Hi all,

Apologies if this question has already appeared. If so, then I couldn't find the answer needed.

To have a car and drive it in the UK (legally), you need a full valid Driving Licence, an MOT (if car is over 3yrs old) and Vehicle Insurance.

Over here in CH, I know I also need a licence (will be changing my UK licence to a CH licence in the near future), I know there'll be insurance to obtain. However, is there an equivalent to a UK MOT (assuming I buy a vehicle already registered in CH) test certificate I'd need and is there any other documentation needed to legally own and drive a car here?

Thanks in advance.

I thought this was a thread asking for another doctor?

I'm not sure if there's an MOT certificate but if you want to drive on the highways you need to buy a vignette, which is roughly equivalent to a tax disc (another UK requirement!).

You don't need a driving license to own a car. You car needs regular inspection called MFK done by the Strassenverkehrsamt. They will send a reminder when it is due. You car also needs a valid emission inspection certificate (Abgaswartungsdokument) done by any garage. He will put a sticker on the rear side window when the next inspection is due (every 24 months) so the police can easily spot the offenders. Finally, you car needs a third party liability insurance otherwise you do not get your license plate.

It is identical in Switzerland, but beware of the pedantic differences

To own a car you need nothing, But you cannot drive it on the roads without rego and insurance

To drive any car on the road you need
a) a valid driving licence for the vehicle category you are driving

The car that is being driven must have
a) valid insurance
b) valid 'MOT - it's called the technical vehicle inspection here or MFK^



Note how the insurance and MFK belong to the car, not the driver.

Great, thanks for the replies

(and apologies, for the confusion with my original title ).

I'm going through the same challenge in Zug.

If you are bringing in a foreign car, You will need the UK equivilent of :
a) EG - Ubereinstimmungsgenehmigung ( Fahrzeughersteller) . Which is the official Manufactorers car specification. Eg Horse power, weight, fuel etc

b) Ownership papers. (Zulassungsbescheinigung. For many EU countries, this 2 documents and you need both)

c) Abgaswartungsdokument (Emissions document. This must come from a Swiss garage)

d) Auslanderausweis ( Residence/work permit)

e) Prufungsberichts ( Customs document 13.20)

f) Insurance

With the above, you can getyour car checked at the Strassenvekehrsamt which intern will allow you to get swiss number plates. Normally this must be done within 1 year of driving in Switzerland

If you are buying a car here, the garage will sort out the documents, you will need to have insurance, a permit and a driving license.

They were pretty helpfull at the Strassenverkehrsamt as I went with everything I had and then they told me what else was needed. If you are not planning to stay for over a year, you can also get a different document from the Zollamt that exempts you from having to have swiss insurance and number plates for 1 or 2 years. Cant remember the doc....document 14.??

Well, it's not always "regular", it depends where you live. I've gone more than 4 years with my car, and ten years with motorcycles. You bring it in when they tell you too, NOT at fixed intervals (unlike the emmisons control on cars, which IS at fixed intervals).

Tom

There is no such thing as "valid MOT" here. They CAN call you in for inspection every two years, but they don't HAVE to!

Tom

sorry to highjack the tread.
Im importing my sisters car from holland. Holland plates and I have a swiss license. she is giving it to me for free (but i will make a "contract of sale of some value".

So all I do is drive the car from holland , stop at customs during opening hours, tell I want to import, fill out the paperwork and pay; get the mfk at the border?

No, you will have to go to the traffic office with the paperwork and make an appointment.

Also, you do not got through the normal customs office, you will have to go through commercial customs.

Tom

but I get the paperwork at the border and then go to my local office (OCN) and have the test done there. Which one is the commercial one; the lane the trucks go through?

Yes.

That is what I had to do when I bough a motorcycle in Italy.

You also have to have the paperwork prepared by an expediter.

Tom

Regular as in formed, built, arranged, or ordered according to some established rule, law, principle, or type.

As we are in Switzerland everything is strictly regulated: So the regular intervals of the periodic inspection as of now (July 2011) is after 4,3,2,2,2.. years (motorcylces and passenger cars).

http://www.stva.zh.ch/internet/siche...prfPeriod.html

where can these expiditers be found?

In theory, yes, but the reality is quite different.

You go when they tell you to, which can be many more years than that.

Tom

The Beauty of living in Lugano. Dolce vita at work.

Well, at the Swiss-Italian borders, close to the border crossings.

Tom

One of my bikes was done first when I brought it here and got Swiss plates, then 10 years later, then 6 years later, and now it's been 8 years since and they haven't called me in!

Tom

As Tom said:
Well, at the Swiss-Italian borders, close to the border crossings.


Also: you can contact the customs by phone and ask them where they can go for an expediter (http://www.ezv.admin.ch/dienstleistu...x.html?lang=en

(they work regularly with them, they will know).