Public pawnshops in Switzerland: who lends against pledges, canton by canton

Federal law, cantonal practice

According to the CPPG FAQ, the Civil Code has required pawnbrokers to hold a cantonal licence since 1912. The general terms of the Zurich Pfandleihkasse refer to articles 907 et seq. of the Civil Code, in particular articles 909 to 911.

Geneva: a public monopoly set by the LCPPG

Article 6 paragraph 2 of the 2005 Geneva law (rsGE D 2 10) prohibits anyone other than the CPPG from carrying on professional pawnbroking in the canton; the Council of State may close an establishment in breach.

The CPPG, a public-law institution since 1872

Created by a law of 22 June 1872, the Geneva public pawn office describes itself as autonomous, unsubsidised and without shareholders. Its resources come from handling fees and interest, with the official guarantee of the State of Geneva.

Zurich: the Zürcher Kantonalbank Pfandleihkasse

Also founded in 1872, the ZKB Pfandleihkasse receives its customers at Zurlindenstrasse 105 in Zurich. It lends at 1% a month on six-month contracts and points out that it does not buy any of the items deposited.

Bern: private lenders under licence

The Bern ordinance on trade and crafts (HGV, BSG 930.11) entrusts licensing to the Amt für Wirtschaft. The lender must be entered in the commercial register, insure the pledges and take out liability cover of at least one million francs.

Fribourg: only public bodies may lend

The canton of Fribourg reserves the licence for public institutions, municipalities and public-interest undertakings. The SJSD Directorate requires a demonstrated need, a security deposit of CHF 10,000 to 100,000 and a fee of CHF 1,000 for one year.

What a pledge costs in Geneva

The CPPG charges no interest up to CHF 350, then 5% a year up to CHF 850 and 7.5% above, plus a one-off 6% pledge fee. Full details are on our page on pawn loan rates in Switzerland.

What Swiss offices take as pledges

Geneva accepts gold or platinum jewellery, coins and bars, hallmarked silverware, Swiss watches from CHF 1,000 and Hermès, Chanel, Louis Vuitton or Lady Dior bags. The complete list is under items accepted as pledges in Switzerland.

Vehicles, furniture, electronics: Geneva refusals

The CPPG refuses cars, motorcycles and bicycles, furniture and antiques, electronics, furs, wine and financial securities. Zurich, by contrast, accepts recent branded bicycles with a receipt, but rejects coloured stones and anything no longer usable.

Residence, age and permits required in Geneva

In Geneva, you must be 18, live in Switzerland and hold Swiss nationality or a B, C, F, L, N or S permit; cross-border commuters holding a G permit are excluded, as are companies.

End of the contract and public auctions

An unredeemed pledge is sold at auction: in Geneva on the order of the president of the Civil Court, in Zurich on the E-Gant platform. The procedure and the five-year surplus are described under the auction of pledged items in Switzerland.

Comparing with neighbouring public pawnshops

The Geneva model, public and monopolistic, is reminiscent of the French Crédit Municipal institutions. For a direct comparison with the Brussels Mont-de-Piété, the last institution of its kind in Belgium, see the guide to pawn loans in Belgium, another French-speaking country concerned.

Competent institutions and authorities in Switzerland

• Caisse publique de prêts sur gages (CPPG), Genève: Geneva public-law institution guaranteed by the State, the only one authorised to lend against pledges in the canton.
• Pfandleihkasse der Zürcher Kantonalbank: Pawn office of the Zurich cantonal bank, founded in 1872, with six-month contracts.
• Canton de Fribourg, Direction SJSD: Authority that issues licences to carry on pawnbroking, reserved for public or public-interest bodies.
• Canton de Berne, Amt für Wirtschaft: Bern office responsible for pawnbroking licences under the HGV ordinance, valid for five years at most.

Getting a pawn loan in Switzerland, step by step

1. Identify the competent institution in your canton: the CPPG in Geneva, the ZKB Pfandleihkasse in Zurich, an authorised lender elsewhere.
2. Check that the item falls within the accepted categories and gather the invoice, certificate or original box when the office asks for them.
3. Go to the counter with an official identity document; the CPPG handles no transactions by e-mail.
4. Let the expert value the item on the basis of its auction resale value, never its purchase price.
5. Sign the contract, receive the money, often the same day, and keep the pawn ticket issued by the office.
6. At the due date, repay to redeem the item or extend: a 20% instalment in Geneva, payment of the interest invoice in Zurich.

Geneva and Zurich: published scales (October 2026)

Documents requested at the counter

• Valid official identity document
• B, C, F, L, N or S residence permit for non-Swiss nationals in Geneva
• Proof of residence in Switzerland
• Invoice or original certificate for watches over CHF 5,000 in Geneva
• Certificate for diamonds and brilliants deposited in Zurich
• Purchase invoice for luxury leather goods in Geneva

Frequent borrower mistakes in Switzerland

• Turning up in Geneva with a cross-border G permit: the CPPG lends only to Swiss residents holding the accepted permits.
• Bringing a car, a computer or an antique piece of furniture to the CPPG, when these categories are expressly among the refused items.
• Leaving an item with a lender without a cantonal licence; in Geneva, any professional activity competing with the CPPG is illegal.
• Letting the six-month due date pass in Zurich without paying the invoice sent about twenty days earlier, which opens the way to a sale.
• Forgetting to claim the surplus after a sale: in Geneva as in Zurich, this right lapses after five years.

General information, up to date as of October 2026 and non-contractual: always check the terms with the Crédit Municipal or the institution concerned.