Import Your Car to Switzerland Duty-Free

In case you are permanently moving to Switzerland, you may be able to avoid VAT and customs duties on one or several personal vehicles you bring with you.

You must fulfill the following requirements to get your vehicle imported as removal goods.

• The center of your life must have been outside Switzerland for at least 12 continuous months
• The vehicle must have been registered in your name for at least six months in a row before you
  relocate to Switzerland
• After relocating to Switzerland, you have 18 months to import your vehicle
• You are not allowed to sell the vehicle for 12 months after importing it

For this kind of customs application, our local agent needs the following documents and information from your side.

• Customs form 18.44 must be filled out and signed
• Copy of your Passport
• Registration certificate/card showing your address in Switzerland
• Purchase or rental contract for your Swiss address
• Title of your vehicle
• Employment contract in Switzerland (in case you don’t have a Swiss passport)
• Proof of stay in the US (Employment contract, bank statement, return flight ticket, last vehicle
  registration in the US, etc.)
• Period of your stay in the US (the minimum is one full year before your move to Switzerland
• A packing list (in case you transport personal items inside your vehicle)
• Bill of Sale for the vehicle or current value of the vehicle (a Kelley Blue Book printout is sufficient)

Important for you to know: If the vehicle registration is still valid once the vehicle arrives in Switzerland and you don’t have proof of registration surrender you can drive your vehicle still with US license plates until the US registration ran out. To do that, you will need additional insurance to be covered on Swiss roads (the so-called green insurance card). Any insurance company in Switzerland is selling those.