Filing your first Swiss tax return (NOV) as a withholding-tax payer
If you hold a B or L permit and earned over CHF 120,000 gross in Switzerland, you must file an ordinary tax return (NOV - Nachträgliche ordentliche Veranlagung) by 31 March of the following year. Below that threshold, you can file voluntarily to claim pillar 3a, pension buy-ins, training costs and other deductions not built into the withholding tariff.
Overview
Once you cross the NOV threshold or opt in voluntarily, you move from withholding-only to a full Swiss tax filing - and you stay in that regime for as long as you remain resident. The first filing is the most work; the second year takes a fraction of the time.
Your first NOV, in order
- 1
Check whether you are obliged or voluntary
Obliged: gross Swiss employment income over CHF 120,000, substantial other income/wealth, Swiss property ownership, or spouse on ordinary taxation. Voluntary (Tarifkorrektur): you stay on withholding but ask for specific deductions.
- 2
Request access by 31 March
Submit the NOV request to your cantonal tax office (online portal in most cantons) by 31 March of the year following the tax year. The deadline is strict - miss it and you cannot reclaim 3a or buy-in deductions for that year.
- 3
Collect all certificates
Annual salary statement (Lohnausweis), pillar 3a certificates, pillar 2 buy-in confirmations, bank year-end statements (CH and abroad), brokerage statements, mortgage interest and maintenance receipts, donation receipts, training/further-education invoices.
- 4
Declare worldwide income and assets
From the first NOV onwards, you report all worldwide income and wealth. Foreign-sourced income is usually exempt with progression (counted only to set the rate); foreign assets count for the wealth-tax base. Treaty rules avoid double taxation.
- 5
Claim every legitimate deduction
Pillar 3a (up to CHF 7,258), pillar 2 buy-ins, professional expenses, child deductions, double-earner deduction, childcare, insurance lump sum, training, donations, mortgage interest, property maintenance, medical costs above the threshold.
- 6
Watch the assessment and pay or reclaim
Cantonal assessment lands 3-12 months after filing. If you overpaid withholding tax, the difference is refunded with statutory interest; if you owe more, you receive a payment slip. Always check the assessment - errors are common.
Frequently asked questions
What is an NOV in Switzerland?+
Nachträgliche ordentliche Veranlagung - an ordinary tax assessment carried out after the year-end for taxpayers who would otherwise only be subject to withholding tax. The withholding tax becomes a credit against the final assessed liability.
Is it worth filing a voluntary NOV?+
Usually yes if you contributed to pillar 3a, made pillar 2 buy-ins, paid significant training costs, have high medical expenses or own Swiss property - the refund typically exceeds the cost of professional support.
Can I switch back to withholding only after filing an NOV?+
No - once obliged to file ordinarily (because you crossed the CHF 120,000 threshold or for other reasons), you stay in that regime for all subsequent years while resident on a B/L permit.
What if I miss the 31 March deadline?+
Mandatory NOV cases: late filings still happen but you may lose the right to claim some deductions and face late-filing penalties. Voluntary Tarifkorrektur: you generally lose the right to claim for that year.
Do I need worldwide bank disclosures for the NOV?+
Yes - all bank accounts, securities, life-insurance policies and property held anywhere in the world must appear on the Wertschriftenverzeichnis and asset schedules. Switzerland already receives CRS data for most jurisdictions.