Short answer. In Swiss communes that lack shelter places, owners building residential housing must build, equip and maintain a shelter, under the Federal Act on Civil Protection (BZG, SR 520.1) 12. If no shelter is built, for technical reasons or because enough places already exist, the owner pays a replacement contribution of CHF 1,400 per shelter place 13. Any structural change to a shelter needs authorisation 2.
When does the shelter-building duty apply?
Switzerland already plans one shelter place per resident, with about 370,000 shelters 1. The duty applies to new residential buildings in communes that have too few shelter places 12. It is set by the Federal Act on Civil Protection (BZG, SR 520.1) 2. The details are handled through the building permit: information on the shelter duty is part of the building-permit application, using cantonal forms 23. Your canton or commune tells you whether a shelter is required for your project.
Before any project:
- Ask your commune or canton whether your building already has an assigned shelter, or whether one is required 1.
- Confirm which cantonal forms apply to your building permit 23.
- If an existing shelter is involved, confirm that any work is approved by the competent authority before it starts 2.
- Verify that any component proposed for an official shelter appears in the ZKDB 4.
What is the replacement contribution?
When no shelter is built, the owner pays CHF 1,400 for each shelter place not built 13. The canton of Zug's 2026 tariff cites Article 75, paragraph 2, of the Civil Protection Ordinance (ZSV) for this amount 3. The money is used to finance public shelters in the commune and to renew public and private shelters, under Article 62 BZG as cited by the canton of Zug 3. In Zug, the contribution must be paid within three months of the start of construction 3.
| Situation | What the owner does |
|---|---|
| Commune short of places, shelter built | Build, equip and maintain the shelter 12 |
| Shelter not built (technical reasons or enough places nearby) | Pay CHF 1,400 per place not built 13 |
| Changing an existing shelter | Obtain approval from the competent authority first 2 |
What equipment must a shelter have?
Since 1987, shelters must be equipped with bunks and dry toilets, with fixed toilet cabins in shelters for more than 30 people 2. This equipment must be stored dry and clean on the same site 2. Components such as blast doors, ventilation units and gas filters must be approved by the Federal Office for Civil Protection (FOCP, German BABS); see shelter standards 4.
What are the owner's obligations afterwards?
The owner must maintain the shelter and keep it accessible for official inspections, which take place at least every ten years 23. The owner must not modify the envelope, the blast doors or the ventilation 2. When a shelter is renewed after about 40 years, only components approved by the FOCP may be used 2.
In peacetime, the shelter may be used as a cellar, storage room, hobby room, archive or similar, as long as its protective function is preserved 2. It must be made ready for occupancy within five days when the authorities require it 1.
Can a shelter be decommissioned?
Yes, by the canton. Cantons may decommission shelters that no longer meet the minimum requirements, or in specific cases such as an oversupply of places, disproportionate costs or a location in a high-risk area 2.
Can I build my own shelter outside these rules?
The Swiss rules described here concern shelters required by law and their approved components 24. The FOCP technical directives define how such shelters are built 4. Phaenyx does not give structural instructions: any shelter project, required or voluntary, should be designed by a qualified engineer and cleared with your cantonal civil-protection office and building authority. Our guides on buried containers, what it takes to make a container safe underground, shelter ventilation, NBC filtration and protection factor explain why and the technical vocabulary you will meet.
Frequently asked questions
How much does it cost not to build a shelter in Switzerland?
CHF 1,400 per shelter place not built, according to the FOCP and the canton of Zug's 2026 tariff 13.
Can I put any ventilation unit or door in a Swiss shelter?
No. Components must hold FOCP approval and appear in the ZKDB 4.
Do I need a permit to change my shelter?
Yes. All structural changes in the shelter area require approval by the competent authority 2.
Can I use my shelter as a wine cellar?
Yes. Use as a cellar, storage room, hobby room or archive is allowed as long as the protective function is preserved 2.
Does paying the replacement contribution give me a shelter place?
The contribution funds public shelters in the commune and the renewal of public and private shelters, as cited by the canton of Zug 3. Shelter places are assigned by the authorities 1.
Who inspects private shelters?
The authorities, at least every ten years; the owner must keep the shelter accessible 23.
Sources
- Bundesamt für Bevölkerungsschutz BABS — Schutzräume für die Bevölkerung — https://www.babs.admin.ch/de/schutzraeume (accessed 2026-10-20)
- Bundesamt für Bevölkerungsschutz BABS — Schutzbauten: eine Investition in die Sicherheit — https://www.babs.admin.ch/de/schutzbauten-eine-investition-in-die-sicherheit (accessed 2026-10-20)
- Kanton Zug, Amt für Bevölkerungsschutz, Zivilschutz und Militär — Schutzräume — https://zg.ch/de/sicherheit/zivilschutz/schutzraeume (accessed 2026-10-20)
- Bundesamt für Bevölkerungsschutz BABS — Unterlagen Schutzbauten — https://www.babs.admin.ch/de/unterlagen-schutzbauten (accessed 2026-10-20)
Turn this into action
Your plan for Switzerland, worked out for your household.
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Sources
- Bundesamt für Bevölkerungsschutz BABS · Schutzräume für die Bevölkerung checked 2026-10-20
- Bundesamt für Bevölkerungsschutz BABS · Schutzbauten: eine Investition in die Sicherheit checked 2026-10-20
- Kanton Zug, Amt für Bevölkerungsschutz, Zivilschutz und Militär · Schutzräume checked 2026-10-20
- Bundesamt für Bevölkerungsschutz BABS · Unterlagen Schutzbauten checked 2026-10-20