|
|
You own a vehicle:
|
|
longer than 6 months before moving to Switzerland
|
|
less than 6 months before moving to Switzerland
|
|
|
|
|
Customs declaration
|
|
You can import your vehicle on the same document as your personal effects.
|
|
If your vehicle is considered to be new, it cannot be declared as a personal effect.
|
|
|
|
|
Duties to be paid
|
|
You do not have to pay import duty or Value Added Tax if you do not sell the vehicle
during the first 12 months in Switzerland.
|
|
Import duty
- Customs duty
- Consumer tax (4%)
- VAT (7.6%)
- Tax
|
|
|
|
|
Necessary documents
|
|
- Vehicle certificate
- Customs application form to import personal effects
- Identity card
- Purchase agreement or invoice
- Proof of stay in Switzerland (residence permit, contract of employment, lease)
|
|
- Proof of stay in Switzerland (residence permit, contract of employment, lease)
- Vehicle certificate
- Purchase agreement or invoice
- Identity card
|
|
|
|
|
Registration deadline
|
|
12 months
|
|
1 month
|
|
|
You can find further information on the importation of motor vehicles to Switzerland
on the website of
Federal Customs Administration.
Registration
Important addresses
Vehicle and driver registration office (Strassenverkehrsamt) in your canton.
Here you will find the address of the vehicle and driver registration office for each canton. (Unfortunately, this page is not yet available in English. We therefore redirect you to the German page.)
Registration deadline
|
12 months
|
|
for vehicles imported as personal effects
|
|
1 month
|
|
for vehicles imported as new
|
Until this deadline has expired you may drive the vehicle on foreign numberplates
provided that all documents and insurance are valid.
If you have further questions or in special cases, please enquire with the vehicle
and driver registration office in your canton.
Procedure
- Apply for registration with the vehicle and driver registration office in your canton
- make a premium comparison
- Contact an insurance company regarding liability insurance (see
below)
- The vehicle will have to undergo a technical test. The vehicle and driver registration
office in your canton will perform the inspection and will give you a date as soon
as they are in possession of your documents.
Necessary documents
|
|
|
|
|
Inspection report (Form 13.20 A for new cars and 13.20 B for used cars)
|
|
Will be issued by customs or is available from your garage
|
|
|
|
|
Confirmation of liability insurance
|
|
Available from a Swiss insurance company
|
|
|
|
|
Anti-pollution booklet
|
|
Available from a garage which deals with your make of car
|
|
|
|
|
Proof of registration abroad
|
|
Originals of the foreign documents
|
|
|
|
|
A form "essential information about the registration of vehicles not complying with
legal norms"
|
|
Available from the vehicle and driver registration office in your canton
|
|
|
|
|
Confirmation of customs declaration (receipt)
|
|
Issued by customs
|
|
|
|
|
Technical specifications of vehicle
|
|
e.g. service booklet
|
|
|
|
|
Residence permit (original)
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Certification of compliance to European norms. If not available, the following are
required:
- Confirmation of exhaust emission
- Confirmation of noise emission
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Confirmation of payment of first invoice from the vehicle and driver registration
office (Certificate of receipt from the Post Office)
|
|
Payment slip from the vehicle and driver registration office
|
|
|
Car insurance
All vehicles registered in Switzerland must be covered by liability insurance.
The various types of insurance coverage
In Switzerland there are 4 different levels of car insurance coverage:
With the exception of liability insurance all other types of coverage are optional.
Furthermore, liability and partial or fully comprehensive types of coverage insure
the vehicle and not its owner. Damage is therefore covered irrespective of who was
driving at the time.
Liability insurance: It is mandatory and defined by
law. It covers bodily and material damage caused by the vehicle to third parties.
As far as liability insurance is concerned, almost all insurance companies offer
the same security. It is therefore well worth comparing the premiums offered.
Partial insurance coverage: It is optional and covers
a range of damages, which can be combined in different ways depending on the insurance
company: Theft, damage caused by natural forces, fire, vandalism, martens, collision
with animals, glass breakage, etc.
Collision insurance It is optional and covers damage
to the vehicle caused by yourself. It is usually supplementary to partial coverage
and cannot normally be taken out separately.
Some insurance companies call the combination of partial and collision insurance
fully comprehensive insurance. The latter is governed by a bonus-malus system that
varies according to the insurance company.
Passenger accident insurance: It is optional and covers
bodily damage to the driver and passengers (medical costs, daily compensation for
hospital stay or inability to work). It can be taken out separately for the driver,
front-seat passenger or for all passengers.
This coverage is superfluous if passengers are either insured by a health insurance
company or insured by their employer against accidents.
Car insurance premiums
Car insurance premiums can vary enormously - it's worth comparing. Find the cheapest
car insurance to suit your needs quickly and easily and request an offer:
compare car insurance premiums
Driving licence
Your foreign driving licence is valid for the first 12 months in Switzerland. After
this deadline a Swiss driving licence is mandatory.
During this first year you can exchange your foreign driving licence for a Swiss
licence at the vehicle and driver registration office in your canton. Attention:
If you miss this deadline, you will be obliged to take the Swiss driving test.
Necessary documents
- Application for a driving licence (available from the vehicle and driver registration
office)
- Residence permit
- Identity card
- 2 recent passport photos
- Optician's certificate
- Foreign driving licence (original)
If you have any questions, please enquire at the vehicle and driver registration office in your canton. (Unfortunately, this page is not yet available in English. We therefore redirect you to the German page.)
Driving in Switzerland
Some important tips:
Speed limits:
- Motorways: 120 km/h
- Main roads outside urban areas: 80 km/h
- Urban areas: 50 or 60 km/h
- Residential zones: 30 km/h
A road tax sticker is mandatory for motorways in Switzerland. It costs 40.-- Fr.
per calendar year and can be purchased at customs, petrol stations or at the Post
Office.
|
|
