Glarus Corporate & Capital Tax - Forms & Deadlines
Last updated: 14 Dec 2025
Glarus Corporate & Capital Tax — Forms & Deadlines
What companies need to file for the Canton of Glarus’s corporate profit tax and capital tax: who is required to file, how to use the eTax.GL online portal for juristic persons, key documents, filing deadlines, extensions, assessments, payments, interest, and tax clearance in practice.
Who Must File
- Resident companies with statutory seat or effective place of management in the Canton of Glarus must file a combined corporate income and capital tax return (Steuererklärung für juristische Personen) for each tax year.
- Nonresident entities with a taxable nexus in Glarus — for example, a permanent establishment or Glarus-situs real estate — generally file a limited Glarus corporate tax return covering their local taxable base.
- All legal forms treated as “juristic persons” under Glarus tax law (e.g. AG, GmbH, cooperative, certain foundations and associations) file, even in loss years or where only minimum capital tax is due.
- Groups with multiple Swiss entities file separate returns for each legal entity with a Glarus tax nexus; group information is provided via attachments and transfer pricing documentation rather than a consolidated return.
Key Forms & Documents (Glarus Corporate & Capital Tax)
| Item | Purpose | Typical contents |
|---|---|---|
| Corporate tax return (juristic persons) | Main filing for Glarus corporate income tax and capital tax, prepared and submitted electronically via the eTax.GL online portal. Fully paperless filing for juristic persons is now possible; paper forms are only used in exceptional cases. | Identifying data; tax period; reconciliation from accounting profit to taxable profit; loss carryforwards; capital tax base; information on participation relief and special regimes under Glarus and federal tax law. |
| Financial statements | Basis for profit and capital tax assessment; must reconcile to the tax return. | Signed annual report, statutory balance sheet, income statement, notes, appropriation of profits, audit report (if applicable), and prior-year comparatives. |
| Tax reconciliation & schedules | Explains adjustments between statutory accounts and taxable result and documents capital tax base. | Add-backs and deductions; depreciation schedules; provisions; hidden equity analysis; participation deduction calculation; allocation of equity to the Glarus tax nexus. |
| Group & related-party documentation | Supports transfer pricing, interest conditions and intra-group services. | Group structure chart; intercompany agreements; transfer pricing documentation; overview of loans and guarantees; rulings, if any. |
| Extension request | Requests additional time to file beyond the ordinary deadline. In Glarus, extension requests for juristic persons can be submitted online via the cantonal Fristerstreckung juristische Personen service or in writing to the tax office. | Tax period; identification code; company details; proposed new filing date; reasons (e.g. late financial close, audit delays, restructuring). |
| Payments & account extracts | Evidence of advance payments and final settlement to match assessments. | Advance tax invoices; payment confirmations; reconciliation of assessed tax with instalments; interest and refund statements. |
The eTax.GL portal lets companies complete and file their corporate tax return fully online: prior-year data can be imported, attachments uploaded and the return submitted electronically without printing or mailing. Each year, companies receive login details or an activation code from the Steuerverwaltung Glarus for the relevant tax period.
Deadlines & Extensions
Standard timing
For companies (juristische Personen) in Glarus, the ordinary filing deadline for the corporate tax return is generally 30 June of the year following the tax period for calendar-year companies. For example, a company with year-end 31 December 2024 ordinarily files the 2024 return by 30 June 2025, unless the tax office sets a different date in its filing notice.
The Steuerverwaltung Kanton Glarus sends a filing/activation letter and instructions with access to eTax.GL for the relevant tax period. Where no letter has been received but a Glarus tax nexus exists, companies should contact the tax office to clarify registration and deadlines.
Extensions
Glarus allows online extension requests for juristic persons via the official Fristerstreckung service. As a rule, extensions are granted up to 31 March of the year following the tax period through the online tool; requests beyond this date must be submitted in writing to the Steuerverwaltung with reasons.
In practice, further extensions beyond 31 March can sometimes be granted on a case-by-case basis and may be subject to conditions. Late or missing returns can trigger reminders, estimated assessments and penalties. An extension to file does not automatically extend the time to pay; interest may accrue on unpaid balances even where the filing deadline has been extended.
Assessment, Payment & Interest
- Assessment. After the return is processed, the Steuerverwaltung Kanton Glarus (juristic persons unit) issues an assessment decision covering cantonal, communal and direct federal tax components for the company, including capital tax.
- Advance payments. Glarus typically issues advance tax invoices based on prior periods or estimated current income and capital. These advance payments are credited against the final assessment.
- Payment mechanics. Taxes are paid via the channels indicated on the invoices and assessment (e-banking, payment slip, etc.). The company should always use the correct reference number to ensure allocation to the right tax period.
- Interest & penalties. Interest is normally charged on late payments; in more serious cases penalties can be imposed for late filing, incomplete disclosure or tax evasion. Where liquidity is tight, companies may request instalment plans (Ratenzahlung) or payment arrangements from the tax office.
- Objections/appeals. The assessment letter specifies the objection (Einsprache) deadline and procedure. Objections must be submitted in writing within this period and supported by explanations and evidence (e.g. corrected financials, alternative calculations).
Tax Clearance & Commercial Register (Corporate Changes)
- Significant corporate events such as dissolution, liquidation, mergers, de-mergers or migrations of seat often require tax clearance from Glarus before the commercial register completes the registration or before a move to another canton.
- For liquidations, the tax office typically assesses income and capital tax up to the liquidation date and may require interim or final returns. Distributions to shareholders can trigger additional income or withholding tax consequences.
- In cases of seat relocation to or from Glarus, the company must coordinate opening or closing balance sheets for tax purposes and agree on the allocation of hidden reserves and equity between cantons.
- For corporate restructurings under Swiss tax neutrality rules, advance tax rulings are frequently used to secure treatment at Glarus and federal level.
Submission Checklist
| Document | Included? | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Completed corporate tax return (Glarus, juristic persons) | ⬜ | Prepared and submitted via eTax.GL for the correct tax year (or, exceptionally, on paper forms). |
| Signed financial statements & audit report (if applicable) | ⬜ | Balance sheet, income statement, notes, appropriation of profits. |
| Tax reconciliation profit → taxable profit | ⬜ | Adjustments for non-deductible expenses, provisions, depreciation, etc. |
| Capital tax base reconciliation | ⬜ | Equity per accounts, hidden equity and allocation to the Glarus tax nexus. |
| Schedules for participation relief / exemptions | ⬜ | Dividend and capital gains details; holding percentage; acquisition cost. |
| Group and related-party overview | ⬜ | Structure chart, intercompany contracts, transfer pricing documentation. |
| Supporting documentation for major items | ⬜ | Loan agreements, valuations, impairment tests, restructuring documents. |
| Confirmation of advance tax payments | ⬜ | To reconcile assessments and check interest/penalties. |
| Extension request (if filing after ordinary deadline) | ⬜ | Online extension or written request submitted before the existing deadline. |
| Signature or confirmation by authorised signatories | ⬜ | For paper filings, the tax return must be signed in line with commercial register rules; for electronic submissions, ensure the persons approving the filing correspond to the company’s authorised signatories. |
Where to Submit / Contact
Canton Glarus Tax Administration — Corporate tax unit (Steuerverwaltung Kanton Glarus, Juristische Personen) handles corporate income and capital tax returns. Returns are typically submitted electronically via eTax.GL. Where paper is used, returns are mailed to the address stated on the tax package or on the cantonal website, together with the signed forms and financial statements.
As at 2025, the central contact details are:
Steuerverwaltung Kanton Glarus
Hauptstrasse 11
8750 Glarus, Switzerland
Tel: +41 55 646 61 50 · Email: steuerverwaltung@gl.ch
Need help with your Glarus corporate or capital tax filings? Our Swiss corporate tax work for Glarus is handled by Sesch TaxRep GmbH, Switzerland. For a fixed-fee engagement, please contact us with your company details, latest financial statements and tax period.
FAQs
What is the filing deadline for companies in Glarus?
For most juristic persons in Glarus, the ordinary deadline is 30 June of the year following the tax period (for example, 30 June 2025 for a 2024 calendar-year company), unless the tax office sets a different date in its filing notice. Extensions can usually be obtained online or in writing, but the request must be made before the original deadline.
Can I file the corporate tax return electronically?
Yes. Glarus provides the eTax.GL online portal, which allows companies to complete and submit their corporate tax return fully electronically. You log in using your credentials or activation code, complete the return and upload the required documents. No printing, signatures or postal mailing are required in the standard process.
Can I extend time to pay as well as to file?
An extension to file does not automatically extend the time to pay. If you expect to pay late or require instalments, you should contact the Steuerverwaltung Kanton Glarus proactively to discuss payment arrangements. Interest may accrue on outstanding balances regardless of filing extensions.
Do small or loss-making companies still have to file?
Yes. All juristic persons with a Glarus tax nexus normally must file a corporate tax return, even if they have low turnover, losses or only minimum capital tax to pay. The return documents the loss position and keeps loss carryforwards alive.
Who should sign the Glarus corporate tax return?
For paper filings, the tax return must be signed by persons authorised to represent the company, typically board members or directors registered in the commercial register with individual or joint signing authority. Representatives such as fiduciaries may sign in addition, but this does not replace the company’s own signature requirements. For electronic submissions via eTax.GL, ensure that the persons approving the submission correspond to the company’s authorised signatories as reflected in internal corporate documentation.
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