Night Vision and Thermal Imaging in Switzerland: What Does the Law Say in 2026?

Switzerland holds a distinctive position in Europe: it is not an EU member state, runs its own federal weapons legislation, and draws a clear line between the optical device itself and how it is used. The result is that, unlike countries such as Germany or the Netherlands, buying and owning a night vision device or a thermal camera is broadly unrestricted — provided you stay clear of two well-defined friction points: mounting the device on a firearm, and hunting. This guide covers the legal framework in force in 2026.

This article is for informational purposes only and does not constitute legal advice. Cantonal provisions, particularly around hunting, change regularly — check with the relevant cantonal authorities before any professional or specific use.

The principle: a standalone device is freely owned

Under Swiss law, night vision and thermal imaging are not regulated as technologies in themselves. A light-intensifying monocular or binocular, as well as a handheld thermal camera, can be purchased, personally imported and owned without a specific permit, as long as they are used handheld, independently of any weapon.

This freedom covers a wide range of civilian uses:

• wildlife observation and night photography;
• surveillance of private property;
• hiking, boating, or outdoor activities in low-light conditions;
• professional use: police forces, private security, and rescue services.

No prior declaration is required for this kind of handheld use. This is what sets Switzerland apart from several of its neighbours, where simply owning a GN3+ device can require justification.

The tipping point: mounting on a firearm

The framework tightens as soon as a night vision device or thermal scope is intended to be fitted onto a firearm. The Federal Act on Weapons (LArm) places "laser or night sighting devices" designed as firearm accessories in the same category as suppressors or under-barrel grenade launchers: their acquisition, import and transfer are prohibited, except under an exceptional permit issued by the competent cantonal authority.

This regime applies to aiming devices — systems designed or used to assist aiming from a weapon. A handheld observation device with no intent or capability to be mounted on a firearm does not fall under this prohibition. The distinction between the two therefore rests as much on the device's design as on its actual use.

Anyone considering a weapon mount, whatever the context (sport shooting, professional protection, military service), must first apply for an exceptional permit from the cantonal police.

Hunting: an unclear federal framework, cantons that decide

This is the most actively debated point today. The federal hunting ordinance (OChP) prohibits, for hunting purposes, the use of "night sighting devices and combinations of devices with a comparable function." The Federal Council has confirmed that this federal ban targets sighting devices and their equivalents — but not necessarily thermal imaging devices which, by design, cannot be mounted on a weapon.

This grey area leaves the decision to the cantons, via Article 2, paragraph 3 of the Federal Hunting Act (LChP), which allows them to restrict or ban the use — or even mere possession — of night vision and thermal devices on their hunting grounds. Several cantons have already legislated on this: the canton of Fribourg, for instance, bans possession of these devices on open hunting grounds under its cantonal ordinance, a position regularly challenged by cantonal parliamentary motions in 2025 and 2026, with hunters pointing to the value of these tools for safe game identification and safety (spotting other forest users at dawn or dusk).

In practice: before any purchase intended for hunting-related use, it is essential to check the cantonal hunting ordinance of the relevant canton. Rules vary from canton to canton and can change from one season to the next.

Import and dual-use goods

Switzerland regulates the export of so-called "dual-use" technologies — items usable for both civilian and military purposes — through the Goods Control Act (LCB) and the Goods Control Ordinance (OCB), overseen by the State Secretariat for Economic Affairs (SECO). Image intensifier tubes and certain military-specification thermal cameras are among the goods monitored for export.

For an individual importing a night vision device for personal civilian use, this framework primarily targets the re-export of high-performance equipment (notably military-grade GN3+ generations) abroad, rather than import into Switzerland for domestic use. That said, for any high-end or military-origin equipment purchase, it remains advisable to check with SECO or the Federal Office for Customs and Border Security (FOCBS) whether any formality applies to your specific case — particularly if the device might later be resold or carried out of Switzerland.

What to remember

Switzerland therefore offers one of the most permissive frameworks in Europe for buying and owning a night vision or thermal device for civilian use — as long as the device stays handheld and you check locally before any hunting-related use. This is precisely the kind of use — observation, security, outdoor activities — our LNVM and LAB-NVS housings are built for: designed for handheld and helmet-mounted operation, with no weapon-mount intent.