Do I need the Swiss authority for a criminal record extract?
No — Liechtenstein keeps its own criminal register; the Swiss extract is the wrong one. Anyone who needs a criminal record extract (certificate of good conduct) in Liechtenstein — for a job application, a licence or naturalisation — orders it from the Office of Justice or via the online counter of the National Administration (llv.li), based on the Criminal Register Act (StRegG, LR 330). The widespread reflex of ordering the Swiss extract for CHF 17 misleads: that is a different register of a different state. The extract shows the convictions recorded in the Liechtenstein register; spent and minor entries no longer appear. The exact fee for the Liechtenstein extract could not be cleanly sourced from any official source — so we give no amount and point you to the online counter. Only whoever also lived in Switzerland may additionally need a Swiss extract.
📋 The rules
- Own register (StRegG, LR 330): Liechtenstein keeps its own criminal register; the Office of Justice is responsible. The Swiss criminal record extract concerns a different register and does not replace it.
- How you order: You request the private extract via the online counter of the National Administration (llv.li) or directly at the Office of Justice — with ID and a statement of purpose.
- What it shows: It shows final convictions, as far as they are not yet spent. After the expungement periods lapse, entries fall away and no longer appear in the extract.
- Fee not sourced: An official fee for the Liechtenstein extract could not be cleanly sourced; we give no amount. The Swiss CHF 17 do not apply here.
- May be requested only with cause: Employers and authorities may require an extract for certain roles (finance, childcare, security); there is no general duty to produce one without cause.
🔓 Exceptions
- Earlier Swiss residence: Whoever lived in Switzerland may, for some purposes, additionally need a Swiss extract — the registers are separate.
- Use abroad: For use abroad, a legalisation or apostille may be required; that is an additional step through the responsible office.
- Special extracts: For certain activities (e.g. with minors), special proofs may be required; the exact form depends on the purpose of use.
⚠️ Penalties & fines
The extract itself is harmless — the consequences of the entries are not. An existing entry can block a job application, a residence or work permit, a visa or naturalisation; how long depends on the expungement periods, after which the entry disappears. Whoever orders the wrong (Swiss) extract loses time and money and ends up presenting a document the Liechtenstein authority does not accept. Far more expensive is forgery: whoever alters or fabricates an extract commits document forgery under the Criminal Code — a separate offence with a criminal procedure that, ironically, leads to a new register entry. And because we could not source the fee, we give none: rely for the current cost on the online counter of the National Administration, not on Swiss figures doing the rounds.
📎 Official sources
- Gesetze.li · Criminal Register Act (StRegG, LR 330) — consolidated version →
- National Administration · online counter, order criminal record extract →
- National Administration · Office of Justice (home) →
❓ Frequently asked
Where do I get a criminal record extract in Liechtenstein?
Via the online counter of the National Administration or directly at the Office of Justice, based on the Criminal Register Act (LR 330). You need an ID and state the purpose; the Swiss extract is not the right one for this.
Can I use the Swiss extract?
No, Switzerland and Liechtenstein keep separate criminal registers, and the Liechtenstein authority wants the Liechtenstein extract. Only if you also lived in Switzerland may a separate Swiss extract be needed there.
What does the extract cost?
An official fee for the Liechtenstein extract could not be cleanly sourced from any reliable source, which is why we give no amount here. The Swiss CHF 17 doing the rounds online apply to the Swiss register and not to Liechtenstein.
How long does a conviction stay visible?
Until the statutory expungement period lapses, after which the entry is removed and no longer appears in the extract. How long that takes depends on the type and the severity of the conviction.
May my employer require an extract?
For certain roles, for instance in finance, childcare or security, that is permissible. A general duty to produce one without any cause does not exist; the requirement must fit the purpose of the role.
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