How to deregister a car in Switzerland
Would you like to sell your car or take it off the road for a prolonged period of time? If so, you should deregister the vehicle. Comparis explains how.
17.06.2025
1. Documents you need to deregister a vehicle
De-registering a vehicle in Switzerland is a simple administrative process: you can do it by post or in person at the relevant cantonal road traffic office.
How to deregister your car at the road traffic office
You'll need the following to deregister your vehicle:
Original vehicle registration document
Number plates – if are not registering a new vehicle within 14 days.
If you are sending the documents by post, please include a cover letter containing your contact details or a completed deregistration application (depending on the canton)
After deregistration, the vehicle registration certificate will no longer be valid. If you no longer need the number plates, you can hand these in and they will no longer be able to be used in the future.
Alternatively, you can deposit your number plates if you want to use them for another vehicle at a future point in time. Depending on the canton, a fee may apply.
You will receive a pro rata refund of traffic duties (vehicle tax) that have already been paid. The refund is usually carried out by bank or postal transfer. If you register a new vehicle in the same year, some cantons will automatically deduct the tax already paid from the new invoice.
If in doubt, contact your local road traffic office.
Once you deregister your car, your insurance in Switzerland will expire. Overpaid premiums are usually refunded.
The insurance company will be automatically sent a notification from the road traffic office. Nevertheless, we recommend notifying them directly of the deregistration.
In Switzerland, car insurance ends once a vehicle has been deregistered. The perfect time to compare car insurance: find the insurance solution that fits your needs with Comparis.
2. Temporarily taking a car off the road
Are you not planning to use your vehicle for a set period of time, but would like to put it back on the road later? If so, you can take it off the road temporarily.
How it works: you deposit the number plates at the road traffic office, but do not cancel the vehicle registration document. This means that the vehicle remains registered, but is no longer roadworthy. Afterwards, you are no longer permitted to drive the car on public roads.
Pros:
You save on vehicle tax and insurance premiums during this time.
Your vehicle remains registered so that it can be put back on the road later.
Suspending liability insurance
The insurance is automatically suspended as long as the vehicle is not registered. Notify your insurance company anyway, just to be sure.
3. Who has to deregister the car when it is sold?
After a change of owner, you as the previous vehicle owner must deregister the car in Switzerland within 14 days. You have two options:
You deregister the vehicle yourself before handing it over (recommended) – and give the cancelled vehicle registration document to the buyer. The advantage of this is that you bear no risk and the change of registration is carried out on time.
The buyer changes the registration of the vehicle. The seller gives the valid vehicle registration document and the number plates to the buyer. The buyer changes the registration of the vehicle. Advantage: less effort for you. Disadvantage: you remain liable until the vehicle is registered in the buyer's name and run the risk that the vehicle will not be deregistered in time or that you will not get the number plates back. This is recommended only for sales to family and friends.
4. Deregistering a car for recycling or export
Would you like to have your car scrapped? If so, you must deregister it in the usual way at the road traffic office in your canton of residence. Request a certificate of destruction from the disposal facility.
Are you selling your car for export? You will also need to deregister it at the cantonal vehicle registration office. Important: give the cancelled vehicle registration document to the exporter.
5. How do I deregister my vehicle?
You basically have two options for deregistering your car: in person at the road traffic office or by post. Deregistration by post is now possible in many cases, but there may be differences depending on the canton and the case. If in doubt, contact your local road traffic office.
In person at the road traffic office
Go in person with the vehicle registration document and the number plates.
The vehicle will be deregistered immediately.
You will receive confirmation right away.
By post
Send the vehicle registration document, cover letter or deregistration application (depending on the canton) and number plates by post to the responsible road traffic office.
You will receive a letter confirming that your vehicle has been deregistered.
Be aware of the processing time.
For both options, you can also hand in the number plates within 14 days – or use them to register another vehicle within this period.
6. Conclusion: how to deregister a vehicle
Deregistering a car in Switzerland is easy. You can do this either in person or by post at the cantonal road traffic office. To do so, you will need the vehicle registration document and, depending on the situation, the number plates.
If you only want to take your car off the road temporarily, you don't have to deregister it. Instead, you can deposit the number plates at the road traffic office and save on vehicle tax and insurance premiums.
When selling a vehicle, it is safer to deregister the vehicle yourself before handing it over. Deregistration is also required if you would like to recycle or export your car.
