require?
In short, the Foreign Nationals and Integration Act says that anyone who provides accommodation to foreign nationals commercially must report them to the competent cantonal authority (Art. 16 FNIA). The Ordinance sets out the procedure (Art. 18 OASA):
- Anyone who accommodates a foreign national for payment must fill in a guest registration form using the details on their identity document.
- The guest signs the form and presents their identity document.
- You submit the form to the competent cantonal authority.
- For groups, a list signed by the tour leader is sufficient.
Anyone who intentionally or negligently breaches the reporting requirement is liable to a fine (Art. 120 para. 1 let. a FNIA). The FNIA does not define exactly what “commercially” means. The Ordinance refers to providing accommodation “for payment”. So if you rent out your holiday home to guests for money, you should assume that you have to report them.
Federal law does not cover Swiss guests. Your canton decides whether you have to report them too.
What is changing with EasyGov?
On 26 August 2026, the Federal Council opened a consultation, which runs until 27 November 2026. It is based on Motion 21.4426. The plans are to:
- Report foreign guests electronically through EasyGov, without the guest’s signature.
- Check that the details match the identity document presented.
- No longer require paper guest registration forms to be archived.
- Allow cantons with their own functioning system to keep it.
The Federal Council has not set a date for the changes to come into force. Until then, the guest registration form and signature are still required.
How do the cantons differ?
| Canton | Who must be reported | Deadline and method |
|---|---|---|
| Ticino | All guests, Swiss and foreign | Within 24 hours, electronically to the cantonal police |
| Basel-Stadt | All guests, including those staying in holiday rentals and via Airbnb | Daily through Basel Tourism’s reporting system |
| Schaffhausen | All guests, including those staying with private hosts | Daily by 02:00 via gast.sh.ch |
| Jura | All guests, including those staying in holiday rentals | Daily via Check-in JU |
| Zug | Every guest, explicitly including those staying via Airbnb | On arrival, online or on paper |
| Zurich | Guest checks also apply to private hosts who regularly rent through platforms | Electronically to the cantonal police |
| Geneva | Foreign guests | As soon as possible, via a verified e-démarches account |
| Graubünden | At cantonal level, only foreign guests; tourist destinations often require more | Guest registration form on arrival, keep for one year |
| Schwyz | Foreign guests only | Guest registration form on arrival, keep for at least two years |
| Valais | Guest checks in line with the Accommodation Act | According to the municipality’s system, e.g. zTerminal in Zermatt |
Find details for each canton on the pages about Ticino, Basel-Stadt, Schaffhausen, Jura, Zug, Zurich, Geneva, Graubünden, Schwyz and Valais. Guest reporting is often linked to the tourist tax: in many holiday destinations, you report guests through the tourism organisation’s system, which then generates the bill. See Guest registration form for an overview of all cantons.
What does this mean for you?
- Check with your municipality or tourism organisation to find out which system applies and whether you need to report all guests.
- Ask guests to show their identity document on arrival and check the details.
- Ask guests to sign the form while the federal rules still require it. For a group, a list signed by the tour leader is sufficient.
- Submit the report by your canton’s deadline and keep it for as long as the canton requires.
- Collect only the data required for guest reporting and the tourist tax, then delete it (see Data protection and the guest registration form).
Stovita sends your guests the online guest registration form without an image of their identity document, reminds them to complete it and stores everything in the archive.
Sign up freeFrequently asked questions
Do I also have to report Swiss guests?
Not under federal law (Art. 16 FNIA covers foreign nationals only). But many cantons require it, including Ticino, Basel-Stadt, Schaffhausen, Jura and Zug.
Does the reporting requirement also apply to a private holiday rental?
The FNIA refers to providing accommodation commercially, while the Ordinance refers to providing accommodation for payment (Art. 18 OASA). Federal law does not draw a clear line for private hosts. If you rent out your property for money, it’s best to report your guests.
Is a signature still required?
Yes, until Art. 18 OASA is amended. The planned EasyGov changes would remove the signature requirement; the consultation runs until 27 November 2026.
What happens if I don’t report my guests?
The FNIA provides for a fine (Art. 120 para. 1 let. a FNIA). Cantons have their own fines; for example, Zug imposes a fixed penalty of CHF 100.
Sources
- Foreign Nationals and Integration Act (FNIA, SR 142.20), Arts. 16 and 120 (checked November 6, 2026)
- Ordinance on Admission, Stay and Employment (OASA, SR 142.201), Art. 18 (checked November 6, 2026)
- Federal Council: Digitising guest reporting in the accommodation sector, consultation (26 August 2026) (checked November 6, 2026)
- Canton of Ticino: Regolamento notifiche degli ospiti alla Polizia cantonale (checked November 6, 2026)
- Canton of Schaffhausen: Electronic guest reporting (brochure) (checked November 6, 2026)
- Zug Police: Guest registration form (checked November 6, 2026)
- Canton of Geneva: Report foreign guests to the police (checked November 6, 2026)
- City of Zurich: Information for accommodation providers (checked November 6, 2026)
- Jura Tourisme: Check-in JU (checked November 6, 2026)
A short summary, not legal advice. The linked official source and your municipality’s rules prevail.