Switzerland has no federal licence for a gym. What decides your timeline is the premises: the municipality has to approve gym use, and in a former office or shop that usually means a change of use with a building permit. Small gyms often start below the CHF 100,000 MWST threshold. Customers book online, pay with TWINT, a card, Apple Pay or Google Pay, and get their door code by SMS. With Sparekey, setup is CHF 990 and Operations (Betrieb) is CHF 24 a month.
Business form and registration
Most founders start as a sole proprietorship (Einzelunternehmen) or found a GmbH:
- Einzelunternehmen: you register with your cantonal compensation fund (Ausgleichskasse) as self-employed for AHV contributions. Entry in the commercial register becomes mandatory from CHF 100,000 annual turnover, and is possible earlier. You are personally liable.
- GmbH: CHF 20,000 share capital, notarised founding and entry in the commercial register. Liability is limited to the company.
The cantonal start-up services and EasyGov.swiss let you handle the commercial register, AHV and MWST registration online.
Premises: change of use and fire safety
This is where most of the work is. Building law and permits are cantonal and municipal:
- Zoning. Check that the zone allows a gym. Some residential zones only allow quiet businesses.
- Change of use (Nutzungsänderung). If the space was approved as an office, shop or storage, gym use usually needs a building permit from the municipality. Noise, opening hours at night and parking can come up.
- Fire safety. The cantonal fire authority sets requirements for escape routes, emergency lighting and extinguishers. A night-time gym without staff is a point to raise early.
- Landlord. The lease must allow gym use and the door changes you plan.
Ask the municipal building office (Bauamt) informally before you sign the lease. Many offer a short preliminary consultation.
MWST (VAT)
You must register for MWST once your worldwide annual turnover reaches CHF 100,000. Below that you charge no MWST, and you can register voluntarily to reclaim input tax on equipment.
Once registered, letting customers use a fitness facility is generally taxed at the standard rate of 8.1%. Renting out premises can be exempt, but sports facilities are an exception. Have your fiduciary (Treuhänder) confirm the treatment of your exact offer. The net tax rate method (Saldosteuersatz) can simplify the bookkeeping for small businesses.
Payments: Stripe with TWINT
TWINT is the payment app most Swiss people use every day, so it belongs on your checkout. In Switzerland we set up Stripe with:
- TWINT
- cards (Visa, Mastercard)
- Apple Pay and Google Pay
The Stripe account is in your company’s name, payouts arrive in CHF on your Swiss account, and the setup is included. Stripe checks your business before the first payout, so start early.
Receipts, invoices and records
Switzerland has no fiscal cash register or receipt reporting system, and no e-invoicing obligation between businesses. You keep proper books and retain records for ten years. Sparekey issues an invoice for every paid booking, in your customers’ language, in CHF with your details and MWST treatment, and exports a CSV file for your fiduciary.
Door access
We recommend a 2N keypad with a maglock, installed by a professional door and access installer. It is built for unattended operation and resists tampering. The installer also wires the door so it opens from the inside without a code, which the fire authority will look for. Nuki is the simpler and cheaper alternative on the existing lock. Its weakness is that customers can tamper with it more easily. Both cost the same in Sparekey.
Each booking gets a time-limited PIN valid only for the booked time. It is sent by SMS right after booking. A stored backup code covers internet outages. More doors or a shared building entrance are solved during setup at no extra cost. See 2N keypad and maglock.
Liability, insurance and house rules
As the operator, you are liable for safe premises and equipment. A business liability insurance (Betriebshaftpflicht) is not required by law, but it is standard. Add contents insurance for the equipment. Tell the insurer in writing that the gym runs without staff, at night and with access by code. See insurance and liability.
House rules carry the safety when nobody is on site: how to use the machines, training alone, emergency number 144, the first-aid kit, cleaning and how to report damage. Customers confirm them when booking. Start from our house rules template.
Cameras and data protection
The Swiss Data Protection Act (revDSG) applies, supervised by the Federal Data Protection and Information Commissioner (EDÖB/PFPDT). A camera must be necessary and proportionate. Put up a visible sign before the recorded area, keep recordings only briefly and delete them unless something happened. Never film changing rooms, showers or toilets. There is no registration. Customer data in Sparekey is hosted on our servers in the EU, which Switzerland recognises as having adequate data protection. See cameras in an unstaffed gym.
What Sparekey costs in Switzerland
| Item | Price |
|---|---|
| Setup (one-off) | CHF 990 |
| Operations (Betrieb: hosting, maintenance and SMS sender name) | CHF 24 / month |
| Door-code SMS | CHF 0.06 per message |
No VAT or MWST is added, because Sparekey is not VAT-registered. You pay in CHF by bank transfer. The price includes unlimited locations. See pricing and how setup works.
FAQ
Do I need a permit to open a private gym in Switzerland?
No gym licence. If the premises are not approved for this use, the municipality usually requires a building permit for the change of use. Ask the Bauamt before you sign.
Do I have to charge MWST?
Only once your annual turnover reaches CHF 100,000, or if you register voluntarily. Gym use is then generally at 8.1%.
Can customers pay with TWINT?
Yes. TWINT is on the checkout alongside cards, Apple Pay and Google Pay.