Motorway charge sticker requirement and exemption from heavy vehicle charge

The temporary exemption from the motorway charge sticker requirement for all vehicles transporting Ukrainian refugees or aid for Ukraine will be lifted as of 30. November 2022. From 1. December 2022, the 2023 motorway charge sticker will be available at the usual points of sale. A simplified customs declaration procedure has been set up for anyone wishing to send aid to Ukraine. Moreover, aid transports can be exempted from the performance-related heavy vehicle charge (HVC).

Aid transports

Many private individuals, companies and associations want to provide aid in support of Ukrainian refugees. We recommend that they contact recognised aid organisations in Switzerland, which can send humanitarian aid abroad without taxes or duties.

However, if you wish to take aid abroad yourself, or to organise delivery yourself, please note the following points:

1. Export by private individuals

If you wish to export aid (e.g. textiles, food, toys, etc.) yourself, you do not need to declare them to Swiss Customs when leaving Switzerland. You should, however, inform yourself in advance about the relevant regulations of the customs authorities in Switzerland's direct neighbours (Germany, Austria, Italy, France). The contact details are given below.

If you wish to export aid using a lorry: The FOCBS can exempt private aid transports from the performance-related heavy vehicle charge (HVC). A corresponding application should be submitted in advance to the FOCBS, either in writing or by email to:

[e-mail]

or:
Federal Office for Customs and Border Security FOCBS
Traffic Charges
3003 Bern

Further information/contacts relating to the HVC: www.lsva.ch

2. Export by courier, freight forwarding company, etc.

If you are having the aid delivered by a transport company, freight forwarder, etc., the aid supplies must be declared to Swiss Customs via a simplified customs declaration procedure upon export. You should, however, inform yourself in advance about the relevant regulations of the customs authorities in Switzerland's direct neighbours (Germany, Austria, Italy, France). The contact details are given below.

In accordance with the applicable regulations (R-10-10 section 1.2.3/R-25-02 sections 2.4.3 and 2.4.4), humanitarian aid can be exported using a simplified customs declaration procedure. This applies for:
- Relief agencies
- Temporarily also for private or public aid programmes wishing to export aid.

However, the simplified procedure does not apply to
- Deliveries for commercial purposes.
- Goods subject to non-customs legislative instruments or goods subject to a licence requirement.
- Deliveries of new or used goods that are deemed to be capital goods (e.g. vehicles, machines, etc.)

Please use this specimen form for the simplified customs declaration:

Specimen form for simplified aid exports (DOCX, 26 kB, 13.02.2023)

General contact details of foreign customs authorities

Germany	Austria	France	Italy
0049 351 44834-520	0043 50 233 740	0033 1 7240 7850	0039 06 50241
[e-mail]	[e-mail]	Contact form	Contact form

List/websites of other European customs authorities

Member Administrations (rocb-europe.org)

List of foreign representations in Switzerland

Foreign representations in Switzerland