Electrician Invoice Switzerland

Key Takeaways

• 8.1% VAT (MWST) applies to all electrical services in Switzerland — no reduced rate, no exemption.
• QR-bills replaced red and orange payment slips in October 2022. A regular IBAN works with a Creditor Reference or no reference; a QR-IBAN must be paired with a QR reference. This change does not make a QR code mandatory on every invoice.
• Fees, surcharges and payment terms are negotiated. Obtain a quote for your situation; example amounts are not market data.
• Article 26 of the VAT Act (MWSTG) sets out the required VAT invoice details. The Swiss invoice template helps organise them.
• MWST registration is compulsory once annual turnover exceeds CHF 100'000.00; voluntary registration is possible below that threshold.

QR-bills replaced red and orange payment slips in October 2022. A regular IBAN works with a Creditor Reference or no reference; a QR-IBAN must be paired with a QR reference. This change does not make a QR code mandatory on every invoice.

Fees, surcharges and payment terms are negotiated. Obtain a quote for your situation; example amounts are not market data.

Key takeaways For consistent invoice details and records, use the Swiss invoice template or bookkeeping software. Hypothetical example: amounts illustrate the calculation only. They do not describe a real customer or a guaranteed outcome.

Swiss invoice regulations — 7 mandatory elements per Art. 26 VAT Ordinance

Article 26 of the VAT Act (MWSTG) sets out the required VAT invoice details. The Swiss invoice template helps organise them.

The seven mandatory elements are:

1. Full name and address of the electrician — your business name, street, postal code, and city. If you operate as an Einzelfirma, the registered company name goes here.
2. Full name and address of the client — the person or business receiving the electrical work.
3. Invoice date — the day the invoice is issued.
4. Type and scope of service — a clear description of the electrical work performed (e.g., "Installation of 8 ceiling spotlights, 2.5h labor + materials").
5. Net amount — the subtotal before VAT.
6. VAT rate and VAT amount — for electricians, this is 8.1%, shown as a separate line with the calculated amount.
7. MWST number (UID with MWST suffix) — your Swiss VAT identification number, required once you are MWST-registered.

QR-bills replaced red and orange payment slips in October 2022. A regular IBAN works with a Creditor Reference or no reference; a QR-IBAN must be paired with a QR reference. This change does not make a QR code mandatory on every invoice.

Electrician hourly rates in Switzerland — CHF 80.00–150/h

Fees, surcharges and payment terms are negotiated. Obtain a quote for your situation; example amounts are not market data.

Standard vs specialist rates

• Fees, surcharges and payment terms are negotiated. Obtain a quote for your situation; example amounts are not market data.
• Fees, surcharges and payment terms are negotiated. Obtain a quote for your situation; example amounts are not market data.

The elektriker stundensatz you invoice should reflect your actual cost structure — van, tools, insurance, AHV contributions, and your hourly wage target. Underpricing to win jobs erodes margin fast; overpricing loses you repeat residential clients.

Material vs labor — keep them separate

Fees, surcharges and payment terms are negotiated. Obtain a quote for your situation; example amounts are not market data.

Example line-item split:

• Material: 4x LED ceiling spots (Siemens) — CHF 180.00
• Material: 20m NYM-J 3×1.5mm² cable — CHF 48.00
• Fees, surcharges and payment terms are negotiated. Obtain a quote for your situation; example amounts are not market data.
• Travel costs: 25km × CHF 0.80 — CHF 20.00

Travel costs (Fahrtkosten)

Most Swiss electricians bill travel costs as a per-kilometer rate (typically CHF 0.70–1.00/km) or a flat travel fee within a defined radius (e.g., CHF 40.00 flat within 20km). Long-distance jobs — say, driving from Bern to a alpine construction site — justify a higher flat fee. State your travel rate clearly on the quote and the invoice so clients know what to expect.

Emergency call-out rates (Notfalleinsatz)

Emergency electrical work commands a premium. Typical Notfalleinsatz rates in Switzerland:

• Fees, surcharges and payment terms are negotiated. Obtain a quote for your situation; example amounts are not market data.
• Fees, surcharges and payment terms are negotiated. Obtain a quote for your situation; example amounts are not market data.
• Fees, surcharges and payment terms are negotiated. Obtain a quote for your situation; example amounts are not market data.

Fees, surcharges and payment terms are negotiated. Obtain a quote for your situation; example amounts are not market data.

SIA 118 norms for electrical contractors

The SIA 118 norms provide a framework for construction and craft trades in Switzerland, including guidelines for pricing, contract structure, and billing practices. While SIA 118 is not specific to electrical work alone, it is the norm Swiss contractors reference when structuring multi-trade construction contracts. For pure electrical work, the Schweizerischer Elektrotechnischer Verein (SEV) and branch-specific guidelines complement the SIA framework. Following SIA norms signals professionalism — especially in commercial and multi-trade construction projects.

VAT rules for electricians — 8.1% standard rate

Electrical services in Switzerland are not VAT-exempt. Unlike medical, dental, or educational services (which benefit from reduced or zero rates), electrical work is a standard-taxed commercial service. Every rechnung you issue as an electrician carries 8.1% MWST.

The 8.1% rate (since January 2024)

• Every invoice issued from January 1, 2024 onward uses 8.1%
• Work completed before January 1, 2024 but invoiced after that date still uses 8.1% if the invoice is issued in 2024

Make sure your invoice template and any invoicing software you use are configured for 8.1%. Outdated 7.7% templates are the single most common VAT error Swiss electricians make in 2024–2026.

CHF 100'000.00 threshold — when MWST registration becomes compulsory

You must register for MWST once your annual taxable turnover exceeds CHF 100'000.00. Below that threshold, registration is voluntary. Most full-time electricians cross CHF 100'000.00 quickly — between van, tools, materials, and labor, a single large residential rewiring project can push you over.

Fees, surcharges and payment terms are negotiated. Obtain a quote for your situation; example amounts are not market data.

Read our VAT management guide for freelancers for a full walkthrough of MWST registration, quarterly reporting, and input tax deduction.

How to show VAT correctly on an electrician invoice

Your invoice should show three clear lines:

1. Net amount — subtotal of all material, labor, and travel before VAT
2. MWST 8.1% — the calculated VAT amount (net × 0.081)
3. Total (brutto) — net + MWST, the amount the client pays

Example:

• Net total: CHF 1'000.00
• MWST 8.1%: CHF 81.00
• Total: CHF 1'081.00

Round MWST amounts to the nearest 5 rappen (Swiss convention). Most invoicing tools handle this automatically.

Partial and final invoices — project-based billing

Most electrical projects are multi-day. A full apartment rewiring, a commercial fit-out, or a photovoltaic installation runs over days or weeks. Sending a single final invoice at the end starves your cash flow. Partial invoices keep money coming in as work progresses.

Typical phase billing structure

1. Deposit / advance invoice (Anzahlung): 20–40% of the quoted total, invoiced before work begins. Covers materials you pre-order and locks in the client's commitment.
2. Progress invoices (Akonto-Rechnungen): Issued at defined milestones — e.g., after rough-in, after panel installation, after first-fix inspection. Each covers the value of work completed to date, minus the deposit already paid.
3. Final invoice (Schlussrechnung): Issued once the project is complete. Reconciles all partial invoices and the deposit, then bills the remaining balance with all materials and labor finalized.

On the final invoice, clearly list every partial invoice already paid so the client sees a clean reconciliation. This avoids disputes and "I thought I already paid for that?" conversations.

Material invoices from suppliers

When you pre-order materials from a supplier (Werkstatt or Bestellung), those supplier invoices hit your accounts payable. In the partial-invoice phase, you typically bill the client for materials at list price or with a standard markup. Track supplier invoices against each project so your final invoice reconciliation is clean. Tools that link purchase orders to projects make this dramatically easier — see our invoicing and customer management features.

Invoice template for Swiss electricians

QR-bills replaced red and orange payment slips in October 2022. A regular IBAN works with a Creditor Reference or no reference; a QR-IBAN must be paired with a QR reference. This change does not make a QR code mandatory on every invoice.

RECHNUNG

[Your business name]                      [Your address]
[Street, ZIP, City]                       [Your phone]
[UID: CHE-XXX.XXX.XXX MWST]               [Your email]

Invoice no: 2026-014
Date: 10 July 2026

Billed to:
[Client name]
[Client street, ZIP, City]

Service description: Electrical installation — 4 ceiling spots,
1 dedicated circuit, 20m NYM-J 3×1.5mm² cable, panel connection.

MATERIAL
- 4× LED ceiling spot (Brand) — CHF 180.00
- 20m NYM-J 3×1.5mm² cable — CHF 48.00
- 1× 16A MCB + DIN rail clip — CHF 32.00

LABOR
- Fees, surcharges and payment terms are negotiated. Obtain a quote for your situation; example amounts are not market data.

TRAVEL (Fahrrtkosten)
- 24km × CHF 0.80/km — CHF 19.20

Net subtotal:                CHF 611.70
MWST 8.1%:                   CHF 49.55
Total due (brutto):          CHF 661.25

QR-bills replaced red and orange payment slips in October 2022. A regular IBAN works with a Creditor Reference or no reference; a QR-IBAN must be paired with a QR reference. This change does not make a QR code mandatory on every invoice.

[QR-Rechnung payment part with QR code attached]

Thank you for your business.

Notes on this template:

• All seven mandatory elements are present — business name/address, client name/address, invoice date, service description, net amount, MWST rate and amount, UID/MWST number.
• QR-bills replaced red and orange payment slips in October 2022. A regular IBAN works with a Creditor Reference or no reference; a QR-IBAN must be paired with a QR reference. This change does not make a QR code mandatory on every invoice.
• Payment terms — 30 days net is standard in Switzerland. For new clients, consider 14 days or payment-on-delivery for the first job.
• Travel and emergency multipliers — shown as separate line items so clients can see the breakdown.

If you want this template pre-configured with QR-Rechnung, 8.1% MWST, and your business details, Magic Heidi generates it in under 30 seconds from your phone.

How Magic Heidi simplifies electrician invoicing

Most Swiss electricians do not need a full accounting suite. They need to send a compliant rechnung from the construction site, get paid, and move on to the next job. That is the gap Magic Heidi fills.

Lean pricing vs bexio

Compare the features your business needs and consult bexio pricing for current prices. Magic Heidi Free includes 3 invoices and 3 expenses. Pro costs CHF 25.00 a month billed annually (CHF 299.00 a year), or CHF 39.00 billed monthly. See pricing.

Mobile-first — invoice from the construction site

Electricians do not sit at desks. You finish a job at 17:00 on a building site in Dietikon, pull out your phone, and send the rechnung before you drive home. Magic Heidi is built mobile-first — the invoice workflow runs cleanly on a phone screen, with the QR-Rechnung generated and attached automatically. No laptop, no spreadsheet, no "I'll do it when I get back to the office."

QR-Rechnung native

QR-bills replaced red and orange payment slips in October 2022. A regular IBAN works with a Creditor Reference or no reference; a QR-IBAN must be paired with a QR reference. This change does not make a QR code mandatory on every invoice.

Project-based invoicing with partial invoices

Magic Heidi creates QR-bills and quotes, records expenses and tracks payments. Explore the invoicing software.

VAT 8.1% preset

The 8.1% MWST rate is preset. No risk of invoicing with the old 7.7% rate by mistake. Input tax deduction and quarterly MWST reporting are supported through our VAT management guide for freelancers.

Conclusion

QR-bills replaced red and orange payment slips in October 2022. A regular IBAN works with a Creditor Reference or no reference; a QR-IBAN must be paired with a QR reference. This change does not make a QR code mandatory on every invoice.

For multi-day jobs, phase-based billing — deposit, progress invoices, final rechnung — protects your cash flow. Do not fund a three-week rewiring out of your own pocket; invoice as you go. Most Swiss electricians cross the CHF 100'000.00 MWST threshold within their first year of full-time work, so factor MWST registration and quarterly reporting into your workflow from the start.

Compare the features your business needs and consult bexio pricing for current prices. Magic Heidi Free includes 3 invoices and 3 expenses. Pro costs CHF 25.00 a month billed annually (CHF 299.00 a year), or CHF 39.00 billed monthly. See pricing.

Start invoicing with Magic Heidi now →

Sources: Art. 26 MWSTG (Swiss VAT Act); ESTV QR-Rechnung requirements (effective October 2022); MWST rate change to 8.1% effective January 1, 2024; SIA 118 norms for construction contractors.