Guide
Winterthur tax office (Steueramt): who does what
Steuererklärung Winterthur is a private tax service — not the tax office (Steueramt) of the City of Winterthur. The official tax office is at Pionierstrasse 7 and online at stadt.winterthur.ch (Steueramt). This guide explains what the office is responsible for, when to contact it directly — and when we can help you more.
The City of Winterthur tax office keeps the tax register, issues the invoices for the cantonal and municipal tax, records payments and carries out most tax assessments for individuals in Winterthur. The Canton of Zurich tax office provides the ZHprivateTax filing platform.
What the City of Winterthur tax office is responsible for
In the Canton of Zurich, the work is shared between the municipality and the canton. Winterthur has a large tax office of its own: according to the city, it looks after around 74,000 individuals, more than 5,500 companies and around 14,000 people taxed at source. For you as a private taxpayer, it is the most important point of contact.
- Keeps the municipal tax register (Steuerregister) for the City of Winterthur.
- Collects the cantonal and municipal tax (Staats- und Gemeindesteuer): provisional invoices, final invoices, payments and refunds.
- Carries out most of the tax assessments for individuals living in Winterthur.
- Handles requests to extend the filing deadline (Fristerstreckung) — also online.
- Arranges instalment plans for the final tax invoice and adjusts provisional invoices.
- Provides the online tax account (E-Steuerkonto), issues tax documents and duplicates, and is your contact when you move, leave Switzerland, marry, separate or after a death in the family.
- Is also the competence centre for property gains tax and responsible for tax at source (Quellensteuer).
Source: stadt.winterthur.ch, as of September 2026
And what does the Canton of Zurich tax office do?
The Canton of Zurich tax office (Kantonales Steueramt Zürich) runs the online platform ZHprivateTax, where you complete and file your tax return electronically. For technical questions about it, the City of Winterthur refers you to the cantonal tax office hotline (0800 22 88 11). Assessments not carried out by the city are handled by the canton — which authority dealt with your case is stated on your assessment notice (Veranlagungsverfügung) and in its instructions on how to appeal.
A practical point many newcomers miss: you request a filing extension not from the canton but from your municipal tax office. In Winterthur you can do this online via the city. The regular deadline is 31 March of the following year; for self-employed people and those with a supplementary tax obligation, the city states 30 September.
Winterthur tax multiplier 2026
The cantonal and municipal tax is calculated from the basic cantonal tax multiplied by the tax multipliers (Steuerfuss). For 2026, Winterthur applies: cantonal tax 95%, municipal tax 125% — 220% of the basic tax in total. Members of a recognised church also pay church tax: Reformed 13%, Roman Catholic 17%, Christ Catholic 14%. The municipal rate is unchanged from 2025; the cantonal rate fell from 98% to 95%.
Source: stadt.winterthur.ch, as of September 2026 — City of Winterthur tax multipliers
Who to ask
When to contact the tax office — and when we can help.
Many things only the tax office can deal with, because it holds your tax account. Anything to do with the content of your tax return is where we come in.
Contact the Winterthur tax office
- You have not received a tax return form or access code.
- You want to pay the final tax invoice in instalments — before the payment deadline.
- You need tax documents, a duplicate or an account statement.
- Your bank details for refunds have changed.
- You have a question about your balance or a payment you have already made.
Come to us, the private tax service
- You would rather not fill in the tax return yourself — or are unsure whether every deduction is included.
- The 31 March deadline is getting close and the return still needs to be done properly.
- Your assessment differs from what you declared and you are considering an objection.
- The final tax invoice is higher than expected and you want to know why.
- You are new to Switzerland, self-employed or own property and want a second opinion.
How we help
What a tax service takes off your hands.
We have worked in Winterthur since 2021 and file electronically via ZHprivateTax — so we look after clients across the whole Canton of Zurich, even without a visit.
Example: the final tax invoice is higher than expected
Sarah, a British engineer living in Winterthur-Seen, receives her final tax invoice (Schlussrechnung) in the autumn — around CHF 2,400 more than she expected. She first calls the tax office and learns that she can pay it in up to five instalments if she fills in the contact form before the payment deadline.
Why the amount is so high, she clarifies with us. We compare the assessment notice with her return and find that her childcare costs were not taken into account because the receipts were missing. As the 30-day objection period against the assessment is still running, we file a reasoned objection with the receipts.
The tax office stays responsible for the invoice and payment; we take care of the content. For her next return, she uploads all her documents straight away via our online form.
Frequently asked questions
About the Winterthur tax office
Is this the Winterthur tax office?
No. Steuererklärung Winterthur is a private tax service at Archplatz 2 and not the tax office (Steueramt) of the City of Winterthur. We prepare tax returns, request filing extensions and draft objections. Invoices, payments and your tax account are handled exclusively by the City of Winterthur tax office at Pionierstrasse 7.
How do I contact the Winterthur tax office?
The City of Winterthur tax office is at Pionierstrasse 7, 8400 Winterthur, phone +41 52 267 52 52. It is open Monday to Thursday 8.00–12.00 and 13.30–17.00, Friday until 16.00; the counter opens at 8.30 and is closed on Wednesday afternoons until further notice. Written enquiries go through the contact form on stadt.winterthur.ch (source: stadt.winterthur.ch, as of September 2026).
Who can help me fill in my tax return in Winterthur?
The tax office answers questions about the procedure but does not fill in your return for you. That is what private tax services like ours are for: we prepare your complete tax return from CHF 59, check every deduction, explain everything in English and file electronically via ZHprivateTax once you have approved it — in person in Winterthur or without visiting at all.
Where can I see my tax account?
In the City of Winterthur’s online tax account (E-Steuerkonto). It shows the balances of all your tax accounts, invoices received and payments made; you can print statements and manage your refund account. For your first login you receive an activation code by post, valid for 30 days. We have no access to your tax account.
Where do I request a filing extension?
From the municipal tax office where you live — in Winterthur, that is the City of Winterthur tax office, which offers an online service for it. The regular deadline is 31 March. If we prepare your return, we can take care of the request for you.
What is the tax multiplier (Steuerfuss) in Winterthur?
For 2026, the municipal tax multiplier of the City of Winterthur is 125 per cent and the cantonal multiplier of the Canton of Zurich is 95 per cent. Church tax may be added: Reformed 13, Roman Catholic 17, Christ Catholic 14 per cent (source: stadt.winterthur.ch, as of September 2026).
Can we help?
Your tax return, done in three days.
Book an appointment — you don’t need any documents yet. We clarify your situation in a conversation, check every deduction and file electronically. All you do is approve.