Building permits and planning in Montreux

Permits, fees, solar panels, heat pumps, façade colours, signs and public enquiries.

We are not the Commune. This page puts its public information into English; the office named in each answer decides.

Do I need a building permit in Montreux?: Ask the planning service before any work: it decides which of four procedures applies. A full public enquiry must be filed by a qualified architect or engineer. Minor projects can be exempted from public enquiry, authorised by the Municipality alone, or exempted from authorisation altogether. Source: www.montreux.ch, read on 3 October 2026.
How much does a building permit cost in Montreux?: For a permit granted: 1.5‰ of the construction cost, minimum CHF 100. A project exempted from public enquiry: a flat CHF 100. A demolition permit: 1‰ of the cost of the works, minimum CHF 100. Extending a permit: CHF 100. A refused or withdrawn permit is charged at half the rate. Source: www.montreux.ch, read on 3 October 2026.
What do I need for a minor works authorisation in Montreux?: A letter explaining the request, a cadastral extract or site plan showing where the project is, documents that make it clear (plans, sections, photos or dimensioned sketches), the written agreement of the neighbours directly concerned, and the signature of the owners. The Commune provides a form. Source: www.montreux.ch, read on 3 October 2026.
How long does a public enquiry last in Montreux?: 30 days. During that time the whole file can be consulted at the planning service, Tuesday to Friday. You can sign up on alertes-riviera.ch to get an e-mail for each new enquiry. Source: www.montreux.ch, read on 3 October 2026.
Do I need a permit for solar panels in Montreux?: You must first submit a file to the planning service, which decides whether a permit is needed. Panels that fit the roof well need no authorisation: on a pitched roof they must not stand more than 20 cm proud, not extend beyond the roof, be low-reflective and form one block. On the ground or on a façade the limit is 8 m². Source: www.montreux.ch, read on 3 October 2026.
Do I need a permit for a heat pump in Montreux?: Not for an air/water or air/air heat pump that meets the cantonal criteria (article 68c RLATC): you announce it with the cantonal form, a site plan and the technical sheet. Ground-source heat pumps and air conditioners still need an authorisation. Source: www.montreux.ch, read on 3 October 2026.
Do I need permission to repaint my façade in Montreux?: Yes. Colours and materials of façades, roofs, shutters, window frames, walls and fences need a municipal authorisation, even for a refresh in the same colour. You send the form, a sample of the colours or materials and photos of the façades. Source: www.montreux.ch, read on 3 October 2026.
Do I need permission for a shop sign in Montreux?: Yes. Any sign, sticker, flag, site board or banner, even temporary, needs an authorisation from the planning service, and a fee is charged. A communal regulation on signs has been in force since 15 November 2025, with a specific directive for Grand-Rue, Place du Marché and Avenue du Casino. Source: www.montreux.ch, read on 3 October 2026.
When can I move into a new or converted building in Montreux?: Only once the Municipality has issued the occupancy permit. You return the end-of-works sheet with the execution plans, the fire-protection declaration, the asbestos report and the energy conformity report; the health and safety commission then visits. The fee is 50% of the building permit fee, minimum CHF 50. Source: www.montreux.ch, read on 3 October 2026.
How do I get a permit for scaffolding or digging on the street in Montreux?: From the public works service, which issues excavation permits and permits to occupy the public domain (deposit or scaffolding), with online forms. Avenue de Belmont 25 bis, 021 962 77 30; counter without appointment Monday to Friday 8:00–11:30. Source: www.montreux.ch, read on 3 October 2026.
Where is the planning service in Montreux?: Service de l’urbanisme, Avenue de Belmont 25 bis, 021 962 77 60, [email protected]. Open Tuesday to Friday 9:00–12:00 and 13:30–16:00, closed on Monday. Source: www.montreux.ch, read on 3 October 2026.
Can I advertise in the Marché-Forum car park?: Yes. The Commune rents poster spaces there: from CHF 600 a year for an F4 panel to CHF 3,600 a year for an illuminated F12 box on level 0. The car park counts about 600,000 entries a year. Requests: [email protected]. Source: www.montreux.ch, read on 3 October 2026.

Official pages

All services of the Commune in English