Importation into Switzerland

The regulations and formalities depend on whether you wish to:

 
 

Using an uncleared vehicle temporarily in Switzerland

Whether you may use an uncleared vehicle in Switzerland depends, among other things, on the purpose for which you intend to use the vehicle and whether you are resident or headquartered in Switzerland or abroad.

Ban on inland transport (cabotage)

Inland transport is when you:

  • Both pick up and drop off individuals within Switzerland and a fee is paid for their carriage in any form. The amount paid and who pays it is not decisive;
  • Accept/load/hitch goods within the context of an economic activity in Switzerland, as well as drop them off/unload/unhitch them.

In principle, you may not use an uncleared vehicle for inland transport within Switzerland. You must spontaneously declare any such vehicle(s) for permanent importation to the Federal Office for Customs and Border Security at the border. Special regulations only apply in a few cases. 

 
 

Companies with registered office in Switzerland

In principle, you may not use an uncleared vehicle in Switzerland. You must spontaneously declare any uncleared vehicle(s) for permanent importation to the Federal Office for Customs and Border Security at the border. Special regulations only apply in a few cases. 

 
 

Companies with registered office abroad

You may use an uncleared vehicle only for a limited period of time and only for cross-border transport in Switzerland. You must return the vehicle abroad as soon as the transport for which it was imported has ended.

General information on the temporary use of goods can be found under Temporary importation.

Information on repairing, converting and enhancing an uncleared vehicle can be found under Processing traffic

 
 

Offences

If you use an uncleared vehicle in Switzerland without authorisation or do not comply with formalities, you must pay the import duties for the vehicle (customs duty, automobile duty, value added tax) retroactively. In addition, you must be prepared for criminal customs proceedings to be initiated. 

 
 

Contact

Information office for customs regulations

Tel.
+41 58 467 15 15

Contact form

Print contact

https://bazg.admin.ch/content/bazg/en/home/informationen-firmen/verkehrsabgaben-und-strassenverkehrsrecht/strassenfahrzeuge/einfuhr-in-die-schweiz.html