What is a custody certificate?
A custody certificate is a written document that certifies how custody of one or more children is shared between two separated parents. It states who has custody of the child, during which period, and according to which schedule.
Unlike a divorce ruling or a court-approved agreement, a custody certificate is a flexible document produced by the parents themselves - or with a tool such as CoParent.ch - to respond to a specific administrative request.
When do you need one?
1. School or daycare
At the start of the school year or when enrolling in daycare, institutions often ask for a certificate to know which parent to contact as a priority, and at which address the child resides on the relevant days.
2. Family allowances
In Switzerland, family allowances are paid to only one of the two parents (generally the one where the child is tax-domiciled). A custody certificate may be required by the family allowance office to justify the actual situation.
3. Tax returns
The dependent-child deduction is split between parents according to the custody exercised. The certificate helps justify your situation to the cantonal tax authorities, particularly in the case of 50/50 shared custody.
4. Everyday administrative procedures
Applying for a passport for a child, enrolling in a sports or cultural activity, obtaining a reduced-fare transport card - many procedures require proof of your custody rights.
5. Mediation and court proceedings
In case of a dispute, a time-stamped certificate generated by a neutral tool such as CoParent.ch provides objective evidence of the custody actually exercised over a given period - it is admissible in family mediation.
What should a custody certificate contain?
To be valid, a custody certificate must mention:
- The child's (or children's) last name, first name and date of birth
- The name and address of both parents
- The period covered by the certificate
- The custody schedule (alternating week, 2-2-3, fixed days...)
- Custody statistics (number of days and nights per parent over the period)
- The date the document was issued
- The signature of both parents, if possible
How do you get one?
Through a lawyer or mediator
Your lawyer or family mediator can draft an official certificate on letterhead. This option is costly (consultation fees) and takes time, but the document carries greater legal credibility.
Writing it yourself
You can draft a simple certificate on plain paper, signed by both parents. This is sufficient for most everyday administrative procedures in Switzerland. The content must be precise and factual.
Via CoParent.ch - in one click
CoParent.ch generates an official custody certificate directly from your shared calendar. The document is:
- In A4 format, ready to print or send by email
- Automatically time-stamped with the generation date
- Based on the real data in your calendar - not a manual estimate
- Available for any past period, in a matter of seconds
- Accompanied by detailed statistics (days and nights per parent)
Legal value in Switzerland
If you have a divorce agreement approved by a Swiss court, it takes precedence over any certificate. The custody certificate complements it by demonstrating the custody actually and effectively exercised over a given period - something the ruling, often general in nature, cannot attest to on a day-to-day basis.