L'OIBT s'applique-t-elle aux installations photovoltaïques ?

Oui. Les installations PV raccordées au réseau public sont des installations basse tension au sens de l'art. 2 OIBT. Elles requièrent un avis d'installation, un contrôle final art. 36 et un RaSi avant le raccordement par le distributeur. La périodicité art. 38 leur est applicable.

Comment obtenir une autorisation d'installer OIBT ?

Le candidat dépose un dossier auprès de l'ESTI (formulaire, attestations de formation, désignation d'un responsable technique). L'ESTI examine les conditions des art. 8 à 15 selon le niveau visé. La décision est rendue en général sous 4 à 8 semaines.

Quelles sanctions en cas de non-respect OIBT ?

L'art. 42 prévoit des amendes administratives jusqu'à 50 000 CHF, le retrait de l'autorisation d'installer (art. 12), la mise hors service immédiate par l'ESTI (art. 40) et, en cas de mise en danger d'autrui, des sanctions pénales fondées sur la LIE (RS 734.0).

L'OIBT s'applique-t-elle aussi en Liechtenstein ?

Oui par renvoi du traité douanier de 1923 et de l'accord LI-CH sur la reconnaissance mutuelle. Le Liechtenstein applique l'OIBT suisse pour les installations basse tension sur son territoire, avec l'ESTI comme autorité de surveillance.

Quelle est la dernière révision OIBT en vigueur ?

La révision majeure est celle entrée en vigueur le 1er janvier 2018 (nouveau régime du contrôleur indépendant et systématique des autorisations). Des modifications ponctuelles sont intervenues en 2020 sur la déclaration électronique des installations et le photovoltaïque. Version consolidée publiée sur fedlex.admin.ch.

Quelle différence entre OIBT et NIBT ?

L'OIBT est l'ordonnance fédérale (RS 734.27) qui fixe les règles juridiques (qui fait quoi, qui contrôle, quelles sanctions). La NIBT 2020 (SNR 411000) est la norme technique d'Electrosuisse qui fixe les règles techniques (sections, protections, mesures). Les deux sont obligatoires : l'OIBT renvoie explicitement à la NIBT comme règle technique reconnue.

Swiss federal ordinance · Regulatory framework

OIBT — Ordinance on Low-Voltage Installations

Swiss federal legal framework for low-voltage electrical installations: who may install, who inspects, what documentation obligations apply.

What is the OIBT?

L'OIBT (Ordinance on Low-Voltage Electrical Installations), referenced as RS 734.27 in the Classified Compilation of Federal Law, is theimplementing ordinance issued by the Federal Council which governs all electrical installations up to 1000 V AC (1500 V DC) on Swiss territory.

Adopted on 7 November 2001 and entered into force on 1^er January 2002, it has been the subject of a major revision that entered into force on 1^er January 2018 (the so-called “OIBT 2018” reform), then further amendments in 2020 covering in particular the electronic declaration of installations and the inspection intervals for photovoltaics.

The OIBT is part of a three-level regulatory hierarchy:

LIE — the Federal Act on Weak and Heavy Current Electrical Installations (RS 734.0) of 24 June 1902, the higher-ranking legal basis, passed by Parliament.
OIBT — the implementing ordinance of the LIE (Electricity Act), enacted by the Federal Council, which lays down the concrete rules (authorizations, inspections, sanctions).
NIBT — the Low-voltage installations standard SNR 411000 from Electrosuisse (2020 edition), designated by the OIBT as a recognized technical rule.

In concrete terms, the OIBT answers three legal questions: which is entitled to install (authorizations art. 6 to 15), which is entitled to inspect (authorizations art. 16 to 18), how document and prove the safety of an installation (installation notice, safety report, safety certificate). Anyone who owns real estate in Switzerland is concerned, even without knowing it.

Actors and roles

Five actors are involved in the OIBT system, each with a legally defined role:

ESTI — Federal Inspectorate for Heavy Current Installations : federal supervisory authority attached to DETEC. The ESTI issues and withdraws installation and inspection authorizations, supervises the accredited inspection bodies, investigates breaches and imposes administrative sanctions (art. 40 to 44). Its head office is in Fehraltorf (ZH) with a branch office in Renens (VD).
Energy distributors (grid operators) : Romande Énergie, Services industriels de Genève (SIG), BKW, EWB, Sierre Énergie, ewl, Groupe E, Services industriels de Lausanne, etc. They receive the installation notifications (art. 23), require the safety report (art. 37), refuse connection when the RaSi is missing and can suspend supply in the event of imminent danger (art. 40).
Authorised installers : companies and individuals holding an installation authorization issued by the ESTI. The OIBT distinguishes five levels of authorization, from general to limited authorization for in-house work.
Independent inspectors and accredited inspection bodies : holders of an inspection authorization (art. 26), accredited to ISO/IEC 17020. They carry out the periodic inspections required by art. 36 OIBT and issue the safety report (RaSi).
Installation owner : bearer of the final responsibility under Art. 5 OIBT. They must ensure that the installation is compliant, have the periodic inspections carried out and provide the safety report (RaSi) to the utility. The tenant is never liable within the meaning of the OIBT.

OIBT installer authorization levels

Level	OIBT article	Perimeter	Competence requirement
1 — General	art. 6 to 8	All low-voltage installations	Federal master electrician diploma or equivalent certificate + technical manager
2 — Limited to special work	art. 13	Specific trade branch (heating, lift, refrigeration, telecom)	ESTI practical examination in the relevant field
3 — Installations within the company	art. 13	Work on one's own installations only	Skilled person; no services for third parties
4 — Connection of equipment	art. 14	Connection to existing sockets and terminals (cookers, machines)	Recognized 40-hour OIBT course
5 — Inspection	art. 26	Independent inspector or accredited inspection body	Federal diploma as electrical safety expert or UAS degree + independence

Key OIBT articles

Knowing about ten articles covers 90 % of the situations encountered by a designer, an installer or an owner in Switzerland:

Art. 3 — Safety : general safety requirement; installations must be built, modified, maintained and inspected according to the recognized technical rules (reference to NIBT).
Art. 5 — Duties of the owner : key article establishing the owner's final responsibility for the safety of the installation, regardless of the installer or the inspector. The owner must keep the technical documentation for the entire operating life.
Art. 6 to 15 — Installation authorisations : conditions, duration (in principle unlimited), withdrawal, technical manager, mandatory continuing education.
Art. 16 to 18 — Inspection authorisations : special regime for the independent inspector and the accredited inspection body, requirement of independence from the executing contractor.
Art. 19 to 30 — Obligations of the owner and the operator : upkeep, monitoring, information, access to the installations, retention of drawings.
Art. 23 — Installation notice : prior notification to the energy utility before starting any new work or major modification.
Art. 24 — Completion notice : notification of completion of work triggering final energization.
Art. 36 — Inspection during construction and before commissioning : mandatory final inspection carried out by the installer themselves (self-inspection) on all new or modified installations.
Art. 37 — Safety report (RaSi) : legal document handed to the utility attesting that the installation complies with the technical rules. No RaSi, no connection.
Art. 38 — Inspection intervals : 1, 5, 10 or 20 years depending on the building type (high-risk premises, industrial premises, residential premises). The utility summons the owner.
Art. 39 — Electrical safety certificate (CSE) : document issued after a periodic inspection that confirms compliance or lists the defects to be corrected.
Art. 40 to 44 — Measures, sanctions, legal remedies : the ESTI can order decommissioning, impose administrative fines and initiate criminal proceedings in the event of serious breaches.

Mandatory documentation

The OIBT does not prescribe the graphical form of the documentation, but Art. 5 para. 1 let. b requires the owner to keep "the documents necessary to assess the safety of the installation". Swiss practice, reinforced by the requirements of utilities and inspection bodies, demands five deliverables:

Installation notice (art. 23) — form filed with the utility, identifying the installer, the owner, the property and the scope of the work. See our installation notice template.
Safety report — RaSi (Art. 37) — the centrepiece of commissioning. Includes the measurements (insulation, earth, fault loop), the declaration of conformity and the up-to-date drawings. See OIBT final inspection.
Electrical safety certificate — CSE (art. 39) — issued upon completion of the periodic inspections. See the CSE explained.
Single-line diagram of the main panel and sub-panels, compliant with NIBT 2020 and SIA 451.
Installation plan of circuits, socket outlets and lighting points, essential for future work on the installation.

These documents must remain accessible for the entire service life of the installation and be handed over to the buyer in the event of a property sale.

OIBT vs NIBT: the difference you need to know

Confusing OIBT and NIBT is the most widespread mistake in the field. Yet the distinction is simple:

OIBT = federal ordinance (RS 734.27). Legal text. Defines obligations, authorizations, inspections, sanctions. Issued by the Federal Council, amendable by political decision.
NIBT = technical standard (SNR 411000, 2020 edition). Technical text. Defines how to carry out the installation: cable cross-sections, protection ratings, protective measures against electric shock, earthing, etc. Issued by Electrosuisse, updated as technology evolves.

Both are mandatory: the OIBT refers to the NIBT as the "recognized technical rule". An installation that complies with the NIBT but is not declared to the ESTI violates the OIBT; a declared installation carried out outside the NIBT also violates the OIBT by reference.

How ElectroCAD helps you comply with the OIBT

ElectroCAD is designed in Switzerland to produce the deliverables required by the OIBT:

ElectroSchema — multi-page single-line diagrams per NIBT 2020 + SIA 451, ready for the RaSi and the CSE.
Exportable material list en .crbx (IfA18) directly usable by wholesalers and inspection bodies.
Installation plan with ElectroBlocs (1187 IEC 60617 symbols) on an architectural background for periodic inspections under art. 38.
Swiss title blocks compliant with the requirements of the distribution utilities of Vaud, Valais, Geneva, Neuchâtel, Fribourg and Jura.

ElectroSchema free 30-day trial

Resources

FAQ

Does the OIBT apply to photovoltaic installations? Yes. PV installations connected to the public grid are low-voltage installations within the meaning of Art. 2 OIBT. They require an installation notification, a final inspection under Art. 36 and a safety report (RaSi) before connection by the distribution operator. The inspection intervals of Art. 38 apply to them.

How do you obtain an OIBT installation licence? The applicant submits a file to the ESTI (form, training certificates, designation of a technical manager). The ESTI examines the conditions of Art. 8 to 15 depending on the level sought. The decision is generally issued within 4 to 8 weeks.

What sanctions for non-compliance with the OIBT? Art. 42 provides for administrative fines of up to 50 000 CHF, withdrawal of the installation authorisation (Art. 12), immediate shutdown by the ESTI (Art. 40) and, where others are endangered, criminal sanctions based on the LIE.

Does the OIBT also apply in Liechtenstein? Yes, by reference through the 1923 customs treaty and the LI-CH mutual recognition agreement. Liechtenstein applies the Swiss OIBT for low-voltage installations on its territory, with the ESTI as supervisory authority.

What is the latest OIBT revision in force? The major revision is the one that came into force on 1^er January 2018 (introduction of the modern independent inspector and a new authorisation system). Specific amendments followed in 2020 on the electronic declaration of installations and PV. The up-to-date consolidated version is published on fedlex.admin.ch.

What is the difference between the OIBT and the NIBT? The OIBT is the federal ordinance that sets the legal rules (who does what, who inspects, what sanctions). NIBT 2020 is the Electrosuisse technical standard that sets the technical rules (cross-sections, protective devices, measurements). Both are mandatory: the OIBT explicitly refers to the NIBT as the recognized technical rule.