How to buy a car in Germany and import it into Switzerland

This article is dated as shown. Laws, fees and prices have changed since then. Check the figures before you rely on them.

Living in Switzerland and thinking about buying a German car? The best option is to bring it in from the country where it is made: this opens up a wide choice of models at various dealer sites and showrooms, along with genuine manufacturer warranties. If you want to know how to buy a car in Germany and import it into Switzerland correctly, this article is for you.

What you need for the purchase and the transfer

The transfer process is divided into two stages:

• Deregistration in Germany.
• Registration in Switzerland (customs clearance).

Before departure, agree on the export documents, the Swiss import declaration and the method of delivery. The validity of the plates and the insurance must suit your route. The intermediary fee of 100-150 francs in the original article refers to 2018 and is not a current offer.

To register a car in Switzerland, the vehicle must meet the established official requirements regarding design and equipment. A special EU certificate removes the need for the noise, radiation and emissions test. The car must also comply with the established age regulations. On this point the rules may differ depending on the country where you live and intend to import the car.

Of course, you can buy a car in Switzerland and spare yourself “unnecessary trouble”. That decision will cost you more. It is more economical to buy in the country where the car is made.

How do you do it? Simple! Contact Destacar and our specialists will help you find a model that meets the requirements and will prepare the documents needed for export.

Documents for registration in the canton

After customs, once your import declaration has been issued, you go through the Motorfahrzeugprüfung (the local equivalent of the TÜV). You will need the same set of documents:

• EU certificate of conformity;
• insurance (transit plates) for 30 days;
• invoice or purchase contract;
• identity document;
• customs import declaration (the e-dec received at customs);
• proof of origin from the seller.

It is important to check the import rules in detail with the administration of the canton where you live, as they may differ in certain respects (an additional certificate may be required) depending on the region.

For permanent import into Switzerland, the declaration, the taxes and the eligibility for registration are checked separately. These payments cannot all be treated as a single customs duty.

• The weight-based tariff from the article of 02.10.2018 refers to the conditions of that period. For a new import, check the payments against the current BAZG information for the chosen vehicle.
• The weight-based tariff from the article of 02.10.2018 refers to the conditions of that period. For a new import, check the payments against the current BAZG information for the chosen vehicle.

According to BAZG, VAT of 8.1% applies when a car is imported; for passenger cars and certain light commercial vehicles a separate automobile tax of 4% is stated. The VAT base includes the expected costs up to the destination in Switzerland. Possible exemptions, CO2 requirements and registration are checked separately. Buying in Germany does not mean that the costs will be limited to VAT alone.

Buying a car in Germany is easy with the help of a Destacar specialist. Call us on our contact number, we are open to new orders.