Cannabis and Swiss criminal records: understanding your extract

A police report, a conviction, storage in VOSTRA and visibility on a private extract are different stages. Confusing them can create false expectations about a job application or an administrative procedure.

TL;DR: A cannabis fixed penalty does not produce a criminal-record entry. For a penalty order or judgment, recording and visibility depend on the offence, sentence and statutory register rules, not simply on the amount of cannabis.

A report is not a conviction

A police report does not mean that an offence has been established by a final decision. Nor does every penalty order automatically create an entry visible on a private extract. Start by checking which offence and sentence were actually determined. “More than 10 grams means a criminal record” is not a reliable legal rule.

After a cannabis check: understand the paperwork and proceedings

What a private extract shows

A private extract is intended for individuals and may be requested during recruitment. Under the statutory rules, it shows in particular judgments for felonies and misdemeanours for a certain period. There is no general 180-day-fine threshold below which a monetary sentence is invisible. A smaller sentence is therefore not automatically hidden from a prospective employer.

Special extracts and authority access

A special private extract is not a complete extract for authorities. It serves certain activities involving minors or particularly vulnerable people and concerns relevant bans on activities, contact or entering specified areas. An authority’s access to VOSTRA data depends on its statutory entitlement. “Authorities can see everything” is too broad, as is treating that access as equivalent to a special private extract.

Time limits and checking your position

An entry ceasing to appear on a private extract and its removal from the register are different events. Time limits depend on the sentence and other statutory circumstances; a simplified deletion table is insufficient. Read a current extract alongside the relevant decision. The Federal Office of Justice is the responsible contact for corrections and specific questions about the register.

FAQ

Is a small monetary sentence always invisible?

No. There is no general threshold of 180 day-fines for that purpose. The statutory rules and the particular judgment determine the position.

Is a debt enforcement register extract the same thing?

No. It concerns debt enforcement. A criminal-record extract concerns criminal convictions under the applicable rules.

Sources & references