In short
Since 1 January 2024 there is no customs duty on cars. You pay 4 % automobile tax and 8.1 % import VAT, both on the purchase price plus transport to the first destination in Switzerland, and CHF 20 for the inspection report 13.20 A. If the car counts as new, the CO2 penalty is added. The cantonal road traffic office then inspects the car and you register it with Swiss plates.
Updated 7 October 2026
What the import costs
These official costs apply to every import. The rates are set by federal law; each canton publishes its own fees for the inspection and registration.
| Item | Amount | Charged on |
|---|---|---|
| Customs duty | CHF 0 | Industrial tariffs abolished on 1 January 2024, no proof of origin needed Source |
| Automobile tax (Automobilsteuer) | 4 % | Purchase price plus transport and insurance up to the first destination in Switzerland. Applies to electric cars too. Source |
| Import VAT | 8.1 % | Purchase price, transport and automobile tax Source |
| Inspection report 13.20 A | CHF 20 | Customs fee. You need the report to register the car. Source |
| CO2 penalty | CHF 95 per g/km | Only for cars that count as new, and only above the CO2 target Source |
| Inspection and registration | depends on the canton | Vehicle inspection, registration document and number plates |
A vote on 29 November 2026 decides whether VAT rises to 8.5 % from 2028. The calculator applies the new rate only once it is in force.
Rates checked on 24 September 2026. All figures are estimates without guarantee. What you actually pay is set by Swiss customs (BAZG) and your cantonal road traffic office.
Worked example: a car from a German dealer
A three-year-old used car bought from a dealer in Germany for the equivalent of CHF 23'800, including 19 % German VAT shown on the invoice. Transport to your home: CHF 800.
| Price including German VAT | CHF 23'800 |
|---|---|
| German VAT, refunded after proof of export | − CHF 3'800 |
| Transport | CHF 800 |
| Automobile tax 4 % of CHF 20'800 | CHF 832 |
| Import VAT 8.1 % of CHF 21'632 | CHF 1'752 |
| Inspection report 13.20 A | CHF 20 |
| Customs clearance and registration by importsupport.ch | CHF 549 |
| Total without cantonal fees | CHF 23'953 |
Your canton’s fees for the inspection, registration document and plates come on top. There is no CO2 penalty because the car was first registered abroad more than 12 months ago.
When the CO2 penalty applies
Switzerland treats an imported car as new if it was never registered abroad, was registered at most 6 months before the customs declaration, or at most 12 months before with less than 5,000 km on the clock. These cars have a CO2 target that depends on their weight. In 2026, every gram above it costs CHF 95.
Example: a car with an empty weight of 1,650 kg and 110 g CO2/km has a 2026 target of 95.43 g. It is 14.57 g over, so the penalty is CHF 1'384.15.
It is paid to the Swiss Federal Office of Energy (SFOE, in German BFE) before registration: record the car in the federal roads office’s (ASTRA) import portal, then apply for a certificate on the federal eGovernment portal. Electric cars emit 0 g CO2/km and pay no penalty, but are recorded too. Source
Step by step
Check the car before you buy
Ask for the EU certificate of conformity (CoC). It shows the WLTP CO2 figure and the weight, and with it the inspection is cheaper in many cantons. Our calculator shows the costs from just the listing link.
Buy from a dealer or a private seller
If the dealer shows VAT separately on the invoice, you get it back after proof of export and the net price counts. A private sale has no refund, so the full price counts.
Transport to Switzerland
Drive it yourself, or our transport partner collects it in Germany, Austria, France, Italy or Greece. Transport and insurance up to the first destination in Switzerland are part of the tax base.
Customs clearance on entry
The car is declared to Swiss customs (BAZG) and you pay the automobile tax and import VAT. You receive the inspection report 13.20 A, which you need for registration. We handle this step for you.
Settle the CO2 penalty
If the car counts as new, record it in the ASTRA import portal, apply for the certificate on the federal eGovernment portal and pay any penalty to the SFOE before you register the car.
Inspection at the road traffic office
A directly imported car gets an individual inspection at the cantonal road traffic office (Strassenverkehrsamt), known as the MFK. The cost depends on the documents; with a CoC it is cheaper in many cantons.
Registration
With the inspection report 13.20 A, proof of insurance and a passed inspection, you receive the registration document (Fahrzeugausweis) and Swiss plates. Each canton sets its own deadline and fees.
Buying in Germany, Austria, France, Italy or Greece
The VAT rate in the seller’s country decides how much you get back when you buy from a dealer. The Swiss charges are the same for every country.
| Country | VAT in the seller’s country |
|---|---|
| Germany | 19 % |
| Austria | 20 % |
| France | 20 % |
| Italy | 22 % |
| Greece | 24 % |
Our transport partner collects cars in all five countries. From Greece, the car travels by ferry to Ancona. Source
Registration costs by canton
The inspection, registration document and plates cost a different amount in every canton. Our overview shows the published fees of all 26 cantons.
Moving to Switzerland?
If you used the car yourself abroad for at least 6 months before the move and keep using it here, it comes in free of automobile tax and VAT as personal belongings (Übersiedlungsgut).
Open the moving calculator