Just a quick query if anyone can help - I'm buying a car registered with diplomatic plates, was imported 4 years ago into switzerland. The carte grise says it cant be transferred or sold without going to the douane - does any one know the specifics of who and what is required? The seller says no tax would be due as its been in the country for more than 3 years which seems legit - but i am wondering if anyone has any experience of this ? I've tried google and failed...
Morning all,
I have imported 3 vehicles myself so this is from experience.
First place to visit on the web is here
http://www.vd.ch/themes/mobilite/automobile/
But as you are conveniently situated only a few km away, walk into SAN who are located at l'Asse (outskirts of Nyon...where Paleo takes place) and ask them directly. I would double check about the no need to pay import tax, not doubting it, but just be sure.
Going by what you have been informed, you will have to dédouaner your vehicle, to do this you need to present yourself at any border entry into Switzerland with the car and tell them you are bringing it in, they will ask you to pay there and then and issue you with a document.
You will have to pass the Swiss inspection at SAN Blécherette above Lausanne. Also, if the car is not from Europe (a US import?) the added information needed and requirements are very time consuming, with the noise pollution test expensive (well over CHF 1,000). I hope for your sake that it is a Euro-import
Good luck!
I doubt that. If the car has CD plates it never was imported into Switzerland, I ́d think, as a car belonging to a diplomat is also "immune" and in principle territory of the country the diplomat belongs to.
Has a carte grise though......i'd better investigate further. The car was Danish originally, and brought into Switzerland in 2013....
It got a Swiss registration, as Switzerland gave the diplomatic plates; hence the grey card.
That doesn't mean it was imported and that any tax was levied.
You will have to pay tax like importing it from the EU I think.
That card means the car is registered in Switzerland and that has to be done (after a while at least) for any car. It does not automatically mean the tax was paid, especially if it was imported as a diplomatic car.
When I brought my car into another country (working for an embassy), I got the registration documents from that country but it was not taxed as it was on CD plates.
But, things can have changed so maybe you do not need to pay taxes
Diplomats can buy fuel that's excempt from duty and all other local fees and taxes. A few authorised Shell stations (around Bern and Geneva I would think) sell fuel at less than half the standard price if the driver shows a special authorisation.
Appararently, they effectively export the fuel by filling the tank. Consequentially one would need to conclude that the car itself is also free of all local taxes, fees and duties. Until it's bought by your or me.
To be sure you should probably contact federal customs .
Expect to pay 12% (8% VAT, 4% duty).
Tom
Feic. Dont fancy paying anything, the car isnt that cheap. Its basically discounted from the market by a few k, not enough to compensate for 8-12% import tax. I'll investigate further and let you know what customs say, the seller was/is adamant that there is 0 tax due due to the length of time the car has been here.....
As others have said, you'll most likely be liable to import charges.
Depending on the rank at the embassy, he/she may not really understand what is involved in buying a car as a "normal human being".
And the import inspection, which can be several thousand CHF, or more.
Tom
QUOTE : RACHEL MOORE
I have imported 3 vehicles myself so this is from experience.
First place to visit on the web is here
http://www.vd.ch/themes/mobilite/automobile/
But as you are conveniently situated only a few km away, walk into SAN who are located at l'Asse (outskirts of Nyon...where Paleo takes place) and ask them directly. I would double check about the no need to pay import tax, not doubting it, but just be sure.
Going by what you have been informed, you will have to dédouaner your vehicle, to do this you need to present yourself at any border entry into Switzerland with the car and tell them you are bringing it in, they will ask you to pay there and then and issue you with a document.
This is not strictly true. You can make a temporary import at the border and custom clear the car within 7 days (maybe it is 2 working days, can't remember) at any Port Franc. These is a very big one in Geneva, one in Lausanne, one in Vevey, one in Martigny and one most other places. You can also store in a Port Franc (against an exchange of money !) for as long as you want.
You will have to pass the Swiss inspection at SAN Blécherette above Lausanne. Also, if the car is not from Europe (a US import?) the added information needed and requirements are very time consuming, with the noise pollution test expensive (well over CHF 1,000). I hope for your sake that it is a Euro-import.
To import easiyl you need a Certificate of Conformity (CoC) which European suppliers will give you, the car does need to be checked by the authorities (cantonal) before you get plates and to get plates everything needs to be paid, 8% VAT + 4% car tax and you present the receipts as proove of payment.
If the 1st regisitration is LESS than 6 months, you also need to pay CO2 tax which is expensive, if the car is more than 6 months since first regisitration (worldwide) then no CO2 tax is due
Good luck!
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As for this particular car, relatively simple, get the diplomat to custom clear the car before purchasing it ! Problem resolved
Looks like he's right...
Persons of the above-mentioned categories are permitted to import or to buy a motor vehicle free of import duties for their personal use once every three years under the condition of "engagement limité" (limited engagement). The term "engagement limité" means that the vehicle cannot be resold or gifted for a period of three years without the owner being liable to pay import duties on the vehicle. If the new owner has the right to acquire a duty-free motor vehicle, the otherwise applicable import duties do not have to be paid and the engagement limité is transferred to the new owner. After expiry of the three-year period, the owner of the vehicle is under no further legal constraint, and the vehicle may be sold or gifted (to another person regardless of his or her status) without being liable to pay import duties .
Source:
Thats the option i've gone for - I've asked him to clear it himself...I'll let you know as it unfolds. Tks all for the replies so far. No one supporting the original supposition tells me either it is incorrect or there's a sneaky loophole that was previously unknown! Obviously will shed light if that transpires to be the case.
Eh? I thought that a standard EU homologated model would just need a normal MFK. It's been a while since I did it,but that certainly used to be the case.
Inspection costs 120CHF in ZH.
Any required modifications might run you anything from a few CHF to a mortgage...
So a happy conclusion to this tale - as described above, the seller was able to go to the douane this morning and get the car cleared to be sold for no additional import or other costs, stamped clearly by the Geneva douane as free to import. I'll be registering it tomorrow with SAN....no additional complications are forecast...thanks all for the contributions and help.
Good to know, thanks for the feedback!
Yesterday, at a car dealer, where we are looking, and we will likely have CD plates, the dealer made it clear that if for some reason we leave Switzerland and sell the car before three years for any reason, we would be liable for some additional taxes to be paid on the current value of the car - not the original purchase price. After three years, no additional fees.