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General power of attorney, in German (Switzerland)
Switzerland · in German
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This document is in German
The PDF you download is in German — that is the language it has to be filed in, so it is not translated. Everything on this page is here to tell you what it says.
Made for use in Switzerland
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For people in Switzerland who want a trusted person to act for them generally, in German: contracts, payments, post, authorities, debt enforcement and, where allowed, court (Art. 32 ff. CO). Land, acts needing a public deed and gifts are excluded; settlements as you choose. It can be revoked at any time and ends if you lose capacity — for that, Swiss law has the handwritten advance-care mandate (Art. 360 ff. CC). Sign it and hand it to the person you appoint.
- Made for use in Switzerland
- Last updated November 4, 2026
Published byDocMuse
When to use this document
- You are moving abroad for a long time and someone in Switzerland should handle your post, bills and dealings with offices.
- Your ageing parents want you to be able to deal with their insurers and local offices.
- You will be in hospital for a while and need someone who can cancel contracts and make payments.
- You want to give a trusted person a general power of attorney.
What you fill in
The details the document asks for.
- Principal
- Principal's date of birth
- Principal's address
- Principal's ID card or passport number
- Agent
- Agent's date of birth
- Agent's address
- Agent's ID card or passport number
- Whether settlements are allowed (in German)
- Restrictions on the power of attorney (blank if none)
- Whether the agent may appoint a substitute (in German)
- City
- Date
Common questions
- Does a general power of attorney still apply in Switzerland if I lose capacity?
- Under Art. 35 para. 1 CO a power of attorney ends when you lose capacity to act, unless it says otherwise; this one then ends. For the time when you can no longer decide for yourself, Swiss law provides the advance-care mandate (Vorsorgeauftrag, Art. 360 ff. CC): written by hand from beginning to end, dated and signed, or made by public deed (Art. 361 CC). The adult protection authority (KESB) checks it when the time comes (Art. 363 CC). A typed template cannot be an advance-care mandate, so DocMuse does not sell one.
- What is a general power of attorney not enough for in Switzerland?
- Swiss law requires a special authority for a settlement, an arbitration agreement, bills of exchange, selling or charging land and gifts (Art. 396 para. 3 CO). This power of attorney excludes land, acts needing a public deed, gifts and guarantees altogether; settlements you allow or not. Nobody can make a will for you. Banks and notaries often ask for their own form or a certified signature, so ask them first.
- How do I revoke a general power of attorney in Switzerland?
- At any time and without a reason; a waiver of this right in advance is void (Art. 34 paras 1 and 2 CO). Tell the person you appointed in writing, by registered post, and ask for the deed back (Art. 36 para. 1 CO). Also tell banks, authorities and anyone else who was shown the power of attorney: otherwise you cannot rely on the revocation against third parties acting in good faith (Art. 34 para. 3 CO).
How you can sign this document
- Print it and sign by hand. The signature lines in the document are left blank on purpose — sign on them in ink.
- Sign it yourself with a qualified electronic signature. If you already hold a QES — Evrotrust, B-Trust, StampIT, ZealiD or any qualified provider on the EU Trusted List, on a card, a USB token, in a mobile app or in the cloud — our signing guide explains step by step how to sign this exact file without invalidating it. Step-by-step help, and a way to check it worked
DocMuse sells documents, not legal advice. Acceptance always depends on the recipient's rules and your local law.
Related documents
- General power of attorney, in French (Switzerland)
For people in Switzerland who want a trusted person to act for them generally, in French: contracts, payments, post, authorities, debt enforcement and, where procedure allows, court (Art. 32 ff. CO). Land, acts needing a public deed and gifts are excluded; settlements as you choose. It can be revoked at any time and ends if you lose capacity — for that, Swiss law has the handwritten advance-care mandate (Art. 360 ff. CC). Sign it and hand it to the person you appoint.
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