In most cantons, tax returns must be submitted by March 31st, 2025.
However, eight cantons have different deadlines:
Jura: February 28th (or 29th, in a leap year)
Bern and Vaud: March 15th
Neuchâtel: March 29th
Zug, Ticino, Appenzell Innerrhoden, and Thurgau: April 30th
If you miss your canton’s deadline, you will have to pay a ‘late fee’, the amount of which depends on where you live.
What if you are late?
If you don’t think you’ll be able to meet the deadline, you can request an extension.
If your tax return is prepared by an accounting firm, they automatically file every year for extension for all their clients.
You should have received a confirmation letter or email from the firm to that effect.
But if you prepare your tax declaration yourself and you won’t be able to meet the deadline, you must ask the tax authorities in your canton of residence to give you more time: you must, however, request it before March 31st, not on the day itself.
This means that if you haven’t yet asked for it, and you know you won’t be able to submit the declaration on time, you should do so immediately (unless you live in Jura, Bern or Vaud, where the deadlines are close or expired).
How do you ask for an extension?
Here you can find the website of your cantonal tax authority, which directs you to a link allowing you to request an extension.
Each canton has its own rules, but in most cases you will have to include the bar code included with the tax paperwork your canton sent you.
Again, depending on your canton of residence, the extensions granted will vary. Not only that, but more than one extension can be given if you have valid reasons for such a request — an illness or another serious impediment to filing your taxes on time.
In some cases, the canton will charge a fee (usually 20 francs) for requesting several delays.
Here’s the list of dates for the extensions for filing taxes:
- April 30th: Neuchâtel
- May 15th: Bern
- May 31st: Appenzell-Ausserrhoden, Luzern, Schwyz, St. Gallen, Uri, and Valais.
- June 30th: Aargau, Basel-Country, Fribourg, Nidwalden, Schaffhausen, Ticino, Vaud, and Zug.
- July 31st: Geneva, Jura, and Solothurn.
- September 30th: Zurich, Basel-City
Cantons not listed here can be contacted directly.
Keep in mind though that these rules apply only to permanent residents.
Non-residents and cross-border workers have their taxes deducted directly from their payroll each month, a system called taxation at source, or withholding tax.
What happens if you don’t pay your tax bill on time — or at all?
Generally speaking, it is a very bad idea to be in arrears on this, or any other, financial obligation.
That’s because penalties could be quite heavy, ranging from a simple reminder if a payment is missed, all the way to summons from the debt enforcement office in your canton.
And having a debt (other than, say, mortgage that you are gradually paying off) is a stain on your record, which will hinder you from renting an apartment, getting a credit card, mortgage, or another kind of loan.
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