Customs declaration Switzerland: moving and registering household effects
You’re moving to Switzerland soon and you’d like to bring your household effects with you. In this case, you must declare these items at customs. We show you what to be aware of when importing personal effects into Switzerland.
18.01.2024
Adobe Stock/Tobias Arhelger
1. Moving your personal effects to Switzerland: registering home contents and pets
Have you packed everything up and are ready to move to Switzerland with your belongings? When entering Switzerland, remember to declare your household goods and, where applicable, your pets to Swiss customs. Then you can import your household effects into Switzerland without paying customs duty.
You must introduce these personal effects (also known as “removal goods”) within two years of the move. Otherwise, you will have to pay Swiss customs duties. Would you like to bring part of your belongings to Switzerland at a later date? If so, you must register this when importing the first part.
2. Important Swiss customs regulations when moving home
When moving to Switzerland, the following are considered as relocation goods:
Home contents
Collections
Animals
Vehicles
Important: you must have owned your relocation goods for more than six months before moving. Otherwise, customs duties are also payable. In general, you are able to declare your personal effects directly upon entering Switzerland and are not required to announce your arrival in advance.
If you order goods from abroad, different customs regulations apply. For packages you usually have to pay customs and VAT.
Exception: sometimes the online shop you order from will arrange this in advance. This is true of Amazon, for example. You can read more about this in our article on customs costs for orders from abroad.
Customs declaration: required documents
For the customs declaration, you must present the following documents at the Swiss customs office upon entry:
Proof of relocation, e.g. employment contract, new rental contract and confirmation of deregistration from your old place of residence.
Residence permit if you are a non-EU citizen.
A rough inventory of your household goods. Receipts can be used to prove that you have owned an item for more than six months. This can make going through customs smoother, for example if you have newer electric items.
When importing vehicles: the foreign registration certificate.
Important: enquire in good time about additional customs regulations for your car, motorcycle and pets. If you have any further questions, you can consult the FAQ on the subject of personal effects from the Federal Office of Customs and Border Security.
Good to know: it’s best to draw up a list of your items when packing for the move. While you only require basic details when entering into Switzerland, a detailed list will definitely pay off later when taking out home contents insurance.
There are import restrictions on some goods. This especially holds true for animal foods and alcohol. You can find out more in our article on import regulations.
3. Opening hours of the Swiss customs offices for the registration of relocated property
You can only import your household items to Switzerland on business days during opening hours. Each customs office has its own opening hours. They are often open from Monday to Friday between 7 a.m. and 5 p.m. Some customs offices are also open longer or also on Saturday mornings.
4. What do I need to know about customs when bring my pet to Switzerland with me?
Are you bringing a pet with you when you move? There is no customs duty on importing your own pets. The following additional requirements apply to dogs, cats and ferrets:
The animal must be microchipped. If the animal was identified before July 2011, a legible tattoo is also sufficient.
You need proof of rabies vaccination.
You need an EU Pet Passport or a passport from another European state recognized by the EU.
Pets may not be sold or passed on to another person after crossing the border.
More information can be found in the Ordinance on the Import, Transit and Export of Pets .
This information only applies to the import of animals from EU countries. Other regulations apply to animals from third countries.
Good to know: it might be worth taking out pet insurance in Switzerland. In the event of illness or accidents, treating your pet can be expensive. With the Comparis pet insurance comparison tool, you can find the right insurance cover for your pet.
What you need to know when moving your dog to Switzerland
If you own a dog, you must register as a dog owner in the commune where you live. Your vet must also register the dog in the Swiss dog database within 10 days.
You must pay dog tax if you own a dog in Switzerland. The amount varies from one canton to another.
Note: keeping fighting dogs is governed on a cantonal basis. There are also certain cantons which completely forbid specific breeds. In this case, information can be obtained from the responsible veterinary inspection office.
Here you can find an address list of the cantonal veterinary offices in PDF format (in German). Further information on importing animals can be found on the website of the Federal Office for Customs and Border Security.
This article was first published on 17.08.2011
