I finally have my Swiss number plates, hoorray!!
It's been quite a journey.

Long story short, my car remained halted in its parking lot a looong time while awaiting the CoC (certificate of conformity) and then the SVA appointment for the technical inspection. In the meanwhile I enjoyed public transportation.

Many people in this forum had no issues whatsoever when importing their car, whereas I had a few, so be aware - things can go wrong and more often than not will go wrong. Murphy's law is out there waiting for you!

I had bought this car just before moving to Switzerland, so the most sensible thing to do was to import it. One has to learn from mistakes.
As far as I'm concerned I'll buy my next car directly in CH or, if brave enough, go through an import dealer. For no reason I'll go through this bureaucratic hassle again on my own.

A final practical hint if you really want to import your car. All has been written on what to do, but I still wish to add something:

When you go to the technical inspection, carry with you a screwdriver and number plate holders (you buy them in DIY stores).
To get the Swiss plates you'll need to give the original ones back. So you'll need to unmount them and need a screwdriver.
The Swiss number plates won't fit on foreign holders, so have them with you to avoid driving without plates.

As I understand it, being Swiss resident for some years, I am not allowed to drive a UK registered car in Switzerland, irrespective of who owns the car.

I imported a pre war Greek registered British classic car project to Switzerland, transit through Germany via Basel, paying the Swiss import duty for an oldtimer, getting what looks like a Swiss Stamm Nummer on payment. The car was UK registered for many years before moving to Greece. [Tip, if you do this avoid trying to import it via France. French customs seem to try to force you to use an import agent.]

I only imported it to CH at this stage, (no Strassenverkehrsamt inspection or appointment requested) as there was nowhere else to keep it for the last couple of years. I now need to import it (on a trailer) back into the UK and register it there for the UK (family member) owner.

The car is likely to spend time in CH under my care in future, when it will need to be put on veteran plates I guess if I want to exercise it.

Ideally I would like the car to stay "verzollt" (duty paid) in the UK (EU for now!) and also Switzerland, so that in future, the car can live "where it wants" without us having to pay import duty.

Will this happen automatically if I just fill in a UK NOVA form and register it there (I have no idea how to do that yet!)? Ideally, we would be able to have UK and Swiss registration for the car simultaneously at some point. Is "dual nationality" allowed for cars?

Normal plates are fine as well.

Tom

I am thinking of importing my car to CH and wanted to know if it makes sense. I am living in CH for more than 5 years now. I bought a new car in an EU country around one year ago. By reading the posts I understand that if I decide to import the car in CH, I will need to pay:

- 4% import tax
- 8% VAT tax
- administration costs for certifications, travel, plates etc.

Is this correct? If yes, can I claim back the VAT in the country where I bought the car?

Yes.

Only if you never used nor registered the car.

Tom

Normally this has to bee done within a few months or even weeks and the car might have never been "used". Driving directly to the border for export might be the only allowed usage.

As the car is a year old get an Eurotax evaluation (Will cost you ~CHF 20 https://www.eurotax.ch/de/fahrzeugbewertung/) to determine its value and thus lower tax and duty.

thanks. If I don't want to do the whole registration in CH process (except driving the car in CH), can you recommend some companies? also, what is an estimated cost?

If you are a long term Swiss resident, and the car will be stationed in Switzerland your only option is to get Swiss registration.
See also ASA guidline No. 1 "Traitement des véhicules à moteur et des conducteurs en provenance de l’étranger"
https://asa.ch/fr/bibliotheque-en-ligne/directives/

Your numbers are approximately correct. Swiss VAT is now 7.7% on cars. Duty on cars is indeed 4% but on top of that is customs duty which weighs in (pardon the pun) at up to CHF 15/100 kg.

If the car was built in the EU, you can obtain a certificate to reduce the duty payable. Depending on the manufacturer, there may be a charge for this certificate.

Each country has different rules. In the UK you cannot reclaim the VAT unless you completed the relavent forms before purchasing the car. Once the car is in your possession or registered it's too late.

I was looking at a car on mobile.de On the page giving the details of the car I came across:

"Auto Import in die Schweiz (from my IP address they must have picked up my country)

Jetzt Preis in CHF anzeigen!

Preisanzeige in CHF

Mehrwertsteuervorteil

Verzollungskosten

Import Kosten"

In Kooperation mit import-butler.ch

I clicked on the "jetzt umrechnen" and got the total cost I would have to pay for the car I was looking at, in Switzerland, instantly.

They claim to offer all services for importing a car from Germany. I wonder if any one has used their (www.import-butler.ch) services.

Attached Files

Mercedes Benz Import calculation.pdf (52.6 KB, 233 views)

__________________
Some times you are the pigeon, some times the statue!

The trickiest part is to find a car and make sure it's ok. They charge you 1'700 CHF for something which in reality is probably no more than 500 CHF. So you are paying 1'200 to get rid of the hassle. Being a second hand car you still have to go to Germany and inspect the car. If this is worth, it's up to you.

And one more thing, I wouldn't pay anything in advance, neither for the car nor for the services.

True!
Of course, if it eventually came to using them, I would never pay anything in advance.
Apparently, they also offer the services of a certified appraiser who can check the car for you for an additional fee of CHF199

Let's say I will buy a used car in January in EU country, apply for a B-permit in March and come with that car to CH in June. Is the car considered as bought 6 months before coming or not?



I am afraid that this case is the same as the derbu's case discussed recently and the import tax needs to be payed, but I would like to have an explicit answer.


Thank you

If you buy it the 1st of January, you will have possessed the car for six months on the 1st of July and not a day earlier.

Indeed, and it's not thay day that you bring the car here that counts, but rather the date you move here.

Tom

Oh, my bad. I actually meant "6 months later", so in July. Or in August, to avoid any unclarity

But I think I am screwed anyway, because the duration between buying the car and the beginning of the permit is less than 6 months. At least this is how I understand the logic behind the law... You bought a car with the intention to use it in CH long term, so you will pay the import tax. It makes sense, unfortunately.

I will be very happy if you prove me wrong!

The rule is very simple:

Did you own the car a minimum of six months the day you came to Switzerland.

That leaves two possible answers.

1. Yes - Taxfree import
2. No - Pay up

This has been said numerous times on the forum already, and if you do not believe us, how about you prove us wrong

Maybe I am overthinking it, but the rule is not clear to me. That is why I am asking. If there were written "6 months before the day your permit starts", then it would be crystal clear, no questions needed.

I understand that st2lemans confirmed my thoughts (i.e. tax needs to be payed), but from your answer, I don't understand whether you are seconding it or contradicting it

St2lemans and I say exactly the same thing