The verdict in three sentences
In Lausanne, a notarial office website built by a Vaud agency costs, as a 2026 order of magnitude, between 10 000 and 35 000 CHF, and more once a custom document upload portal enters the scope. Kolonell delivers deed pages, document checklists, online booking and professional notices at a fixed price: 2 700 CHF, 4 500 CHF or 8 200 CHF, in 3 to 4 weeks for Starter and Growth. The criterion that should drive the choice is the restraint expected from a Vaud notary, who is a public officer: a site that informs precisely beats a flashy site with a sales tone.
This version is written for the English-speaking notaries and practice managers of notarial offices in Lausanne who serve an international clientele.
What do a Lausanne agency, a Vaud freelancer and Kolonell charge?
The ranges below are cautious orders of magnitude, not official figures. They draw on public price grids from Lake Geneva region agencies, minimum project sizes shown on Clutch.co profiles, hourly rates published by French-speaking Swiss agencies (often 120 to 200 CHF per hour) and rates visible on Malt and Upwork for profiles based in Romandy.
| Criterion | Lausanne agency | Vaud freelancer | Kolonell |
|---|---|---|---|
| Build, 2026 order of magnitude | 10 000 to 35 000 CHF | 3 500 to 10 000 CHF | 2 700 CHF, 4 500 CHF or 8 200 CHF, fixed price |
| Out-of-scope work | Often 120 to 200 CHF per hour | Often 80 to 130 CHF per hour | Quoted in writing before work starts |
| Usual timeline | 8 to 12 weeks | 4 to 10 weeks | 3 to 4 weeks, Premium usually 4 to 6 |
| Writing the deed pages | Often billed separately | Rarely included | Native French copywriting included |
| English version | Common option | Depends on the profile | Bilingual FR/EN structure from Premium |
| Office photos | Photo shoot often offered | Rarely | Not included: local photographer or existing photos |
| Domain and access | Check the contract | Check the contract | Domain in the office's name, all access handed over |
Payment is by bank transfer or Wise, 50 % at kickoff and 50 % on delivery. The project manager schedules Google Meet calls at your time and sends a written update every week; the team works on GMT, one to two hours behind Lausanne depending on the season. Kolonell does not travel: no in-person meetings, no on-site photo shoots. We have already delivered a site in this field, for TR Signing Group, a notary and apostille service in New Jersey: bilingual FR/EN site, quote requests verified case by case, appointment calendar, live chat and a full back office. Package details are on our international offer.
What budget should a bilingual office plan over three years?
Scenario: a two-notary office that wants a French and English site, a third-party online calendar and a secure tool to receive documents. Kolonell maintenance after the support period is quoted on request, so the table uses the same maintenance assumption on both sides to compare what actually differs.
| Item over 36 months | Lausanne agency (mid-range) | Kolonell Premium |
|---|---|---|
| FR/EN site build | 22 000 CHF | 8 200 CHF |
| Post-launch support | Per contract | 6 months included |
| Maintenance (same assumption) | 150 CHF per month over 30 months, 4 500 CHF | 4 500 CHF, quoted on request |
| Third-party online calendar | 15 CHF per month, 540 CHF | Same subscription, 540 CHF |
| Third-party secure upload tool | 25 CHF per month, 900 CHF | Same subscription, 900 CHF |
| Yearly update of document checklists | 6 hours at 160 CHF, 960 CHF | Quoted before work, assumption 700 CHF |
| Indicative total | 28 900 CHF | 14 840 CHF |
This table frames the discussion; it does not replace a quote. Send it as is to every provider you consult and ask them to fill in each line.
What does each package include for a Vaud notarial office?
| Item | Starter 2 700 CHF | Growth 4 500 CHF | Premium 8 200 CHF |
|---|---|---|---|
| Deed pages | Main families: property, family and estate, companies | One page per deed: sale, gift, inheritance agreement, SA or Sàrl incorporation | Structure by deed and by client profile |
| Documents to provide | General list | List per deed, downloadable | Lists per deed and per situation (resident, non-resident) |
| Booking | Link to your calendar | Embedded third-party calendar | Calendar per notary and per deed type |
| Fees | Page explaining the cantonal tariff | Explanation per family of deeds | Explanation per deed, with generic examples |
| Languages | French | French | French and English |
| Post-launch support | 3 months | 3 months | 6 months |
A client area to track a file, a signing portal or a management back office are custom applications, quoted on request. Ongoing SEO is also quoted on request.
What should a Lausanne notarial office website show?
The canton of Vaud follows the Latin notarial system: the notary is an independent public officer who executes authentic deeds and whose fees follow a tariff set by the canton. The Vaud Chamber of Notaries and professional rules frame communication: no comparisons with colleagues, no promises, an informative tone. Before going live, have the copy reviewed against those rules.
Lausanne's clientele is distinctive. The city hosts the International Olympic Committee and many international sports federations, EPFL and UNIL attract foreign researchers and executives, and the Lake Geneva property market remains tight. An office therefore handles condominium (PPE) purchases, gifts between generations, inheritance agreements, marriage contracts, company incorporations and signature legalisations for use abroad, often for clients who read English more easily than legal French.
- One page per deed, with the steps (first meeting, draft deed, signing) and the list of documents.
- A clear explanation of fees: the notary's fees under the cantonal tariff, transfer duties and disbursements shown separately.
- A path for non-residents: property purchase by someone domiciled abroad, powers of attorney, documents to be legalised or apostilled in the home country.
- Online booking, with a reason picked from a list and no free field for sensitive data.
- Professional notices: names of the notaries, exact title, office address, supervisory authority.
Need a professional website?
Kolonell builds websites that attract clients, optimized for the Sénégalese market. Free quote in 2 minutes.
Compliance, factually. The revised Federal Act on Data Protection (nLPD) has been in force since 1 September 2023: passport copies, civil status records and wealth information require controlled hosting, a defined retention period and an up-to-date privacy notice. No identity document should travel by plain email or through a contact form. WCAG 2.1 AA serves as the technical accessibility reference. This is not legal advice.
What red flags should you spot in quotes?
- Promotional copy ('the best notary in Lausanne') that clashes with professional ethics.
- A form that asks for a passport copy without saying where it is stored.
- A client portal 'included' with no written scope: it is an application in its own right.
- No line on the English version: who translates, who proofreads, at what price?
- A domain registered in the agency's name, or hosting access not handed over.
- A mandatory multi-year maintenance package with no breakdown of services.
Mini case study
Illustrative example. Camille R. is a partner in an office of three notaries and eight staff near Place Saint-François. A third of her appointments involve clients who do not speak French. A Lausanne agency quotes 19 000 CHF for an FR/EN site, delivered in 10 weeks. Kolonell offers Premium at 8 200 CHF; the office books a Lausanne photographer for 1 400 CHF.
Build and photos: 19 000 CHF against 9 600 CHF, a 9 400 CHF difference. If the 'documents to provide' page avoids, as an assumption, four ten-minute calls a week to the front desk, the office recovers about 30 hours a year, whichever provider it picks.
FAQ
How much does a notarial office website cost in Lausanne in 2026?
With a local agency, expect 10 000 to 35 000 CHF as an order of magnitude. A Vaud freelancer usually charges 3 500 to 10 000 CHF. Kolonell offers three fixed prices: 2 700 CHF, 4 500 CHF and 8 200 CHF.
Can a Vaud notary show fees on the website?
Fees follow a cantonal tariff, which the site can explain in general terms, with duties and disbursements shown separately. For any precise figure, validate the wording with the Vaud Chamber of Notaries.
Can identity documents be received through the site?
Yes, through a secure third-party tool (often 15 to 40 CHF per month) embedded in the site, never through a contact form or email. A custom portal is quoted on request.
Can the site be in English for international clients?
The bilingual FR/EN structure is included from Premium, at 8 200 CHF, with native copywriting in both languages. German or Italian are supplied by the office or quoted separately.
How long until the site is live?
Starter and Growth go live in 3 to 4 weeks. Premium follows a written schedule set at kickoff, usually 4 to 6 weeks, with 6 months of support afterwards.
Let's scope your project. Send us your list of deeds, your languages and your professional constraints: we reply with a fixed-price package and a launch in 3 to 4 weeks. Request your free quote or see the international offer.
Mohamed Bah
Fondateur, Kolonell
Passionate about digital and entrepreneurship in Africa, Mohamed has been helping Sénégalese businesses with their digital transformation since 2020. Founder of Kolonell, he believes every SME deserves a professional and accessible online présence.
