From 1 January 2026, digital legal transactions will be mandatory in Zurich. What does this mean for you? Quite simply, all procedural acts with the Zurich authorities must then be carried out exclusively digitally. A legally compliant signature solution such as eSignR will therefore be essential. When choosing the right solution, make sure that you do not compromise on trustworthiness. This change particularly affects people who professionally represent parties before authorities or courts or are authorised to carry out procedural acts electronically.
Do you see this as an opportunity to make your work processes more efficient and future-proof – perhaps even a paperless office?
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Who are the key players in this change? Why act now?
These are the professional groups and institutions affected, which will be submitted electronically from next year:
- Lawyers: Anyone who regularly communicates with Zurich authorities and courts must in future conduct all procedural acts electronically. Submissions will only be legally valid with a qualified digital signature.
- Notaries and trustees: Digital legal transactions are also relevant for these professional groups, especially when transmitting notarised documents to courts and authorities.
- Companies and public administrations: Companies and public authorities need to adapt their processes and systems to make digital document exchange secure and efficient.
The changeover affects more than just law firms. Those who rely on digital signatures at an early stage minimise risks, save costs and remain fit for the future.
Media release of the Federal Supreme Court decision of 3 December 2024
‘Digital only’ obligation for party representatives in dealings with Zurich authorities and courts – appeal dismissed (2C_113/2024)
The full judgement will be available on the Federal Supreme Court’s website from 30 December 2024:
The Federal Supreme Court ruling has confirmed the digital-only obligation and clarified the legal admissibility of exclusive electronic communication in legal transactions. This decision emphasises the need for companies and lawyers to prepare their systems for the new requirements now in order to comply with digital requirements in good time. Further details can be found here:
The benefits of digitalisation: efficiency, security & sustainability
Cost savings
There is no need to send and archive paper documents, which saves both time and money.
Speed and efficiency
Digital processes enable fast processing and immediate access to important documents without long waiting times.
Greater security
Your data remains within your IT environment and is safe from unauthorised access thanks to modern encryption technology.
eSignR – Your key to ‘digital-only’ legal transactions with authorities
- Maintain professional secrecy: Retain full data sovereignty, because PDFs never leave your own IT system during the signing process.
- Simple handling: You can digitally sign your documents in just a few clicks – without any technical hurdles.
- Highest security standards: Your sensitive data remains in your IT environment, protected by modern security measures.
- Legal certainty: Legally valid PDFs thanks to Qualified Electronic Signature (QES) and Electronic Public Document (EÖBV), now and in the future.
Free advice on QES and eSignR: Get started digitally now!
Prepare for the digital future without stress. In a free, no-obligation consultation, we will show you how you can work efficiently and securely with eSignR and the qualified electronic signature (QES). Arrange a personal online call today and let us plan your next steps together.
Frequently asked questions on the topic: Digital-only legal transactions with Zurich authorities
Why act now?
To ensure that your documents are still legally valid after 2026, you need a qualified electronic signature (QES). Switching to digital solutions in good time guarantees that you don’t miss any deadlines and that your processes run smoothly.
What is a qualified electronic signature (QES)?
The qualified electronic signature (QES) is the digital replacement for the handwritten signature and fulfils all legal requirements for the electronic submission of documents. You can find more information in our QES guide
How long does the changeover to digital signatures take?
eSignR itself can be installed within minutes, but you and/or your team members still need to be identified by an official organisation. The switch to a digital signature should be made promptly to avoid delays. Integration is simple, but can take between a few days and a few weeks, depending on your company’s software and infrastructure.
What technical requirements do I need to fulfil?
To use the digital signature, you need a suitable software solution such as eSignR and a secure end device. Your IT department can help you take the necessary steps for implementation. For more information, please contact our team.
Where are digitally signed documents stored? What are the risks of cloud-based solutions?
Most software solutions for electronic signing upload the documents to cloud instances so that, for example, several people can sign a PDF one after the other in a digital ‘signing round’. This may sound tempting, but the consequence is that you also grant third parties (the cloud providers) access to personal, potentially sensitive data and thus lose sole sovereignty over your data. For certain professional groups, such as lawyers and notaries, this is problematic due to the attorney-client privilege or professional secrecy. With eSignR, the top priority is the protection of confidential data. For this reason, your confidential documents never leave your own system environment during the signature process.
What happens if I miss the changeover?
From 1 January 2026, paper documents will no longer be accepted. This could significantly delay your communication with the authorities and potentially cause legal problems.
Further information on digital-only legal transactions in Zurich
- Administrative Jurisdiction Act (VRG) of the Canton of Zurich: Regulates electronic communication in administrative proceedings.
- Federal Supreme Court judgement on the digital-only obligation: Confirms the legality of exclusively electronic communication in legal transactions.
- Government Council Decision No. 727/2024: An important milestone in the introduction of the digital-only obligation in Zurich.
- Justitia 4.0: For a secure, digital justice system: Information on the digitalization of the Swiss justice system.
- Federal Office of Justice: Electronic communication with courts and authorities – Official site with information on the implementation of digital communication.
- Ordinance on electronic procedural acts in administrative proceedings (VEVV): Details on the implementation of electronic procedures.
- Federal Supreme Court ruling of 3 December 2024: Amendment to the Administrative Jurisdiction Act with a focus on electronic procedural acts.
Further links about the electronic signature for Swiss lawyers
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