OR Art. 493 -
Einleitung zur Rechtsnorm OR:
The Swiss Code of Obligations is a central code of Swiss civil law that regulates the legal relationships between private individuals. It includes five books that cover various aspects of contract law, law of obligations and property law, including the formation, content and termination of contracts, as well as liability for breach of contract and tort. The Code of Obligations is an important code of law for business and everyday life in Switzerland, as it forms the basis for many legal relationships and contracts and has been in force since 1912, whereby it is regularly adapted to social and economic developments.
Art. 493 OR from 2024
Art. 493 Form
1 The contract of surety is valid only where the surety makes a written declaration and indicates in the surety bond the maximum amount for which he is liable.
2 Where the surety is a natural person, his declaration must additionally be done in the form of a public deed in conformity with the rules in force at the place where the instrument is drawn up. Where the liability under surety does not exceed the sum of 2,000 francs, it is sufficient for the surety to indicate the amount for which he is liable and the existence of joint and several liability, if any, in his own hand in the surety bond itself.
3 Contracts of surety in favour of the Confederation or its public institutions or in favour of a canton for the performance of public law obligations, such as customs duties, taxes and the like, and for freight charges merely require the written declaration of the surety and an indication in the surety bond itself of the amount for which he is liable.
4 Where the total liability is divided into smaller amounts in order to circumvent the formal requirement of a public deed, the formal requirements for contracts of surety for such partial amounts are the same as those prescribed for the total.
5 The sole formal requirement for subsequent amendments to the surety, except where the total liability is increased or the surety is transformed from a simple surety into a joint and several surety, is that they be done in writing. Where the principal obligation is assumed by a third party such that the debtor is released, the contract of surety is extinguished unless the surety has consented in writing to such assumption.
6 The formal requirements applicable to the contract of surety also apply to the conferral of special authority to enter into a contract of surety and the promise to stand surety for the contracting party or a third party. The parties may agree in writing to limit the surety’s liability to that portion of the principal obligation that is satisfied first.
7 The Federal Council may cap the fee payable for drawing up the surety bond as a public deed.
Es besteht kein Anspruch auf Aktualität und Vollständigkeit/Richtigkeit.