Hi All, I have a question about importing vehicles and the VAT consequences in Switzerland from France.

I live in France but work in Vaud. I recently purchased a new vehicle in France (2 months ago) and my wife purchased a second hand vehicle (4 months ago). Our situation has changed dramatically and we may be moving to Switzerland soon.

Will I have any liability to pay tax/VAT in Swiss when importing the vehicles and if so can I claim the French VAT back?

Many thanks!

You will pay tax on both cars, no French refunds!

http://www.englishforum.ch/search2.p...mporting+a+car

...as Sbrintz said, unless there is a delay between now and when you actually move into Switzerland. If you've owned either of the cars for more than six months at the time you actually move to Switzerland, you won't owe VAT on that car.

Note that it's calculated on the time the you officially arrive in Switzerland, not the car. So it's no good to move to Switzerland now and attempt to import the car four months later...

Bummer. But I'll look into it further to see if there is a way around it.

Don't waste your time -- there's not a way around it. The only way around it is to delay your move into Switzerland until one (or both) vehicles are six months old.

Guess so. Thanks..

Actually, just thinking about this a little more -- unless your wife bought a used commercial vehicle (on which no VAT was paid initially), she won't have paid VAT on the purchase in any case -- so nothing to claim back.